Imagine The Results From
Advertising With Imagination.
Ever notice how really creative advertising gets emailed to friends and colleagues? It doesn’t matter if it made you laugh or made you cry or made you think. The ad got your attention because it was emotional. And it made you want to share the experience with people you thought would appreciate it too.
Great creative works because it’s engaging. And yet, advertisers who spend thousands, indeed millions of media dollars frequently won’t invest in producing creative work that makes the media investment more effective. The usual argument is that every available dollar should be directed to getting the message out to consumers. But what happens when the ad itself is boring? The answer is, not much. Even if the ad contains compelling information, if consumers aren’t paying attention, then they never get the message.
What is creativity anyway?
We usually think of creativity in terms of the big idea: Some bold, quirky, or
intriguing expression of life made better by a company’s product or service.
But creativity is not just about marrying stirring images with provocative
words. Instead, broaden the perspective…and think of creativity as a tool
to initiate a relationship between companies and customers. It’s not
just about advertising. It’s not just about branding. It’s about delivering a
unique experience to the consumer that blends the shopping experience with
the product or service being sold. It’s about what consumers encounter
when they call you on the phone. It’s about what they see and hear and
touch and smell when they’re in your store (or the stores that sell your
products). It’s about what they feel and believe about your business and
your products. And then…it’s about how you communicate those things in
advertising. It’s very often not about the price…if you’ve engaged them in
ways your competition has not.
Advertising is like food: Think like a chef.
Ever notice how your mouth involuntarily salivates when you’re hungry for something delicious? That entrée you’re craving was inspired by an artist who blended together a variety of ingredients and special spices. The atmosphere where you order this delectable creation is another element of the total experience, as is the smile from the waiter or waitress that accompanies the meal.
Advertising is like that too. The best campaigns are a blend of ingredients communicating something wonderful and unique about your product or service, artfully presented on a platter of dishes otherwise known as a mix of media, in an environment that includes distinguishable service as an important part of the overall customer experience.
Designing a creative and therefore effective advertising campaign means integrating well-coordinated messages throughout every consumer touch point including: the telephone, on the web, at the point of sale, and in the media.
Great Creative Means Thinking Creatively
My view is that creative thinking means figuring out how to nurture a relationship with your sales prospects. Capturing their attention is a process that requires imagination both with the messaging and the tactics businesses employ to get their attention. Companies that do so will capture customers’ hearts and a share of their business as well.
Bob Charney, President: Mosaic Marketing Communications
Bob has been in the advertising agency business for over 35 years. He has worked for both large and small firms in New York and Los Angeles, including DMB&B, Wells Rich & Greene, keye/donna/pearlstein, and Robert Elen & Associates. He started Mosaic in 1989 and has experience in a variety of industries working on such accounts as AT&T Retail Phone Centers, Zenith Consumer Electronics, Bristol Farms, Public Storage, Armstrong Garden Centers, Shakey’s Pizza Restaurants, International House of Pancakes, Encino State Bank, Macy’s (custom home decorating), the Los Angeles Daily News, the Northern & Southern California Jaguar dealers, the Thousand Oaks Auto Mall, and many individual auto dealerships. He can be reached via email: bcharney@mosaicnet.com.