Concepting Concepting (What’s the Big Idea?)(What’s the Big Idea?)

Advertising Strategy Advertising Strategy

(Alstiel and Grow)(Alstiel and Grow)

How to Be Creative(Concepting Strategies)

• Two different methods:– Adapt the strategy to the creative– Make the creative to the strategy

Working Backward• Pitching new business: (We don’t know much

about your business, but we can do wacky stuff)• Portfolio padding: (The ad looks great, and no

one will know if it really didn’t sell anything)• Awards competition• Advertising class work (This was the only decent

picture I could find so I built my ad around it)

Concepting by the book• What is the client’s real problem?• Can I solve the problem creatively with

marketing communication?• Do I know the target audience?• Do I know the product features/benefits?• What is the One Thing I can say or show

about this product?

Concepting by the book• How much do I need to say or show?

• Where is the product positioned? Where do we want it to be positioned?

• Do I know the competition’s strengths and weaknesses?

• What should the tone be?

The Concepting Process

• Show the product/ logo

• Show the benefit

• Show the alternative

• Comparison

• Borrowed Interest

• Testimonial/ case history

Show the Product/ Logo• Benefit may be buried in the copy,

implied in a tagline, or missing entirely. Main purpose is to establish or reinforce brand identity.

Show the Benefit• Involves straightforward declarative

sentence proclaiming main benefit. Usually reader does not have to think too hard to get the concept. Sometimes it’s the first thing you can think of. Then move on to more creative approaches. What happens when you use it? What does it do for you?

Show the Alternative• When you go back to basic wants and

needs of the target audience, it becomes easier to visualize the alternative concept. What happens when you don’t use the product, or when you use the competition?

Comparison Concepts• Compare it to other products or offer a

metaphor

• If you are the market leader, don’t compare yourself to number two

• When you compare product claims, make sure you are correct

Comparison Advertising Tips

• Try to make sure that your claims are as factually bulletproof as possible

• Try to collect hard evidence in advance to support your factual assertions (your lawyer will thank you)

• Consider the risk/ reward ratio - how much incremental benefit you will get from making the specific comparison versus how much additional risk you court by doing so

Comparison Advertising Tips

• Consider including a footnote with additional factual data, such as

• (a) the applicable version numbers of the product in question and

• (b) the date as of which information is current

Borrowed Interest• Introduce something seemingly unrelated to

make a point. Like the visual puzzle, it relies on a visual for the bulk of the message, but unlike a metaphor there’s no obvious direct connection to the product name or benefit. Usually involves attention-getting graphic and/ or headline that snags readers. Once they’re hooked, body copy reels them in.

Testimonial/ Case history• Present an endorsement or description

of what it’s done for someone else, whether a celeb or ordinary person

• Right celebrity can have a positive, plausible connection with right product

• Develop case history to convince reader• Connect event/ person to product to

leave positive impression

10 Tips for Idea Starters• Just do it

• Write, don’t talk

• Throw it all on the wall and see what sticks

• If you’re on a roll, don’t stop

• Does this look funny?

10 Tips for Better Concepts• Show It, Don’t tell it

• Don’t be different just to be different

• Keep it simple

Self-evaluation• Is this concept doable?

• Is it on target for this audience?

• Does it have legs?

• Can you sell this to the client?

Executive Evaluation• Have I seen this before?

• Will it grab the reader?

• What is the visual-verbal connection?

• What is the One Thing?

Do The Twist

Finding the edge• Risk offending general audience to

appeal to target audience

• Shock the reader/ viewer into noticing

• Drive a wedge between “our customers” and everyone else (us versus them)

Give your ads an edge• The lazy way: nudity, sex, violence,

offensive language

• Music/ sound effects:

• Us versus them:

• Inside jokes/ slang:

• Production values/ design:

Before you get edgy• Understand the tolerance of the total

audience• Really understand how far you can

push your target audience• Consider the risks (legal, ethical,

business)• Check your personal moral compass.

Are you proud of the work?

Before you get edgy• Be able to defend your idea logically, not just

because you think it’s cool• Have a backup idea• Don’t try to be different just to be different• Get paid before the client goes bankrupt

When You’re Stuck …• Back Up:

• Go back to the books:

• Talk about it:

• Take a break. See a movie:

• Don’t find inspiration in a bar: