by Miriam Hara | Apr 3, 2012 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Creative
Way too often, ads are filled with too much information and lots of copy. How does that happen? Why does it happen? I can almost hear the collective grumble from all my peers saying…. “Clients!” But I believe that laying blame at the doorstep of clients, absolves us, the creative professional of any blame. I believe as Creative Professionals, it is our role to accommodate but also to advise. In my experience, once you explain the reasons why you shouldn’t do something , or even show them what is being compromised, clients really do get it.
Just think back… even recently and consider this:
- Ever watch a TV commercial and say, I don’t get it?…. or worse, what’s the brand? Remember the Head On ad?
- Drive and spot an outdoor billboard and you can’t read the caption because there’s too many words like the one below…. and the type is so small?
- Flip through a magazine ad and miss the total point of the ad? Like this one.
It always amazes me that there are ads that actually get to the marketplace without a clear single focused message. Or the creative is sooo out there, that it doesn’t circle back to the brand or to the product. This is a particular pet peeve of mine, as I just recently wrote an entire blog on this issue! An ad (any kind of ad) shouldn’t be closing the sale…. it should be generating interest… It needs to communicate benefit and to engage consumers enough so that they take action. Ads were never meant to replace sales people! They were meant to increase awareness of a product and service and increase the knowledge of the benefits within that product or service. Ads are meant to get traffic, whether it’s a website or a physical location.
So the next time you face a challenge, think back on what makes you a creative professional. Advertising isn’t about pretty pictures and for it to work there are certain protocols that need to be followed. At times it can be challenging, but that is what our profession is all about. How often are we faced with and given mountains of information to decipher and create a single succinct statement that says is all. Or given so many logos and visual elements to layout into a visual flow that directs the consumer’s eyes and makes sure that the main message is delivered. The minute we let go of this basic standard, then everyone and anyone who owns a computer can “create” an ad. All they need is Indesign or Illustrator knowledge.
by Miriam Hara | Feb 6, 2012 | Advertising, Branding
Last week there was much talk about the Super Bowl and specifically, of the Super Bowl TV commercials, which is the reason for this post. Over the years, the Super Bowl TV advertisements have been conceptualized beautifully and superbly executed. They have made us laugh, made us talk about them around the “water cooler” and now they have made us “share” them.
The best advertising campaigns are those that show the brand’s features by illustrating the benefits into a memorable 30 second TV commercial, print advertisement, radio advertising, or an online/social media initiative. In short, the ads must be developed to have a one track mind: Brand Recall. Has the creative raised the Brand to be the ultimate star or did the storyline and the execution or special effects become the star? If there are too many creative elements; creative, copy, special effects, design, or information which intrude on the “space”, then you may not necessarily lose your target audience… but you will lose the opportunity of making sure your ad builds brand awareness and recall. This is true of a 30 second TV commercial, billboard campaign, print campaign or online initiative.
Developing campaigns is part of the marketing process, so it’s important that advertising strategies are in line with the marketing plan. It is an extension of the Brand. It must communicate the marketing message though Brand’s persona and its reason to believe. It must without any exception make the brand memorable… not the ad. The objective of any creative commercial advertisement is to Brand Recall. A couple that come to mind are:
Almond Joy and Mounds Ads created an advertising jingle that became their slogan.
“Feel Like a Nut” 1980
Apple
Apple 1984
Bud Light Magic Fridge
“The Magic Fridge” Super Bowl XL Commercial
Chrysler Halftime in America
Chrysler “Halftime In America” Super Bowl XL Commercial
In all of these the creative integration of the features, the promise and the benefits and concept all in one. The Brand is totally integrated.
Next time you are involved in assessing a brand campaign for any media… ask yourself if the proposed concept asks of its audience to do too much to get to the creative message and to your Brand. Here’s a quick checklist:
- Is your Brand Logo and Brand Name prominently featured?
You really don’t want your target audience to say….what was that ad for?
- Does it speak to your Brand’s persona?
Is it too funny? Is it too casual? Is the ad fresh, innovative within the context of your brand?Does it use the right colours?
- Does the creative premise take the product’s features as the main theme?
What is your brand’s competitive edge…its unique selling point and does the advertisement speak to it.
- Does the ad have a single focused message?
You really can’t say it all. Make sure there aren’t too many messages vying for attention. Equally important, is the ad taking off on a creative track that has nothing to do with the intended message. Does the ad show the benefit/experience/promise. Don’t forget, what’s in it for the our intended audience and their psychographics.
- Is the message on brief?
Don’t get caught up in the beauty of the copy or the cleverness of the ad. If it’s not on brief. Then it’s off.
Share with me what you feel is the best advertising campaign (TV, Radio, Social Media, Billboard or Print) you’ve seen that show fabulous creative concept with strong brand recall.
