The document discusses message strategies for advertising. It defines message strategy as the major selling idea that emerges as the strongest singular claim about a product or service that has broad appeal. It outlines four types of messages and explains that message consistency involves alignment between what a company says, does, and what others say about them. Finally, it discusses seven message strategy typologies including unique selling proposition, brand image, positioning, and affective strategies.
In this report, an integrated communications strategy will be devised for mobile commerce based on the organisation WEVE, who are a joint venture between EE, telefonica (O2) and Vodafone, the three biggest mobile network providers in the UK.
IMC 610 Integrated Marketing Communication Plan for KmartStephanie Marchant
Integrated Marketing Communications plan for Kmart. The target audience of female shoppers between the ages of 18 and 45 is the focus of the proposed campaign and a great deal of research has been completed to identify and utilize Kmart’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to prepare a plan most beneficial to the organization. Objectives and tactics have been designed to fall in line with Kmart’s mission and values. This detailed plan includes marketing, creative, media, and public relations strategies, as well as direct marketing and sales promotions suggestions. A comprehensive budget and media plan flowchart map out the campaign and the proposed measurement and evaluation plan will assess the campaign upon completion.
In this report, an integrated communications strategy will be devised for mobile commerce based on the organisation WEVE, who are a joint venture between EE, telefonica (O2) and Vodafone, the three biggest mobile network providers in the UK.
IMC 610 Integrated Marketing Communication Plan for KmartStephanie Marchant
Integrated Marketing Communications plan for Kmart. The target audience of female shoppers between the ages of 18 and 45 is the focus of the proposed campaign and a great deal of research has been completed to identify and utilize Kmart’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to prepare a plan most beneficial to the organization. Objectives and tactics have been designed to fall in line with Kmart’s mission and values. This detailed plan includes marketing, creative, media, and public relations strategies, as well as direct marketing and sales promotions suggestions. A comprehensive budget and media plan flowchart map out the campaign and the proposed measurement and evaluation plan will assess the campaign upon completion.
Advertising appeals aim to influence the way consumers view themselves and how buying certain products can prove to be beneficial for them.
The message conveyed through advertising appeals influences the purchasing decisions of consumers.
Advertising uses appeals as a way of persuading people to buy certain products.
Advertising appeals are designed in a way so as to create a positive image of the individuals who use certain products.
You can now download the presentation directly from Slideshare.
*Disclaimer this is just my imaginary example of a Comms Plan for the Puma work and not the actual strategy that was created by Droga5 for Puma. I had nothing to do with that plan and am just a fan of their work.
What is Comms Planning? is a presentation that provides a clear answer of the role of the Comms Planner within an Advertising Agency. I use the example of the Puma Social campaign to prove the point.
Integrated marketing communication is a strategic business process used to plan, develop, execute and evaluate coordinated, measurable, persuasive brand communications programs over time with consumers, customers, prospects, employees, associates and other targeted relevant external and internal audiences.
The Goal is to generate both short-term financial returns and build long-term brand and shareholder value.
NB:
It's not mine, but it could help anyone else
Griffin Farley helps us understand all forms of strategic planning in advertising including Brand Planning, Account Planning, Media Planning, Connections Planning, Transmedia Planning and Propagation Planning. Griffin will also cover the deliverables for each form of planning and creative examples that have leveraged the various processes.
http://www.niccotan.com/2011/04/advertising-fundamentals.html
De La Salle University - Master of Marketing Communication Graduate Students presented a comprehensive report regarding the fundamentals of advertising.
Advertising appeals aim to influence the way consumers view themselves and how buying certain products can prove to be beneficial for them.
The message conveyed through advertising appeals influences the purchasing decisions of consumers.
Advertising uses appeals as a way of persuading people to buy certain products.
Advertising appeals are designed in a way so as to create a positive image of the individuals who use certain products.
You can now download the presentation directly from Slideshare.
*Disclaimer this is just my imaginary example of a Comms Plan for the Puma work and not the actual strategy that was created by Droga5 for Puma. I had nothing to do with that plan and am just a fan of their work.
What is Comms Planning? is a presentation that provides a clear answer of the role of the Comms Planner within an Advertising Agency. I use the example of the Puma Social campaign to prove the point.
Integrated marketing communication is a strategic business process used to plan, develop, execute and evaluate coordinated, measurable, persuasive brand communications programs over time with consumers, customers, prospects, employees, associates and other targeted relevant external and internal audiences.
The Goal is to generate both short-term financial returns and build long-term brand and shareholder value.
NB:
It's not mine, but it could help anyone else
Griffin Farley helps us understand all forms of strategic planning in advertising including Brand Planning, Account Planning, Media Planning, Connections Planning, Transmedia Planning and Propagation Planning. Griffin will also cover the deliverables for each form of planning and creative examples that have leveraged the various processes.
http://www.niccotan.com/2011/04/advertising-fundamentals.html
De La Salle University - Master of Marketing Communication Graduate Students presented a comprehensive report regarding the fundamentals of advertising.
Holistic Marketing: A Top Line PerspectiveMikeAtwood
It's been 10 years since I've seen a white paper. Lots of things have since changed, but the premise still holds true. I thought I'd share with you to get your feedback... 10 years later.
i·de·al·ism
any of various systems of thought in which the objects of knowledge are held to be in some way dependent on the activity of mind.
At the time I was hoping to inspire change as the marketing dynamic was evolving. Perhaps I'll revisit it, make some edits, and try once again to create a "futuristic" idealism that I can, in 10 years, revisit again.
This time around, I think we'll incorporate the importance of relationships, the give-to-give methodology (thank you @Jill_Rowley) and begin to think about why having a vision, being passionate, ego free and helping others will make you far more successful than just focusing on making money... focus on the other things and everything else will fall into place.
Would, as always, love feedback and thoughts.
The power-point presentation is a summary of a HBR article on creativity in advertising. It also demonstrates its relation to theory from the book "Introduction to marketing management " by Philip Kotler and advertisements supporting the theory. Be sure to view this with good internet facility. It is 130 MB in size and contains few video commercials.
The case for Purpose-Driven Marketing in Australia Allan Dib
Increasingly more companies are talking about the company and brand purpose, and rightly so. Shifting marketing from product-centric marketing to purpose-driven marketing has proven to be very successful for brands. This same thinking has also helped many corporations build their reputation and relevance with stakeholders
The significance of brand and how to research it, drawing on the experiences of two national charities and nfpSynergy’s experience in tracking charity brands over time.
For decades, successful companies dominated their markets by creating economies of scale, identifying product-based points of differentiation, and then promoting them to anyone who was listening. The common denominator underlying this industrial formula for success was mass: mass sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, media, audiences, and retailing. But we all know mass is dead. So if mass is no longer the common denominator for success, then what is?
Beyond Advertising: Creating Value Through all Email and Mobile TouchpointsMarketingSherpa
Watch this session live at 2:00pm EST on Wednesday, May 3, 2017. www.marketingsherpa.com/beyond
MarketingSherpa Summit was filled with real-world case studies from your peers. This webinar provides an opportunity to step outside your day-to-day role and ask big questions like, “Where do I want to take my organization, department or individual career?” — and learn how to transform your organization and career with customer-first marketing philosophies.
To help you do that, we’ve invited a pioneering researcher focused on reinventing advertising and marketing. In this webinar, Catharine Hays — the executive director of The Wharton Future of Advertising Program and co-author of “Beyond Advertising: Creating Value Through All Customer Touchpoints” — will share her research into customer-first marketing with over 200 thought leaders in marketing, technology, cultural anthropology and other disciplines from 22 countries.
In this webinar, you will learn:
The five forces of change affecting marketing and advertising
Insights, ideas and frameworks for adapting to how mobile technology has changed brands relationships with customers
How to challenge entrenched mental models of email and mobile marketing and advertising, including example pioneering customer-first marketers are taking
Online Marketing - eCommerce - InnovationLeanne Ross
Innovation paper for bringing Products to Market - the rise of eCommerce, it's benefits and challenges, impact on the economy and how it is fuelling innovation in the retail industry.
Sports Marketing - integrated marketing and digital communicationsLeanne Ross
Second year Sports Marketing - introduction to integrating concepts across digital channels, and the impact of emerging digital trends on campaigns and brands.
National Digital Forum New Zealand 2017 - Engaging Museum Audiences with Digi...Leanne Ross
My guest workshop: lessons from Irish museums using Digital PR, social media, augmented reality, virtual reality and Google technology to lure the GLAM sector audiences of the future.
Creative Dish Dunedin 2017: Gaming the Facebook AlgorithmLeanne Ross
My top 20 tips for small businesses to maximise Facebook marketing with no budget, including what to post, when to post, how to structure a post, where to market your page and how to engage for audience growth.
Social Media for Sporting OrganisationsLeanne Ross
A 40 minute presentation to the member groups of Sport Otago's Forum New Zealand, June 2017 on maximising social media for member growth and community engagement.
Content Strategy - Blogging for Small BusinessLeanne Ross
What a Content Strategy is with a focus on Business Blogging, the benefits content will bring to a business - SEO, Social Marketing, Media Coverage, Sales plus top tips and practical guides to create and promote branded content (specific case study examples from my own consultancy business as well as local eCommerce retailer Utility Bear). And the key evaluation tools to measure return on investment for your business.
Come learn how YOU can Animate and Illuminate the World with Generative AI's Explosive Power. Come sit in the driver's seat and learn to harness this great technology.
The What, Why & How of 3D and AR in Digital CommercePushON Ltd
Vladimir Mulhem has over 20 years of experience in commercialising cutting edge creative technology across construction, marketing and retail.
Previously the founder and Tech and Innovation Director of Creative Content Works working with the likes of Next, John Lewis and JD Sport, he now helps retailers, brands and agencies solve challenges of applying the emerging technologies 3D, AR, VR and Gen AI to real-world problems.
In this webinar, Vladimir will be covering the following topics:
Applications of 3D and AR in Digital Commerce,
Benefits of 3D and AR,
Tools to create, manage and publish 3D and AR in Digital Commerce.
Mastering Local SEO for Service Businesses in the AI Era is tailored specifically for local service providers like plumbers, dentists, and others seeking to dominate their local search landscape. This session delves into leveraging AI advancements to enhance your online visibility and search rankings through the Content Factory model, designed for creating high-impact, SEO-driven content. Discover the Dollar-a-Day advertising strategy, a cost-effective approach to boost your local SEO efforts and attract more customers with minimal investment. Gain practical insights on optimizing your online presence to meet the specific needs of local service seekers, ensuring your business not only appears but stands out in local searches. This concise, action-oriented workshop is your roadmap to navigating the complexities of digital marketing in the AI age, driving more leads, conversions, and ultimately, success for your local service business.
Key Takeaways:
Embrace AI for Local SEO: Learn to harness the power of AI technologies to optimize your website and content for local search. Understand the pivotal role AI plays in analyzing search trends and consumer behavior, enabling you to tailor your SEO strategies to meet the specific demands of your target local audience. Leverage the Content Factory Model: Discover the step-by-step process of creating SEO-optimized content at scale. This approach ensures a steady stream of high-quality content that engages local customers and boosts your search rankings. Get an action guide on implementing this model, complete with templates and scheduling strategies to maintain a consistent online presence. Maximize ROI with Dollar-a-Day Advertising: Dive into the cost-effective Dollar-a-Day advertising strategy that amplifies your visibility in local searches without breaking the bank. Learn how to strategically allocate your budget across platforms to target potential local customers effectively. The session includes an action guide on setting up, monitoring, and optimizing your ad campaigns to ensure maximum impact with minimal investment.
Digital Commerce Lecture for Advanced Digital & Social Media Strategy at UCLA...Valters Lauzums
E-commerce in 2024 is characterized by a dynamic blend of opportunities and significant challenges. Supply chain disruptions and inventory shortages are critical issues, leading to increased shipping delays and rising costs, which impact timely delivery and squeeze profit margins. Efficient logistics management is essential, yet it is often hampered by these external factors. Payment processing, while needing to ensure security and user convenience, grapples with preventing fraud and integrating diverse payment methods, adding another layer of complexity. Furthermore, fulfillment operations require a streamlined approach to handle volume spikes and maintain accuracy in order picking, packing, and shipping, all while meeting customers' heightened expectations for faster delivery times.
Amid these operational challenges, customer data has emerged as an important strategy. By focusing on personalization and enhancing customer experience from historical behavior, businesses can deliver improved website and brand experienced, better product recommendations, optimal promotions, and content to meet individual preferences. Better data analytics can also help in effectively creating marketing campaigns, improving customer retention, and driving product development and inventory management.
Innovative formats such as social commerce and live shopping are beginning to impact the digital commerce landscape, offering new ways to engage with customers and drive sales, and may provide opportunity for brands that have been priced out or seen a downturn with post-pandemic shopping behavior. Social commerce integrates shopping experiences directly into social media platforms, tapping into the massive user bases of these networks to increase reach and engagement. Live shopping, on the other hand, combines entertainment and real-time interaction, providing a dynamic platform for showcasing products and encouraging immediate purchases. These innovations not only enhance customer engagement but also provide valuable data for businesses to refine their strategies and deliver superior shopping experiences.
The e-commerce sector is evolving rapidly, and businesses that effectively manage operational challenges and implement innovative strategies are best positioned for long-term success.
SEO as the Backbone of Digital MarketingFelipe Bazon
In this talk Felipe Bazon will share how him and his team at Hedgehog Digital share our journey of making C-Levels alike, specially CMOS realize that SEO is the backbone of digital marketing by showing how SEO can contribute to brand awareness, reputation and authority and above all how to use SEO to create more robust global marketing strategies.
A.I. (artificial intelligence) platforms are popping up all the time, and many of them can and should be used to help grow your brand, increase your sales and decrease your marketing costs.In this presentation:We will review some of the best AI platforms that are available for you to use.We will interact with some of the platforms in real-time, so attendees can see how they work.We will also look at some current brands that are using AI to help them create marketing messages, saving them time and money in the process. Lastly, we will discuss the pros and cons of using AI in marketing & branding and have a lively conversation that includes comments from the audience.
Key Takeaways:
Attendees will learn about LLM platforms, like ChatGPT, and how they work, with preset examples and real time interactions with the platform. Attendees will learn about other AI platforms that are creating graphic design elements at the push of a button...pre-set examples and real-time interactions.Attendees will discuss the pros & cons of AI in marketing + branding and share their perspectives with one another. Attendees will learn about the cost savings and the time savings associated with using AI, should they choose to.
5 big bets to drive growth in 2024 without one additional marketing dollar AND how to adapt to the biggest shifting eCommerce trend- AI.
1) Romance Your Customers - Retention
2) ‘Alternative’ Lead Gen - Advocacy
3) The Beautiful Basics - Conversion Rate Optimization
4) Land that Bottom Line - Profitability
5) Roll the Dice - New Business Models
Short video marketing has sweeped the nation and is the fastest way to build an online brand on social media in 2024. In this session you will learn:- What is short video marketing- Which platforms work best for your business- Content strategies that are on brand for your business- How to sell organically without paying for ads.
Most small businesses struggle to see marketing results. In this session, we will eliminate any confusion about what to do next, solving your marketing problems so your business can thrive. You’ll learn how to create a foundational marketing OS (operating system) based on neuroscience and backed by real-world results. You’ll be taught how to develop deep customer connections, and how to have your CRM dynamically segment and sell at any stage in the customer’s journey. By the end of the session, you’ll remove confusion and chaos and replace it with clarity and confidence for long-term marketing success.
Key Takeaways:
• Uncover the power of a foundational marketing system that dynamically communicates with prospects and customers on autopilot.
• Harness neuroscience and Tribal Alignment to transform your communication strategies, turning potential clients into fans and those fans into loyal customers.
• Discover the art of automated segmentation, pinpointing your most lucrative customers and identifying the optimal moments for successful conversions.
• Streamline your business with a content production plan that eliminates guesswork, wasted time, and money.
Financial curveballs sent many American families reeling in 2023. Household budgets were squeezed by rising interest rates, surging prices on everyday goods, and a stagnating housing market. Consumers were feeling strapped. That sentiment, however, appears to be waning. The question is, to what extent?
To take the pulse of consumers’ feelings about their financial well-being ahead of a highly anticipated election, ThinkNow conducted a nationally representative quantitative survey. The survey highlights consumers’ hopes and anxieties as we move into 2024. Let's unpack the key findings to gain insights about where we stand.
In this presentation, Danny Leibrandt explains the impact of AI on SEO and what Google has been doing about it. Learn how to take your SEO game to the next level and win over Google with his new strategy anyone can use. Get actionable steps to rank your name, your business, and your clients on Google - the right way.
Key Takeaways:
1. Real content is king
2. Find ways to show EEAT
3. Repurpose across all platforms
The digital marketing industry is changing faster than ever and those who don’t adapt with the times are losing market share. Where should marketers be focusing their efforts? What strategies are the experts seeing get the best results? Get up-to-speed with the latest industry insights, trends and predictions for the future in this panel discussion with some leading digital marketing experts.
Mastering Multi-Touchpoint Content Strategy: Navigate Fragmented User JourneysSearch Engine Journal
Digital platforms are constantly multiplying, and with that, user engagement is becoming more intricate and fragmented.
So how do you effectively navigate distributing and tailoring your content across these various touchpoints?
Watch this webinar as we dive into the evolving landscape of content strategy tailored for today's fragmented user journeys. Understanding how to deliver your content to your users is more crucial than ever, and we’ll provide actionable tips for navigating these intricate challenges.
You’ll learn:
- How today’s users engage with content across various channels and devices.
- The latest methodologies for identifying and addressing content gaps to keep your content strategy proactive and relevant.
- What digital shelf space is and how your content strategy needs to pivot.
With Wayne Cichanski, we’ll explore innovative strategies to map out and meet the diverse needs of your audience, ensuring every piece of content resonates and connects, regardless of where or how it is consumed.
Unleash the power of UK SEO with Brand Highlighters! Our guide delves into the unique search landscape of Britain, equipping you with targeted strategies to dominate UK search engine results. Discover local SEO tactics, keyword magic for UK audiences, and mobile optimization secrets. Get your website seen by the right people and propel your brand to the top of UK searches.
To learn more: https://brandhighlighters.co.uk/blog/top-seo-agencies-uk/
When most people in the industry talk about online or digital reputation management, what they're really saying is Google search and PPC. And it's usually reactive, left dealing with the aftermath of negative information published somewhere online. That's outdated. It leaves executives, organizations and other high-profile individuals at a high risk of a digital reputation attack that spans channels and tactics. But the tools needed to safeguard against an attack are more cybersecurity-oriented than most marketing and communications professionals can manage. Business leaders Leaders grasp the importance; 83% of executives place reputation in their top five areas of risk, yet only 23% are confident in their ability to address it. To succeed in 2024 and beyond, you need to turn online reputation on its axis and think like an attacker.\
Key Takeaways:
- New framework for examining and safeguarding an online reputation
- Tools and techniques to keep you a step ahead
- Practical examples that demonstrate when to act, how to act and how to recover
2. Objectives
At the end of this lecture you should be able to:
Explain alternative creative strategies for the development of advertising
messages
3. Communications Strategy
“One of the hardest things to do is to persuade someone to give you money… The
art of being persuasive isn’t just about the wonderful words. It’s all about the
psychology. It’s about understanding who you are trying to persuade - their
values, their interests, what is important to them - and most of all, what’s in it for
them. How does what you’re proposing solve their problems or make their life
easier?”
(Belch et al., 2007)
This is why formulating the right message strategy is so important.
And in IMC, the message may have to connect in many different ways across
different media and marketing channels.
6. Message Strategy Defined
The major selling idea should emerge as
the strongest singular thing you can say
about your product or service.
This should be the claim with the
broadest and most meaningful appeal to
your target audience.
(Creative Strategy in Advertising, 2007)
8. Message Consistency
Message consistency is when
what the company says is
reinforced by what they
actually do and by what
others say about them.
The triangle represents three
points at which messages
come together to ensure
strategic consistency...
9. What happens when Innocent,
one of the most celebrated
brand stories of recent years,
“sells out “to Coca-Cola? Do
we still trust the same cheerful,
humorous copywriting on its
labels? Or do we dismiss it as
something glib and corporate?
Look at Nike. They went through a period of
being damaged by accusations of sweatshop
and child labour in their supply chain. But slowly
and surely they started to do more about it,
getting involved in more grass-roots activity,
giving them a reason to exist that doesn’t feel
like it’s only about selling us products…
They created the ‘Making’ app, asking the
questions every manufacturer should about their
supply chain – and importantly, they made this
available to any company for free.
Sadly, LGBT rights and not
uniform across the world.
Global brands must avoid a
contradictory stance in
different markets. In 2015
Apple found itself in
controversy over the Siri app,
which answered Russian
queries for nearby gay venues
with either silence or
negativity.
10. Message Structure
While it’s important to identify the type of message and how consistent it is, we
also benefit from looking at how the structure of a persuasive message can
influence its effectiveness;
➢ Order of presentation (first & last best remembered)
➢ Conclusion drawing (explicit conclusions more easily understood)
➢ Message sidedness (one or two-sides portrayed)
➢ Refutation (present both sides of an issue)
➢ Verbal versus visual characteristics (consistent = greater recall, inconsistent = grab attention, more
elaborate processing, but can reduce persuasiveness)
(Cover these more in next lecture: message appeal & execution!)
11. Central Messages
Sometimes consistency of message is represented across an IMC campaign
(which is a set of interrelated and coordinated marketing communications activities
that centre on a single theme or idea, but uses different tools and appears in
different media across a specified period of time).
In this sense the campaign theme is the strong idea - the central message that will
be consistently communicated in all IMC activities.
While some themes change often, a successful campaign theme can last for
years...
12.
13. Message Strategy = What To Say
What to say is essentially about 3 things:
15. Message Strategies
Charles Fraser proposed a typology
of seven message strategies,
building on traditional advertising
approaches - it’s like a shopping list
to help advertisers think about what
message strategy would work best
for their target market or market
situation.
16. Generic Strategy
A straight product benefit claim
with no assertion of superiority.
Most often used when there is a
dominant brand in a category, so
instead of promoting the brand
you promote the category.
Brands may use this to attempt
to become synonymous with the
whole category.
17. Pre-emptive
Strategy
It’s all about being first, making a
claim none of your competitors
have, and therefore appears
unique.
Even when competitors try to
match the claim, they put
themselves in the weakened “us
too” position.
Usually in a growing or
awakening market where
competitive advertising is generic
or nonexistent.
18. USP Strategy
The idea of “unique selling
proposition” was developed by
Rosser Reeves.
These are superiority claims
based on a unique physical
feature or benefit.
It needs to be strong enough to
pull new customers to the brand,
and may force competitors to
imitate or be more aggressive.
19. Brand Image
Strategy
In many categories, competing
brands are so similar that it’s
difficult to find unique attributes.
So the message strategy used to
sell them is often based on the
development of a strong,
memorable identity for the brand
through image advertising.
Claims made will be based on
psychological differentiation,
usually symbolic association.
20. Inherent Drama
Strategy
This is about finding the “inherent
drama” or characteristic of the
product that makes consumers
purchase it.
It’s a way of expressing the
consumer benefits with an
emphasis on the dramatic
element of expression.
21. Positioning
Strategy
Advertising here is used to
establish or “position” the product
or service in a particular place in
the consumer’s mind.
Products can be positioned
based on their attributes,
price/quality, usage or
application, user or product
class.
22. Resonance
Strategy
This tries to strike a chord with
viewers, to evoke positive
associations or good memories
that they then transfer to the
product or service.
This is about endowing a
product/service with relevant
meaning or significance.
23. Affective Strategy
This strategy uses a purely
emotional approach. It pulls at
our heartstrings or causes us to
laugh, or stirs our guilt or our
shame.
This may come without a strong
selling emphasis in the
messaging.
25. After Message Strategy...
Message strategy tells us what to say, but it is not a creative idea, a slogan or an
execution.
The big idea emerges from consumer insight. It builds on message strategy by
converting the “what to say” into an idea that makes the message relevant and
engaging to the consumer.
The big idea brings the message strategy to life.
27. Multi-layered Message Strategy (and execution)
Unilever was set to launch a big campaign for Dove Men+Care body wash at the Super Bowl 2010. With legions of loyal
female shoppers, Dove was in a great position to win big in the male body wash segment…
Ultimately this campaign was about starting a CONVERSATION between men and women about body wash...one that
celebrated the virtues of manly-smelling Old Spice over “lady-scented” brands (resonance).
But beyond messaging, the most important insight had to do with targeting. P&G’s own research had uncovered a startling
statistic: 60% of men’s body washes were actually purchased by women. This insight prompted them to broaden the target.
The final piece of the brief was a matter of approach. With body wash being a low-involvement category, they weren’t going
to meet their goals by simply generating awareness of Old Spice body wash among men and women. To move the needle
they needed to get the sexes talking about body wash (positioning).
In the hands of the creatives this ultimately led to the inception of “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” - the perfect
spokesman. A crusader against “lady-scented” body wash, his suave, charismatic ways appealed to both sexes… and his
“look at your man, now back to me” dialogue practically forced a conversation between ladies and their guys (affective).
29. Message Strategy #OptOutside
Company COO Ben Steele: “Part of this job is about storytelling, but when you can take an action and show people rather
than just telling them, it can be really powerful." (Purpose-Driven Strategies = Inherent Drama)
The campaign wasn't powered purely by organic social mentions. VB&P agency created outdoor camping kits consisting of
"freeze-dried Thanksgiving leftovers" that its PR partner Edelman sent to chosen influencers in the hiking and biking
communities. It also partnered with a geo-mapping service to design a mobile site that helped less experienced outdoor
enthusiasts find appropriate locations in their area to enjoy the natural world.
The campaign launched in October with an internal all-staff email and a print ad in The New York Times. The ad quoted
naturalist John Muir, who wrote, "Over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home."
But the campaign truly took off after the TV ads and especially the meme generator went live (Resonance).
Steele positioned the underlying concept as one focused less on direct promotion, more on highlighting consumer choice
and “12,000 employees getting to spend the day outside with people they love.” The point wasn't to reject Black Friday
but to embrace something that mattered to REI (Affective). But the campaign led to a significant rise in membership,
which is ultimately far more important than any single sales bump for a business based on the cooperative model in which
customers effectively double as both employees and owners of the company.
30. “I think every organization and brand has their truth and their purpose. It can be hard to find, it takes courage to find it, but I
think you have to be willing to take that journey. At the same time, do the thing that’s especially hard for us as organizations,
to say not what I want from people, but what’s a truly relevant way of connecting with people. Where do you as an individual
and a community, and us as a brand or community, find a point of intersection? It’s hard work, but it’s important work we
have to do as an organization, as storytellers, as people who want to help brands connect with people.”
- Ben Steele, COO, REI