Advertising campaign planning

A number of goals and objectives are employed in advertising and can be both short or long term in nature. Short-term goals and objectives pertain to the ad copy itself. Ads are designed to introduce certain concepts and must also be convincing. Long-term advertising goals pertain to desired effects. The key to successful advertising is knowing how much to allocate toward specific types of advertising. You also need to properly identify your target audience so you are reaching the right consumers.

Getting Attention

One short-term goal and objective in advertising is getting people's attention. Use highly readable print in your ads. Color, diagrams and pictures can also attract the attention of users, particularly if they are highly relevant. For example, gold is often used to represent a premium or expensive brand of liquor. One of the best ways to attract attention in print advertising is to use a strong headline. Make a statement that attracts the right type of reader, and include at least one benefit in the heading to pull the reader into the ad. For example, the heading "Start Earning a Higher Salary Today" appeals to readers who feel they aren't making enough money. Use sounds and jingles to attract attention in your radio and television ads.

Prompting Immediate Action

Your print and other types of advertising must also prompt people to act immediately. Include a coupon in your ad to get people to try your product at the store. Include a deadline on your coupon so people know the offer is only good for a short time period. Offer a free trial of your product, or provide something free along with the product. For example, a small mail order publishing company may offer a free book on investing if you buy its financial newsletter. Offer multiple products for

the price of one. Another strategy is to state that you have a limited supply of products available.

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Replacing Lost Customers

Small companies use advertising to replace lost customers. Your customers may switch brands, move away, or die, which is why advertising on a continuous basis is imperative. Increase the advertisements that are producing customers and orders, and drop ineffective ads. Look for new ways to advertise, including social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Building Sales and Profits

Advertising is designed to increase sales and build profits gradually, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. People must try your products or services before they become repeat users. They may also tell their friends and family, which is additional advertising for you. The key to building sales and profits is to gradually increase your advertising over time. Many small companies budget their advertising by allocating a certain percentage of sales toward it.

Building Brand Awareness

Small companies also advertise to build brand awareness, which is when people know a particular brand is yours. Brand awareness is usually calculated as a percentage. For example, if 1,000 people out of 10,000 in a market can identify your brand, your brand awareness is 10 percent. Your primary objective in building brand awareness is to make people think of your brand first when they are ready to purchase

Defining Advertising Goals for Measuring Advertising Results

Dagmar Approach is the task of measuring ad effectiveness will not be daunting if we clearly spell out the advertising goals. Russel H. Colley

(1961) pioneered an approach known by the acronym DAGMAR – Defining Advertising Goals for Measured Advertising Results, where to establish an explicit link between ad goals and ad results, Colley distinguished 52 advertising goals that might be used with respect to a single advertisement, a year’s campaign for a product or a company’s entire advertising philosophy.

DAGMAR also focused attention upon measurement, encouraging people to create objectives so specific and operational that they can be measured.

Characteristics of Objectives:A major contribution of DAGMAR was Colley’s specification of what constitutes a good objective. Five requirements or characteristics of good objectives were noted1. Concrete and measurable: the communications task or objective should be a precise statement of what appeal or message the advertiser wants to communicate to the target audience. Furthermore the specification should include a description of the measurement procedure

2. Target audience – a key tenet to DAGMAR is that the target audience be well defined. For example –if the goal was to increase awareness, it is essential to know the target audience precisely. The benchmark measure cannot be developed without a specification of the target segment

3. Benchmark and degree of change sought: another important part of setting objectives is having benchmark measures to determine where the target audience stands at the beginning of the campaign with respect to various communication response variables such as awareness, knowledge, attitudes, image, etc.

The objectives should also specify how much change or movement is being sought such as increase in awareness levels, creation of favorable attitudes or number of consumers intending to purchase the brand, etc. a benchmark is also a prerequisite to the ultimate measurement of results,

an essential part of any planning program and DAGMAR in particular.

4. Specified time period —A final characteristic of good objectives is the specification of the time period during which the objective is to be accomplished, e.g. 6months, 1 year etc. The time period should be appropriate for the communication objective as simple tasks such as increasing awareness levels can be accomplished much faster than a complex goal such as repositioning a brand.

All parties involved will understand that the results will be available for evaluating the campaign, which could lead to a contraction, expansion or change in the current effort. With a time period specified a survey to generate a set if measures can be planned and anticipated.

5. Written GoalFinally goals should be committed to paper. When the goals are clearly written, basic shortcomings and misunderstandings become exposed and it becomes easy to determine whether the goal contains the crucial aspects of the DAGMAR approach.

Criticism of DAGMAR1. Problems with the Response Hierarchy:2. Sales objectives3. Practicality and costs4Inhibition of creativity

Message strategy and TacticsThe actual development of an advertising campaign involves several distinct steps. First, the advertising manager must decide what the advertising is meant to communicate-by way of benefits, feelings,

brand personality, or action content. We call this message strategy and devote five chapters in Part III to it. Once the content of the campaign has been decided, decisions must be made on the best and most effective ways to communicate that content. These executional decisions, such as the choice of a spokesperson, the use of humor or fear or other tones, and the selection of particular copy, visuals, and layout, are what we call message tactics. <s</sMessage strategyOne of the first strategic objectives has to be the design of an advertisement that gains attention, for without that nothing else is possible. Message Strategy, attention and comprehension theories of attention. comprehension, and perception processes and discuss how advertisements can be created that capture and retain a consumer's attention. How can attention bes1 be captured in an age in which thousands of advertisements compete for attentior and in which consumers can flip television channels with a mere flick of a remote control device? Understanding Benefit-Based Attitudes then examines theories of benefit-based attitudes. Much of the material draws on recent work 0 consumer behavior researchers in this area, particularly in extending our under standing of learning, attitudes, and attitude change. It focuses on how decision: can be made about which attributes and benefits to emphasize in the advertising.Focus on theories and research that contribute to our understanding of advertising that is explicitly designed to generate emotional response in the audience, such as warmth, excitement, pride, and so on, and to "transform the brand by associating these feelings with it. How should advertisers choos which emotions to evoke, and how can they tell when they have been successful as: What is brand equity? How can it be measured? What personality dimensions or traits can brands acquire

through advertising? What are the situations when brand personality is more important in driving purchase? What is the importance of brand personality in creating long-term "goodwill" for a brand? Most impor-tantly, how can advertising and other marketing mix elements create such a brand image?Next, Group Influence and Word-of-Mouth Advertising looks at the processes of group influence and word-of-mouth advertising and examines how advertising can help shape group norms and fashions. In what advertising situations is group influence likely to playa major role? It is often useful to conduct a personal influence audit.Message TacticsThe pros and cons of different kinds of spokespersons and the kinds of advertising situations in which they may be most appropriate are presented and discussed. Other decisions on "tone and format," such as the use of fear, humor, comparative advertising, and devices to increase distraction.The content and tone must eventually be translated into specific advertisements. Throughout the process, decisions Dave to be made concerning which different copy approaches, scripts, and final advertisements will be used. Art of Copywriting) examines some of the existing knowledge on the principles of good copywriting for each of the major media (print, television, radio, outdoor), and presents capsule portraits of some of the creative geniuses that have graced the advertising business.Assessments of what makes for "good" copy are not merely subjective, of course, and several kinds of research-based tests can be used, in the laboratory or in the field, to enable a creative team to check the evolving campaign continually against its objectives.Production and Implementation examines how advertisements actually

get created, produced, and implemented and describes the client-agency relationship through which this happens.

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Different types of advertising appeals

Advertising has greatly influenced our decisions in buying the products in markets today. The new generation of today needs much more to get convinced to buy some product, companies are using different types of advertising appeals to influence them in buying their products. The advertising message is the most important elements that describe your potential customer to purchase a particular commodity. The most basic of all demands are the food, clothing and shelter – we obviously cannot create a special need for these essential products but can advertise the products which influences their standard of living. The luxury products are highly aimed at youngsters for varied reasons, social status, peer competition, impressing someone, craze for latest products, etc.

Today, advertising industry is at the threshold of every industry we talk about, they not only influence just the customers but also every single entity involved in the business. Bigger companies are increasing their advertising budgets to create more sophisticated appealing advertisements for their customers. The advertising agencies use different tricks and types of advertising appeals that influences the mind of people targeted in a particular group. Here are some of the different types of advertising appeals, ad agencies are using:

EMOTIONAL APPEAL influences customers to buy the products emotionally. These are the people who are emotionally motivated to buy certain products. Emotional appeal includes two categories: personal appeal and social appeal. The personal emotions encourage individuals to buy products for the fear, comfort, safety, stimulation, self esteem, pleasure, joy, happiness where as social appeal encourages people to buy the products for recognition, affiliation, acceptance, status, etc.

HUMOR APPEAL is one of the excellent tool to grab viewer’s attention, its an effective method that benefits the customers to recollect the advertisement while they are shopping.

The use of SEX APPEAL is okay in advertising a product as far as it does not sound vulgar. Although sex appeal makes people curious and may encourage strong feelings about the advertisement or the product, care should be taken that it does not pass on the wrong message.

The musical advertisement sounds melodious to the ears. It easily captures the attention of viewers and increases customer recall. MUSIC APPEAL increases the persuasiveness of the advertisement.

SCARCITY APPEAL are used for limited supplies, they are used to employ promotional tools that includes contests, introducing new products, sweepstakes, etc.

RATIONAL APPEAL mainly focuses on individual’s functional or practical uses relating to a particular product. This appeal concentrates on the characteristics, features of the product or a service and states their uses and how it is going to be useful. These types of appeals are usually seen in print media and are well suited for B2B advertisers.

MASCULINE/FEMININE APPEALS are usually used to promote cosmetic products or clothing. This appeal creates an impression of a perfect person that encourages people to buy the products.

BRAND APPEAL is especially directed towards people who like to use branded items in clothing, cosmetics, or rather any other stuff.

ADVENTURE APPEAL is used to give an impression of changed life after a person uses the product. This appeal usually portrays fun, action and adventure.

ROMANCE APPEAL are used to attract the opposites, a person readily feels to buy a product to attract the person of an opposite sex. The appeal implies to people that buying a certain product will attract or improve their romance with loved ones.

YOUTH APPEALS are mostly directed towards the youth. It generates the interest amongst the youth to buy a particular product in trend and is mostly used in cosmetic industry.

ENDORSEMENT APPEALS make use of celebrities, youth icons, well known personalities. It helps to pitch the sales because people like to follow their favorite icons, or celebrities.

WORD APPEAL are used to convey some message in a form of a phrase, it becomes instant hit with people and helps in recalling the product frequently. It helps in recognizing a brand.

Some advertisements make use of statistics to help people understand the value of product by showing them the graphs, or percentage sales per year. It helps to increase the popularity of a product

Classification of Advertisement Copy

It is true that copy writing is an art and the copywriter has a very important role to play in advertising creativity. Copy writing does not admit any stereotyped rules and classification. There are various styles in which a copy can be prepared and presented. The following classification of advertisement copy may be studied;

1. Descriptive Copy – This type of copy describes the pertinent and relevant characteristics features of the product. It is very simple and of non- technical nature. It does not have any specialty which can attract the attention of the target consumers or may compel them to read it. It is very much similar to a press account or news item simply giving relevant information to the public without any stylish touch.

2. Scientific Copy – Such types of copies are technical in nature and generally used by drugs and pharmaceutical firms elaborating the propositions of properties and constituents of the product. It provides full information about the product and the producer. This type of copy is usually meant for professional or for those who are really interested in such types of information.

3. Institutional Copy – Institutional advertisement copy aims at selling the name of the advertiser or the institution that is producing or selling the products or services. The main objective of such type of advertisements is to create, maintain or increase the goodwill of the product or of brand or of the department or of the selling house as a whole, Institutional copy invites the target consumers to the selling outlet. Such a copy seeks to build goodwill through publicizing the policies, customer services, Conveniences and general features of superiority of the store over the rivals.

4. Topical Copy – Herein and attempts is made to appeal to the general public by linking the theme of the copy with some current event but it should not look absurd. It commands a good deal of interest because of that sensational event which lives in the minds of the public.

5. Reason why Copy – This type of advertisement copy offers the readers reasons why they should buy the advertised goods. It narrates the positive points of difference from other brands of the same product category in an endeavor to convince the reader from product‟s qualitative aspect. It directs its appeal to the intellect or judgment rather than to emotions or senses. It substantiates the superiority of the merchandise with the tests performance. Records testimonials, guarantees or construction data.

6. Human Interest Copy – It makes its appeal to the emotions and the senses rather than to the intellect and judgment. Sympathy fear, bonus, curosity and other emotional appeals like appeals to the senses of sight hearing touch taste, and smell are used in such type of copy. Human interest copy presents the product in relation to people instead of confirming to facts about product. As emotions are many and always new it may be made more exciting an artful than reason why copy. It affords a refreshing change. Human interest copy can take various forms:-

Humorous Copy – It exploits the sense of humor of the people. It turns the reader laughter. All examples and statements in such copy are fully to make the reader smile.

Fear Copy – It appeals to the sense of fear and arouses the interest of people to save their lives, properties and other belongings. Such copy of advertisement should be drawn carefully so that it may not carry an unpleasant association of readers minds with the advertiser’s product of business.

Story Copy – In such a copy a story is narrated me a very interesting manner to create manner to create an impression in the minds of the people about the product. Its ability to create interest depends upon dramatic impact it produces. Experience of customers can also be narrated in the story.

Predicament Copy – It is often used to advantage when it shows an article of merchandise in a case that provides a dramatic explanation of its advantages. Predicament copy usually overlaps the other three kinds of human interest copies

7. Colloquial copy or Conversational Copy – The colloquial copy presents the message in the way of conversation. It uses an informal language and conversation takes place in terms of “I” and “You” with personal reference to reader and the advertiser. In such copy the style is one of a personal talk or one of an eyewitness account.

8. Personality Copy – This copy attempts to encase the opinion of personality – real or imaginary – about the product. Usually the personality is real. The photograph of the personality (a person specialized to concerned field) is given with the text of the copy with a view to convince the readers through the moral influence of his name. Invariably, such copy shows a certificate or a testimonial of such influential person.

9. Prestige Copy – This pattern is usually for in institutional advertising which aims at creating an atmosphere about the product or the firm and may not directly advise the product for sale. Such a copy is occasionally used and is very much similar to the personality copy in impression which also strives to enhance the prestige of the advertising firm indirectly by visualizing the name of the eminent personality.

10. Educational Copy – The copy is designed to educate the general public about the attributes of the product. Usually introductory appeal is made in this style when the product is introduced in the market for the first time; it is the duty of every producer or advertiser to tell everything relevant about the product to the public in such a manner that it may get a warm welcome among customers. Such an advertisement copy depicts the specialties to the product category. The advertiser may insist only one or two attributes of the product which is more sensational such as introduction of a low priced item without the loss of quality or a product developed from a new technology indigenous or imported etc.

11. Suggestive Copy – A suggestive copy tries to suggest or convey the message to the readers directly or indirectly to pursue them to purchase the product. It is useful where the reader is confused about the quality of a product brand and is not in a position to take a decision about the purchase of the product.

12. Expository Copy – Just opposite of suggestive copy it expository copy. It does not conceal anything about the product but exposes. The message is quite clear and it needs no inference, no taxing on mind, no thinking, Even a cursory glance rakes it quite easy to remembers or to pick – up.

13. Questioning copy – Questioning copy as the term suggests. in Corporate a series of questions expected to be answered by them readers. The advertiser puts no narration, statement or reason of its own in order to pursue the readers to buy the product. The question arouses the curiosity in the minds of the readers and makes them think of i

7 Tips for Writing Copy That Sells

David Ogilvy is an advertising legend.

Often described as the “Original Mad Man,” and “The Father of Advertising,” Ogilvy is known largely for his advertising work while serving as the founder of Ogilvy & Mather. In addition to building a multibillion dollar company, he also helped create hugely successful campaigns for clients such as Dove, Shell, and Rolls-Royce.

If you spend any amount of time reading or watching David, you’re sure to be inspired to write better copy, so I’d encourage you to read his book or watch some of the videos floating around the web. In the meantime though, I’d like to present you with what I believe to be the best of Ogilvy’s arsenal:

1. Go Big or Go HomeDon’t bunt. Aim out of the ball park. Aim for the company of immortals. -David Ogilvy

The product you represent is depending on you, and if you allow yourself to take shortcuts or present a less than compelling argument, then you’ve failed. As an entrepreneur or business owner, you simply cannot afford bad copy. If you cannot achieve perfection on your own, then you should hire someone who can.

2. Do Your HomeworkAdvertising people who ignore research are as dangerous as generals who ignore decodes of enemy signals. -David Ogilvy

Ogilvy spent years working for George Gallup, founder of the Gallup Poll, and it was during this time that he realized the true value that comes with knowing exactly what your target audience is thinking.

You cannot write copy unless you know:

Who you’re writing it for How that person thinks What that person needs

If you haven’t done your research, then you’re simply faking it, and it’s that type of copy that gets marketers in trouble, either with the government or with their boss.

To write great copy, you need to understand your audience to the letter, so that you know how you can best serve them. Nothing else will do.

3. Never Talk down to Your CustomersA consumer is not a moron. She’s your wife. Don’t insult her intelligence, and don’t shock her. -David Ogilvy

This is a great Ogilvy quote (for the video, click here), speaking on behalf of consumers everywhere. As great as your product may be, speaking down to your audience is going to turn them away, and as much as you’d love them to be infatuated with your charming pitch, understand that, at the end of the day, they simply want to solve a problem.

Treat your customer with respect and dignity. You’re on equal footing, or perhaps a bit lower, considering you’re the one who needs the sale. Reflect that position in your copy.

4. The Headline is 80%On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar. -David Ogilvy

Headlines are as close to a magic bullet as you’re going to get, and if you’re going to be perfect in only once place, do it here. Write a strong headline that works.

Here’s how:

Use headline templates, which are based on headlines that have worked in the past Lead with a strong benefit, making them want to read more If you can, split test different headlines to see what works best

5. Don’t Get Distracted from Making the SaleIf it doesn’t sell, it isn’t creative. -David Ogilvy

Couldn’t be more true. Marketers love to be cute and funny, original and innovative, but it’s also dangerous.

People don’t set aside time to read ads; they are probably in a hurry, just taking a quick glance before they move on to something else. If your point isn’t immediately obvious, chances are they won’t get it, and you’ll lose them forever.

If you want people to buy, you need them to see your product in their hands and be able to envision how it’ll improve their lives. Everything else is secondary. If you can awe them with your words in the process, fine, but don’t do it at the expense of the sale.

6. Explain Why They Should BuyThe more informative your advertising, the more persuasive it will be. -David Ogilvy

You’ve hooked them with the headline, and you’re telling them all about the product, but before they decide to buy from you, they want to know one thing:

Why?

Why is the product important? Why is it a good deal? Why should they be interested? Why should they buy it from you? Why should they buy it now, rather than later? Why should they trust you?

Consciously or subconsciously, all of those questions are going through a customer’s head. If you want them to act, you need to answer them, and that means making your copy informative.

7. Your Copy Is Important. Treat It That Way.Like a midwife, I make my living bringing new babies into the world, except that mine are new advertising campaigns. -David Ogilvy

All too often, business owners treat their sales copy like an afterthought. They scribble down a few notes, have someone check it to make sure it’s grammatically correct, and send it out. Then they wonder why it doesn’t get results.

David Ogilvy, on the other hand, looked at each of his campaigns like his babies. He nurtured them, fought for them, helped them develop. And he produced some of the best-selling campaigns in the history of advertising.

The truth is, writing great copy takes time and energy. Some of the best copywriters will spend weeks just crafting the headline, and they might take months to write the body copy.

It’s not because they’re slow. It’s because they know the importance of getting it right.

Are you committed to that type of excellence?

If not, you should be