Journey from Concept to Creation : marketing

Media (Introduction).

Adman — Sun, 04 May 2008 20:43:00 GMT

I was honored to serve as the final judge in the 2008 DECA, International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Atlanta this past Monday and Tuesday in the “Advertising Campaign” category. The events were held at the Georgia World Congress Center and the awards session was at the Georgia Dome.
It was an awesome experience. On Tuesday, I evaluated twenty 20-minute advertising campaign final presentations from the top high school marketing students in the world.
This was a truly humbling experience and I was impressed to say the least. It was virtually impossible to determine which of these student teams best deserved to be in the top ten -- much less the top three finalists! But, ties were not allowed and there had to be three top teams selected. ALL of the students who made it to Atlanta should be VERY proud!
There was a relatively clear first place winner. This team's "situation analysis" actually included a “SWOT” (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) analysis based on their "secondary research." As did most of the others, they defined their primary and secondary target markets in demographic, psychographic and geographic terms. Their objective was specific, workable, measurable and attainable. Their budget was realistic and comprehensive -- including development costs, production costs, media costs and agency commissions. They certainly showed evidence that they understood some of the basics of the “Journey from Concept to Creation!”

Of course, I was thinking about how these high school students could have REALLY impressed me if only they had been reading my blogs! Hopefully next year’s students are reading?

One thing that really impressed me, in addition to the SWOT analysis, was that they mentioned running television spots in the “early fringe” time period. Plus, they actually spoke in terms of FREQUENCY! – gasp! They also referred to radio formats as Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR), Adult Contemporary (AC), Album Oriented Rock (AOR), etc. They certainly knew how to impress the Adman with advertising industry terminology.
Regarding my blog topic -- I am convinced that there are gazillions (possibly even googillons) of dollars totally wasted by those who are not educated on a few basic principles of media planning and buying. I have heard comments from inexperienced prospective clients (who could use a lesson or two from high school DECA kids) that go something like, “We think we should buy 30 spots on WXYZ TV.” After recovering from my “client from hell red flag alert,” I attempt to educate them. Puhleeze listen carefully -- it AIN'T about how many spots you are buying! 30 spots on one station is NOT the equivalent of 30 spots on another. Plus, different dayparts (Early Fringe vs Primetime for example) can reach dramatically different numbers of viewers! It IS about how many impressions (as measured by ACNielsen) you are making on your target market (reach). And it is also about reaching your target market a sufficient number of times (frequency).
This leads to the basic, fundamental formula of broadcast media buying – Reach x Frequency = Gross Rating Points (GRP’s). So, when establishing a broadcast television media budget, it is prudent to first determine the average cost per rating point (CPP) for your target market in your market(s) -- as defined by the Nielsen Designated Market Area (DMA). Then determine how many impressions you can afford to make with sufficient frequency (generally a minimum of three times). Then figure on the conversion rate (generally in the two or three percent range) that is typical for your industry…while considering the added value of BRANDING your product or service in the market.
Now, when I hear something like, “We are budgeting for XXX GRP’s per week, based on the average CPP of $XXX (according to SQAD) in the target DMA for our Adults 25-54 demo…” I am as pleased as a DECA student after winning first place in the DECA ICDC awards session at the Georgia Dome in the Advertising Campaign category... celebrating by getting wet from the fountains at the Centennial Olympic Park after visiting the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coke... with a front row seat at the NBA playoffs in the Phillips Arena watching the Atlanta Hawks beat the Boston Celtics... while enjoying Georgia peanuts and a Coke... with tickets for the studio tour at CNN..followed by tickets for "The Lion King" at the Atlanta Civic Center... or perhaps another show at the Fabulous Fox Theater...or Six Flags over Georgia...or the Stone Mountain Laser (and fireworks) Show? -- While it may sound like alphabet soup to you -- to the seasoned media professional it is music to the ears…

To be continued...

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Sequence (eye travel).

Adman — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 05:41:00 GMT

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In addition to my interest in reading company mission statements as mentioned in a previous blog, as an advertising executive, I also can’t help myself when it comes to evaluating the visual design of television commercials and corporate videos, magazine advertisements, brochures, web sites, logos, etc. When it comes to design work, I have found that it is relatively easy to separate the design pros from the “weekend warriors” that I mentioned in my first blog. I believe that while professional artists apply design principles to their work instinctively – using them as a guide in evaluating the progress of their work -- inexperienced and untrained “designers” routinely violate design principles.

I have never known a professional art director at the agency level who did not receive formal training. In addition, those lucky enough to get an agency job after graduation typically work an entry level job as an assistant -- pushing the mail cart or going out for burgers for a couple of years prior taking the helm as a designer or art director. There are a handful of top (and quite expensive) creative schools from which top agencies recruit entry level creatives. Three of these (Portfolio Center, SCAD Atlanta and Creative Circus) have campuses in Atlanta and in addition to other creative schools such as The Alliance Theater School, they contribute to a great local talent pool.
Nevertheless, not all persons called on to produce designs or layouts are so fortunate. Many are asked to develop visual graphics without the benefit of formal training – sadly, never having the experience of being sent out to get burgers for the creative staff. But there is hope. These burger deprived “creatives” can improve their design work immeasurably by learning these fundamental design principles…and understanding how to apply them. This brings me to the next principle -- Sequence.
Through habit, the eye moves from left to right and then top to bottom, from big elements to smaller ones, from dark to light, from color to non-color, and from unusual shapes to common shapes. The advertising designer can start eye travel anywhere in the ad and control its direction… left, right, up or down. In a well-designed ad, a directional pattern should be evident. The professional designer takes the reader by the hand and leads him or her through the ad to the climax.
To illustrate this principle, I will point again to my Sunshine Biscuits’ poster. Note how the viewer is guided through the ad with the crayons leading the viewer from the main visual to the headline. While the main visual will attract immediate attention, the crayons help to lead the viewers’ eye into the headline… and the “warm and fuzzy” message which contains the benefit mentioned in previous blogs. In addition, The contrast of white space behind the house tends to focus the eye on the artwork… this is helped a bit by the rays of the sun -- in tandem with the chimney -- which lead the eye into the house. The shape of the door and direction of the crayons then help to lead the eye into the headline. It should be obvious that sequence is closely related to emphasis, as noted in my previous blog.
Officially, there are two more principles left to talk about. I will leave you guessing this time about the next one... This blog reminds me of how the Sunshine Biscuits' marketing director loaded me up with a big box of snacks for "inspiration" while I was creating this poster... so I’ve been thinking about food while writing this and it is definitely time for a healthy snack… no burgers for me… those Cheez-it’s are looking pretty good… or maybe some Krispy crackers and peanut butter… yum.

Strategy.

Adman — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 23:40:00 GMT

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Are we having fun yet? I hope so because now that we have defined the objectives, it is time to formulate the strategy. This is where the fun really begins. Woohoo! While objectives establish desired end results of the creative effort, it is the strategy that outlines the specific marketing action recommended to achieve those results. Strategies must always be linked to specific objectives and there should be a strategy for every objective. Objectives without strategies for achieving them are really quite useless -- not much fun at all.

The strategy is the “big picture” of how you are going to achieve your objectives. When you write a strategy statement you think in broad strokes. The strategy is a culmination of everything I have covered in my blog thus far. It defines the structure for everything that follows in your creative journey. [It also involves the "marketing mix" -- the four P’s -- Product, Place, Price and Promotion including the various distribution channels.]
As I said, all of the parameters I have discussed in previous blogs weigh heavily on the process of formulating the strategy -- including the Mission Statement, Unique Selling Proposition and Positioning Statement. Strategy is based on an accurate and detailed definition of the Target Market, includng the specific demographic, socioeconomic and geodemographic factors mentioned in my previous blog.
There are obvious parallels between marketing strategies and military strategies. These may include offensive, defensive, flanking and guerrilla marketing strategies. The strategy will lay down the framework -- the specific action -- for the creative work plan or "creative brief." The strategy will lead to the specific tactics that will be recommended to best achieve the stated objectives of the strategic plan.
Strategy ultimately dictates exactly what creative programs will be developed, who they will be targeted to, when they will be executed and what media will be used to deliver them.

An advertising agency recommends and develops creative programs that are most appropriate for achieving objectives. The creative programs are an outgrowth of the tactics that the agency planners have concluded will best carry out the strategy. So, the next time you are producing or editing a corporate video or television commercial, try thinking about how your creative project relates to the overall strategy of the client... and other fun stuff like how the work will best achieve client objectives.
The strategy is the first major turning point of our creative journey. It is critically important that the strategy is correct. While every strategic plan should allow for some flexibility to accommodate inevitable changes in various factors, It can difficult and costly to change strategy after the program has been put into place. It is imperative that all parties involved in the creative journey, especially your client, are fully briefed and committed to the strategy. It isn't much fun to try and change gears after you have begun to implement your strategy. I think I'll take a little rest stop so you can think it over and review the journey before we continue down the road.

The objective.

Adman — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 23:40:00 GMT

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Before you get started on a journey, it is always a good idea to know where you are going, how far your destination is, and how long it will take to get there. Our creative journey is no exception. So, the next step in our journey is to determine the objective(s) of the creative work. But, before we can determine the objective, we need to know precisely what an objective is. Not to worry, I will 'splain it for you. First, as you might have surmised, an objective is not an objective at all unless it contains all three parts of an objective. It ain’t an objective 'till it's an objective (I’m practicing my Yogi Berra imitation). Anyway, this was drilled into my head in business school…so now I am going to drill it into your head -- fair is fair.

The first part of an objective is the “factor” that you want to influence. While this usually involves sales of widgets, this could involve a great number of things. You might want to sell Japanese kitchen knives that never need sharpening… garnish a bigger market share -- or really important stuff like help women to get unbreakable nails. Or, you might be trying to get people to quit smoking… get rid of “love handles…” lose 300 lbs in six weeks… grow more hair… get washboard abs (like mine)… get greener grass… or just create a “warm and fuzzy” feeling about a company via their corporate video.

But no matter what the factor is that you want to influence, it cannot be a real objective unless it also contains the second part -- the degree of influence. This might be expressed as a percentage, a dollar amount, or some other measurable factor such as the "warm & fuzziness" factor or something. It can be determined by using break-even point analysis, previous year company and/or industry sales and market share data, or polling and marketing research.

I know the suspense is killing you so here is the third component -- the time frame. If you do not have a time frame for achieving your objective, guess what... it ain't an objective. Of course different factors will obviously require different time frames. It takes longer, for example, to change prevailing negative attitudes than to generate traffic to a web site or to equip every home with one of those cool Japanese kitchen knives that'll cut right through tin cans and then slice tomatoes "paper thin."

In addition to having all three parts, the objective must be specific, workable, measurable, and attainable... and challenging. It is futile to have an objective that cannot be achieved... it is also rather lame to have an objective that is too easy to achieve.

Having a proper written objective that is agreed upon by all parties in advance of implementation is important... if for no other reason than the fact that you cannot measure success or failure without a "measuring stick." Some factors are, of course, more easily measured than others. For example, web site hits, retail store traffic and sales of nail polish are relatively easy to measure, while brand image and awareness are more difficult; sometimes requiring extensive polling and other market research. In all cases, having a written objective provides the benchmark for measuring success or failure of the creative effort.

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…

A big, wet, French kiss.

Adman — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 04:40:00 GMT

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Any creative director with half a brain should understand the importance of defining the target market. If you are not “two fries short of a Happy Meal®” you should know that to produce great creative work you need to understand everything you can about your target audience. You should know your target market very well… intimately well… so well that you can feel free to plant a big, wet, sloppy, French kiss right on their ruby red lips. Ok… maybe not. At any rate, you should at least get to know your target market in both quantitative and qualitative terms.

Any creative director who ever enjoyed a burger and fries (I’m trying to eat healthier myself) should know that you need to define your target market demographically. The major ratings services such as Nielsen®, Arbitron® and Birch® have very specific “demos” that are used in presenting program availabilities (avails) and radio station rankings (rankers). They are broken down into specific pre-defined groups such as Adults 18-49, Women 25-54, etc. Broadcast media is negotiated and purchased according to these demographic breakouts so it is logical to use them in defining the market quantitatively.

As far as qualitative information, a well-defined target market can include psychographics (personality, interests, attitudes, opinions, lifestyles), socioeconomics (economic activity and social life) and geodemography (location dynamics). This might include “buying power index” information (BPI); lifestyle clusters (Boomers, Yuppies, Gen X, Empty Nesters, etc.); beliefs, attitudes and values (BAV); activities (golfing, boating, bungee jumping, nose picking, nail biting, music, nightlife, travel) and numerous other criteria that is available through various media resources.

Is your target market business-to-business or consumer? How do you reach them, where do you reach them, what creative appeals will they be most receptive to? ... How does the product/service benefit them… What is the best way to communicate with them. How do you get their attention… arrest their interest… create desire within them… motivate them to take action? These questions cannot be answered properly until you have defined your target audience in writing.

Defining the target market will affect your creative work in infinite ways; including the graphic treatment, photography, artwork, font selection, motion graphics, color scheme, page-style, creative appeals, copy points, shooting venues, location scouting, talent selection, brand personality, camera-work, editing, music, sound design/effects/foley, burgers, fries, hotdogs, milk shakes, sushi :-) , etc. While you don’t need a degree in marketing research to understand your market, it can’t hurt to know some of the basics. Who knows, your target audience might even start a love affair with you... er... at least with your creative work anyway.

The USP (and other acronyms).

Adman — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 04:39:00 GMT

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Alrighty then. Now we are getting seriously involved in developing our creative program. We have done the research, defined the problems, established the opportunities and determined/clarified the mission. Whew! That was a lot of work, eh? Well, I hate to tell you this, I really do, but we are only just beginning. Now that we fully understand the client’s mission – the very reason for its existence -- it is time to dig a bit deeper.

Understanding the mission statement -- and putting it in writing -- helps provide practical guidance in steering the creative effort. It also helps to define the client’s “Unique Selling Proposition.” We advertising folks call it the USP [we’ve got all kinds of cool acronyms -- CPM, CPP, GRP, AQH, HUT, etc. -- that help massage our egos by making us feel like we’re part of an exclusive club.]

Like the other strategic aspects of developing a creative program, the USP is simple common sense. It answers the question, “What is unique about the business from the perspective of its customer?” What does your client’s business offer that a gazillion others don’t offer just as well? Why should I consume the products or services of this particular business instead of the other businesses that offer the same products or services? In short, what makes this specific enterprise unique? What sets it apart from the competition? Tell me why I need to buy one of YOUR stinkin' badges? How will it BENEFIT me? [I think I just heard a fist slamming on a desk.]

So many questions, so little time, eh? The answers lie deep within your soul… er… well, at least within defining the client’s USP. The USP basically says to the customer… “Hey -- if you buy this product, you will get this SPECIFIC BENEFIT that the competition DOES NOT (OR CANNOT) OFFER.” It is important that the USP represents a strong, substantial benefit to the customer… not a lame and weak argument. I would argue that the USP is the fundamental element of any successful creative program. It is the very thing that will make your client stand out from the competition. Btw… if you have read all of my blogs, you will remember that one of the four sections of the research phase specifically addresses the competition. Understanding the competition is crucial in defining what sets your client apart from the competition (all this common sense and wisdom in one place is just too much, eh?).

Understanding the USP as well as the other aspects (such as the client’s mission), are crucial aspects of any creative program. I honestly can’t see how you can serve your client adequately without considering these basic, common-sense (that word again, ugh!) fundamentals in creating your work. But, not to worry, there is plenty more of this sort of stuff to talk about in my future blogs… trust me, our creative journey has only just begun.

The "Silver Lining."

Adman — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 23:39:00 GMT

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I do not expect the extensive research process I have described to always be called for or budgeted. But, it is important to be educated about your client before producing creative work on behalf of your client -- trust me, your work will be much better for it.

Most creative work is an attempt to offer solutions to problems. So, it is only logical to determine what the problems are. It has been said that there aren’t really any problems -- only solutions. But, in order to find solutions you need to find opportunities… and in order to find opportunities, you need to define the problems [it’s a vicious cycle].

If problems are the “clouds,” opportunities are the “silver linings” (sorry if I’m beating a dead horse). So, the next leg of our journey will be -- you guessed it -- the “Problem/Opportunity Analysis.” (Yeah... I learned that in business school.)

After doing the research and writing the situation analysis you should be able to make a list of six to eight viable problems that you are facing. This is not as easy as it may seem. I have often asked others (including clients) to give me a list of what they consider to be the marketing problems they are facing. I usually get a mish-mash of convoluted ideas -- you see, the ability to think in a structured, precise and "strategically correct" manner requires experience, discipline and solid facts. [This could answer the time-honored question of why they make you study algebra, calculus and statistics in college.] At any rate, it can be useful to know what your client thinks the problems are -- sometimes they even get it right. ;-)

Nevertheless, the problem identification component of the strategic plan is crucial. Every strategic decision you make from this point forward is going to hinge on defining the problems clearly and accurately (still beating that dead horse to a pulp.)

The next task is to turn the problems into a workable list of opportunities. The opportunities will be the beginning of the creative journey -- the building blocks of your creative platform. Opportunities make up the “launching pad” for all subsequent creative decisions -- including defining your target market, your mission, objectives, positioning statement, unique selling proposition, and all the other strategic and tactical factors to consider in writing the “creative brief” – the roadmap for a successful creative journey.

Knowledge is power!

Adman — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:38:00 GMT

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You often hear people say stuff like, "everybody I know says 'so and so.'" It is easy to draw conclusions based on what you say "everyone else says." But -- keeping it real -- these kinds of conclusions (along with many website polls, cable news polls, etc.) are hardly reliable enough to build a business on...much less a creative platform for your next advertising campaign. While knowledge is indeed power, incorrect information can be devastating to any creative endeavor.

Successful creative work is usually the result of proper strategic planning -- based on solid research. Top advertising agencies usually have their own planning model. I have also developed a proprietary model for my agency based on my experience in the field. It all starts with fact-finding research broken into four categories -- the market, the competition, the product and the company. At this stage, it is critically important to be unbiased and state the facts. The research can come from a variety of primary and secondary sources.

Primary research might include the development of mailed questionnaires, field interviews and/or focus groups. It is important that the research questions are written by experienced marketing research professionals to eliminate human bias (the "stuff" mentioned above). It is also important to use a sufficient “simple random sample” of appropriate respondents to ensure statistically accurate findings within a reasonable “confidence level.” When done properly, a relatively small sample of respondents can provide highly accurate findings that are representative of the target market as a whole.

Secondary research comes from existing research material. Public libraries are, of course, a great resource. College alumni are also allowed access to university library resources...on-site and online. It is amazing how much information is readily available. A visit to your local library can be remarkably informative...and you will find the library personnel to be knowledgeable and helpful. You can usually access your public libary holdings on-line as well. My local library, for example, has the same databases available that are used by top ad agencies and research firms (paying big bucks for the subscriptions, btw). All you need is a library card number to log in.

While proper research is crucial for strategic planning, it is very important for creative development as well. Creative schools have begun to address this in their curriculum. They have come to realize that the creative program represents a solution to marketing problems -- a direct outgrowth of strategic planning. While providing invaluable information, the research process can also help stimulate creative ideas. Immersing yourself in research can indeed be a great way to get your "creative juices" flowing.