Core Concepts of Marketing by John Burnett - HTML preview

CHAPTER 8

COMMUNICATING TO MASS MARKETS

1. Formulating the advertising program

2. Implementing the program

3. Controlling the program

4. Presenting the budget

5. Maintaining relationships with suppliers

6. Establishing internal communications

7. Setting professional standards

8. Selecting an advertising agency

The A dvertising Agency

The relations between an advertising agency and a client can go on for years, although some

clients do move from agency to agency. Firms such as DuPont, Procter & Gamble, Kraft,

Kellogg, and General Mills rarely change agencies.

Clients employ advertising agencies because they believe that the agency can: (1) pro-

duce better-quality, more persuasive messages for their products; and (2) place these mes-

sages in the right

so that the message reaches the greater number of prospects. Clients

who believe they can do better themselves set up their own in-house agencies. However,

relatively few of them exist and these are in specialized fields such as

Developing t he Creative Strategy

Once all the relevant facts are gathered and evaluated, the process of actually creaiing the

advertisement is appropriate. This process is very complex, and a complete description of

it is well beyond the scope of this book .

it is possible to highlight the primary

parts of this process.

To begin with, the person or persons actually responsible for the complete advertisement

depends upon the advertiser's organization of the advertising function and whether an adver-

tising agency is used. More

likely, the development and approval of advertising cre-

ation is the responsibility of the senior advertising manager within the advertiser company

and, when an advertising agency is used, of the agency management. In most agencies, the

responsibility is that of the senior account person, in conjunction with the senior creative

person assigned to the account. The advertising effort can be divided into two eiements:

the creative strategy and creative tactics. The creative strategy concerns what you are going to say to the audience. It flows from the advertising objectives and should outline what impressions the ca,TIpaign should convey to the target audience. Creative tactics outline

means

for catTying out the creative strategy. This includes

the various alternatives avai;able,

which will help reach the advertising

The place to begin the creative strategy is to ascertain the proper appeal to employ

in the ad. (See Table 8.2.) Identifying the appropriate appeal is just the first part of the advertising design process. The second part is to transform this

into an actual advertisement

say that there are a large variety of ways to do this would be a gross understatement.

The number of techniques available to the creative strategist are not only vast, but the abil-

ity of more than one technique to

the same appeal makes this

process even:TIore nebulous.

UNDERSTANDING ADVERTISING

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TABLE 8.2

Primary Advertising Appeals

Product/service featu res

Many products have such strong technology or performance capabilities that these

features can serve as a primary advertising appeal.

Product/competitive advantage

When an advertiser can determine that his product is superior, either in terms of

features, performance, supporting serv ices, or image, emphasizing a competitive

advantage has proved to be a successful appeal.

Product/service price advantage

Offering a product at a reduced price or under some special deal arrangement (e.g.,

buy-one-get-one-free) may be the only viable appeal in a particular ad .

News about product/service

There are times when a truly new product is developed, or when an existing product

is changed or improved in a substantial manner, that highlighting this single

element is the core appeal.

Product/service popularity

Although the manner varies, the notion of claiming that a product is "number one"

or th e most popular is an appeal that has been around for a long time,

Generic approach

In such advertising, a product or service category is promoted for its own sake, but

individual makes or brands of product are not singled out.

Consumer service

A popular appeal is to illustrate through the advertisement how the product may be

used to best serve the needs of the consumer,

Savings through use

An opportunity to save time, money. or energy is always very appealing to

consumers.

Self-enhancement

Helping us feel better about ourselves (e.g., personal care, clothing, automobiles) is

an appeal that many people can't resist.

Emba rrassment or anxiety

Situations that represent a threatening situation, either physically or socially, can

provide the basis for an effective appeal.

Product trial

When this appeal is used, the advertiser offers a free sample, a price reduction, or

some other purchase incentive to encourage consumer use or trial.

Corporate

This type of appea l presents a company or corporat ion in a favorable light in order

to create a favorable impression or image.

Developing the Media Plan

Although the media plan is placed later in this process, it is in fact developed simultane-

ously with the creative strategy. This area of advertising has gone through tremendous

changes; a critical media revolution has taken place.

The standard media plan consists of four stages: (I) stating media objectives; (2) eval-

uating media; (3) selecting and implementing media choices; and (4) determining the media

budget.

Stating Media Objectives

Media objectives are normally started in terms of three dimensions:

1. Reach- number of different persons or households exposed to a particular media

vehicle or media schedule at least once during a specified time period.

2. Frequency-the number of times within a given time period that a consumer is

exposed to a message.

3. Continuity-the timing of media assertions (e.g., 10% in September, 20% in October, 20% in November, 40% in December and 10% the rest of the year).

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