Fundamentals ofCreative Development

2/28

Emphasis is on creative, there are a lot of aspects to advertising: client, product, research, strategy, media, but all that the consumer really notices is the creative

As consumers, we know the work, but not the thinking behind it. Not the story that Apple has nothing to say and no products to talk about.

Do you know the case study and strategy behind this campaign’s national launch?No. But you know the ads. And maybe they got you to try the product. Or maybe you’re the Skittles generation. “Be quirky target socially active, urban educated type vs problem to be solved.” Breathsavers, Tic Tac, and Certs owned the market. Altoids a small player. This creative approach was strategic first. But the viewer doesn’t know that.

Why did Jet Blue move from talking about the specific features (no one cared) and turn to a deprivation approach? The creators know. You have to understand the marketing objectives, audience, consumer, competition, distribution, strategy, and finally THE ELEMENTS OF ADVERTISING CREATIVE before you can generate creative solutions.

Why do we advertise?

Let’s start here: Answer this question. Why?

What did Shackleton want. Why was this ad successful. Product? Benefit? Type of person? Motivation? Relevance.

To call people to action

All advertising in one way or another has action as its purpose.

know, consider, buy, like, share, interact, go, change, believe, vote, try, click

Though action can mean or be many things.

What is the role of creativity?

The simple role of creativity?

Attract your attentionOvercome indifferenceGet you to careInvite your participation

MB wants you to buy, or consider its vans because of the flexible seat configuration. A powerful reason conveyed creatively. We advertising to introduce a new feature as it may be a compelling reason to buy.

Samsonite wants you to buy its suitcase because of its durability. We advertise to convey a product attribute: action? Brand preference. Awareness. Consideration. Trigger at point of purchase.

The Economist wants you to read its magazine because it will make you more successful. We advertise to express superiority or make a brand a club you want to join. Action? Read.

Wonderbra wants you to buy its product because it makes you look better. We advertise to sell the benefits of a product, even if they are exaggerated. And we might do it to parody or leverage pop culture, in this case advertising. Action?

Know that McD’s is open late.

Buy Guinness as it’s now cold.

Watch ABC because you need some humor in your life. And we understand your plight being married to a boor.

To be an original.

Need I say anything?

Benetton wants you to shop there because of their beliefs. We advertising to share a belief we hope will connect with our audience and motivate participation and brand preference, or simply feeling good about the brand.

e 1. there was a time when the word “faggot” meant a bundle of sticks. but then people started using it in an insulting, offensive way and things changed. so when you say things like “homo,” “dyke” and “that’s so gay” try-ing to be funny, remember, you may actually be hurting someone. 2. so please, knock it off. 3. get more information at ThinkB4YouSpeak.com

fag.got (fag t)

‘ The Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network wants you to stop using offensive language. We advertise to affect behavioral change and get people to think and act different.

Are these ads the same or different?

e 1. there was a time when the word “faggot” meant a bundle of sticks. but then people started using it in an insulting, offensive way and things changed. so when you say things like “homo,” “dyke” and “that’s so gay” try-ing to be funny, remember, you may actually be hurting someone. 2. so please, knock it off. 3. get more information at ThinkB4YouSpeak.com

fag.got (fag t)

‘

Demonstrates

Conveys bene!t

Expresses beliefs

e 1. there was a time when the word “faggot” meant a bundle of sticks. but then people started using it in an insulting, offensive way and things changed. so when you say things like “homo,” “dyke” and “that’s so gay” try-ing to be funny, remember, you may actually be hurting someone. 2. so please, knock it off. 3. get more information at ThinkB4YouSpeak.com

fag.got (fag t)

‘

EducatesInforms

What do all of these ideas have in common?

They share characteristics that make them “creative”.

OriginalUnexpectedInvite you inEntertain !rstProvokeAvoid clicheVisually arrestingFun

Advertising can be inspirational and creative.

It can make the world a better place.

We, as a creators, should aspire to.....

Very old campaign from Nike and Wieden encouraging girls to play sports and for parents and educators to support them.

It starts or extends conversations that matter.

It can lighten your day.

Funny works most of the time.

It can approach art.

It can change our perspective.

It can celebrate life.

Advertising can be the most awesome business in the world.

It’s filled with cool, young, creative, eager, hard-working people who support each other and do other stuff I can’t mention here.

It takes place in very awesome environments. Here is Mullen’s What If video.

And then there’s this.........

But most advertising sucks. It insults, interrupts and intrudes on our lives.

Are you kidding me?

Advertising interrupts an interesting story with a less interesting story.

Daniel Stein

A great quote from a smart agency CEO.

Why is so much of it so bad? A lot of reasons why. But one reason is it is freaking hard to make great work. You will discover that to do stuff that is really fresh, original, relevant, that leverages current media and consumer behavior, that actually matters, is time consuming, challenging, and frustrating.

Good advertising can tell you what a product does and why you should buy it.

What does most advertising do? Well this is its purpose.

Not bad. Tells you their espresso is less than Starbucks.

Was all over the Olympics. Under 400 calories. We now know that McDonald’s has food under 400 calories. Reason to buy?

But only great advertising entices you to seek it out, pass it on, and actually care.

But when it is magical and inspirational, you want it. Interestingly, the best ad of the year was not done by an ad agency.CAA.

We aspire to making great advertising. Even if it takes a long time to get there.

Don’t settle for less.

Part two

It’s good to know something about the past.

A quick history lesson.

It’s good to know something about the past.

Once upon a time we could get away with crap.

There were few media outlets, less competition and consumers had to endure messages to enjoy any content. (A little of this goes on today, too.P

We didn’t really need creative.

Message, money, media.

Remember Darryl? From Bewitched? Probably not if you’re only 20.

Writer, art director, message, paid media, bought attention.

We bought attention.

Ads looked and read like this. Egads.

Post WWII, more competition, choices, imports, options. Creativity became a competitive advantage.

The environment changed after WWII. The industrial revolution in full swing.

Bill Bernbach, still the most influential creative in the history of the industry. His writings remain relevant today.

Bill Bernbach and the creative revolution changed the face of advertising.

Bernbach and his agency DDB changed everything.

Avis admitted to being number 2.

VW employed a voice never heard before.

Text

Other agencies got on board. Scali, McCabe, Sloves, for one.

But let’s fast forward

Skip over web 1.0, all about being accessible, to web 2.0. Web 2.0 is a concept that takes the network as a platform for information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design,[1] and collaboration on the World Wide Web. A Web 2.0 site allows users to interact and collaborate with each other in a social media dialogue as creators (prosumers) of user-generated content in a virtual community, in contrast to websites where users (consumers) are limited to the passive viewing of content that was created for them. Examples of Web 2.0 include social networking sites, blogs, wikis, video sharing sites, hosted services, web applications, mashups and folksonomies.

Data

Do we even need creativity?

Data is one way to market successfully. We know so much about the user we can structure different prices for them, especially online.

Creative

I think yes. Even if the consumer is less in control than he or she thinks....

Technologist, social specialist, utility, owned media, earned attention.

We can earn attention, participation, loyalty and employ the consumer to help spread the word.

Old Spice. Entertaining.

Inclusive.

Uniqlo, leverages participation.

Nike Chalkbot gives people a voice.

Google lets you customize.

Mont Blanc crowdsources.

And Amex and CP&B create an entire movement in the name of advertising.

What do all of these creative ideas have in common? Discuss.

OriginalUnexpectedInvite you inEntertain !rstProvokeAvoid clicheVisually arrestingFun

But many of them are more than messages.

ParticipatoryInteractiveUser generatedShareableUsefulEnduringPlatforms

A good idea still matters. It earns attention, gets remembered, inspires action.

A good idea still matters. It earns attention, gets remembered, inspires action.

BTW....

We still need the traditional stuff. Even Google...

and Apple, arguably two of the more innovative web 2.0 brands, use it.

Where do good ideas come from?

So, how do we learn to make good ideas?

StrategyInsightDeep explorationCollisionsVolumeDisciplineCreative standardsRelentlessness

What are the skills we need?

We need skills, too. Beyond pure, raw creative talent, which by the way can be developed. You are born creative, after all.

Ability to simplifyWrite clearlyArt and copyDesignTell storiesInventBreak free from conventionExecute

Ready?

Let’s make some stuff.

What is great?

A/1

What is a good ad. Develop taste and judgment. Ability to differentiate good from bad, great from good. On target from magical and worthy of telling everyone.

What is great?A/1

Purpose:

To help you develop your taste and judgement as to what is great creative.

Find one ad that you consider creatively great and one that you think is terrible. They can be magazine ads, billboards (photograph it), online ads, posters. Don't use TV for this exercise. Capture them somehow (digitally or torn out).

Prepare to discuss what makes it great or not. What works, what doesn't. Think about what is creative. There are no right answers. This is your opinion.

Evaluation:

Ability to express yourself and argue in favor of your position. 

What is a good ad. Develop taste and judgment. Ability to differentiate good from bad, great from good. On target from magical and worthy of telling everyone. You may have done similar exercises in Intro, but now we are focusing exclusively on creativity and what makes something creative. Objective? Yes. But there are agreed upon standards. If you look at award show books and work that gets talked about, it is often, not always, but often the same.