In order to set themselves up for success, copywriters should aim to not only understand and assess a strategy (in the form of a creative brief), but also strengthen it.

1. Creativity and Copywriting
Lecture 3

2. Creative
Thinking
Ad
Review
Commercial
Break
Lecture
(Part 2)
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Lecture
(Part 1)
Creative
Thinking
LECTURE
BREAKDOWN
Wrap-Up

3. On some basis show, then define, how one word is the odd man out.1
You can not use the physical nature of the words.2
Bubble. Paranoia. Plaster. Seasick.3
You have 5 minutes to write down your thoughts.4
“Odd Man Out”
Creative Thinking
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3

4. Creative
Thinking
Commercial
Break
Lecture
(Part 2)
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Lecture
(Part 1)
Ad
Review
LECTURE
BREAKDOWN
Wrap-Up

5. Do you like the ads? Why?
What adjectives best describe the mood of the ad(s)? How does
the ad convey this mood?
Who do you believe the ad is speaking to? Why do you feel that this is
the target audience?
How would you define the role of the copy?
Ad Review
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3

7. Ad Review

8. Ad Review

9. Creative
Thinking
Ad
Review
Commercial
Break
Lecture
(Part 2)
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Lecture
(part 1)
Lecture
(Part 1)
LECTURE
BREAKDOWN
Wrap-Up

10. Lecture 3: Strategy
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3

11. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
From research to strategy
The creative brief
The advertising strategy spectrum
Agenda

12. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
From research to strategy
The creative brief
The advertising strategy spectrum
Agenda

13. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Research
Flickr user Tom Mrazek
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Discovery Strategy
Strategy

14. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Strategy
Information Understanding

15. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Strategy
Just the data Story in the data

16. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Discovery is seeing what everybody
else has seen, and thinking what
nobody else has thought.
Albert Szent Gyorgyi
“
Flickr user Tom Mrazek

17. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Research
Flickr user Tom Mrazek
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Discovery Strategy
Strategy

18. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Discovery Framework
Human Truth
Cultural Truth
Product Truth
Credit: Publicis MOJO Australia
What is the truest thing we
know about the product
What people need, care about
or value
What’s happening in the world? Is there a
relevant trend to ride?

19. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Human Truth
Cultural Truth
Product Truth
Payment is a personal payment
tool that helps me get
shopping done.
It feels good to get jobs done.
Technology is bringing productivity and efficiency to
every aspect of our lives.
Discovery Framework

20. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Payment makes it happen.
Strategy
Discovery Framework

21. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Resulting Work

22. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Same Brand - Different Strategy

23. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
From research to strategy
The creative brief
The advertising strategy spectrum
Agenda

24. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Product-
Oriented
Consumer-
Oriented
Strategy Spectrum
When you artificially separate the flow of advertising, all categories –
including these are false, they’re distinctions in type, but messier in
reality…use the iea of them, but don’t be bound by them.” - Felton

25. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Generic Claim: Selling the principal
benefits of a product category
When to use: new and
best-selling products
Strategy Spectrum: Product

26. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Product Feature: Selling a
product feature
When to use: When the
feature is the best or unique
Strategy Spectrum: Product

27. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Testimonial: Using people to
explain what they like about
the product
When to use: When you have
resources for celebrities or
influencers
Strategy Spectrum: Product

28. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Demonstration
Comparison
Icon
Information
Product-Oriented Consumer-Oriented
Strategy Spectrum: Product

29. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Product-Oriented Consumer-Oriented
Strategy Spectrum

30. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Brand Image: Selling the
personality of the brand
When to use: Commodity
products, badge brands
Strategy Spectrum: Consumer

31. Lifestyle: Selling the
association between the
product and a way of life
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
When to use: Distinct
consumer group
Strategy Spectrum: Consumer

32. Before and after: Selling the
difference a product can make
in your life
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
When to use: When you
can visualize the difference
Strategy Spectrum: Consumer

33. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Interactive
Cause-related
Pop culture
Product-Oriented Consumer-Oriented
Strategy Spectrum

34. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Product-Oriented Consumer-OrientedSavings Emotion
Strategy Spectrum

35. Vignette strategy –
Presents a little story
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Strategy Spectrum: Emotion

36. Shock strategy –
Plays a surprising the
audience in some way
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Strategy Spectrum: Emotion

37. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Sexy
Challenger
Anthropomorphism
Honesty
Product-Oriented Consumer-OrientedSavings Emotion
Strategy Spectrum: Emotion

38. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Product-Oriented Consumer-OrientedSavings Emotion
Strategy Spectrum: Emotion

39. Value Strategy –
selling a great deal
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
When to use: Retail to drive
foot traffic
Strategy Spectrum: Savings

40. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
There is no single, right strategy.
Flickr user FaceMePls

41. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Flickr user See-ming Lee
There are better strategies.

42. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Flickr user Kotaro Machiyama
Ultimately, there is simply the
strategy that you sell.

43. Credit: Fran Clayton, CSO DDB AustraliaLynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Great: Unexpectedly obvious
Good: Simple and true
Bad: Accurate but limiting
Ugly: Complicated, disconnected, forced, old
Strategy Evaluation

44. Creative
Thinking
Ad
Review
Lecture
(Part 2)
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Lecture
(Part 1)
LECTURE
BREAKDOWN
Commercial
Break
Wrap-Up

45. Commercial Break
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 1

46. Creative
Thinking
Ad
Review
Commercial
Break
Lecture
(part 2)
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Lecture
(Part 1)
LECTURE
BREAKDOWN
Lecture
(Part 2) Wrap-Up

47. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
From research to strategy
The creative brief
The advertising strategy spectrum
Agenda

48. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
The Creative Brief
Please be concise and try not to exceed 1 page
What is the key objective?
The reason behind this campaign e.g. get pre-orders before launch, encourage trial, etc
Who are we talking to?
Brief description on the demographics/psychographics and product usage. Also explain what would motivate them to buy product or what would make them hesitate
How is the product/service different from the competition?
Explain if there is something different about the way the product is made or used as compared to your competitors
What is the Single-Minded Proposition?
The ONE important thing we can say about the product/brand e.g. product truth or brand personality
What are the substantiations for the proposition?
Support your SMP with only relevant facts and figures
What is required and what are the Mandatory Inclusions?
State if an integrated campaign is needed, or a one-off announcement ad, etc. Please limit them e.g. logos, taglines, phone numbers
What do we hope to achieve after the communication?
Explain the net take out of this campaign e.g. sales would have increased by 10% or we will have more traffic to the stores, etc
What is the desired tone and manner?
Define how we want people to feel about the brand e.g. warm and friendly or authoritative, etc
Brief Written By: Brief Vetted By: Brief Approved by:
Client: Attn: Date in:
Brand: Product: Job No:
Project Type: Advertising Category: Business Area:
Sales Organization: Profit Center: Purchase Division:
Job Title / Description:
Account Team: Creative Team: Media Team:
Budget:
Production:
Media:
Timeline:
Creative Brief

49. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Business Objective1
Problem2
Target Audience3
Proposition/Persuasive Idea4
Proof5
Creative Guidelines6
Creative Brief - Components

50. What we need to
achieve
A goal, not a task
Measurable and
directional
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Good: Excite existing users to use
Payment more often when
transacting online.
Ugly: Launch a brand
campaign.
Creative Brief - Objective

51. The one issue that we
need to overcome to
achieve the objective
Beware of the obvious
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Good: After years of paying in the
offline world, consumers are in the
habit of reaching for their wallet, and
using their credit card when they
shop online. They feel their credit
cards are just as good as other ways
to pay, and at least they know how to
use them.
Ugly: Payment is not people’s
first choice when they pay online.
Creative Brief - Problem

52. Not just a description of
demographics, but a
truth about who they are
that’s relevant
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Good: Medium to heavy online
shoppers – mums, techies,
entertainees, & fashionistas in
particular – who have a Payment
account but use it infrequently.
Ugly: 25-50 year old
Australians who shop online.
Creative Brief – Target Audience

53. The crux of the strategy
Focusses on what
the brand can be
and do, not say
Simple, surprising and
single-minded
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Good: Payment makes it happen.
Ugly: A more premium X.
The best of X.
Anything that requires an
explanation or is ambiguous.
Creative Brief – Proposition

54. The most compelling
brand/product truth
The substance behind
the idea
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Good: Payment is a personal
payment tool that enables more
online shopping trips to go right
because it’s secure, flexible, AND
easy.
Ugly: Anything that is marketing
speak or unimportant.
Creative Brief – Proof

55. The voice and mood of
the communication
Selective and cohesive
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Good: From American to feels right
for Australia. From passive to an
active part of my life.
Ugly: Authentic. Honest.
Friendly.
Creative Brief – Guidelines

56. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3 Flickr user Tom Mrazek
Without a crisp, elegant statement to
guide [you] and keep [you] honest, none
of [you] stand a chance of pulling off
what you get paid to do.
John Colasanti, CEO of Solve Agency
“

57. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Needs to be single-minded
Needs to be interesting
Needs no extra words
Needs to be based in truth
Creative Brief – Evaluation

58. Creative
Thinking
Ad
Review
Commercial
Break
Lecture
(Part 2)
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Lecture
(Part 1)
Closing
LECTURE
BREAKDOWN
Wrap-Up

59. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Great creatives are also closet strategists.
They can see the opportunities inside of a
problem, they study the behavior of their
audience and combine those two things to
create an idea that is persuasive.
Ryan Caroll
“
Flickr user Tom Mrazek

60. Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3
Wrap-Up

61. Drop the mic
Lynn CS4029 Lecture 3