Lecture 5
Developing message
strategies
Chapter 5
Learning
After studying this chapter, you should be
able to:
• LO1 become aware of the features of
creating effective marketing
communications
• LO2 learn alternative styles of creative
advertising
• LO3 understand the concept of means–
end chains and their role in formulating
IMC strategy
• LO4 understand message factors
The Concept of Creativity
• For the marketing practitioner, the concept of creativity is
particularly challenging
• Creativity must first be understood and some structure
placed upon it, which ironically, starts to dissipate the
nature of creativity itself
• One way to think of creativity is that of finding different
solutions to common problems
• This new way of thinking, or divergence, can bring with it
great opportunities to capture the attention of an audience
and achieve a degree of connection as a result
What is creativity?
Creativity is the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into
reality. Creativity is characterised by the ability to perceive the
world in new ways, to find hidden patterns, to make connections
between seemingly unrelated phenomena, and to generate
solutions ([Link])
“Creativity is the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into
reality. Creativity involves two processes: thinking, then producing.
Innovation is the production or implementation of an idea. If you
have ideas but don't act on them, you are imaginative but not
creative.” (By Linda Naiman, Founder of Creativity at Work)
“Creativity is the process of bringing something new into
being, requires passion and commitment. It brings to our
awareness what was previously hidden and points to new life. The
experience is one of heightened consciousness: ecstasy.”
(Rollo May, The Courage to Create.)
4
The Integrated Communication
(Creative) Brief
• The creative brief is perhaps the most important strategic
document that exists between a brand (client) and its
agency(s)
• It is based on client research, analysis and clearly mapped out
client key strategic decisions
• Your recommended text speaks of the brief as a foundation on
which the creative team builds upon
• It is important to remember that the creative brief is something
owned and developed by the brand manager
• This is not a responsibility that is appropriate to delegate
LO1: Creating effective marketing
communications
Constructing a creative brief
1. What is the background to this job?
2. What is the strategy?
3. What is our task on this job?
4. What is the corporate and/or brand positioning?
5. What are the client’s objectives for this job?
6. Who is the target audience?
LO1: Creating effective marketing
communications
Constructing a creative brief (cont.)
7. What does the target audience currently think/feel?
8. What do we want the target audience to think/feel?
9. What do we want the target audience to do?
10. What is the single-minded proposition?
11. Why should the target audience believe this proposition?
12. How should we speak to them?
The Remote Conveyor Model
• A Conveyor is the most commonly employed type of
creative idea
• Conveyors are typically analogies or metaphors; they
dramatize the key benefit by linking the brand item to
another object, person, or situation that has that same
benefit even more strongly
• The Remote Conveyor Model (RC Model) is an
excellent method for generating and selecting creative
ideas
• It is easy to use and almost always works first time or
can be made to work by repeat application
Rossiter and Bellman: Marketing communication, theory and applications © 2005 Pearson Education Australia
Key Benefit Claim
• One of the key elements of the creative brief is Key Benefit
Claim (key differentiated benefit [claim])
• The KBC is always present in an ad, either explicitly in the
headline or tagline, or implicitly as the “takeout” message from
the ad
• Competing brands or brand-items often offer the same key
benefit. Accordingly, the differentially effective claims about that
benefit are where the real competition is in the world of
advertising
• The Key Benefit Claim (KBC):
o An accurate, persuasively sufficient (a selling proposition), and succinct
statement of the key benefit
o The KBC itself must be brainstormed and decided first – by the manager’s
team (Sometimes, it’s left to the agency, which is irresponsible marcoms
management)
Rossiter and Bellman: Marketing communication, theory and applications © 2005 Pearson Education Australia
The Remote Conveyor Model.
Rossiter and Bellman: Marketing communication, theory and applications © 2005 Pearson Education Australia
The Remote Conveyor Model
• A Conveyor increases the effectiveness of an ad by starting
in motion a sequence of four steps:
1. The Conveyor should be chosen and executed to be eye-catching and
therefore increase attention to the ad
2. The Conveyor, because it is incongruous – remote in relation to the type
of product or service that it advertises, should produce a state of
Curiosity in the target customer’s mind (a picture discrepancy).
• An ad causes the right hemisphere of the brain to engage the left
hemisphere, the verbally specialized hemisphere, to interpret what’s
going on
3. To satisfy the curiosity, the brain is energized to Search the message
for the Key Benefit, a search that is often aided by a Key Benefit Prompt
4. A successful search provides Resolution by identifying the Key Benefit
that is being conveyed and further provides a quick mental reward when
resolution is achieved
• A Conveyor Ad thus gets the KBC across indirectly –
purposefully indirectly – in contrast with the direct-to-the-
KBC method of a Straight ad
Rossiter and Bellman: Marketing communication, theory and applications © 2005 Pearson Education Australia
Air New Zealand's new campaign targeting Australians
KBC - Land Rover: The
Fastest
Air New Zealand - "#BetterWayToFly
Campaign"
Print campaign Zyrtec
KBC – back to being
best friends
Print campaign Zyrtec
KBC – back to being
best friends
Print campaign for VW Polo
KBC - Land Rover: The
Fastest
KBC – Small but ferocious
Volkswagen TSI: Bumbletiger
Print campaign for VW Polo
KBC - Land Rover: The
Fastest
KBC – Small but ferocious
Volkswagen TSI: Humboon
Bornholm Brewery
Denmark Beer Ad
KBC – All Natural
Ingredients
KBC – All Natural
Ingredients
Bornholm Brewery Denmark Beer Ad
KBC – All Natural
Ingredients
The Economist Plugs with a World View
KBC – All Natural
Ingredients
Billboard advertising campaign featuring five
different electric sockets: types I, B, D, F and G.
The Economist is presented as the fits-all gadget.
The Economist - A gymnasium for the mind
KBC – All Natural
Ingredients
• This ad is clearly using a verbal metaphor as a conveyor
• The target audience can make the associations of a workout for the brain
and the high levels of writing insight and style offered by The Economist,
leaving a clear, positive association in place
The Economist – Cont.
KBC – All Natural
Ingredients
Mt Franklin Caps Breast Cancer
“Every mouthful helps
RAISE AWARENESS for
breast cancer research”.
Free your dog from bad
breath
Free your dog from bad
breath
Free your dog from bad
breath
HSBC BANK AD USING THE “FOOTBALL” CONVEYOR, WHICH APPEARED
IN THE GLOBAL BUSINESS MAGAZINE, THE ECONOMIST.
Courtesy of HSBC.
Photography by Richard
Pullar
Rossiter and Bellman: Marketing communication, theory and applications © 2005 Pearson Education Australia
ANOTHER EXECUTION OF THE SAME CREATIVE IDEA AND KEY BENEFIT
CLAIM FOR HSBC BANK, THIS TIME USING THE “PROTECTION”
CONVEYOR, WHICH APPEARED IN FORBES MAGAZINE.
Courtesy of HSBC.
Photography by Richard
Pullar
Rossiter and Bellman: Marketing communication, theory and applications © 2005 Pearson Education Australia
LO2: Types of creative strategy
Three categories of styles define contemporary advertising:
1. functional orientation
2. symbolic/experiential orientation
3. category-dominance orientation
Unique selling proposition
strategy
• Advertiser claims are based on the superiority of a
product attribute that is unique and represents a
meaningful and distinctive consumer benefit
• This strategy is most useful when a point of difference
cannot be readily matched by competitors
• It may force competitors to
imitate or choose a more
aggressive strategy
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32
Brand image strategy
• Claims are based on psychosocial
differentiation and symbolic
association (rather than physical)
• A brand is given a distinct identity
or personality, particularly in
homogeneous product categories
• This strategy most often involves
prestige claims; it rarely challenges
competition directly; e.g. the
transformational properties of
shampoo (how you will feel after
using it)
Brand image strategy
Brand image advertising can also be described as
transformational advertising
▪ It associates the brand with a unique set
of psychological characteristics that it
would not be typically associated with to
the same degree without exposure to
the ad
▪ Advertising is transforming (rather than
informing)
▪ It endows brand usage with a particular
experience that differs from similar
brands
▪ E.g. Tiffany & Co. (Tiffany blue), Absolut
(iconic bottle shape)
Transformational examples
#AbsolutNights
Transformational Ads
Source: [Link]
Resonance strategy
• Advertisements that resonate (or reflects) the
audience’s life experiences
• Not focused on a USP or brand image
• For example: untidiness is often associated
with moving house;
therefore a
moving company
could focus on
the cleanliness
they provide
when engaged
to move a
potential client’s belongings
38
Another Resonance example
Emotional strategy
• Many products are purchased on
the basis of emotion
• Both negative and positive
emotions can be used to
advertise
• This form of advertising works
particularly well for jewellery,
cosmetics, fashion apparel and
soft drinks
Emotional strategy examples
Source: [Link]
adopt/
41
Generic strategy
• Claims can be made by
any company for that
product category
• There is no attempt to
differentiate offerings
(opposite to USP)
• It is most likely to be used
by a company that
dominates a product
category
Pre-emptive strategy
• A generic claim, but with an
added message of
superiority
• Used when the products in
the category have few
functional differences
• Most likely to be used by a
company that dominates a
product category
LO3: Means–end chaining and
laddering
A framework for understanding the relationship
between consumers and advertising messages
Attributes Consequences Values
• The features or aspects of • What consumers hope to • Represent those enduring
advertised brands receive (benefits) or avoid beliefs people have about
(detriments) when what is important in their life
consuming brands
The nature of values
Ten universal values that are commonly shared by people
everywhere
Source: S. Schwartz’s Theory of Universal Human Values
Self-Direction Value Hedonism Value Achievement Value
Power Value Stimulation
Benevolence
Advertising Applications of means–end
chains
• Knowledge of values allows advertisers to focus on the
important attributes and consequences
• Focus helps achieve a valued end state from using the
brand
• The MECCAS model (means-end conceptualisation of
components for advertising strategy) conceptualises five
components and how they should be presented in the
advertisement
Advertising Applications of
means–end chains
The MECCAS model
LO4: message factors
• Persuasion depends on
the strength or quality of
message arguments
• There are two forms of
consumer attention:
• Voluntary
• Involuntary
Message structure
Factors impacting message structure:
Order of presentation: having the strongest points of
the message at the end of the advertisement ensures
higher retention of the information provided
Conclusion draw: does it allow viewers to draw their
own conclusion?
Message sidedness: one-sided or two-sided messages
Visual messages: is the visual side consistent with the
verbal side of the message?
Message Appeal
Hedonic needs are satisfied when
consumers attend to messages that
make them feel good and satisfy
their pleasure needs
Informational needs are satisfied
by messages that supply relevant
facts and figures
Appeal types: fear, humour, guilt,
sex
Fear Appeal
Ads appeal to consumers’ fears by
identifying negative consequences of:
▪ not using the advertised product –
for example, social disapproval by
not using toothpaste and mouthwash
▪ engaging in unsafe behaviour
(e.g. drugs)
Fear-appeal logic
▪ Stimulates audience involvement and promotes acceptance of
the arguments
Appropriate intensity
▪ The greater the topic relevance, the lower the threat intensity that
is needed to activate a response
Fear Appeal examples
Humour appeal
• Humour often involves incongruity resolution
• The meaning of the ad is not clear, so the viewer’s
cognitive processing is needed to create meaning
• Once the humour is detected, a pleasant, more
favourable attitude to both the ad and, maybe, the
brand is formed
• Humour is considered
by ad agency
executives to create
awareness
Humour appeal
Attracts attention to advertisements
Enhances liking of brand and advertisement
Does not necessarily harm comprehension
Does not offer advantage over non-humour in terms of persuasion
Does not enhance source credibility
More successful with established brands
Dependent upon product type
Humour Appeal Examples
Sources: Company Websites and Just Something Company
Guilt Appeal
• This approach aims to
trigger negative emotions;
e.g. breaking the rules or
violating standards
• It motivates emotionally
mature individuals to
undertake responsible
action and reduce feelings
of guilt
• It focuses on past/future
transgressions or failure to
care for others
Sex appeal
The use of sex in advertising:
▪ captures consumers’
attention and retains it for
longer
▪ enhances recall of
message points
▪ evokes an emotional
response (e.g. feelings of
arousal or lust)
Examples of sex appeal
More examples of sex appeal
Source: [Link]
[Link]/retrospective-omega-seamaster-
james-bond-007-history/
The role of endorsers
in advertising
Celebrity endorsers Typical-person endorsers
• Actor, entertainer or • Regular people
athlete • Example: mums
• Example: George Clooney promoting washing
promoting Nespresso powder
Endorser attributes
Credibility Attractiveness
Effectiveness
Endorser attributes:
the TEARS model
Credibility (internalisation) –
receivers accept the endorser’s Attractiveness
position on an issue as their own
Trustworthiness (T) Physical attractiveness (A)
• Being perceived as believable, • Idea of visual pleasantness is based on an
dependable – as someone individual’s concept of attractiveness
who can be trusted • Persuasion occurs through identification
Expertise (E) Respect (R)
• Having specific skills, • Admiration/esteem is due to one’s personal
knowledge or abilities with qualities and accomplishments
respect to the endorsed brand
Similarity (to the target audience) (S)
• Based on extent to which an endorser
matches an audience in terms of
characteristics pertinent to the endorsement
relationship (e.g. age, gender)
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65
Presenter Characteristics Aligned to
Communication Objectives
1. Visibility (how well-know the Brand Awareness
presenter is)
2. Credibility
• Expertise (knowledge Informational brand attitude
regarding product category) strategy: low and high involvement
• Objectivity (reputation for Informational brand attitude
honesty and sincerity) strategy: high-involvement
3. Attraction
• Likeability (attractive Transformational brand attitude
appearance and personality) strategy: low involvement
• Similarity (to target user) Transformational brand attitude
strategy: high involvement
4. Power (authoritative occupation or
personality) Brand purchase intention
Rossiter and Bellman: Marketing communication, theory and applications © 2005 Pearson Education Australia
I T
LI
Expertise Likeability
Expertise
Similarity
HI Objectivity
Rossiter and Bellman: Marketing communication, theory and applications © 2005 Pearson Education Australia
Example in
use
Source: Association of
Consumer Research:
Advertising Communications
Models
Social Media Influencers
• The social media influencer market set to be worth
more than $10 billion by 2020
• Dynamic area that is evolving very rapidly
• Social media influencers are generally categorised
by two main tiers: micro and macro influencers,
can be broken down into further categories:
– Nano-Influencers
– Micro-Influencers
– Macro-Influencers
– Mega-Influencers
• A key distinction between these categories is
audience size, but the differences are far more
nuanced
Social Media Influencers
Social Media Influencers cont.
• Nano-influencers:
– Social media influencers with a follower-count of usually less
than 5,000 (up to 10,000)
– A nano-influencer is someone who has influence within their
community. 50% + engagement
– Examples might include a local community leader or local
government leader
– Nano-influencers reach regular everyday people and
includes user-generated content
– Nano-influencers have the highest engagement rate, but the
lowest reach
– Brands represented by nano-influencers are often deemed
more authentic, as nano-influencers have a more real-life
relationship with their followers
Social Media Influencers cont.
• Micro-influencers:
– Social media influencers with a follower-count of between 10,000 to
100,000
– They receive around 25% - 50% engagement
– Micro-influencers focus on a specific niche or area and are
generally regarded as an industry expert or topic specialist
– Micro-influencers usually have stronger relationships than a typical
influencer (often driven by their perception as an opinion leader of
subject matter)
– A micro-influencer, as opposed to a celebrity or regular influencer,
often has a very uniform audience
– For example, if a micro-influencer gained its following through
makeup vlogging, that’s the ideal option for a cosmetic company
etc
Social Media Influencers cont.
• Macro-influencers:
– Social media influencers with a follower-count of
between 100,000 and one million
– They receive around 5% - 25% engagement
– Unlike most mega-influencers, macro-influencers
usually gained fame through the internet itself (vlogging,
or by producing funny or inspiring content)
– Macro-influencers should be considered if you are
looking to target a certain type of customer, but still
want to reach the masses
– For example, if you want to reach a broad demographic
like young females, a macro-influencer would be a good
choice
Social Media Influencers cont.
• Mega-Influencers:
– Social media influencers with more than a million
followers.
– They receive around 2% - 5% engagement.
– Mega-influencers are often more famous than influential.
For example – a celebrity
– They often have a quite diverse audience with different
topics of interest.
– Their relationships with their followers tend to be more
distant.
– Many mega-influencers are not subject matter experts,
but they provide broad reach in one hit.
Peripheral cues
Music: Purpose includes attracting attention, puts consumers in positive mood, makes
consumers more receptive to message arguments and communicates meanings about
advertised products.
Motion: Attract and direct consumer attention to the brand name and the ad copy.
Intense stimuli: Those that are louder, more colourful, bigger or brighter increase the
probability of attracting attention by cutting through the clutter of marketing communication
messages.
Celebrities: Often lend themselves to not-for-profit campaigns, e.g. Ariana Grande and
Justin Bieber released the charity single ‘Stuck with U’ to raise money for the ‘First
Responders Children's Foundation’. The money will fund scholarships of children of
frontline workers whose lives have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Music in advertising: example
[Link]
The role of Comparative
advertising
• Compare against competitive
offerings
• Based on claims of superiority
• A complex area; difficult to
measure
• Considerations dictating the
use of comparative advertising
include:
▪ situational factors Source:
[Link]
▪ distinct advantages development/sales-marketing/how-to-run-a-
▪ the credibility issue comparative-advertising-campaign/
The role of
comparative
advertising
Enhances brand recall
Promotes better recall of message arguments
Generates more favourable attitudes towards the sponsoring brand
Generates stronger intentions to purchase sponsored brand
Generates more purchases
May be perceived as less believable (than non-comparative advertising)
New Products & Marketing
Communication
• Introducing new products is essential for most
companies’ success and long-term growth
• Product failure-rate estimated 35-65%
• Marketing communications facilitate successful
new product introductions and reduce the
product failure rate
Strategic Adoption Factors
• Relative Advantage
• Compatibility
• Complexity
• Trialability
• Observability
Relative Advantage
• A product innovation is
perceived as better than
existing alternatives
• Positively correlated with an
innovation’s adoption rate
• Exist when a new product
offers:
• Better performance, increased
comfort, saving in time and
effort, or immediacy of reward
Compatibility
• An innovation is perceived to fit into a person’s
way of doing things
• The greater compatibility, the more rapid a
product’s rate of adoption
• Overcome perception of incompatibility through
heavy advertising to persuade consumers
Complexity
• An innovation’s degree of
perceived difficulty
• The more difficult, the
slower the rate of
adoption
Trialability
• An innovation can be used on
a limited basis prior to making
a full commitment
• The trial experience serves to
reduce the risk of a
consumer’s being dissatisfied
with a product after having
permanently committed to it
through outright purchase
Observability
• The product user or other people can observe
the positive effects of new product usage
• Higher the visibility, more rapid the adoption rate
Corporate image and issue
advertising
Corporate advertising
• Focuses on corporation’s overall image, or on economic and
social issues relevant to the corporation’s interests
Corporate image advertising
• Attempts to increase a firm’s name recognition, build goodwill, or
identify a firm with meaningful and socially acceptable activities
Corporate issue (advocacy) advertising
• Takes a position on a controversial social issue of public
importance
Corporate advertising
example
Corporate advocacy example
Corporate image advertising