Journey from Concept to Creation : Ogilvy

Media Use (Introduction).

Adman — Sat, 02 May 2009 02:08:00 GMT

"Let me explain newspaper advertising to you," went my client's diatribe..."It is like buying real estate except you pay for the column-inch instead of the square foot. So, you need to make sure that you use every single column-inch of the ad to get the best bang for your buck..." Well... I actually agree with the sentiment that every column inch should be used to good advantage, but not by cramming every column inch with "stuff." As I explained to him, one of my favorite ads is a full page, full-color newspaper ad containing about 99.9% "white space" except for the center of the page which had a full color, life size image of a single Hershey's Kiss. The copy simply read, "In case of emergency, PULL." Ogilvy & Mather used every column inch to VERY good advantage to break through the clutter while displaying their tiny silvery product in full-living-color (color costs far more than black and white). This advertisement would have made a great outdoor billboard as the message could be understood quickly and easily. By the way, this extensive use of every single column inch in the "Little Hershey's Kisses" campaign which ran in print and broadcast media throughout most of the 1980s and '90s helped to restore Hersheys lead in the US candy industry in 1989 with a 43.5% market share from 27% in 1975.

While this full page newspaper ad was used effectively for branding, newspaper ads can also be very effective for detailed price and item listings. But, an outdoor billboard would probably not be quite so versatile due to its limited space and the fact that prospects usually have only a matter of seconds to view them at the risk of plowing into the car ahead. Hopefully, not even my previous client would consider using a 30 second television commercial for detailed price and item listings. Nor would broadcast television covering a large DMA (as noted in a previous blog entry) be used efficiently to target prospects in a small local neighborhood. Indeed, the plethora of media vehicles out there can be used to great advantage -- or misused and even totally wasted. So, before continuing my blog entries on buying specific media, I thought I would write about the "whys and wherefores" of specifying appropriate media.

While the creative department develops the concept the media planner's job is to determine which media will be most efficient and appropriate. So, an important part of our creative journey is the development of a media rationale for the creative brief. Often these decisions are obvious, but sometimes they require studious evaluation. In light of these facts, my next blog entry will contain an overview of a variety of different media and how they might be used effectively.

Balance.

Adman — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 14:41:00 GMT

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The fourth graphic design principle I will write about is the principle of balance. Like all principles of design, balance applies equally to the elements within the layout as well as the overall layout. There are two basic types of balance: formal (symmetrical) and informal (asymmetrical).
The concept of formal balance is pretty easy to understand. With formal balance, every item on one side of the page is repeated symmetrically on the other side. Prevalent in ancient Roman and Greek architecture, formal balance is typically used in institutional ads and ads requiring a look of dignity. Formal balance can also be somewhat boring and mundane, especially to recent creative school grads eager to demonstrate their creativity. Nevertheless, the most effective ads are often the simple ones. Remember, the purpose of design is itself quite simple; to communicate your message to the target audience
in the most effective manner possible. Sometimes the most effective manner is to "keep it simple stupid."

One of the most effective ad types is often referred to as the David Ogilvy layout. This layout contains a dominant visual, a headline under the visual, and a two or three column copy block under the headline...black letters on a white (or light colored) background -- along with the logo and contact info which is usually placed at the bottom right hand side. While this may seem simplistic, especially to young graphic designers who are eager to demonstrate their prowess, it has been proven time and again to be highly effective. William Bernbach's Volkswagen ad, discussed in my previous blog, is a classic example. While this "Picture Window" ad layout itself is quite simple, the elements of this 1960 ad design – concept, headline, visual, copy, etc. -- are of exceptional quality. This ad is also a great example of informal balance, especially in terms of the size and composition of the photo. The weight of the typography balances against the light gray color of the photo background… and the small black VW.
Bernbach, by the way, has "violated" one of my pet peeve rules by allowing widows and orphans in the body copy. But, upon closer examination, his reasoning becomes clear.
He used his "creative license" to balance the weight of the third copy block against the car in the photo... balancing the VW logo with the car in the process.
Informal balance still requires balanced optical weight but
the weight is distributed differently. Informal balance is more dynamic and exciting and it usually results in a more interesting design... and interesting and unusual shapes tend to attract attention. With informal balance, all of the elements are still balanced, but the balance can be distributed in terms of color, value, shape, position, texture and direction.
The use of informal balance requires a higher level of artistic ability than does formal balance. The study of classical art is invaluable in helping to develop a better understanding of informal balance. In the Volkswagen ad, the photo composition of the car uses informal balance (directional balance) beautifully. This technique is used to sell through the "unique selling proposition" of the ad as presented in the “Think Small” headline and copy -- and Bernbach's copywriting was truly masterful.
I would argue, by the way, that the ad uses a combination of both formal and informal balance to achieve its objective. [There is good reason why this ad is considered the greatest ad of all time.] Regardless of the type of balance, the optical center (a point just above center and slightly to the left) should always act as the ads pivot.
There is also a third type of balance – radial balance. This is when all the elements of the design “radiate” from a center point in a circular fashion. Radial balance is a great way to lead the eye into the focal point in the center of the ad.

Perception vs. Reality.

Adman — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 23:40:00 GMT

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The next question that needs to be addressed is how the client’s products, services or brand(s) are to be “positioned” in the mind of the target market. Positioning has to do with how the target market perceives and identifies with the brand. In the mind of the target audience, perception equals reality. Of course to succeed in the highly competitive marketing arena, the perception should also BE reality. If a company positions itself as offering the highest quality product, it darn well better offer the highest quality product. If it positions itself as offering the lowest prices it needs to do just that. Abraham Lincoln was obviously thinking of modern advertising when he said, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all of the time.”

Positioning is all about how the target market perceives the brand with respect to its competition -- and how the brand will BENEFIT the target consumer. There are numerous ways a brand can be positioned… but it ALWAYS should be positioned in competitive terms… not some weak, pathetic, half-hearted claim… but a strong, sustainable and real competitive advantage.

I’ll give one classic example of positioning and let you take it from there. If the soft drink market is saturated with cola drinks, you might want to offer something a bit different -- enter 7-Up® and its world-famous positioning slogan… “the Uncola®.” (A successful brand even without peanuts or a moonpie.) Ok, you win… here is another one. If your beer market research indicates that the market has little perceived difference between brands, develop a low-calorie beer along with a cool positioning slogan like, “Lite Beer from Miller®. Everything you always wanted in a beer. And less!” And the most famous of all... Bernback's "Think Small" advertising headline for the 1959 VW® Bug -- created long before the term "Positioning" was "coined" by Ries & Trout in 1969. [This ad is the number one ad of all time according to Advertising Age Magazine.] These famous advertising slogans are ALL ABOUT POSITIONING. If you are not “stuck on stupid,” you should be able to see how, in these examples, all creative aspects work together in communicating the positioning statement to a specific target audience (note the composition of the visual in the VW ad for example). Now, I’ll let you take it from here…

…uh, except to say that when you create art you are in fact, creating an image in the mind of the audience. Like it or not, you are “positioning” the subject of your work in their mind. That is your job. So… since you are in effect doing this anyway, why not be smart and give it more than just a fleeting thought?

True… generally a successful brand will already have a competitive position… so more often than not, the creative director’s job is to communicate that position. It is a primary role of the marketing communications process. Therefore, the "Positioning Statement" has a well-deserved and honorable place in our journey to creative excellence. Ok, at long last I will finally let you take it from here…