By Deb Roberts, in partnership with Millward Brown
Advertising is everywhere—so much so that we don’t even notice it, unless the ad does something really compelling to catch our attention. But as marketers know, that’s not enough. Advertising that catches our attention and entertains, even if we laugh out loud and tell our friends, may have done very little to move a brand forward. How many times have you heard someone say, “Remember that Super Bowl ad with the monkey with baby legs and a dog head? I don’t remember what brand it was for…”
The Ultimate Goal of Advertising
Really great advertising makes people think differently about a brand, ideally in a way that viewers are motivated to act—like pulling out their phones to buy it, feeling loyalty or new appreciation toward it, or even better, telling friends about how much they like the brand. Sometimes, these actions come so naturally, they don’t even realize that the advertising is influencing them.
What Does It Take to Crack the Code?
Effective advertising has to do a lot of things right. It starts with the power of one great insight with which the target consumer identifies in a real and meaningful way. That insight inspires creative. The organization’s crystal clear understanding of the insight is the foundation of all successful creative. The next step is to ensure that your message effectively addresses that insight in a clear and meaningful way. The best way to tell is to check in with consumers—they will tell you if you’ve hit the mark!
After you’re clear on the message, you’re ready to craft your creative platform. While your message is the compelling benefit you are trying to communicate to your target audience, your platform is the thematic means by which you will translate that message into advertising that will break through the clutter. Your creative platform is the unifying, overarching idea behind the creative content that you will disseminate, such as Nike’s platform of athletic empowerment, or Apple’s platform of innovative design. The following six elements from Millward Brown will put you in the right direction to develop creative executions that break through the clutter and influence your target.
Six Creative Platform Elements: Does Your Creative Stand Up to the Test?
A creative platform works hard for your brand when it…
The consumer is your best asset to help ensure that the creative platform is on track, so that your final ad can have that intended powerful impact on consumer behavior.
