Chapter 9
Message strategy and execution
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Learning objectives
1. To examine messages—their types, structure and
consistency.
2. To discuss what is meant by creativity and creative thinking
in IMC.
3. To examine the creative process—looking at message
strategy and execution.
4. To be able to articulate a message strategy and identify
different types of message strategy.
5. To explore the best way to execute the big idea—looking at
advertising appeals and execution techniques.
6. To consider the contribution of creative tactics to
outstanding production.
7. To consider the importance of clients in inspiring and
evaluating the creative work of their agencies.
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Kinds of
messages
Message
structure
Messages
and IMC
Barriers to
big ideas
Guidelines
for
evaluation
Message
consistency
Client
inspiration and
evaluation
Strategic
triad
Message strategy
statement
Message
strategy and
execution
Creativity
and IMC
Creative
process
Message
strategy
Types
of strategies
The big
idea
How to
say it
Creativity Appeals Execution
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Persuasive communications
The ‘right’ message:
 connects emotionally with the target audience
 may need to connect in different ways for
different audiences
 contains a key insight or big idea
 is distinctive, memorable and creative.
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Types of messages
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The consistency triangle
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The campaign theme
 A central or unifying idea around which a
campaign is built
 A central message that can be
coordinated across all marketing
communications activities and media
platforms
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You ought to be congratulated
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Message structure
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Message conclusions
What conclusions do you
draw from this ad for
Veet?
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Message arguments
One-sided messages
Mention only positive attributes or benefits
Two-sided messages
Present both good and bad points
Refutational messages
Present both sides of an issue, before
refuting the opposing viewpoint
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Creating an emotional connection
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Universal message standards
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Does this advertising position the product
simply and with unmistakable clarity?
Does this advertising bolt the brand to a
clinching benefit?
Does this advertising contain a power
idea?
Does this advertising design in brand
personality?
Is this advertising unexpected?
Is this advertising single-minded?
Does this advertising reward the prospect?
Is this advertising visually arresting?
Does this advertising exhibit painstaking
craftsmanship?
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Buzzman creativity
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Absolut accessory
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Kinds of
messages
Message
structure
Messages
and IMC
Barriers to
big ideas
Guidelines
for
evaluation
Message
consistency
Client
inspiration and
evaluation
Strategic
triad
Message strategy
statement
Message
strategy and
execution
Creativity
and IMC
Creative
process
Message
strategy
Types
of strategies
The big
idea
How to
say it
Creativity Appeals Execution
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The creative process
Big idea
• What to say
• Major selling
argument
• How to say it
• Brings strategy
to life
Message
strategy
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• Appeals and
techniques
Execution
9-17
Rice sculptures
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Creative inspiration
Sources
Of Creative
Insight
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The message strategy
Message strategy defined:
The major selling idea should emerge
as the
strongest singular thing you can say
about
your product or service. This should
be the
claim with the broadest and most
meaningful appeal to your target
audience.
A. Jerome Jeweler, Creative Strategy in Advertising, 2007
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Strategic triad
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Message strategy statement
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Message strategies
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Unique selling proposition
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Creating a brand image
Used when competing brands are so
similar it is difficult to find or create a
unique attribute.
Creativity sales strategy is based on a
strong, memorable brand identity through
image advertising.
Often used for products such as soft
drinks, perfume, liquor, clothing, airlines.
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Approaches to the major selling
idea: positioning
Positioning
Establish a particular place in the
customer’s mind for the product or
service.
Positioning may be based on:
 product attributes/benefits
 price/quality
 use or application
 type of user
 problem solved.
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Creative principles
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Positioning
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Approaches to the major selling
idea: inherent drama
Inherent
drama
Messages generally presented in a
warm, emotional way
e.g. McDonald’s, Kellogg’s cereals and
Hallmark greeting cards
Focus on consumer benefits with an
emphasis on the dramatic element in
expressing them
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Finding the inherent drama
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The big idea
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The big idea (cont.)
David Ogilvy on the big idea:
I doubt if more than one
campaign in a hundred contains
a big idea. I am supposed to be
one of the more fertile inventors
of big ideas, but in my long
career as a copywriter I have
not had more than 20, if that.
David Ogilvy, Ogilvy on Advertising, 1983
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The big idea (cont.)
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Appeals and execution
Advertising appeal defined:
The appeal can be said to form the
underlying content of the
advertisement, and the execution the
way in which that content is presented.
Advertising appeals and executions are
usually independent of each other; that
is, a particular appeal can be executed
in a variety of ways and a particular
means of execution can be applied to a
variety of advertising appeals.
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William Weilbacher, Advertising, 1984
9-34
Message appeals
Primarily processed cognitively
Informational
Rational appeals
Focus on practical, functional,
utilitarian benefits or reasons
Primarily processed emotionally
Transformational
Emotional appeals
Focus on social or psychological
needs
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Message appeals
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Executional techniques
Execution
technique
Brief description
Type of
appeal
Straight sell
Straight presentation of product
information
Rational
Scientific/
technical
Provides technical information or
endorsements by scientific
organisations
Rational
Demonstration
‘Seeing is believing’: shows
product in operation
Rational/
emotional
Comparison
Compares product advantages
with competitors or substitutes
Rational/
emotional
Testimonial/
endorsement
Person, staff or celebrity discusses emotional/
personal satisfaction
Rational
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Executional techniques (cont.)
Execution
technique
Brief description
Type of
appeal
Slice of life
Product solves a problem in a reallife, everyday situation
Emotional/
rational
Animation
Stylised execution
Emotional
Imagery
Focus on visual elements: pictures,
illustrations and symbols
Emotional
Dramatisation A narrative where the product is the
Emotional/
rational
hero
Humour
Uses humour to appeal to the target
audience
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Emotional
9-38
Fear appeal
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Which appeal?
Comparative
ads
• Often used for
brands with small
market share
• Frequently used
in political
advertising
• May be
especially useful
for new
brands/market
challengers
Fear
appeals
• May stress
physical danger
or threats to
health
• May identify
social threats:
disapproval or
rejection
• May backfire if the
level of threat is
too high
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Humour
appeals
• Attract and hold
attention
• Often the most
memorable
• They put the
consumer in a
positive mood
• Can suffer from
early wear-out
9-40
Testimonial
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Creative tactics for print
Headline
Words that introduce the ad
Body copy
Main sales message
Visual elements
Images, including product display
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Print ad layout
Format
Size
Arrangement of the elements on the
printed page
Expressed in columns, column inches or
portions of a page
Colour
Mono, spot colour or four colour
White
space
Marginal and intermediate space that
remains unprinted
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Creative tactics for video and
digital
Audio
Jingles
Voiceovers
Advergames
Interactivity
Click throughs
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Planning and production of TVCs
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Storyboards
 Storyboards have numerous applications.
Some of the storyboard’s uses include:
 presenting concepts to clients for approval
 a basis for dialogue and negotiation between
agencies and clients
 detecting problems before expensive production
commences
 pretesting before focus groups for consumer
acceptance
 providing guidance to art directors and crew during
production.
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Kinds of
messages
Message
structure
Messages
and IMC
Barriers to
big ideas
Guidelines
for
evaluation
Message
consistency
Client
inspiration and
evaluation
Strategic
triad
Message strategy
statement
Message
strategy and
execution
Creativity
and IMC
Creative
process
Message
strategy
Types
of strategies
The big
idea
How to
say it
Creativity Appeals Execution
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Creative risk-takers
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Creative risk-takers (cont.)
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Barriers to big ideas
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The copy platform
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Advertising problem
Advertising objectives
Distinctive feature
Target audience
Target competitor
Positioning
Creative strategy
Execution
Supporting copy points
The copy platform,
also known as
creative platform or
work plan, focuses
energy and keeps
the creative team ‘on
strategy’.
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Guidelines for evaluating
creative output
Consistent with brand’s marketing objectives?
Consistent with brand’s advertising objectives?
Consistent with creative strategy, objectives?
Does it communicate what it’s supposed to?
Approach appropriate to target audience?
Communicate clear, convincing message?
Does execution overwhelm the message?
Appropriate to the media environment?
Is the advertisement truthful and tasteful?
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Summary and conclusion
 Consistency of message is a core aspect of
IMC.
 Creative messages require a ‘big idea’.
 Developing the campaign involves
consideration of both message strategy, the
advertising appeal and execution.
 Message strategies can be broken down into
two broad categories: informational and
transformational.
 Different types of appeals are used depending
on consumer involvement, product type and
competitive environmental factors.
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