Introduction
A set of interrelated and coordinated integrated marketing communication activities that centre on a particular theme or idea that appears in different media across a specified time period. The central message that will be communicated in all of the various IMC activities.
Creative advertising (aptly explained by the quotation) can be seen as a combination of creative strategy and creative tactics. Where creative strategy constitutes deciding what the advertising message wants to convey, while creative tactics deal with how the advertising message is to be executed. Being creative though is a challenge since the consumer reaction cannot be gauged and the impact of the ad in terms of sales cannot be estimated.
Creative strategy development
Most of the ads are part of a series of messages that make up an IMC, or advertising campaign, which is a set of interrelated and coordinated marketing communication activities that centre on a single theme or idea that appears in different media across a specified time period.
Determining message theme
A message theme should be a strong idea, as it is the central message that will be communicated in all the advertising and other promotional activities.
Basic elements of a creative strategy according to the copy platform are:
- Basic problem or issue the advertising must address.
- Advertising and communications objectives.
- Target audience.
- Major selling idea or key benefits to communicate.
- Creative strategy statement (campaign theme, appeal, and execution technique to be used).
- Supporting information and requirements.
The advertising message is as important as the strategy developed for the execution of it. There are innumerable cases where the message has been good but, because of poor execution, the strategy has failed. There are also cases depicting vice versa.
The classic example being that of Burger King, who changed their theme so often that their franchisees also lost faith in the brand. Thus, as important is the advertising message, equally important is the strategy or tactic used to execute it or bring the message to the target audience.
