Introduction to Advertising Creativity:
Creativity is probably one of the most commonly used terms in advertising ads. The people who develops ads and commercials are known as creative professionals. And advertising agencies develop reputations for their creativity. Perhaps so much attention is focused on the concept of creativity because many people view the specific challenge given to those who develop an advertising message as being creative.
It is their job to turn all of the information regarding product features and benefits, marketing plans consumer research and communication objectives into a creative concept that will bring the advertising message to life. This begs the question: What is meant by creativity in advertising?
Creativity is generally defined in aesthetic terms:
The ability to produce new, useful ideas; originally, imagination: or the capacity for joining two or more elements to form a new unity or purpose. However, each definition leaves out the utilization or productive function of creativity which applies to advertising.
An individual creates an environment which affects the extent and manner of his creativity. What emerges is not only an expression of the inner state of the creater; it is also designed to meet externally defined needs and goals. Creativity in advertising is an example of a combination of both aesthetics and problem solving.
Perspective on what constitutes creativity in advertising vary. At one extreme are those who argue that advertising is creative only if it sells the product. An advertising message or campaign’s impact on sales counts more than whether it is innovative or wins awards.
At the other end of the continuum are those who judge the creativity of an ad in terms of its artistic or aesthetic value and originality. They contend creative ads can break through the competitive clutter, grab the consumer’s attention, and have some impact.
What constitutes creativity in advertising is probably some where between the two extremes. To break through the clutter and make an impression on the target audience, an ad often must be unique and entertaining. Research has shown that a major determinant of whether a commercial will be successful in changing brand preferences is its “likability” or the viewer’s over all reaction.
Television commercials and print ads that are well designed and executed and generate emotional responses can create positive feelings that are transferred to the product or service being advertised. Many creative people believe this type of advertising can come out only if they are given considerable latitude in developing advertising messages.
But ads that are creative only for the sake of being creative often fail to communicate a relevant or meaningful message that will lead consumers to purchase a product or service.
Everyone involved in planning and developing an advertising campaign must understand the importance of balancing the ‘it’s not creative unless it sells’ perspective with the novelty/uniqueness and impact position.
Marketing and product managers or account executives must recognise that imposing to many sales and marketing oriented communication objective on the creative team can result in mediocre advertising which is often ineffective in today’s competitive, cluttered media environment.
At the same time, the creative specialists must recognise that the goal of advertising is to assist in selling the product or service and good advertising must communicate in manner that helps the client achieve this goal.
Advertising creativity is the ability to generate fresh, unique, and appropriate ideas that can be used as solutions to communication problems. To be appropriate and effective, a creative idea must be relevant to the target audience.
Many ad agencies recognise the importance of developing advertising that is creative and different yet communicates relevant information to the target audience. The agency views a creative advertising message as one built around a creative core or power idea and using excellent design and execution to communicate information that interests the target audience.
Advertising creativity is not the exclusive domain of those who work on the creative side of advertising. The nature of business requires creative thinking from everyone involved in the promotional planning process.
Individuals in the agency, such as account executives, media planners, researchers and attorneys, as well as those on the client side, such as marketing and brand managers must all seek creative solutions to problems encountered in planning, developing and executing an advertising campaign.
Advertising Creative Strategy Evaluation:
1. The end product advertising planning and creative strategy, and its execution, is the form in which an advertisement appears.
2. There are variations according to the media used.
3. The creation of an advertising message commences with the overall marketing and advertising goals.
4. Setting of advertising budget provides boundary parameters so that the formulation of the message may be trimmed down accordingly.
5. The seeds of advertising message are to be found in the purchase preposition.
6. The success or failure of the message, as measured by the reception by the audience depends a great deal on what the advertiser has to offer, not merely in terms of product quality and characteristics but more as to their relevance to the prospect’s requirements and mental make up.
7. The entire copy should be structured along the AIDA line.