This document provides an overview of promotional strategy concepts including advertising appeals, creative execution styles, rational and emotional appeals, transformational advertising, combining rational and emotional appeals, levels of relationships with brands, reminder advertising, teaser ads, user-generated content, print advertising components, television commercial tactics, and the production process for TV commercials. It uses examples and exhibits from the specified textbook to illustrate these concepts.

1. Promotional Strategy
MKT4230
Creative Strategy:
Implementation and
Evaluation
Patricia Knowles, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Clemson University
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Appeals and Execution Style
This is the definition of advertising appeal and creative execution style:
Textbook
Pages 293
The approach used to attract the attention of
consumersAdvertising
Appeals
Execution
Style
The way an appeal is turned into an advertising
message
The way the message is presented to the
consumer
To influence consumer feelings toward a product,
service, or cause

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Informational / Rational Appeals
These are the various types of informational or rational appeals, which:
• Focus on the consumers’ practical, functional, or utilitarian need for using the
product or service.
• Emphasize the features of the product or services and/or benefits or reasons for
owning or using a particular brand.
Textbook
Pages 293 - 295
Popularity
Stresses the brand’s popularity
News
News announcement about the product
Price
Makes price offer the dominant point
Competitive
Makes comparisons to other brands
Feature
Focus on the dominant product traits

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Red Bull Promotes Features and Benefits
The rational appeal presented by this Red Bull ad, which focuses on the various ingredients
contained in the energy drink and the benefits they provide, such as:
• Enhanced performance
• Endurance
• Concentration
Textbook
Pages 293 – 294 / Exhibit 9 – 2
This particular ad is targeted to college students,
and suggests that Red Bull can help you stay
awake and alert when studying for exams.

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Appealing to Personal States of Feelings
This visual introduces the emotional appeals and the various personal feelings on which such
advertisements can be based.
Textbook
Pages 295 – 296 / Figure 9 - 1
Personal
Safety
Security
Fear
Love, Affection
Happiness, Joy
Nostalgia
Sentiment
Excitement
Sorrow, Grief
Social-Based
Recognition
Status
Respect
Involvement
Embarrassment
Affiliation
Rejection
Acceptance
Approval

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Transformational Ads
Transformational advertising and its distinctive characteristics:
Textbook
Pages 296 - 297
Richer
More
Exciting
Warmer
Feelings
Meanings
Images
Beliefs
More
Enjoyable
It makes the product
use experience. . .
The ads
create . . .

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Transformational Advertising for Skyy Vodka
This visual shows a print ad for Skyy vodka, which is a good example of transformational
advertising.
Textbook
Pages 297 / Exhibit 9 - 6
It associates the brand with cinematic-inspired
cocktail moments. The ad does not contain copy,
but rather relies on stylish, seductive visuals that
set up a story line but leave the actual
interpretation of the scenario up to the viewer.
Transformational ads create feelings, images
meanings, and beliefs about the product or
service that may be activated when consumers
use it and thus "transforms" their interpretation
of the usage experience.

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Combining Rational and Emotional Appeals
As David Ogilvy and Joel Raphaelson have stated, few purchases of any kind are made for
entirely rational reasons. Even a purely functional product, such as laundry soap, could offer
the emotional benefit of seeing one’s children in bright, clean clothes.
Textbook
Pages 297 – 299 / Exhibit 9 - 7
Consumer purchase decisions are often made
on the basis of both emotional and rational
motives, and attention must be given to both
when developing effective advertising.
This American Airlines ad was created to show
that American can better help flyers navigate
through their entire travel experience.
The award-winning campaign has helped
American connect emotionally with its most
valuable customers and increase their brand
loyalty.

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Levels of Relationships with Brands
The three levels of customer/brand relationships are:
Textbook
Pages 298 – 299 / Exhibit 9 - 2
Emotions
Personality
Product Benefits
How consumers think about brands with
respect to product benefits. This occurs
through a rational learning process.
The consumer assigns a personality to the brand
(aggressive, adventurous, timid, etc.). This
personality is determined on the basis of cues
found in advertising.
The strongest relationship between brand and
consumer and is based on feelings and emotional
attachment to the brand.

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Test Your Knowledge
According to McCann-Erickson's concept of emotional bonding, the strongest relationship
that develops between a brand and a consumer is based on:
A. Product benefits
B. Brand personality
C. Feelings or emotional attachment to the brand
D. Rational motives
E. Competitive advantage over similar products in the market

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MasterCard Creates an Emotional Bond
This visual is an example of an ad campaign that was developed on the basis of emotional
bonding.
When the McCann-Erickson agency took over the
account a few years ago, MasterCard was perceived as
an ordinary credit card you keep in your wallet. The
challenge was to reposition the brand and create an
emotional bond between consumers and MasterCard,
without losing the brand’s functional appeal.
The “Priceless” campaign has helped build an emotional
bond with consumers by positioning MasterCard as the
best way to pay for everything that truly matters and can
enrich one’s life. The campaign has been extremely
successful, is used in 80 countries, and has won
numerous creative awards.
Textbook
Pages 299 / Exhibit 9 - 8

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Reminder Advertising
The objective of reminder advertising is to build brand awareness and/or keep the brand
name in front of consumers. Reminder ads are often used by well-known brands and market
leaders.
Textbook
Pages 299 - 300
This clever ad reminds golfers to carry Nature
Valley Granola Bars in their golf bags, because
many golfers consume granola and energy bars
during a round of golf.
Products and services that have a seasonal
pattern to their consumption also use
reminder advertising.

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Teaser Ads Excite Curiosity
Teaser ads are designed to build curiosity, interest, and/or excitement by talking about the
new product, but not actually showing it.
Textbook
Pages 300 - 301 / Exhibit 9 - 10
Teaser ads, also called mystery ads, are also used for new movies or TV shows. They are
especially popular among automotive advertisers for introducing a new model or
announcing significant changes in a vehicle.

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User-Generated Content
User-generated content is becoming increasingly popular, and a number of marketers have
come up with inventive ways to have consumers both select a new product and create the
marketing behind it.
Mountain Dew got consumers involved in the development of the color, flavor, graphics, and
name of new products:
• Mountain Dew Voltage (raspberry and ginseng)
• Mtn Dew White Out
The tactics employed include:
• Interactive games
• Mobile tour
• Contests
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Upload sites (www.12seconds.tv)
Textbook
Pages 301 - 302

15. Creative execution is the way in which an advertising appeal is presented. As shown here,
there are a number of ways in which creative specialists can present the advertising
message.
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Ad Execution Techniques
Textbook
Pages 302
Personality Symbol
Straight sell
Scientific/Technical
Demonstration
Comparison
Testimonial Humor
Slice of life
Imagery
Animation
Dramatization
Combinations

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Straight Sell or Factual Message
One of the most basic types of creative executions is the straight sell or factual message,
which relies on a straightforward presentation of information about a product or service.
Textbook
Pages 302 - 303 / Exhibit 9 - 11
This type of execution is often used with
informational/rational appeals, where the
focus of the message is the product or service
and its specific attributes and/or benefits.
Ford uses a straight-sell execution style in the
ad shown on this slide.

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Samsung Uses a Demonstration
Demonstration advertising is designed to illustrate the key advantages of a product or service
by showing it in actual use or in some staged situation. TV is particularly well suited for
demonstration executions, because the benefits or advantages of the product can be shown
right on the screen.
Textbook
Pages 303 / Exhibit 9 - 13
This slide shows an ad that Samsung uses to
demonstrate the ultra thin feature of their new
LED television.

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Slice-of-Life Execution
Slice-of-Life advertising is a widely used advertising format that is generally based on a
problem and solution. They are often criticized for being unrealistic and irritating to watch
because they remind consumers of things such as dandruff, bad breath, body odor, and
laundry problems.
Textbook
Pages 304 - 305
These ads often come across to
consumers as contrived, silly, phony, or
even offensive. However, many
advertisers still prefer this style because
they believe it is effective and presents
a situation to which most consumers
can relate.
Slice-of-death advertising is often used
in conjunction with a fear appeal that
focuses on the negative consequences
that result from not using the product
or service.

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Test Your Knowledge
Which of the following is an advertising execution approach designed to illustrate key
advantages or features of a product by showing it in actual use?
A. Comparison
B. Demonstration
C. Scientific evidence
D. Straight-sell
E. Animation

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Charles Schwab Uses a Form of Animation
Animated ads are have become popular in recent years, especially for commercials targeted
to children. Examples would be the Jolly Green Giant and the Keebler elves.
Textbook
Pages 305 / Exhibit 9 - 16
Charles Schwab & Co. has been using a technique known as rotoscoping in its commercials.
It involves shooting live-action digital videos of actors and then using special software to
make them look animated. The technique was effective in drawing attention to the ads and
creating an image of the company as being candid and real.
The use of animation may increase
as creative specialists discover the
possibilities of computer-generated
graphics and other technological
innovations.

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The Aflac Duck is a Personality Symbol
Personality symbols in advertising is the execution of which involves developing a central
character or personality symbol that can both deliver the advertising message and be tied to
the product or service.
Textbook
Pages 305 - 306 / Exhibit 9 - 17
Examples include Mr. Whipple, “Please don’t
squeeze the Charmin,” or the Maytag
repairman, who sits anxiously by the phone,
but is never needed.
Personality figures can also be animated
characters and animals, such as Morris the cat,
Tony the tiger, and Charlie the tuna. Recent
personality symbols include the Energizer
bunny, the GEICO gecko, and the Aflac duck.

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Imagery Advertising
Imagery advertisements consist primarily of visual elements, such as pictures, illustrations,
and/or symbols, rather than information. An imagery execution is used when the goal is to
encourage consumers to associate the brand with the symbols, characters, and/or situation
shown in the ad.
Textbook
Pages 306 - 307 / Exhibit 9 - 19

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Basic Components of Print Advertising
These are the basic components of a print advertisement:
Textbook
Pages 310 - 313
Layout
How Elements Are Blended Into a Finished Ad
Visual Elements
Illustrations Such As Drawings or Photos
Body Copy
The Main Text Portion of a Print Ad
Subheads
Smaller Than the Headline, Larger Than the Copy
Headline
Words in the Leading Position of the Ad

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Headlines that Grab Attention
The most important function of a headline is to attract a reader’s attention and interest them
in the rest of the message.
Textbook
Page 311 - 312 / Exhibit 9 - 21
Direct headlines are straightforward and
informative, and often mention a specific
benefit, make a promise, or announce why the
reader should be interested in the product or
service.
This ad for Visa catches the attention of people
with the word GO, then explains how they can
save 20 percent on various purchases by using
a Visa Signature credit card.

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Use of an Indirect Headline
This visual points out how companies use an indirect headline to generate curiosity or
intrigue, so as to motivate readers to read the body copy to find the point of the message.
Textbook
Pages 311 - 312 / Exhibit 9 - 22
The visual element of this ad is a picture of the
car itself. The indirect headline, “This car is
missing a seat,” is an intriguing statement that
hopes to encourage readers to find out why.

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This Ad Uses a Clever Visual Appeal
This visual points out the impact that the right image can have in an ad. It is a strong and
meaningful image, reinforced by two simple lines of copy.
Textbook
Pages 313 / Exhibit 9 - 24

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Ad Layout
These are the components of a typical ad:
Textbook
Pages 313 / Exhibit 9 - 25
Layout: Physical arrangement of the various
components of the ad.
Headline: Words in the leading position of the
ad, which are usually read first.
Subhead: Secondary to the main headline, but
larger than the body copy.
Visual Elements: The illustrations, drawings,
and photos, used to attract attention and
communicate ideas or images
Body Copy: Main text portion of the ad.
Getting the target audience to read this is
difficult.

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Creative Tactics for Television
These visuals illustrate that TV is a unique and powerful advertising medium because it
contains the elements of sight, motion, and sound, which can be combined in a variety of
ways. Unlike print, the viewer does not control the rate at which the message is presented,
so there is no opportunity to review points of interest or reread things that were not clear.
As with any form of advertising, the first goals in creating TV commercials is to get viewers’
attention, and then hold it. It is important that the video and audio work together to create
the right impact and communicate the advertiser’s message.
Textbook
Page 314
• The video elements are what is seen on the
screen, including the product, the
presenter, action sequences,
demonstrations, and so forth.
• The audio portion includes voices, music,
and sound effects.
Sight Motion Sound

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The Power in Audio in Commercials
These are common audio elements and presentation methods.
Textbook
Pages 314 - 316
• Voiceover: The message is delivered, or action on the
screen is narrated or described, by an announcer who is
not visible. A trend is to have celebrities with distinctive
voices, such as Morgan Freeman or Demi Moore, do
voiceovers.
• Needledrop: Refers to music that is prefabricated,
multipurpose, and highly conventional. It is an
inexpensive substitute for original music, paid for on a
one-time basis.
• Sound effects: Any sound, other than music or speech,
used to create a dramatic or theatrical effect, such as the
sound of a storm or a creaking door.
• Jingles: Catchy songs about a product or service that
usually carries the advertising theme and a simple
message.

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Top 10 Jingles
This chart shows the Top 10 Jingles of the century:
Textbook
Pages 315 - 316 / Figure 9 - 3

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Production Stages for TV Commercials
Once the storyboard or animatic of a commercial is approved by the client, the next step is
production. This chart outlines the three stages of the production process:
Textbook
Pages 316 - 319 / Figure 9 - 4
Preproduction All work before actual shooting, recording
Production Period of filming, taping, or recording
Postproduction Work after spot is filmed or recorded

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Client Evaluation and Approval
Here are the number of people on the client side of the project who may evaluate the
creative work of an agency.
Textbook
Pages 319 - 320
The amount of input each of these
individuals has depends on:
• The company’s policies
• The importance of the product to
the company
• The role of advertising in the
marketing program
• The advertising approach being
recommended
Client-side approvals:
• Advertising or communications
manager
• Product or brand managers
• Marketing director or vice president
• Legal department
• President or CEO
• Board of directors

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Preproduction Tasks
Summary of the various tasks to be completed in the preproduction phase of the overall
production process.
Textbook
Pages 316 - 319 / Figure 9 - 4
Select a director
Cost estimation and
timing
Choose production
company
Bidding
Preproduction
meeting
Production timetable
Preproduction

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Production Tasks
Summary of the tasks to be completed in the production phase of the overall production
process.
Textbook
Pages 316 - 319 / Figure 9 - 5
Timing TalentLocation
Production

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Postproduction Tasks
Summary of the various tasks to be completed in the postproduction phase of the overall
production process.
Textbook
Pages 316 - 319 / Figure 9 - 5
Editing
Approvals
Sound Effects
Audio / Video Mixing
Release / Shipping
Duplicating
Postproduction
Processing
Opticals

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TV Commercial Production Costs
Here are some of the production costs related to a typical commercial:
Textbook
Pages 317 - 319 / Figure 9 - 4

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Evaluation Guidelines for Creative Output
These are the basic criteria for evaluating creative approaches:
Textbook
Pages 320 - 323
Is it consistent with marketing objectives?
Is it consistent with creative strategy/objectives?
Does it communicate what it’s supposed to?
Is the approach appropriate for the audience?
Is the message clear and convincing?
Is the message overwhelmed by execution?
Is the message appropriate for chosen media?
Is the ad truthful and tasteful?