Instructor Manual for Advertising Design by Medium A Visual and st Verbal Approach 1 Edition By Robyn Blakeman. NOTE (Lecture Notes and Assignments Only)
Part 1: Lecture Notes Chapter One Lecture Notes The Visual and Verbal Message is Grounded in Research There are two basic types of research: 1. Qualitative. 2. Quantitative. The Marketing Plan is the Client’s Business Plan 1. The marketing plan organizes and analyzes the overall environment in which the brand will be seen and used. 2. Before any creative executions are undertaken, the client or marketer must first determine what they want to do—financially, strategically, and competitively. 3. It identifies the current market conditions by looking at any internal and external factors that could affect a brand’s success. Creative Brief: The Creative Plan of Attack 1. The creative brief, also known as a copy platform, creative work plan, creative plan, or copy strategy, is the next step in the evolution of the marketing plan. 2. A small informative internal document. 3. Created by Account Management for the Creative Team. The brief serves as a road map for idea generation and visual/verbal development. What Makes Up a Creative Brief 1. Target Audience Profile a. Demographics. b. Psychographics.
c. Behavioristics. d. Geographics. 2. Advertising or Communication Objectives a. 1-3 obtainable objectives. b. Objectives can be affected by a brands lifecycle stage: i. New. ii. Mainstream or Mature. iii. Reinvention. 3. Target Analysis a. What they currently think about the brand? b. What you would like them to think about the brand? c. Why should the target believe it? 4. Product Features and Benefits a. 5-7 Feature/Benefit combinations. 5. Positioning of the Product a. A short description of the competing brand. b.
A description of the brands similarities and differences as compared to your client’s brand.
c. A short description of their current advertising, specifically what is currently being said and shown. d.
Their key consumer benefit.
e. A short description and overall appearance of their current logo, such as type, colors, shape.
f. A description of their current slogan or tagline if using one. g. A description of any unique graphics or color combinations used. h.
If applicable a description of what their packaging looks like.
6. Key Consumer Benefit (KCB) a. Unique Selling Proposition (USP). b. Big Idea. 7. Creative Strategy a. Approach and Focus. b. Appeal and Focus. 8. Tone a. Emotional and/or Rational Tone and Focus. 9. Support Statement a. Needs to tightly support the Key Consumer Benefit. 10. Slogan or Tagline 11. Logo 12. Detail Copy a. Amount of detail depends on the medium. 13. Promotional Information a. Coupons. b. Order Forms. c. Contests. d. Sweepstakes. Creatives Create The Words and Images Seen in Advertising
1. Creatives a. Creative Team. b. Creative Directors. c. Art Directors. d. Copywriters. e. Production. 2. Traits needed by the Creative Team. In-House and Freelance Expertise 1. Brand Creative Teams. 2. Freelancers are independent contractors. 3. Creative Boutiques. Need to Know Advertising Terminology 1. Brand. 2. Brand Image. 3. Brand Loyalty. 4. Brand Equity. 5. Promotional Mix. 6. Media Mix. 7. Positioning. 8. Repositioning.
Chapter Two Lecture Notes Conceptual Development: The Story of the Idea 1. Conceptual development, also known as brainstorming, is all about uncovering the unimagined. 2. Leading the creative charge in brainstorming sessions, is the creative team that includes at least one art or creative director and a copywriter. Attendees may also include an account planner and/or an account manager and even occasionally the client. 3. The creative team is responsible for strategically developing the idea, writing copy, and designing ads that seamlessly integrates the brand into the consumers’ life. 4. Once the creative team understands what needs to be accomplished, the next step is to isolate the brand’s inherent drama. a. What brand characteristics will talk directly to the target? b. How can those characteristics be made distinct or dramatically shown and talked about? 5. The first step to finding the inherent drama might simply outline: a. What the brand does. b. What it looks like. c. How it is used. 6. Once exhausted, if still looking for inspiration, the next step might focus on: a. The Unexpected. b. The Unusual. 7. It’s important to understand, whether conceptualizing, writing or designing, that consumers will not work to understand abstract ideas they want messages that can be
easily understood since they will probably be multitasking while listening, scrolling or reading the advertising message. The Creative Brief Is the Foundation Behind Imaginative Ideas 1. Fortunately, there is no business document that determines creative direction. The documents discussed thus far: the marketing plan and creative brief, look only at the research done on the brand, target, competitors, overall marketplace and communication needs. 2. The brief’s job is to: a. Outline both brand and consumer needs and wants. b.
Clearly define what communication efforts need to accomplish.
c. Be the foundation for the visual/verbal direction. The brief supplies the creative team with an informational starting point. 3. Once the creative team understands what needs to be accomplished, the next step is determining a visual/verbal solution that will bring the brief to life. The Black Hole of Art Versus Business. 1. The tighter the brief, the more emancipating and energizing brainstorming sessions can become. 2. Less defined briefs are more open to interpretation and can impede the teams progress as they get lost in a deluge of ideas with no strong ties to the brand or target. 3. Every word should help the creative team to see the brand in a new way. The more informative the brief, the more distinctive the final visual/verbal identity will be, helping the brand to step out and away from its competitors.