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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
- Sprache: Englisch
Written from a real-world perspective by an award-winning copywriter/producer/director, this comprehensive guide is what every writer needs to create powerful, strategic ad copy. Focusing on strategy, technique, and the skills needed to write for different media,
The Copywriter’s Toolkit book will sharpen your copywriting skills whatever your level.
- Introduces essential conceptual strategies and key writing techniques for result-driven copy
- Provides practical advice on writing for specific media including: print, radio, TV, websites, blogs, social media, ambient, digital, direct mail, product packaging, and viral marketing
- Covers all areas of copy development: on-strategy and on-target messaging; headline and slogan creation; brand personality and tone of voice; broadcast production conceptualization and print / digital typesetting consideration
- Presents innovative visual examples from exciting multimedia campaigns, comments from copywriters at world-renowned agencies, inspiring radio scripts, TV scripts and storyboards, effective blog posts, imaginative package copy, and more
- Shares invaluable writing tips and insights from award-winning copywriters currently at global agencies
- Includes supplementary website an instructor’s manual, sample syllabus, PowerPoint presentations, and creative assignments, as well as student study aids, flashcards, podcasts and/or webinars by the author, and links to sample and featured campaigns, agencies, and related videos
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012
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Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Preface
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1: The Persuasive Word
Thinking About Strategy First
Examining the Brief: An Up-Close Look
Gaining Deeper Audience Insight Through VALS and Observational Research
Understanding Secondary Audience Versus Primary Audience
Delving into Consumer Insights
Realizing the Importance of a Benefit
Creative Strategy Exercises
Notes
Chapter 2: The Strategic Word
Using Strategic Thinking Strengthens Each Touchpoint
Analyzing Types of Strategies
Keeping a Handy Reference List of Strategies
Evaluating Strategies and Needs
Applying Different Types of Positioning
Inventing the USP: Selling Uniqueness
Creating the Main Message: Campaign Slogans
Deciding the Tone of Voice
Considering Competitors
Designing Tactics
Final Creative Direction Checklist
Creative Strategy Exercises
Notes
Chapter 3: The Chosen Word
Developing a Strong Message with Legs
Determining the Tone of Voice
Finding the Point of View
Writing the Way you Speak
Writing to your Audience
Writing for the Medium and the Senses
Writing for Celebrities
Finding your own Voice: Some Tips
Quick Chapter Overview
Creative Writing Exercises
Notes
Chapter 4: The Sticky Word
Devising Ad Structure: Headlines, Subheads, Body Copy, and Slogans
Remembering the Call to Action
Thinking Up Catchy Headlines and Subheads
Reviewing Different Kinds of Headlines
Making up Sticky Slogans: The Backbone of Campaigns
Adding Power to Your Writing
Copywriting Insights and Tips
Making Your Copy Sticky
Creative Writing Exercises
Notes
Chapter 5: The Written Word
Writing for the Printed Page
Formulating one Focused Message
Remembering the Reader
Discovering Basic Copy Format
Focusing on Strategy, Audience, Benefits, Tone of Voice, Message, and Relevance
Recognizing Categories of Effective Messages
Exploring Playful, Humorous, Empathetic Print Ads
Studying more ads that Empathize with the Target
Identifying ads with an Insider's Understanding
Shaping Witty Headlines that say it all
Noticing ads that don't Look Like Ads
Copywriting: a Closer Look
Print Writing Tips
Creative Print Checklist
Creative Print ad Exercises
Notes
Chapter 6: The Spoken Word
Becoming a Radio Aficionado
Learning Some Radio Tips From the Masters
Observing a few more Radio Writing “rules”
Applying Basic Radio Copy Format
Finding out more about Radio Format
Thinking about Production from the Start
Using Union and Nonunion Talent, Music, and Sound Effects
Working with and directing the Talent
Understanding Radio Dayparts
Exploring Examples of Great Radio Scripts
Writing Radio Tips
Reviewing Radio: The Wrap Up
Creative Radio Exercises
Notes
Chapter 7: The Animated Word
Scrutinizing Television Writing: What's the Secret?
Analyzing TV Writing: Where to Begin
Reviewing Universal Truths
Discovering More about Universal Truths
Portraying Common Goals
Seeing How Exaggeration, Humor, and Strong Copy Drive Home Benefits
Realizing a Great Tip for TV Spot Length
Investigating Ways to Present TV Ideas
Learning from Beloved Super Bowl Spots
Identifying Types of TV Commercials
Writing TV Scripts
Absorbing Key Copywriting Tips
Tom Amico's Tips (Kaplan Thaler Group)
Sara Rose's tips (Goodby Silverstein & Partners)
Vinny Warren's Tips Just on Screenwriting (The Escape Pod)
Casting TV Talent
Becoming Familiar with TV Terminology
Creative TV Exercises
Notes
Chapter 8: The Delivered and Abridged Word
Exploring direct mail
Grasping why direct mail?
Learning a few pointers about writing self-promotion letters
Creating messages for mobile e-mail marketing
Writing copy for product packaging
Examining examples of creative package copy
Learning some tips for small-space writing from Charlie Hopper
Creating coupon copy
Examining online banner ad copy
Understanding catalog copywriting
Creative abridged writing exercises
Notes
Chapter 9: The Ambient and Moving Word
Starting from the medium
Noticing messages wherever you are
Looking closely at out-of-home messages
Thinking about surprising the audience
Understanding your audience's frame of reference
Being irreverent and still effective
Taking a once touchy subject into a humorous campaign
Finding new places to advertise
Creative ambient exercises
Notes
Chapter 10: The Online Communal Word
Interacting with your Online Audience
Writing for the Web
Surfing the Web
Talking to the Reader
Evaluating the Copy's Tone of Voice
Including Clever Headlines
Analyzing the Message
Creating a Successful Blog
Reading Blogs for Digital Writing Tips
Editing: Charlie Hopper's Tips to Cut Copy
Looking into Blogs for Ad Agencies
Learning Blogging Tips
Learning the Rules of Guest Blogging
Revealing More Bloggers' Observations
Looking at Online Versus Print Articles
Reviewing Digital Writing
Creative Blogging Exercises
Notes
Chapter 11: The Online Word
Considering Different Types of Digital Directions
Examining a Site with Straightforward Copy
Looking at Copy on Two Digital Agency Sites
Examining a Humorous Site
Understanding SEO as a Writer
Staying Current about SEO
Learning Digital Media from Online Experts
Creative Online Writing Exercises
Notes
Chapter 12: The Buzz Word
Understanding Interactivity
Asking: what's the Point of Interaction?
Considering Sendable Campaigns
Asking consumers to share their stories
Thinking about Interactivity
Creating other ways to use Interactivity
Discovering how to Create Buzz
Creating Buzz with Viral Marketing / Word of Mouth
Asking why you Responded
Understanding when buzz goes Wrong
Looking at Social Networking: Facebook, Twitter, and more
Communicating online is Similar to other Media
Watching new Media
Using new Media for Marketing Messages
Using Social Media to Create Viral Reactions
Designing Games to Recruit Staff
Final Interactive Media Checklist
Creative Interactive Exercises
Notes
Chapter 13: The Multimedia Word
Developing Ideas that Spin Out
Thinking About How Small-Space Writing Differs from Other Media
Creating Messages that Move from one Medium into Another
Thinking About Multimedia from the Beginning
Checking that you're Writing for the Eye, Ear, and Imagination
Reminding Consumers of the Benefits in all Media
Including Target-Specific Ambient and Interactive Advertising
Being Irreverent can Create Unforgettable Messages
Creating a new Approach to a Normally Stuffy Category
Learning Charlie Hopper's Media-Focused Writing Tips
Gaining Some Insights into how Crispin Porter + Bogusky Think
Looking at More Multimedia Campaigns
Single Medium Campaigns
Multimedia Messaging Exercises
Notes
Chapter 14: The Global Word
Revisiting Universal Truths as a Core Message
Writing for Hispanic Markets
Using Global Truths for Today's Diverse Market
Creating International Campaigns
Seeing How Concepts Move into Other Markets
Taking a Tagline into Other Countries
Changing Consumer Behavior With Fun
Reaching Out With on-the-go Solutions
Using the Digital World to Go Global
Observing International Campaigns
Multilingual and International Messaging Exercises
Notes
Suggested Reading
Index
This edition first published 2012
© 2012 Margo Berman
Blackwell Publishing was acquired by John Wiley & Sons in February 2007. Blackwell's publishing program has been merged with Wiley's global Scientific, Technical, and Medical business to form Wiley-Blackwell.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Berman, Margo, 1947-
The copywriter's toolkit : the complete guide to strategic advertising copy / Margo Berman.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4051-9952-0 — ISBN 978-1-4051-9953-7 (pbk.)
1. Advertising copy—Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title.
HF5825.B47 2012
659.13'2–dc23
2011042973
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
I would like to dedicate this book to my parents who gave me the discipline and creative freedom to solve complex problems.
Preface
It doesn't matter whether you're a student, novice, or seasoned professional, this book will hone your copywriting skills. Beginning with strategy and technique, each following chapter focuses on writing for a specific medium: from print, broadcast, and out-of-home through social, interactive, and digital media. Writing examples are shown using a gamut of industry standard formats, which are useful reference points when writing. You'll quickly see how radio scripts differ from TV scripts, how television storyboards are presented, and how print copy is typed up to facilitate typesetting.
You'll discover why thinking from the production end first helps writers create better broadcast copy. Starting with the end result in mind helps you consider which talent to cast and what sound effects or music cuts to include. These conscious choices force you to write for a specific voice and with a completely produced spot in mind.
Other writing areas of discussion will help you avoid other production errors like inaccurate script length, legal issues created by the absence of talent releases, and screen safety problems in television post production. Special callout boxes will make major principles easy to remember and simple to apply.
You may already realize that it's not enough for you to know how to create headlines and slogans or to write strong copy. You must also know how to create gripping messages in every medium, from traditional to emerging. Besides having an understanding of current trends, you should also be creative enough to bend or invent new media vehicles. You should avoid creative stagnation and innovative inertia. With all your mental muscle, you should push your imagination past the status quo. And create new avenues of expression.
In order to this, you must have a solid writing foundation. You need to understand various script formats, creative brief templates, media restrictions, and compositional structures. Then, you need to build on that knowledge and cement it with strategic thinking, analytical insights, audience-relevant messages, and sound writing techniques.
This book will give you an entire toolkit of tips to write in all size spaces, all venues, and all touchpoints. Whether you're creating messages for small print or mobile coupons, packaging, or “gianormous” billboards, interactive or any other media, you'll be able to apply the principles set forth in this volume and succeed in writing compelling copy.
Great advertising writing isn't just clever; it's convincing. It's persuasive. It's interruptive. It's intrusive. Most of all, it's unforgettable. The ad campaigns that create “talk value” (are talked about over office water coolers) also generate free press and propel the campaign into everyday events and mainstream consciousness.
How do you begin to create these kinds of messages? You start by understanding that every assignment has an objective. An audience it's targeting. An array of media where it encounters that consumer. And a specific strategy to deliver that message.
To help you get started, each chapter is devoted to one aspect of writing. I would recommend you read the first four chapters first, so you have a solid foundation of the basics: targeting your audience, presenting key benefits, creating a brief (chapter 1), selecting a strategy (chapter 2), applying writing techniques (chapter 3), and developing a main message (chapter 4). After that, you can read any chapter in any order (from chapters 5 through 14). That's because the book is modular.
Therefore, each chapter stands on its own. So, if you'd like to read about writing for television, you could read that chapter. Or if you're interested in blogging, you could go to that chapter. Or if you're curious about multilingual or international campaigns, you start with the last chapter. People learn best when they satisfy their curiosity. With that said, you can begin wherever you want. Then, go to whatever interests you most. Here's the order of each medium that's explored.
Chapter 5: Print (ads, brochures, catalogues)Chapter 6: RadioChapter 7: TVChapter 8: Direct mail, mobile and small-space writingChapter 9: Out-of-home and transitChapter 10: Digital dialogue, virtual community, bloggingChapter 11: WebsitesChapter 12: Interactive engagement, social media and viral marketingChapter 13: Integrated campaignsChapter 14: International campaignsI also recommend familiarizing yourself with the content set in callout boxes. They're designed so you can find what you're looking for. If you want to review the checklists, you can find them listed in the table of contents or the index. If you want to read tips for writing, simply look those up. Or, if you want to check out the info boxes, rules, and so on, go right ahead. You can also scan the book and read the callout quotes. They're little bites of wisdom that are easily digestible.
To best absorb the information in each chapter, allow yourself the necessary time to do the following:
What I have intended to set forth is a “Writer's Depot” where you can browse all the tools on the virtual shelf and select the ones you need to add to your creative tool shed. Take what you want, review what you'd like, and cart off as many as you can. That way, you'll be prepared for any upcoming project.
If you're committed to your own creative growth, you'll become a stronger writer, even if you jump around from medium to medium. You'll soon discover, after reading this complete guide, you'll be prepared to create compelling copy in any medium. Mostly, because you'll be equipped with a handy, all-in-one toolkit.
But, don't stop there. You'll also find an online toolkit that's packed with ancillary materials. These will serve as additional tools to reinforce the skill sets you'll be building.
Just visit www.wiley.com/go/copywriterstoolkit and you'll be privy to a plethora of informative supplements, including:
Feel free to refer to them for creative exercises, quiz questions, chapter reviews, key point summaries, or critical analyses. The online toolkit is an invitation to start a creative scavenger hunt where advertising solutions start with strategic thinking.
Acknowledgments
The completion of this book would not be possible without the help of many people who generously offered their time and graciously devoted their attention throughout the creative process. I am eager to thank each of them individually to show them how deeply grateful I am. I can hear them saying, “That's not necessary.” But, I assure you, it is. If by any chance, I inadvertently omitted someone, please accept my deepest apology.
The first person I would like to thank is my husband, Jack. I've been sequestered away researching and writing for so much of the time, he probably wouldn't recognize me if I wandered out of my office. Next, I would like to thank Jennifer and Paul Minnich, co-creative directors of M2Design, for keeping me focused and centered. They enthusiastically join my celebratory moments when another image or quote was acquired. Third, I wish to thank Monica Hudson, my rainbow of creative solutions. Fourth, I want to thank Selacia, for her support as I navigated through complex challenges. Fifth, I would like to give a big thank you to my niece, Ronni Alexander, who provides a loving life compass.
Next, I must thank some people at Wiley-Blackwell. First, Elizabeth P. Swayze, senior editor, Communication and Media Studies, who not only wholeheartedly supported my vision, but also allowed me to digress and “grow the manuscript” into what it has become. Second, I would like to acknowledge Deirdre Ilkson, development editor, who patiently worked “side-by-side” with me throughout the revision and organizational process. Third, I wish to acknowledge Margot A. Morse who first established a comfortable editorial relationship in her earlier position as senior editorial assistant, followed by Allison Kostka, editorial assistant, who moved the process along. I also wish to thank Julia Kirk, books editorial project editor, who carefully carried this work through production into print, Simon Eckley, production manager, who supervised the beautiful design; Matthew Brown, project manager, whose attention to detail was unrivalled; Eldo Barkhuizen, copy editor, who helped find the tiniest of errors; and Joanna Pyke, project manager, for combing through the final page proofs for last-minute corrections. Finally, I would like to thank members of the marketing team who have shown enthusiastic support: Amanda Banner, associate product manager, and Virginia Graham, list marketing manager.
Now, I wish to thank all of the creative talents and various executives at ad agencies (in alphabetical order), who never complained about my seemingly endless requests and interruptions to handle the mundane tasks of interview scheduling, image acquisitions, text content corrections, caption and credit approvals, while sharing relevant campaign insights.
At 22squared, Curt Mueller, creative director and writer, for sharing the strategic thinking behind the Red Brick Beer packaging copy; and Julianna Bowman, director of corporate communications, for carefully shepherding through permissions, quotes, acquisitions, and images.
At 60 Second Marketer, Mr. Jamie Turner, Chief Content Officer, for allowing me to use information from his website: http://60secondmarketer.com/blog/2010/04/09/top-52-social-media-platforms/(accessed June 7, 2011).
At Altimeter Group, Brian Solis, principal and author of Engage! and JESS3, for graciously granting permission to include his comments and feature his inventive infographic, “The Conversation Prism.”
At Bel Brands USA, Colleen Nash, Brand Manager for her tireless work on my behalf to secure permission from Fromageries Bel to include The Laughing Cow radio scripts.
Drayton Bird, writer, speaker, marketer, and author, for sharing his writing tips for various media.
At Chick-fil-A, Sherry Kangas, corporate legal supervisor, for managing to move the permission process through completion; and Michael E. Ruberti, senior manager, corporate legal attorney, for granting final permission to include the Chick-fil-A image.
At Crispin Porter + Bogusky: Steve Sapka, vice-president/director agency communications, for judiciously and quickly answering every correspondence, from information compilation and interview scheduling to quote and image approvals; Rob Reilly, partner/co-executive/creative director, for granting an interview and sharing his creative insights on innovative campaign development.
At DDB: Pat Sloan, media relations DDB Corporate, for orchestrating information gathering and image acquisition in various parts of the world; Jeff Swystun, chief communications officer, DDB Worldwide, for permission to quote from the DDB website; Bonnie O'Hara, PR manager in London for tracking down permission to include the “Monopoly Live” information and visual; Sara Cosgrove, European communications director in London, for her assistance in facilitating the permission process for the “Monopoly Live” and VW “Das Auto” campaigns; Sylvia Phipps, international database manager in Berlin, for coordinating the final content, obtaining images, clarifying the campaign strategies, and granting approval/permission for VW “Das Auto” campaign discussed herein; Jason Lusty, global business lead VW, for his assistance with the approval process on VW “Das Auto” campaign; Erik Chmil, photographer of the German Eos images (Figures 14.22–14.25), for magnanimously granting permission to showcase his photographs; Michael Bugaj, social media director for his guidance in gaining information and approval for the VW “The Fun Theory” campaign; Fabiana Antacli, DDB Latina's director of communications, Rodrigo Figueroa Reyes, founder & CEO, FiRe Advertainment, and Victoria Cossentino, assistant, for their help with background information and approval of the Kosiuko campaign.
At DeVito/Verdi: Paul McCormick, director of new business, for liberally sharing comments and allowing inclusion of the Legal Sea Foods campaign; Kelly Durcan, director of public relations for conscientiously coordinating all correspondence and final image releases; and Chris Arrighi, video specialist, who eagerly provided images in the required format.
At Digital Surgeons: Peter Sena II, founder and chief technology officer, for freely discussing the digital development of creative work including the Arm & Hammer “Jill's Secret Solution” interactive campaign.
At Draftfcb: Jonathan Harries, chairman and worldwide chief creative officer, for quickly responding to my request for information; Teddy Brown, senior vice president, executive creative director of the Orange County office, for freely sharing background information about and indispensable insight into Taco Bell campaigns; Josh Dysart, manager, corporate communications, who miraculously managed to finalize all approvals; and Soraya Eltomey, former associate corporate communications, who initiated and monitored the permission process.
At Emory University: Reshma Shah, assistant professor of marketing in the Goizueta Business School, for generously allowing me to quote from 60secondmarketer.com/blog/2010/04/09/top-52-social-media-platforms/.
At Euro RSCG: Alison Lazzaro, account director, for overseeing the communication and approval process; Cherie Malone, account supervisor, for arranging interviews, acquiring images, and double-checking all the tedious details; creative directors Drummond Berman and Simon Nickson, the writing and art direction team who created the celebrated “Talk to Chuck” campaign discussed in this work, for their openness about the development and conceptualization process, detailed comments and exciting images; and Nicole Portet, brand marketing director at Charles Schwab, for her ongoing patience and assistance.
At Fantasy Interactive (Fi): David Martin, founder and CEO, for considerately granting permission to quote from his agency's website: http://www.f-i.com/.
At Goodby, Silverstein and Partners: Christine O'Donnell, PR Director, for her assistance in interview scheduling and script acquisition; Judy Ybarra, business affairs manager, for granting permission to include the HP story script; and Sara Rose, former senior copywriter, for her interview and thoughtful comments.
At Hasbro: For everyone's diligent assistance in obtaining permission to use Mr. and Mrs. Potato head images.
At Hubspot: Kipp Bodnar, inbound marketing manager, for permission to include his invaluable list he's posted of “24 Awesome SEO blogs everyone should read.”
At Joy Radio: Joy Golden, founder/creative director, for her frank comments, tips, for providing The Laughing Cow radio scripts, and for her consent for inclusion.
At Kaplan Thaler Group: Robin Koval, president, for initializing and supporting the research process; Tom Amico, creative director/copywriter and co-creator of the Aflac Duck, for carefully answering questions, providing a visual for inclusion, and imparting his creative wisdom; Tricia Kenney, director of corporate communications, for her direction and facilitation of correspondence; and Erin Creagh, account coordinator, corporate communications, for following up with all correspondence.
At Kellogg Company: Brian O'Donnell, Counsel, Intellectual Property, for leading the decision process and granting final permission for images and comments relating to the Kellogg's Frosted Flakes® campaigns; Deb Ball, assistant to Gary Pilnick, for ushering the paperwork through for final consent.
At McCann Erickson: Alessandra Lariu, senior vice president, digital group creative director, for her enthusiastic participation and invaluable discussion of digital marketing.
At McDonald Marketing: Kelly McDonald, president, for clearly explaining her Latino Acculturation Stratification Model and sharing her expertise.
At Leo Burnett: Abby Lovett, director, global PR, for activating the internal information research process; Cindy Maguire, account director, for fastidiously checking all copyright references and gaining image, caption, credit line, and excerpt approvals; Jeff Cowie, talent manager, for helping to clear final permissions; Kevin Moriarty, vice president and creative director, for eagerly offering his creative insights on the Kellogg's Frosted Flakes® campaigns.
At the Marketing Pilgrim: Andy Beal, founder, for his kind permission to quote from his blog, www.marketingpilgrim.com.
At Miami Ad School: Pippa Seichrist, president, for her eager participation and permission to include the Miami Ad School bottled water copy and image (Figure 8.3).
At RinkTime.com: John Kirker, founder, for the authorization to include his compilation of websites posted at topcopywritingsites.com/.
At SapientNitro: Matt Ziselman, creative director, for imparting his astute perceptions on digital marketing, and for granting the go-ahead to quote from the agency website.
At Sweetspot Agency: Robert Borges, creative director, for assisting in gathering information on interactive campaigns.
At Tablet Computer Geeks: Shane Ketterman, founder/blogger, for permission to feature his article “Five Tips for Better Results with Mobile e-Mail Marketing.”
At The Escape Pod: Vinny Warren, creative director, for offering insight into strategic planning, providing images, scripts, writing tips, and permission for innovative campaigns including Feckin Irish Whiskey.
At The Happy Marketing Guy: David Leonardt, founder, for his kind permission to use his blog post “The Golden Rules of Guest Blogging.”
At The Richards Group: Stephanie Mullins, brand management, for her diligence in arranging interviews, images, scripts, and approvals for the Bridgestone Tires campaigns; Jack Westerholt, copywriter, for providing lucid insights into concept and copy development for various campaigns, including the Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head commercial (“Taters”) for Bridgestone Tires; Stephanie Johanson, brand management, for her dedicated supervision of Motel 6 interviews, comments, images, caption and credit lines, and permission approvals; Christopher Smith and Lance Miceli, creative directors, for sharing their creative strategies behind the ever popular “Tom Bodett” Motel 6 campaign; Lorraine Holland and Adalys Castellanos, brand management for their valiant efforts to secure image, caption, and credit line approvals for Chick-fil-A. Rebecca Babin, brand management, whose attention to detail ushered permission approvals through for the Orkin images; Adam Fish, photographer, for kindly granting permission to use his Orkin postcards (Figures 8.1 and 8.2) with his photographs.
At The San Jose Group: George L. San Jose, president and COO, for offering his expertise on multicultural marketing, image permission, and thoughtful quotes, Julie Sestan, account executive for her tireless help compiling images, supervising image credits, and overseeing excerpt revisions; Erika Cano-Albor, account supervisor, for her help in gathering images and scripts, coordinating correspondence, and ushering through the necessary permissions.
At Thunder Bay Media: Derek Cromwell, founder, CEO, copywriter and/or content marketer, for permitting me to quote freely from his blog posts: http://www.thunderbaymedia.net/blog.
At Vitro: John Vitro, principal and chief creative officer, for enabling the information gathering process on various campaigns, including ASICS; Tom Sullivan, CEO and principal, for the initial impetus to obtain answers to research questions; KT Thayer, creative director, for his important copy tips; Elena Rodriguez, assistant to John Vitro, for persistence in ushering the critical comments, creative content, and campaign images.
At Wieden+Kennedy in the US: Danielle Black, PR director, Joani Wardwell, press relations global, for their combined efforts in arranging for interviews and permission; Sheena Brady, creative director/copywriter, for her explanation of the creative concepting process and application of universal truths.
At Wieden+Kennedy in London: Lauren Glazer, director of PR, and Bella Laine, PR director, for their concerted assistance in coordinating and supervising the interview and permission process; Neil Christie, managing director, for guiding the permission process and granting approval; and Ben Walker, creative director/copywriter, for his helpful tips to other copywriters.
At www.copyblogger.com: Brian Clark, founder, for generously allowing inclusion of his posted article “Warning: Use These 5 Headline Formulas at Your Own Risk.”
At www.famousbloggers.net: Hesham Zebida, founder, for his gracious permission to showcase his blog post “How to Cook an Irresistible Blog.”
At Young & Laramore: Paul J. Knapp, CEO, for his continued support of my research through his supervision of information accumulation, image compilation, and permission finalization; Tom Denari, president, for his consent to the inclusion of agency work; Carolyn Hadlock, executive creative director, for providing images, explaining the Peerless Faucet campaign's creative process; and Charlie Hopper, creative director, for sharing the strategic thinking behind various campaigns, including Ugly Mug Coffee.
At xynoMedia: Lena L. West, president, for her tips on blog writing and for allowing quotations from her articles and blogs.
At Zubi Advertising: Joe Zubizarreta, chief operating officer, for his permission to include copywriting information and for granting access to former and current creative talents; Carlos Menendez, copywriter, for offering interesting comments and helpful writing tips; and Juan Santiago Lagos, former associate creative director, for providing tips on writing for the Hispanic market.
I would also like to thank the following people for their encouragement and generosity.
At Florida International University: Lillian Kopenhaver, dean, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, for her faithful commitment to my ongoing research efforts.
Fernando Figueredo, department chair, Advertising and Public Relations, for his loyal and palpable support.
In addition, I would also like to thank my colleagues, university students, and seminar audiences who inspire me and drive my inquisitive nature to seek out new avenues of research.
Lastly, I would like to thank everyone who believed in this project from the very first moment when it was just an idea.
Chapter 1
The Persuasive Word
Strategy ABCs: audience, benefits,and creative briefs
Having a clear vision of what it is that you are heading for, and know it when you see it and dismiss it when you don't see it, is really, really important. Just think from the outset about what it is that you're writing because writing is not an accident.
Drummond Berman, creative director/copywriter, Euro RSCG1
In this first chapter, you'll examine a campaign's creative starting point: the strategy. You'll take an up-close look at the creative brief, which acts as the campaign's directional guide. You'll analyze the structure and function of the creative brief, see how it drives the strategy, and find out how it's based on several key aspects including market research, consumer insights, specific objectives, and product positioning.
You'll also learn how to create effective media intersections, or the best places for your message to collide with the consumer. In no time, you'll grasp how to use these “collision venues” or touchpoints to change or reinforce consumers' impression of the brand. You'll see selecting the right tactics (specific distribution vehicles, like online ads or mobile messages) helps propel your message to the targeted audience.
In addition, you'll realize that creating a two-way conversation with consumers can result in an unexpected backlash. That happens when consumers share their feelings (good and bad) about the brand. You'll quickly recognize that being able to analyze your audience through various means like VALS will help you create authentic and credible messages.
You'll soon comprehend the difference between primary and secondary audiences, be able to identify them, and know why you need to consider both. You'll gain insight into why some agencies copy test (ask consumers their opinion of ad messages) and some still conduct focus groups, surveys, mall interceptions, and other means of consumer research discussed later in the chapter. Finally, you'll be reminded of the importance of focusing on the benefit in your main idea. So, let's start looking at strategy right now.
Thinking About Strategy First
Every advertising campaign needs a specific objective, a clear message, a target audience, and a “strategy.” The strategy is the overall creative direction of a campaign, which is determined by the account and creative teams. They work together to develop an underlying solution that addresses a specific consumer benefit or need, clarifies the product or service, or solves a brand's marketing challenge. The strategy acts like a compass and allows the agency to double check that the campaign direction is on-course. For example, if the agreed-upon strategy was to show the whitening power of a detergent and the ad talked about a special two-for-one offer, then the message was off-strategy. It should be highlighting the whitening ability, not the price.
How does each agency decide the strategy? First it conducts research to gain consumer insights. What does the audience want or need? How can this product deliver a solution? What is the benefit, the reward for the consumer to make this purchase? The agency team looks to answer these and other questions and gain a deeper understanding of consumers and how they think. What they value. What's important to them? What solution the product offers. Why should they choose this product and not another.
The agency team uses the creative brief to answer these and other specific questions in order to develop a creative strategy statement to steer the campaign. The account team always thinks about the big picture, concentrates on the overall strategic direction, and looks for long-term creative solutions in its messaging. To gain greater insight into the creative-problem-solving process, we'll start by examining the elements of a creative brief. Then, we'll see how it serves as an outline for the campaign strategy, or basic creative destination.
But, before we get to the brief, we should take a look at how much of this strategic thinking has been changed over the years by technology and consumer behavior. Starting in 1900, when N.W. Ayer first introduced campaigns to fulfill the advertisers' marketing objectives,2 agencies used to work in this way:
First the brief was created based on client input, market research, consumer insight, advertising objectives, product positioning (in the mind of the consumer), competitors, product's uniqueness, tactics, main message, and so on. Then, the strategy was created based on the brief, a main concept was developed from the strategy, and the concept was executed.
Today, marketers are thinking about the execution as they're creating the brief. Why? Because the advertising isn't just about the concept; it's also about where the message and consumer intersect. These media intersections are “touchpoints,” places where the campaign messages are seen by the target. Another key point is that consumers now participate in delivering the brand's message. They do this through consumer-created content and user-generated content. The difference between these two is that user-generated content are messages developed by people who use the product, not just the general public. With so many people involved in social media like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Flickr, consumers can continue a dialogue between themselves and the brand. Or they can initiate an open conversation among members of their online community.
Consumers can share their opinions, photos, videos, and even their own impression of the brand through self-created commercials. This puts the power of selling a brand's message in the hands of the consumer, without anyone's permission. Marketers have to be careful because once a negative impression is circulated on the Internet, it's difficult to change it. Advertisers have to protect their brands' images. There are several ways they attempt to do this. Notice the word “attempt,” because it's not that simple to achieve. First, they need to constantly monitor their social media sites. Second, they need to immediately address consumer complaints. Third, they need to be willing to face harsh criticism in a graceful and responsive way.
Now, unhappy consumers can create damaging user-generated content. One unforgettable 2008 United Airlines incident was globally publicized online. While the band Sons of Maxwell was on tour they witnessed the careless handling of its $3,500 guitar by the United Airlines' baggage crew. After several unsuccessful attempts to have the airline resolve the problem, the band created a video detailing the event. It posted it on YouTube where it instantly went viral. Unlike years ago, companies today that are nonresponsive to customer complaints have to face irate, public backlash. Consumers are no longer going to sit idly by when they can broadcast their poor customer service complaints. Smart marketers are wise to address problems immediately. Most likely, that would be any brand's best corporate strategy.
Taking that one step forward, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, named agency of the decade by Advertising Age (December 14, 2009 issue), flies over this process entirely and starts with the end in mind: press coverage. Creative talents must write a jaw-dropping press release before they begin any creative conceptualization. They must present what the press will write about. Then, they have to find a way to make that happen. The campaign's “big idea” must transcend medium and format. It must be so powerful it cannot be ignored. In thinking about the reaction to their work, their strategic thinking teams include cognitive anthropologists (account managers), creatives, digital technologists (developers), and anyone else who would like to work on the campaign. It's a collaborative effort in which everyone shares ownership, with credit lists of possibly 75 people.
Now, let's get back to the function and format of the brief, which is more commonly used at agencies, and how that guides the strategic direction.
Examining the Brief: An Up-Close Look
Although agencies differ in their briefs, most include the same key information. Here's a template to use for your briefs. It forces you to determine the audience, product competitors, consumer opinions, product uniqueness, and other critical areas.
We will look at the basic or shorter brief (text box 1.1) and the more expanded, detailed brief (text box 1.2).
You can see there are only eight parts to this basic brief. This will give you a good start in your overall thinking. However, before you can begin outlining your creative direction, you should go through and complete the longer brief (text box 1.2). Be sure to answer every one of the questions and fill in each answer specifically.
The brief is a series of questions that need to be carefully answered before developing a solid campaign strategy. First you need to fully understand all of the terminology. First, we'll examine some of the words used in box 1.2.
The brand is advertising to say something to _______ (VERB – persuade, convince, inform, educate) the audience (SPECIFIC CONSUMERS) that this _______ (PRODUCT, SERVICE OR BRAND) will _______ (STATE THE BENEFIT) because _______ (FEATURES THAT EXPLAIN WHY AUDIENCE SHOULD BELIEVE IT. THIS ACTS AS A SUPPORT STATEMENT).
The creative strategy,as shown in the brief (# 1) is a deceptively simple formula that explains the broad direction of the campaign. Although it looks like an easy-to-develop sentence, the challenge is to write it in the most descriptive and accurate language, specifically relating to the brand. Just fill in the blanks. Use the capped words in parentheses as explanatory guides.
The point here is to explain in detail why the brand is advertising; however you don't want to just say “to increase sales” or “to build awareness” because that could apply to any brand. Those statements are too general. This is where you want to differentiate your brand from any other. You must answer this general question in a very specific way: What do you want this campaign to do for the brand? Don't just rush in with the first obvious answer. Look deeper into the audience profile you'll outline before proceeding. Who are they? Why are you targeting them? What benefit will they derive from this product or service? What features explain why they should pick this brand and not one of its competitors?
The trick to writing a great brief is in drilling down the information. Think of it as if you're a chef and you're reducing the ingredients in a pan to create a sauce. You must reduce the information down to its core essence. This one sentence must act like a one-line review in a newspaper if this were a restaurant. Then, the campaign or “menu” is what will attract diners to taste the food or brand.
Gaining Deeper Audience Insight Through VALS and Observational Research
Two other important terms appeared in the brief under “Who is the Audience” in section 2b above, “Psychographics.” These were VALS and observational research. VALS connects consumer personality traits to future purchasing behaviors. VALS stands for Values, Attitudes, and Lifestyles and was created in the 1970s by SRI International, a research company, in Menlo, California. VALS market segmentation places audiences into easy-to-refer-to, shopping-prediction categories. Observational research is a method of collecting consumer information by seeing them firsthand in a natural, everyday setting like at home rather than learning about them through their answers in a focus group. So, instead of asking them what magazines they read, they can see them usually lying around their homes. This sidesteps a common consumer desire to impress others in the focus group or tell researchers what they think they want to hear.
The brief has a tiny hole. You must make an elephant go through it without tearing the paper.
Juan Santiago Lagos, associate creative director, Zubi Advertising, now at Alma/DDB3
These are just two of many ways to analyze audiences. There are target groups by age-group titles. Some of the dates vary depending on the source, but you can get a quick idea of the various target groups here. These labels include the Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964); the Generation X or “Gen X” (born between 1965 and 1976); the Gen Y or “Millennials,” “Gen M,” “Generation Next,” or “Generation Y” (born between 1977 and 1994); the Gen Z or “Net Generation,” “Internet Generation,” “Digital Natives,” or the “Verge Generation” (born between 1994 and 2004). These groups have attitudinal likeness or similar perspective. Even though it's unfair to categorize any individual, researchers will create a one-word nickname, or short expression to act as a short cut to identify a group. For example, the Baby Boomers are the “never get old” group. Gen X are “independent.” Gen Y are team players. Gen Z are “digital savvy.”
There are ethnic groups, which you reach through their cultural similarities. There are interest target groups, which you speak to through their common interests, like technology buffs, wine lovers, conscientious environmentalists, and so on.
VALS, on the other hand, allows marketers to predict consumers' future shopping behavior by considering different buying motivational categories based on consumer attitudes and values. The first VALS, or VALS 1, which explored consumers' lifestyles and buying motivations, was later refined to reflect consumers' ability to pay for products they desired. The revised VALS, or VALS 2, blended demographics into the mix and considered income, education, and health. VALS 2 answered the question of the strength of consumers' buying power. Today all of the categories are used, to reflect different audience's lifestyles, buying motivations and purchasing power. Let's compare the two different VALS one after the other as they are so clearly explained in Ads, Fads and Consumer Culture.4 After this, we'll compare these to VALS 3 (text box 1.3).
VALS 1: From Lowest to Highest Income
Group I: Needs-driven consumers – Financially challenged.
VALS 2
Starting at the lowest income group, moving to highest, we start with the Strugglers (Survivors in VALS 1) and end up with the Actualizers (Integrateds in VALS 1). Now there are only eight categories as follows:
VALS 3
A third VALS segmentation also breaks consumers into eight categories (with some different labels) and three groups. At the bottom of the financial ladder are the Survivors with limited resources and little creative innovation. In the top group are the opposite. These are Innovators with deep resources who are highly innovative. In the middle are these six groups that represent the primary buying motivations based on their (1) ideals, (2) achievements, and need for (3) self-expression. In each of the middle groups (numbers 2–7) are low- and high-income subsets. For example, the “Ideals” group has Thinkers (higher income) and Believers (lower income).5
Group I: Survivors – Lowest income and lowest ability to innovate.
The point of considering VALS categories before you begin writing is to try to actually picture your audience. To see them as people with specific lifestyles, attitudes, and different values so you can speak to them in a way that singles them out. You want the readers or viewers to feel as if you're talking directly to them. Even if you don't have the category titles perfectly in your mind, you can at least have a strong sense of the audience's way of life. Always remember to remind yourself of your audience when looking at a brief and beginning every assignment.
In thinking about the audience, Teddy Brown, senior vice president, executive creative director of the Orange County office at Draftfcb, explained that Taco Bell talks to a psychographic, not a demographic. He said:
So, it's really more about what this audience believes more than necessarily who they are. It's quite a broad target in general, so we spend more time talking about how this target audience acts and how they live their lives, than we do if they're male or female.6
Review all the observational research and internalize the consumer insights provided to you by the account team. Ask questions to the account and research teams if you need audience clarification. The more clearly you understand your audience, the more effective your message will be. Writing just to explain product features won't drive anyone to make a purchase, but writing to show what those features mean and how they can solve a problem or improve someone's life will. Ask yourself when you're about to create an ad in any product category what has or would compel you to buy it. Pay attention, whenever you buy anything, to your decision process. If you were skeptical at first, what did you see, hear, or read that swayed you?
It's this kind of thinking that is the backbone of the brief. It forces you to examine various aspects of marketing and fully understand the product's overall advertising goals, competitors, consumer beliefs, tactics, as well as its character, tone of voice, uniqueness, and main message. You need to consider everything when you're developing the campaign's direction and creative strategy.
Sheena Brady, creative director/copywriter at Wieden +Kennedy, explained how important the brief is in reaching client objectives this way:
I think what the brief is, is what the client is trying to do. So that's going to have a direct impact on the work. Then we, as creative people, find the best way of creatively solving that problem. Without a brief, there's no way of knowing whether we're doing our job for the client.7
Understanding Secondary Audience Versus Primary Audience
In addition to the primary target who eventually buys the product, another audience should also be considered. This secondary audience is made up of the people who influence the primary audience: those are the people who make the purchase and use the product. The secondary audience could be a friend, relative, business associate, mentor, or anyone who affects the buyers' purchasing decisions. According to Larry Percy, there are five different groups of people who influence purchasing decisions. They fall into the following “purchasing role” categories:
When creating a campaign, it's helpful to think about how the tone of voice could also speak to these groups, so they're impacted by the message. Also when you're working on new product introductions, think about whether your audience members are early or late adapters. If they're the type of people who would wait online for hours to be one of the first consumers to buy the latest Nike or high-tech gadget, then you might entice them with a be-the-first-to-own kind of message. If they're late adapters, the people who wait until all the bugs are out of a new computer, smartphone, software, and so on, you might talk humorously about how this model has been “bug-proofed” with a digital exterminator.
Delving into Consumer Insights
There's more to understanding the consumer than psychographic VALS categories, primary and secondary audiences, and purchasing roles. There are also insights gleaned from observational and other types of consumer research. Here's a short list of some types of advertising-based research.
Focus groups provide information gathered from small groups of people placed together to review products and evaluate campaigns. Sometimes one person dominates and drives the discussion, thereby “tainting” or influencing the opinion of others in the group.
Pre-testing or Copy testing allows copy to be tested before it's released in an ad campaign. Subjects are asked to comment on myriad ad messages. Some questions might include:
Their responses are used to predict ad performance in these and other areas: (1) audience attention, (2) brand awareness, (3) purchase motivation, (4) emotional response, (5) ad recall, and (6) clarity of message.
Post-testing or Ad-tracking evaluates the brand's performance by monitoring these and other results from the advertising campaign: (1) product/brand sales, (2) brand name recognition, (3) top-of-mind awareness, (4) unaided advertising awareness, (5) aided advertising message recall, (6) aided and unaided brand awareness, (7) brand preference (loyalty), (8) product adoption (usage), and (9) consumer opinion.
Mall interception reveals consumer opinions as they're going about their normal mall shopping. People are stopped randomly and asked to answer some questions.
Surveys indicate how consumers feel about the questions asked. Survey questions are designed to glean specific consumer insights. Often very lengthy surveys offer free products to the participants.
Digital Anthropology shows consumers' online behavior, including which sites they visit, how long they stay; what items are purchased; which articles, podcasts, vodcasts are viewed and shared; and so on. Marketers are looking to understand how to communicate with online communities through “tribalization” studies.
Multi-platform research tracks which media consumers prefer to consume: television, radio, print, online, and so on and helps advertisers evaluate which platforms are the most effective communication vehicles.
Observational research (or Ethnography) is conducted at consumers' natural settings, as they go about their everyday routines. The idea is to watch them in their own environment. It's easy to see the books or magazines they read. The kind of décor they prefer. The types of electronic gadgets they use. The brands they prefer, and so on. Understanding consumers' lifestyle is more than statistics. It's having a visual reference, an actual image of these people, so they're three-dimensionally real to the writer.
You also want to know how they feel about the brand and its competitors. Not only if they use it, but also if they do, why? And if not, why not? What do they really think about the product? If they don't like it, why not? What exactly don't they like about it? Having more insight into how consumers make buying decisions gives you more firing power so you'll hit your target with relevant messages. Think of your client's product as “your product.” It will make your creative approach more personal. Ask yourself if you can answer these questions:
Most importantly, think like the consumer. Write that in big letters next to your computer. Before you create any promotional message, answer this: What would you need to hear to take action?
Realizing the Importance of a Benefit
There's no point in creating a vague campaign. The target audience wants to know why they should make a purchase. They need to find out how this brand will improve their lives, solve a problem, address a specific need, and so on. They don't have time to decipher a complicated message. Put a spotlight on your benefit or W-I-I-F-M (what's in it for me) and place it center stage.
The reason Apple sold so many iPods, iPhones, and iPads is that the advertising shows how easy they are to use and how they can simplify owners' lives. All of the messages answer consumers' objections to learning new technology by demonstrating them in use. The ads don't just say, “Here's a cool new gadget.” They make consumers feel confident that the devices are user-friendly and promise a quick-to-integrate learning curve. They remove any hesitancy consumers might have about using a new device.
Try to understand what problem your product or service solves or how it fits into your target audience's lifestyle. If you don't know why they should buy it or order it, your message will be meaningless and ineffective. You must give them an indisputable reason to buy. At the same time, your creative solution must also realize the brand's objectives for advertising. Remember, you want to avoid common reasons such as generating traffic or increasing name recognition. These two goals are not definitive enough. You should be able to encapsulate the campaign message in a short phrase. Think about famous slogans and how they zero in on one sticky idea. It's important to showcase product features; just don't forget to explain how they ultimately help the audience.
For example, Taco Bell's campaigns are usually product-focused and sometimes use exaggeration to drive home a product feature. In the “Volcano Nachos” spot, an actor's face was flaming and smoke was coming out of him to show the product was hotter than other menu items. The “Grand Quesadilla” spot showed a young, pregnant woman boarding a bus. Climbing on board right after her is a young guy with an equally big belly who makes a remark suggesting that she must have enjoyed her Taco Bell lunch as much as he did. The product promises to satisfy your hunger. Brown explained Taco Bell strategies like this:
The thing with our product is “that new news drives the whole category.” So, it must be newsworthy. It's always solving some sort of consumer need or problem. The point of difference is that our product stands out and is celebrated.
The difference between brand marketing and product marketing is that our work is always food-centric. It's the product that inspires the brief, but the story is always centered around the food. In that bus stop spot it's all about the main message. I'm looking at a brief here that states: “the quesadilla that actually fills you up.” 9
