Project Information
Intro to Media Industries
Spring 2015
Task: To create an advertising campaign for an
entertainment media property.
Goal: To understand an aspect of the entertainment media business
(advertising) that is critical to the entire mass media field.
The Advertising Campaign
A campaign consists of a large number of
ads all stressing the same major theme or appeal that appear in a number of
media over a specified time. In simple form, here are six typical phases:
1. choosing the marketing strategy
2. selecting the main appeal or theme
3. translating the theme into the various
media
4. producing the ads
5. buying space and time
6. executing and evaluating the campaign
During the initial phase, much research is
done to determine the target audience, the marketing objective, the appropriate
price for the product or service, and the ad budget.
Positioning the product or service also
comes into play at this point: positioning means fitting a product into the
quality and price range of its competition--in a sense, setting it apart from
the competition.
Then a coordinated overall campaign theme
needs to be developed.
The next step is to translate the concept
into an actual media format, attempting concept variation between media without
compromising the ad campaign’s central theme.
For print media, artists create a rough layout to experiment with
positioning ad elements; then a comprehensive layout (the final draft) is
executed.
Radio ads are often created in ways
similar to a dramatic program, with scripts, sound effects, music, and
professional voice talent.
Television ad production starts with a storyboard, a series of
drawings depicting key scenes of the planned ad; because of the costs involved,
storyboards are usually shown to the client before any actual production
begins. Television ads are the most expensive ads to produce, a 30-second
commercial can easily cost more than $500,000 (produced for the national level).
During the production stage, the marketing
department is buying time in the media mix they deemed to be the most cost
effective for their target audience.
The final stage has the agency doing test research both during the
ads and after the run is finished to see if the ads really had the desired
effect on sales.
Your group project must have the following:
1.
The
six steps to a typical advertising campaign.
2.
Storyboard
for TV commercial(s)
3.
Script
for radio commercial
4.
Dummy
ads for billboard
5.
Ads
for web
6.
Ads
for magazine (full color)
For the assignment, you are to create a small advertising agency.
Provide a thumbnail photo and brief profile for each agency team member.
For those who want to go above and beyond, here is a formal
campaign outline that professional advertising agencies use for their clients.
Feel free to adopt any portion of the sections below.
Advertising Campaign Info
REPORT FORMAT AND OUTLINE
Title Page:
The following information should be included:
Name of client and
product Course Number and Title
Time period covered
by campaign College Name
Name of your agency
team Professor Name
Names of agency team
members Date
Table of Contents
List all major
headings in your plan, with page numbers.
Agency Philosophy
A short statement
(maximum: one-half page) that presents the basic principles underlying the
approach used in attacking this assignment. The agency philosophy
statement should clearly indicate the standards and beliefs that guide the
agency in its work.
Executive Summary
A cogent summary (maximum: two pages) of exactly what your IMC plan involves. Among
the items to include are:
· Major target audiences
· Time period of the plan
· Campaign objectives
· Campaign theme/slogan
· Overall budget total
· Budget breakdown (dollars and percentages) by each major IMC
element and each medium
· Summary of media used
· Rationale for each major element and each medium
· Evaluation program
The Executive Summary
may be arranged in any fashion, but it has to pack a wallop. Remember, the
basic purpose of the Executive Summary is to inform top officials at the client
organization exactly what you are proposing -- in one or two pages. Be
precise. Be complete. Organizing the Executive Summary (as well as
other sections of the promotion campaign plan) in a bullet-type format is one
effective way to present your material.
Review of Marketing Plan
Industry Background
· Size
· Growth
· Current Trends/Developments Affecting the Promotion Program
· Macroenvironment Factors and Issues
(e.g., demographic,
economic, technological, political, legal, social, cultural, environmental)
Company Snapshot
· Brief Sketch
· Place in the Industry (e.g., size, growth, image)
· Mission, Business Philosophy
· Resources
· Organizational Structure
· Product Line
· Sales History
· Target Markets
· Market Shares
· Positioning
· Current Marketing Mix
Product/Service Review
· Category Review
Description
· Life Cycle Stage
· Sales, Growth
· Brand Review (the product/service that constitutes the
focus of the campaign)
Description
· Market Share, Sales, Growth
· Strengths and Weaknesses
· Key Benefits
· Brand Image
· Positioning
· Perceptual Map
- Product/Brand Performance in Selected Markets
· Category Development Index (CDI)
· Brand Development Index (BDI)
Competitive Review
· Direct and Indirect Competitors
· Key Competitors (each considered separately)
· Market Shares, Sales, Growth
· Target Markets
· Marketing Objectives
· Marketing Strategies
· Positioning
· Budgets
· Current Marketing Mixes/Tactics
· Current Advertising, Sales Promotion, Public Relations, and Direct
Marketing Programs
· Message Strategies
· Media Strategies
· Strengths
· Weaknesses
· Overall Assessment
Buyer Analysis
· User Profile
(demographic,
geographic, psychographic, behavioristic factors)
· Buying Decision Process
· Who Buys the Product
· Who Influences the Purchase Decision
· Who Makes the Decision
· Decision Criteria
Strengths and Weaknesses
(e.g., Crackerjack Golf Club Company -- new line of golf
clubs)
Strengths
· Crackerjack is known for innovative products
· Strong base in professional golf shops
· Highest consumer satisfaction ratings among major brands
· Outstanding sales force
Weaknesses
· Highest prices in the industry
· Advertising expenditures are less than half those of major
competitors
· Little trade promotion
· Weak presence in mass-merchandise and discount stores
Threats and Opportunities
(e.g., Crackerjack Golf)
Threats
· Increasing number of golfers are buying equipment in
mass-merchandise and discount stores
· Crackerjack’s most-feared rival, Nifty Golf, recently introduced
its entire line into a major golf discount chain
· Several major competitors have become more aggressive in trade
promotion efforts
Opportunities
· More people of all ages are playing golf
· A major sporting goods chain indicated it would carry Crackerjack
irons, if Crackerjack would increase its trade allowances and introduce a
cooperative advertising program
· Some notable professional golfers have recently switched to
Crackerjack irons, with positive results
Marketing Goals
Marketing goals are
what is to be accomplished by the overall marketing program. The situation
analysis is the foundation for the marketing goals. They are defined in
terms of one or some combination of the following:
· Sales Volume
· Market Share
· Sales Revenue
· Profit
· Return on Investment
Marketing goals and
communications objectives are not the same. Marketing goals establish a
framework for the determination of communications objectives.
Target Market
· Segmentation Analysis
· Primary Target Market
· Secondary Target Market
Promotional Program
Situation Analysis
· Review of Existing/Past Programs
- Detailed Review
of Previous and Current Promotion Programs for the Product or Service,
including Budgets, Promotion Mix, Share of Voice, Message Strategies, and
Media Strategies
o Strengths
o Weaknesses
o Overall Assessment
· Internal Analysis
· External Analysis
IMC Objectives and
Strategies
(i.e., what needs to be accomplished in
order for Crackerjack to meet marketing goals and how the
objectives will be achieved)
A statement of what the marketing communications program
will accomplish – the role the program will play in the marketing effort. IMC
objectives involve a desired audience response, which results from the process
of consumer decision making, useful frameworks for planners are the
hierarchy-of-effects models discussed in Chapter 5 of the text.
Example Objectives:
· Awareness Objectives: used when most of
the target audience is unaware of the product, service or brand or when
awareness levels need to be increased
· Knowledge Objectives: used when the
target audience has awareness, but knows little beyond that
· Liking Objectives: used when the
target audience knows the company and its product, but does not look favorably
on it
· Preference Objectives: used when the
target audience is aware of the product, knows about it, and likes it – but
does not prefer it to other brands
· Conviction Objectives: used when the
target audience may prefer the product but is not convinced that it is the best
choice for them
· Purchase (i.e., Action) Objectives:
used when the target audience has conviction but still hasn’t purchased the
product
(You may choose to use another hierarchy discussed in the text if it better
fits the needs of your client.)
Campaign Objectives – Example
(e.g., Crackerjack Golf)
· increase awareness among golfers by 10% that Crackerjack irons
have the highest consumer satisfaction ratings of all major brands, in a
three-month time period
· increase trial of Crackerjack irons
among golfers 35-49 by 3% in three-month time period
· create the understanding among 5% of target audience that Crackerjack’s
Big Blaster driver allows the golfer to hit the ball farther with greater
accuracy
Campaign Strategies (e.g., Crackerjack Golf)
· place advertising in special interest golf magazines
· provide cooperative advertising support
to retail outlets
· make available demonstration sets to
key retailers to stimulate trial
· sponsor instructional clinics for
golfers of all ages
Follow each objective and strategy with
a brief rationale.
Positioning and Campaign
Theme
(i.e., the image you want your product to have in the
minds of the target market; how you want your product perceived relative to the
competition; it is the basis for all your communications)
1. · Positioning Strategy
(e.g.,
by product difference, by key attribute or benefit, by usage, against a
specific competitor(s), by users of the product)
2. · Positioning Statement
3. · Campaign Theme (i.e., the slogan)
Creative Recommendations
· Target Audience
· The Copy Platform (which includes the following)
· Advertising Objectives
(what the
advertising is supposed to do)
· Example: To increase awareness ...
· Example: To persuade the target audience
that ...
· Advertising Strategy
(what the
advertising is attempting to communicate; i.e., the benefit, problem solution
or other advantage that is the value of the product -- physical or
psychological)
Example: Use of this product will allow
you to recover more quickly after strenuous exercise.
· Advertising Appeals
(how the
advertising stimulates interest and influences feelings)
Example: fear, pleasure, comfort, convenience
· Advertising Execution Format
(how the
advertising appears)
Example: demonstration, problem-solution,
comparison
· Rationale for Creative Recommendations
· Executions
Storyboards, Scripts, Mechanicals, etc.
Advertising Media Recommendations
· Target Audience
· Objectives
Example: To achieve an 80 reach and a
frequency level of three
Example: To increase advertising in certain geographical locations
· Strategy
Example: Use magazines primarily targeted toward women 25-49.
Example: Schedule increased media use to coincide with sales
promotions.
Example: Increase radio advertising in selected markets.
Sales Promotions Recommendations
(Consumer)
· Target Audience
· Objectives
· Techniques
· Sales Promotion Plan/Timing
· Rationale
· Budget
Sales Promotions Recommendations (Trade)
· Target Audience
· Objectives
· Techniques
· Sales Promotion Plan/Timing
· Rationale
· Budget
Direct Marketing Recommendations
· Target Audience
· Objectives
· MediaType
Direct Mail
Electronic
Print Media
Telemarketing
Catalog
Kiosk
Face-to-Face Selling
· Direct Marketing Plan/Timing
· Rationale
· Budget
Internet/Interactive
Recommendations
· Target Audience
· Strategies/executions
· Rationale
· Budget
Public Relations
Recommendations
(including press releases, press conferences, special
events, sponsorships, product placements, and cause-related efforts)
· Target Audience
· Objectives
· Strategy/Execution
· Scheduling/Plan
· Rationale
· Budget
Personal Selling Recommendations
· Target Audience
· Objectives
· Strategy
· Rationale
· Budget
Campaign Flowchart
A one-page summary
diagram showing the timing of the major elements, events, and activities of the
campaign. The campaign flowchart shows at a glance what is to happen when
throughout the entire campaign.
Measurement and
Evaluation
Measurement and
evaluation activities occur during the course of the campaign, as well as at
the end.This section of the proposal should contain a description of those
activities and the specific methods that will be used to appraise the
individual components of the campaign, as well as for measuring the overall
effectiveness of the campaign.
Budget Summary
This
section is a summary of all costs of the campaign (e.g., media, production,
sales promotion, direct marketing, public relations, sponsorship, endorsements,
measurement and evaluation expenditures, and more). The budget should show
both dollar and percent-of-total expenditures.
Timetable
Summary
of key dates for various activities (e.g., date for client approval of creative
strategy, dates for production materials, dates for tracking studies).
Conclusion
A very brief review
of your plan and how well it meets the needs of the client. One page
should be sufficient to summarize the factors that make your plan the one that
will best get the job done for the client. Recommendations for the future.
Appendices
In
most cases, this is a very important section of the plan. It will include
information and material which have potential value to your client and which
have not been fully presented in the text of your plan. Examples: industry
data, market data, questionnaires, competitors’ advertisements. This
section can be a valuable resource for your client.
References
A
complete list of secondary sources used for the campaign plan.
