IMC Message Strategy

1. All planned brand messages should: Create brand awareness Change or reinforce customers’ attitudes Stimulate some kind of response or action Stimulate the interactivity that helps build brand relationships The IMC Creative Brief is based on these mandates and how they relate to the brand decision-making process. IMC Message Strategy

2. Creating Brand Value for a Biscuit

3. Brand Message Strategy Development The fourth step in the IMC planning process is developing message strategies. Companies and their marketing communication agencies employ strategic thinking at a variety of levels in the marketing communication process.

4. The Creative Message Brief A creative brief is a document that provides the guidelines for creating brand messages.

5. Creative briefs typically include items such as: Restatement of the marketing strategy Restatement of the marketing objectives in terms of the intended message impact The message format or approach The psychological appeal The selling premise The big idea or creative concept The message execution details The Creative Message Brief

6. Citigate Cunningham’s“Positioning Platform”

7. Identifying the company’s main opportunity or key problem is the first step in developing a selling strategy. This key problem should summarize the most important finding from the SWOT analysis. Purpose or Key Problem

8. Functional-Area Message Objectives • For each MC area used in the MC plan, message objectives need to be developed. • MC efforts are measured against their objectives, so stating appropriate objectives is an important part of determining the desired impact. • Creative message objectives are often based on some notion of hierarchy of effects such as the AIDA model. • A less hierarchical approach includes awareness, attitude, action and relationship building. • Brand message objectives and strategies need to dovetail with the marketing plan.

9. Appeals and Execution Style • Advertising Appeals • The approach used to attract the attention of consumers and/or • To influence consumer feelings toward the product, service or cause • Execution Style • The way a particular appeal is turned into an advertising message • The way the message is presented to the consumer

10. INFORMATIONAL APPEALS • INFORMATIONAL/RATIONAL APPEALS • FOCUS ON THE CONSUMER’S PRACTICAL, FUNCTIONAL, OR UTILITARIAN NEED FOR THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE • EMPHASIZE • FEATURES • BENEFITS • REASONS FOR OWNING • MESSAGE CONTENT • FACTS, LEARNING, LOGIC • RATIONAL MOTIVES OR PURCHASE CRITERIA • CONVENIENCE, ECONOMY, FIVE SENSES, DEPENDABILITY, DURABILITY, EFFICIENCY, PERFORMANCE, ECT

11. Rational Appeals • Feature appeals • Focus on the dominant traits of the product • Competitive appeals • Makes comparisons to other brands • Favorable price appeals • Makes price offer the dominant point • News appeals • News or announcement about the product • Product/service popularity appeals • Stresses the brand’s popularity

12. EMOTIONAL APPEALS • EMOTIONAL APPEALS • THE CONSUMERS’ SOCIAL AND/OR PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS FOR PURCHASING A PRODUCT OR SERVICE • EMOTIONS WORK BETTER AT SELLING BRANDS THAT DO NOT DIFFER MARKEDLY FROM COMPETING BRANDS • EMOTIONAL INTEGRATION • CHARACTERS IN THE AD EXPERIENCE AN EMOTIONAL BENEFIT OR OUTCOME FROM USING A PRODUCT OR SERVICE

13. Achievement / Accomplishment Actualization Affection Ambition Arousal / stimulation Comfort Excitement Fear Happiness Joy Love Nostalgia Pleasure Pride Safety Security Self-esteem Sentiment Sorrow / grief Emotional AppealsPersonal States or Feelings

14. Emotional AppealsSocial-Based Feelings • Approval • Affiliation / Acceptance • belonging • Embarrassment • Involvement • Recognition • Rejection • Respect • Status

15. ADDITIONAL TYPES OF APPEALS • REMINDER ADVERTISING • KEEP BRAND NAME IN USERS’ MINDS • TEASER ADVERTISING • BUILD CURIOSITY, INTEREST, EXCITEMENT

16. Transformational Ads • The ads create feelings, images, meanings, and beliefs about the product or service that may be activated when consumers use it • These transform the consumer’s interpretations of use of the product • The ad must make the experience of using the product richer, warmer, more exciting and / or enjoyable than that obtained solely from an objective description of the advertised brand • It must connect the experience of the ad so tightly with the experience of using the brand that the consumer can’t remember the brand without recalling the experience generated by the ad

17. Straight-sell or factual message Science / technical evidence Demonstration Comparison Slice of life Testimonial Animation Personality Fantasy Dramatization Humor Combination Ad Execution Techniques

18. Consistency IMC planners focus their attention on two types of consistency: • One-voice, one-look • Strategic consistency

19. The Consistency Hierarchy

20. The Consistency Triangle

21. The consistency triangle is used to identify gaps in brand communication. The “say” messages must be consistent with the “do” and “confirm” messages. Gaps between any of these points threaten brand relationships. Consistency Gaps

22. A Mess of Messages Many companies deal with a mess of message due to a wide array of messages and communication complexity. Consistency leads to a positive, well-defined, clear brand image recognized by all of a brand’s stakeholders.