7 steps to successful advertising

7 steps to successful advertising• Step 1: Think about what it is like to be a

consumer of your brand and behave like one at all times. – Unless you can truly think like your

consumer, you will always be a poor judge of advertising.

– Listening to consumers via qualitative research can definitely help here.

7 steps to successful advertising• Step 2: Focus on the proposed execution.

Check it against the strategy later– The consumer does not get to read the

strategy, so nor should you. – Ask for the precise strategic aim of the

advertising only after the execution has been presented. That way his evaluation is not biased by prior expectations.

7 steps to successful advertising• Step 3: Imagine you are watching/

hearing/reading the advertisement half-asleep– Consumers do not sit up and pay attention when your

advertising comes onto the television– Consumers process almost all television advertising passively,

using what is called ‘low-involvement processing’– LIP is done mainly by the right hemisphere of the brain – The right brain is emotional but not analytical. It records the

elements in the advertising and stores them along with the feelings they create.

– If we see a dog in a Hutch advertisement we record it as a cute, loveable dog, we do not analyse rationally what relevance it has to mobile phones.

7 steps to successful advertising• Step 4: Mentally record all the elements that seem

likely to stand out, and ask yourself what they say about the brand– Think of these elements as the concrete associations that will

ultimately define your brand. This is what the consumer will recall about your ad, and use to define your brand in their minds.

– The puppy is what people associate with Andrex. It carries with it the idea of softness and caring family values.

– But sometimes it can go wrong. The 1996 Peugeot 406 advertisement, featured the track ‘Search for the hero inside yourself’. Within in it was a sequence showing a girl in a red dress in danger of being run over by a skidding tanker: three years later that is what most people recall from this ad. This is an undeniably negative association

7 steps to successful advertising• Step 5: Recognise that creativity does not

cease once the script or layout is presented– It is often at the execution stage where the

most important associations in advertising are added. The Hamlet music was never part of the original script submission.

– All these have grown to be associations that fundamentally influence and effectively define these brands to consumers.

7 steps to successful advertising• Step 6: Consistency is key. Recognise what is a

valuable association and hang on to it– Concrete associations are what define brands in

people’s minds, and often they are the only competitive advantage a brand has. You sacrifice them at your peril.

– Fosters in the late 1980s decided the comedian Paul Hogan was getting too old to be used to advertise a lager aimed at young men. Since then they have run countless different campaigns, and wasted untold sums of money, but still the main thing associated with Fosters in people’s minds is Paul Hogan.

7 steps to successful advertising• Step 7: Tie brand associations to brand

equity measurements– This is the final piece of the jigsaw research

that elicits brand associations and links them to various different quantitative measures of brand equity. Forget advertising awareness, copy-point recall and the other conventional measures of advertising claims – most of these are no more than hygiene measures.

Managing the Creative Process

Managing the Creative Process

What is Good AdvertisingWhat is Good Advertising

What is good advertisingWhat is good advertising

““An ad whose public is not An ad whose public is not only strongly sold by it, only strongly sold by it,

but that both the public and but that both the public and the advertising world the advertising world

remember it for a long time remember it for a long time as an admirable piece of work”as an admirable piece of work”

““An ad whose public is not An ad whose public is not only strongly sold by it, only strongly sold by it,

but that both the public and but that both the public and the advertising world the advertising world

remember it for a long time remember it for a long time as an admirable piece of work”as an admirable piece of work”

LeoBurnett

Be LikedBe Liked

“Ads are like people …You can see most people a hundred timesand not remember them,but meet someone you like once,and you will never forget them”

Sir Frank Lowe

How do you get good advertising?

How do you get good advertising?

• Client/Agency Relationship

• Creative Briefing

• Receiving & Evaluating

• Understanding how it works

• Idea vs. Execution

Advertising Idea vs. ExecutionAdvertising Idea vs. Execution

Brand PositioningBrand Positioning

“The niche in the target consumers’ minds and/or hearts that the brand

wants to own”

Brand Positioning StatementBrand Positioning Statement

To ABC

x

is the Brand of y

which delivers z

[target audience]

[Brand name]

[Category Need]

[Benefit]

BRAND BRAND POSITIONINGPOSITIONING

Price

Performance

Emotional

NeedUsage

User

Rational

Product

Successful ownershipSuccessful ownership

• Single-minded

• Consistent

Positioning LimitationsPositioning Limitations

• Despite positioning, brands still lose their way

• The transition from positioning through brief to execution causes this

• Positioning is a poor discipline for advertising consistency

• Advertising Idea is a good one• It is the discipline the creative department

uses

“An Advertising Idea is derived from the Brand’s Single-Minded Proposition and its Key Consumer Insight. It is a creative thought which propels a campaign. The idea can be executed in many ways although it itself contains no executional detail.

All Advertising Executions for the Brand should execute the Advertising Idea’s creative thought, so that all share that thought, which remains consistent over time.

Hence the advertising Idea itself can last for many years, while different executions of it keep it relevant and fresh to today’s market place.”

“An Execution is the way in which

the creative thought of the

Advertising Idea has been

expressed (or executed) in any

particular advertisement.

It is a rendering in words, sounds,

pictures, symbols, colors, shapes,

forms, or any combination of these,

of an Advertising Idea.”

A series of executions of the same

Advertising Idea form a campaign.

Advertising IdeaAdvertising Idea ExecutionExecution

Axe Campaign (1998-2004)Axe Campaign (1998-2004)

LYNXLYNX19981998

AFRICAAFRICA19981998

LYNXLYNX19991999

LYNXLYNX20002000

DEODEO20012001

DEODEO20022002

DEODEO20022002

DEODEO20022002

SHAVESHAVE20022002

DEODEO20032003

NEW-DNEW-D20032003

DEODEO20042004

Qualities of Advertising IdeasQualities of Advertising Ideas

• Excellent discipline for consistency over time

• Capable of many executions

• Become familiar to consumer

• Become valuable Brand assets

How do you get good Advertising Ideas

How do you get good Advertising Ideas

Key Consumer InsightKey Consumer Insight

An insight is the discovery of a deeply felt human truth that creates a powerful personal connection between a brand and a consumer. It is also the springboard for great creative.

Example: AxeExample: Axe

Business Issue:

• Axe sales static due to ageing brand profile and failure to recruit amongst teenage males and “dad” brand image.

Communications Challenge:

• To emotionally re-connect with youth.

The Trigger Question:

• What does the target audience dream of

Key Consumer InsightKey Consumer Insight

“Every man dreams of a woman making the first move”

Example: French LotteryExample: French Lottery

Business Issue:

• Less people playing the lottery because new games seems more exciting to play

Communications Challenge:

• Bring players back by putting the fun back into playing

The Trigger Question:

• What would a fanatic say?

Key Consumer InsightKey Consumer Insight

“When you play you candream of changing your life”

Key Consumer InsightKey Consumer Insight

UniversalUniversal

CulturalCultural

CategoryCategory

Single-minded propositionSingle-minded proposition

Single-MindedProposition

Single-MindedProposition

Product Performance

Something the product actually does

Product Belief

Something consumers believe about the

Brand (which may or may not be true

in reality)

Product Assertion

Something the Brand asserts to be true (and makes it so

through investment over time)

Single-MindedSingle-MindedPropositionProposition

Key ConsumerKey ConsumerInsightInsight

AdvertisingAdvertisingIdeaIdea++

Key ConsumerInsight

(Universal, Culturalor category)

++Single-Minded

Proposition(Performance, Belief,

or Assertion)

AdvertisingIdea

The world is a pretty unreliable

place: If things cango wrong theygenerally do

++VW is the most reliable car in its

class

Reliability in an unreliable world

Eg: Volkswagen:Eg: Volkswagen:

Key ConsumerInsight

(Universal, Culturalor category)

++Single-Minded

Proposition(Performance, Belief,

or Assertion)

AdvertisingIdea

Violence isexciting ++

Fox Ice Hockey is really exciting

to watch

If other sports wereviolent like Fox

Ice Hockey they’dbe much more

exciting to watch

Eg: Fox Ice Hockey:Eg: Fox Ice Hockey:

Key ConsumerInsight

(Universal, Culturalor category)

++Single-Minded

Proposition(Performance, Belief,

or Assertion)

AdvertisingIdea

Lack of sleepimpairs

performance ++

Courtyard Hotelsare designed by

business people to give business

people a better night’s sleep

Non-Courtyardbusiness patrons

perform badly

Eg: Courtyard Hotels:

Single-MindedSingle-MindedPropositionProposition

Key ConsumerKey ConsumerInsightInsight

AdvertisingAdvertisingIdeaIdea++

The Creative BriefThe Creative Brief

Better Briefs = Better AdsBetter Briefs = Better Ads

Time to brief

vs

Time to rework

Less is more

Creative BriefCreative Brief Creative ThinkingCreative Thinking

Creating a good Creative BriefCreating a good Creative Brief

• Time

• Involve others

• Single-Minded Proposition

• Relevant Consumer Insight

• Less is more

• Interesting

1. Advertising Requirement2. Major Issue the Advertising Must Solve3. Creative Strategy

Market description, Target Audience, Key Consumer Insight, Single-Minded Proposition, Support, Brand Personality

4. Ideal Consumer Response5. Advertising Idea6. Mandatory Executional Requirement, if any

Key properties, Local/Regional/Statutory constraints, Other

7. BudgetsProduction Budget, Media Budget, Suggested Time Lengths / Space size

8. Competitive Context9. Planned Pre-Testing

Creative Brief PerformaCreative Brief Performa

• Advertising RequirementAdvertising Requirement:– What do we physically want the agency to

produce?

• Major Issue the Advertising must solveMajor Issue the Advertising must solve:– Choose one and be realistic!

• Market descriptionMarket description:– Describe the consumer competitive set in

consumer language

• Target AudienceTarget Audience:– Not just statistics– Picture in mind’s eye– Can be > one– Cab be sub-set

• Key Consumer insightKey Consumer insight:– Critical– Business building!– Creative ‘hook’– Don’t invent them!

• Single-Minded PropositionSingle-Minded Proposition

“It’s the most distinctive and single-minded proposition that we want consumers to believe our brand delivers better than any other.”

• SupportSupport:– Should support SMP– Not mandatory– Don’t use to add secondary propositions!

• Brand PersonalityBrand Personality:– Useful, actionable words– Not obvious idiotic ones

• Ideal Consumer ResponseIdeal Consumer Response:– Whatever would make you and your Agency

colleagues embrace each other in delight as the perfect response to seeing the advertising

• Advertising IdeaAdvertising Idea:– See earlier in this document under Advertising

Idea vs. Execution

• Mandatory Executional RequirementsMandatory Executional Requirements:– As few as possible– Beware closing creative doors

• BudgetBudget:– Production Budget

• Specify spending ceiling

– Media Budget• Gives creative team a context for production budget

– Suggested Time Lengths / Space size• Suggest, but don’t be dogmatic. Agency may have better

idea

• Competitive ContextCompetitive Context• Planned Pre-TestingPlanned Pre-Testing

Improving briefingImproving briefing

• Take briefs as seriously as creative work

• Take time

• Involve others

• Single-Minded Proposition

• Work Hard at Consumer Insight

• Make it interesting

Sample BriefsSample Briefs

PERSILPERSIL VECTRAVECTRA

Whole Brain ModelWhole Brain Model

LEFT BRAINLEFT BRAINR

IGH

T B

RA

INR

IGH

T B

RA

IN

“An Ad That Didn’t Appeal To Me/Touch

Me”

“An Ad That Appealed

To Me/ Touched Me”

“An Ad That Convinced Me Rationally”

“An Ad That Didn’t Convince Me Rationally”

Roger Clayton “Whole Brain” Model

LEFT BRAINLEFT BRAINR

IGH

T B

RA

INR

IGH

T B

RA

IN

“An Ad That Didn’t Appeal To Me/Touch

Me”

“An Ad That Appealed

To Me/ Touched Me”

“An Ad That Convinced Me Rationally”

“An Ad That Didn’t Convince Me Rationally”

Roger Clayton “Whole Brain” Model

Receiving & Evaluating Advertising

Receiving & Evaluating Advertising

Judging advertising well is hard

Judging advertising well is hard

• Subjective

• Disadvantage vs. Agency

• Time Pressure

• Relationship

1. Preparation1. Preparation

• What are we looking for?– Creative Brief

• What context must it work in?– Historical– Current– Competitive

2. Environment2. Environment

• People

• Venue

• Empathy

• Attitude

3. Time3. Time

• Sufficient

• Nerve Curve

4. The Creative Presentation Meeting

4. The Creative Presentation Meeting

1.Listen

2.Clarify

3.Advertising

IdeaEvaluation

4.ExecutionalEvaluation

5.ConsideredResponse

Creative Evaluation Guidelines

Creative Evaluation Guidelines

ADVERTISING IDEA• What is the advertising idea that the advertising

aims to communicate?• Is the idea involving for the target audience?• Is it distinctive?• Is it on Brief?• Is it right for the Brand?• Is it an endearing Creative Thought?

Creative Evaluation Guidelines

Creative Evaluation Guidelines

EXECUTION• Is the advertising idea clear in this execution?• Is this execution on Brief?• Will it appeal to the Target Audience?• Will it stick in their minds / stand out?• Is it right for the Brand?• Is it sufficiently well branded?

Creative Evaluation Guidelines

Creative Evaluation Guidelines

OVERALL IMPRESSION• Like/Dislike• Persuasion• Impact

Turning down creative workTurning down creative work

• Be sure

• Face to face

• Acknowledge effort/intent

• Exact diagnosis

• Re-motivate

Value the relationshipValue the relationship

• Work at it

• ‘Do unto others……’

• Tonality

• Play together

• Be honest

• Joint evaluations

Value the creative workValue the creative work

• Enough time

• Brief well

• Presentations at agency

• Respond well

• Share responsibility

CHOICECHOICE

CHOICECHOICE

CHOICECHOICE

CHOICE

CHOICE

CHOIC

ECH

OICE

CHOICECHOICECHO

ICECHOICE

CHOICE

CHOICE

CHOICECHOICECHOICECHOICE

OVERCHOICEOVERCHOICE

““Ironically, the people of the future Ironically, the people of the future may suffer not from an absence of choice, may suffer not from an absence of choice,

but from a paralysing surfeit of it.but from a paralysing surfeit of it.They may turn out to be the victims of They may turn out to be the victims of that peculiar super-industrial dilemma: that peculiar super-industrial dilemma:

overchoiceoverchoice.”.”

Alvin Toffler

CHOICECHOICE

CHOICECHOICE

CHOICECHOICE

CHOICE

CHOICE

CHOIC

ECH

OICE

CHOICECHOICECHO

ICECHOICE

CHOICE

CHOICE

CHOICECHOICECHOICECHOICE

POSITIONING

POSITIONING

CHOICECHOICE

CHOICECHOICE

CHOICECHOICE

CHOICE

CHOICE

CHOIC

ECH

OICE

CHOICECHOICECHO

ICECHOICE

CHOICE

CHOICE

CHOICECHOICECHOICECHOICE

Choice ProliferationChoice Proliferation

PRODUCT

• Crest Toothpaste

• Orange Juice

• Cream Cheese

• Coke

• Lettuce

VARIETIES1970 1999

15 45

20 70

3 30

6 25

4 9

CHOICECHOICE INNOVATIONINNOVATION++

Brings customers unprecedented opportunities

Brings customers unprecedented opportunities

AND

unprecedented anxieties

AND

unprecedented anxieties

Seven Common Fears(John Collard, Psychologist,

Institute of Human Relations - Yale University)

Seven Common Fears(John Collard, Psychologist,

Institute of Human Relations - Yale University)

1. Fear of failure2. Fear of sex3. Fear of self-defense4. Fear of trusting others5. Fear of thinking6. Fear of speaking7. Fear of being alone

5. Fear of thinking

The next generation of positioning successes will belong to those brands that relieve

customer stress.

The next generation of positioning successes will belong to those brands that relieve

customer stress.

Become the customer’s partner in

stress relief.

Become the customer’s partner in

stress relief.

SIMPLICITY.SIMPLICITY.

The streamlining wake-up call

The streamlining wake-up call

• IBM:1994-7 slashed models from 3400 to 150, options from 750 to 350, inventory

parts from 56k to 15k. Outgrew industry for the first time in a decade.

• P&G: 1995 cut number of hair care product choices by half. Market share has steadily grown.

Burger King, Sunoco, Nabisco, GM, Unilever...

• IBM:1994-7 slashed models from 3400 to 150, options from 750 to 350, inventory

parts from 56k to 15k. Outgrew industry for the first time in a decade.

• P&G: 1995 cut number of hair care product choices by half. Market share has steadily grown.

Burger King, Sunoco, Nabisco, GM, Unilever...

De-cluttering strategiesDe-cluttering strategies

• Products/services that reduce no. of products, brands or decisions (Conditioning shampoo, PDA, ‘Single-window’)

• Advertising positioning (“Honda. We make it simple”, “Nokia - human technology”)

• Branding (CareFree sugarless gum, Onebox.com, reduce sub-brands)

• Simplify logo designs (Nike swish)

• Products/services that reduce no. of products, brands or decisions (Conditioning shampoo, PDA, ‘Single-window’)

• Advertising positioning (“Honda. We make it simple”, “Nokia - human technology”)

• Branding (CareFree sugarless gum, Onebox.com, reduce sub-brands)

• Simplify logo designs (Nike swish)

Simplicity and the InternetSimplicity and the Internet• The need for simplicity is most apparent

where complex technologies need to be harnessed and made invisible in order to provide a stress-free customer experience.

• Sustained growth of the Internet is powered by advent of visible simplicity sitting on top of invisible complexity.

– One click ordering– Imode

• The need for simplicity is most apparent where complex technologies need to be harnessed and made invisible in order to provide a stress-free customer experience.

• Sustained growth of the Internet is powered by advent of visible simplicity sitting on top of invisible complexity.

– One click ordering– Imode

4R’s of Simplicity Marketing

4R’s of Simplicity Marketing

1. Replace: Position yourself as a replacement for multiple or more complicated product or process.

2. Repackage: Bundle together products or services previously only available from multiple sources (integration).

3. Reposition: Directly position yourself on the promise of simplicity.

4. Replenish: Continuously provide zero-defect service to existing customers at acceptable price points so they never have to make a purchase decision ever again.

1. Replace: Position yourself as a replacement for multiple or more complicated product or process.

2. Repackage: Bundle together products or services previously only available from multiple sources (integration).

3. Reposition: Directly position yourself on the promise of simplicity.

4. Replenish: Continuously provide zero-defect service to existing customers at acceptable price points so they never have to make a purchase decision ever again.

RStrategy ComponentsStrategy Components

REPLACE

REPACKAGE

REPOSITION

REPLENISH

SubstitutionSubstitution ConsolidationConsolidation

AggregationAggregation IntegrationIntegration

Brand Brand StreamliningStreamlining

DiscontinuousDiscontinuousRepositioningRepositioning

VerticalVerticalExtensionExtension

ContinuousContinuousSupplySupply

CompetitiveCompetitivePricingPricingZero DefectsZero Defects

““What use could this company What use could this company make make

of an electrical toy?”of an electrical toy?”Western Union president, William

Orton, rejecting Bell’s offer to sell his struggling telephone company for

$100,000.

“The telephone may be briefly described as an electrical

contrivance for reproducing in distant places the tones and

articulations of a speaker’s voice so that conversation can be carried on

by word of mouth between two persons in different rooms, in different streets or in different

towns.”

Alexander Graham BellAlexander Graham Bell

AT&TAT&T

“Reach out and “Reach out and touch someone” touch someone”

AT&TAT&T

“Reach out and “Reach out and touch someone” touch someone”

Complexity is not to be admired.

It’s to be avoided.

20,000

114,000

600,000

• Pulchritude possesses profundity of a merely cutaneous nature.

(Beauty is only skin deep.)

• It is not efficacious to indoctrinate a superannuated canine with innovative maneuvers.

(You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.)

• Visible vapours that issue from carbonaceous materials are a harbinger of imminent conflagration.

(Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.)

• A revolving mass of lithic conglomerates does not accumulate a congery of small green bryophitic plants.

(A rolling stone gathers no moss.)

“Memos from Hell”(circulating at Fortune 500 companies)

“Memos from Hell”(circulating at Fortune 500 companies)

• Top leadership helicoptered this vision.

(The bosses are looking beyond next week.)

• Adding value is the keystone to exponentially accelerating profit curves.

(Lets grow sales and profits by offering more of what customers want.)

“Memos from Hell”(circulating at Fortune 500 companies)

• We need to dimensionalise this management initiative

(Lets all make a plan.)

“Memos from Hell”(circulating at Fortune 500 companies)

• We utilised a concert of cross-functional expertise.

(People from different departments talked to each other.)

“Memos from Hell”(circulating at Fortune 500 companies)

• Don’t impact employee incentivisation programs.

(Don’t screw around with people’s pay.)

“Memos from Hell”(circulating at Fortune 500 companies)

• Your job, for the time being, has been designated as “retained.”

(You’re not fired yet.)

“Memos from Hell”(circulating at Fortune 500 companies)

Big ideas almost always come in small words

Volvo’s Mission Statement?

Volvo’s Mission Statement?

““Volvo is in the business Volvo is in the business

to make the safest vehicles to make the safest vehicles

in the world.”in the world.”

““Volvo is in the business Volvo is in the business

to make the safest vehicles to make the safest vehicles

in the world.”in the world.”

Volvo’s Mission Statement!Volvo’s Mission Statement!

130 Words.130 Words.

‘‘Safety’ is the 126th word.Safety’ is the 126th word.

130 Words.130 Words.

‘‘Safety’ is the 126th word.Safety’ is the 126th word.

The Mission Statement Book

(Contains 301 corporate mission statements)

- Jeffrey Abrahams

The Mission Statement Book

(Contains 301 corporate mission statements)

- Jeffrey Abrahams• Service (230 times)

• Customers (211)

• Quality (194)

• Value (183)

• Employees (157)

• Growth (118)

• Environment (117)

• Profit (114)

• Leader (104)

• Best (102)

Forget “what you want to be.”

Focus on “what you can be.”