Studying Campaign Planning Will Change the Way You View Commercials

Two months into my Campaign Planning and Management class and I can confidently say that I will never look at television commercials the same. My marketing professors have changed the way in which I look at commercials. They are not the annoying breaks in between my favorite television show at night. Now, they are thirty seconds full of complex messages being sent to the viewer, in which I attempt to understand and analyze.

Saying that a lot goes into planning a commercial is an understatement. These past two months, I have gotten a crash course on how marketing agencies develop and produce commercials. One of the most astonishing concepts to understand is that every single object, person, sound put into the commercial has a meaning. There is a reason it is there. This ultimately leads to the end goal of persuasion, which is a concept I deeply learned about in my promotional strategy class. I'll touch upon this more later. For now, I will start at the beginning of the strategy process. 

So, what is the first thing to think about once you've pulled together the backstory of your product? You must figure out where the product lies in the color matrix. This is a matrix that divides products into categories based on perceived risk/involvement and informational/transformational value. For this post I will use Allstate Insurance as an example. I take Allstate Insurance and look at the color product matrix. It is definitely a white product because the consumer is highly involved when choosing an insurance company and it is an informational product. So, the next step is to identify the certain characteristics of a white product. For white products, consumers think about the brand, feel a certain way towards it, and then purchases it. This eventually relates to the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion. This model analyzes how consumers are persuaded to purchase a product and what is their motivation or ability. Since, Allstate Insurance is a white product and consumers are highly involved and engaged, the consumer uses a central route of persuasion, but peripheral cues are important in television commercials.

Allstate Insurance's commercials do an amazing job at using peripheral cues. Insurance is deemed as protection and security although it is not tangible. You pay insurance for something you wish never happens and may never actually happen. Through their commercials and peripheral cues, Allstate Insurance makes these accidents tangible. Their spokesperson, Mr. Mayhem, personifies the accident. He is the brand's I AM statement. So, he is a peripheral cue. Another peripheral cue is the dark humor. Allstate's commercials tend to shed light on very serious matters (car accidents). They do this to keep the consumer's attention, but at the same time, they are conveying important information because, let's not forget, insurance is a high informational product. 

The reason I say that I will never view commercials the same is because I do not think many people realize how many things are going on to persuade you to think, feel, or act on a certain product. I can attest that before studying marketing communications, I turned the channels during commercial breaks. Now, I enjoy figuring out what the agency is trying to do in the commercial. What kind of product is it? What cues are they using to get me to feel a certain way? This is very intruiging to me and that is why I love studying what I do. However, my roommates get a little upset when I don't change the channel during commercials.

Social Media is the Channel, Not the Strategy

I previously learned a huge mistake that marketing agencies tend to make. It has to do with the usage of Social Media for a clients' marketing strategy. In the digital age we all live in, it seems that a company that does not have social media accounts, does not exist. Can a brand actually be successful if it does not have a Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram? Well, it certainly helps. However, it is one thing to possess a social media account and it is another thing to use it effectively to differentiate yourself from competitors. So, the main takeaway from this blog post is: Social media is the channel, not the strategy.

Over the summer, I had the amazing opportunity to be a Social Media/PR intern for an integrated marketing communications agency, Schneider Associates, in Boston, MA. For three months, I learned the ins and outs on how to effectively communicate the client's message through social media to the consumer. I dealt with diverse clients from a mosquito trap, Dynatrap, all the way to the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA).

In order to understand how social media should work I am going to use Dynatrap. On my first day, I was told to create a social media publishing calendar. This is a monthly plan of tweets, Facebook posts, LinkedIn posts, etc. I first thought to myself, how do I create social media content for a client I know nothing about? I have to understand their voice. I must understand how the client wants to be portrayed to the public and put that message into the content. So, what marketers may do wrong is just creating social channels, but the content is dry and boring. The content of the social media channels is the outer layer, but it communicates the clients' inner layer.

They way in which marketers fail with their social media channels is the way in which they implement them. Going back to Dynatrap, let's say that they come into Schneider Associates and they sit down in our conference room with our CEO and executives. If Schneider were to say that their strategy is social media, that is a mistake. You do not just name social media as your strategy because it is much more than that. You have to develop effective content for it to work. So, what is the strategy, then? The strategy is the content. That was my job over the summer. The reason I understand that social media is just the channel because I was in charge of developing and editing the content for many different types of products. For example, the content for Dynatrap was upbeat and fun while the content for the MSCPA was more informational, concrete content. If Schneider would only focus on creating social media channels for Dynatrap and MSCPA, then there would be nothing to differentiate them even though they are two completely different products! So, that is why the content is the strategy.

I am lucky to have had the opportunity to deeply understand how social media is deemed effective. I hope that marketers realize that the digital marketing age is only going to grow larger and larger, so understanding that the content is the strategy will only produce more effective integrated marketing communications campaigns.

WOM and the Diffusion of Innovations

The book "Brand Media Strategy" aims to discuss how integrated marketing communications plans incorporate various media channels, like TV, radio, newspaper, etc. Recently in my Campaign Planning and Management class we discussed sparking consumer brand conversations through media, and more specifically, the power of Word-Of-Mouth (WOM). As Chapter 6 progresses, I begun seeing terms like "early adopters." This instantly triggered a whole concept I previously learned in my Promotional Strategy class with Professor Costanzo.

There is a term in marketing called the diffusion of innovations theory that categorizes different consumers based off their desire to purchase new products. There are innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. Each of these categories attempts to label the consumer on their purchasing habits. The first group are the innovators. These group of consumers are the very first to purchase a new product and make up only 2.5% of consumers. These consumers are not afraid of trying new products that suit their lifestyle and will also pay a premium for that benefit. Relating back to WOM discussed in "Brand Media Strategy," these group of consumers influence WOM because they have the first opinion on a product at the beginning of its life cycle.

The next group of consumers, and one the book touches upon, are the early adopters. More consumers make up this category at 13.5%. Unlike the innovators who tend to purchase on impulse, these consumers purchase early in the product life cycle, but it is after some thought. The influence of this group of consumers is incredible because these group of consumers decide whether the product is "socially acceptable." So, in terms of WOM, this group is the most influential. The groups of consumers who follow look to the early adopters to see if the purchase is worth it.

The next group are the early majority. This group on consumers relate to the early adopters in the sense of they purchase the product early in its life cycle and it is after careful thought. They differ because the early majority is influenced by the early adopters' decision on whether the product is deemed "socially acceptable." It is interesting to note that 34% of consumers make up the early majority. On the opposite side of the early majority are the late majority and laggards. Neither of these groups have influence on WOM because they look to the innovators, early adopters, and early majority to sway them into a purchase.

"Brand Media Strategy" discusses the influence of the diffusion of innovations because WOM has such a huge influence on the success of a product, especially in the digital generation we live in. With Facebook, Twitter, Instagram consumers can easily see what others are saying about new products. The laggards and late majority look at what the innovators, early adopters, and early majority are saying about new products via social networking sites. The important thing to stress here is that WOM has a significant influence on the success of a brand and understanding the diffusion of innovations can help marketers analyze just how consumers are interpreting WOM.

Your Brand is a Person

An important concept that Jim Signorelli constantly stresses in "Storybranding 2.0" is the idea of thinking of your brand as a person. As I previously elaborated on in my recent blog posts, the brand has layers in which it possesses its values and how they communicate those values. Thinking of the brand as a person is the perfect way to understand the brand's layers.

The human body is the best representation of the brand's inner and outer layers. The skin and skeleton of the human body is the support system and protects the inside. The skull protects the brain, the ribs protect the lungs and so on. What is on the outside of the human body is what is communicated to the public. It showcases itself to represent what is inside. In a sense, this is the brand's outer layer. Take Nike for example. Nike possesses qualities like courage, determination, endurance, strength, etc. But, how does Nike communicate those values? That is the outer layer's job. Nike showcases those values by producing products like running shoes, athletic clothing, etc.

The inner layer of the brand is the human body's inner organs, which are protected by the skeleton. The values and beliefs of the brand are the heart, lungs, brain, etc. It is the core and the soul of the brand. The inner layer is where Signorelli presents the concept of archetypes. By definition, archetypes are "an original model of a person, ideal example, or a prototype after which others are copied, patterned, or emulated; a symbol universally recognized by all." Examples of archetypes are entertainer, conqueror, rebel, emperor, and many more. These archetypes help see the brand as a person with values, rather than a "thing."

From my own experiences, I have an emotional connection with the brand known as Tiffany. The reason I have an emotional connection with Tiffany is because we share the same values. Our inner layers align, which is the ultimate goal. Tiffany's archetype is the emperor, which means it champions values like leadership, strength, influence, dominance, respect and so on. Those qualities are some that I possess are that are very important to me. Tiffany does an amazing job by using their outer layer to represent what is inside. They present the brand as clean, beautiful, and classy. The Tiffany jewelry I possess has a deep emotional connection because it makes me feel those values that I have inside. So, as Signorelli would say, I have reached a Level IV connection with Tiffany.

Signorelli's whole point of using archetypal analysis is to show that brand's are way more complex than what they appear to be on the surface. If marketers can remember to put the brand first before understanding the consumer, then I believe a Level IV connection is easier to obtain. Hopefully, all brands can emotionally connect like I do with Tiffany.

Understanding the Brand's Inner and Outer Layer

The book "Storybranding 2.0" by Jim Signorelli offers personal insight on the new meaning of the word "story" as it pertains to marketing. The word "story" offers several different meanings depending on the person you are dealing with. To an English literature major, the word "story" is interpreted completely different compared to a marketer. To deeply understand storybranding in marketing, Signorelli offers a visual concept called a brand's "inner and outer layer."

The first step in understanding this model is to analyze what each layer represents in regards to the brand. The first layer to analyze is the inner layer. Signorelli says, "Another way to think of your brand's inner layer is to think of it as your brand's soul." What he means here is that this is the core of the brand. It contains the beliefs and values that the brand encapsulates. Signorelli relates the inner layer to the brand's unique value proposition (UVP), which should not be mistaken as a brand's unique selling proposition (USP). He suggests that the UVP could work as an advertising theme line, since it states the true beliefs and values of the brand's identity. He uses examples like "Be All That You Can Be" or "Think Different."

The reason behind the importance of a brand's inner layer is because we all must collect the backstory of the brand. Marketers must understand the deeper meaning of the brand, what they believe in, what value do consumers obtain, what are the benefits, etc. In this process, it is difficult to find meaning of the brand. Signorelli says that management teams work diligently to develop tools of logic and analytics, but forget about the emphasis of hedonic value. An important part of a brand's identity is the "emotional, nonlinear, softer stuff of a brand's meaning." It can be a challenge to figure just what that stuff is. Although it is challenging, it is important for brands to have their single value that is the most true, which means that the consumers and employees will emotionally connect with that value.

So, then what is the outer layer? Signorelli calls it the confidence builder. It's purpose is to support the inner layer. Think of it as a body. The outer layer is the skeleton and the skin, which protects and supports our inner organs. The inner organs consists of the beliefs and values of the brand. It is referred to as the confidence builder because it represents the brand to the prospects (consumers). Essentially, the outer layer "walks the walk," which represents the inner values and beliefs. However, Signorelli states that in today's marketplace, brand confidence is becoming harder to achieve.

When Signorelli describes the brand's outer layer, he relates it to the plot of the storytelling. It explains the how. The purpose of the outer layer is to showcase how the inner layer's values and beliefs manifest themselves through product features and benefits. An interesting point to Signorelli's arguments is the common theme found among new clients' "elevator pitch." He says that when they ask what makes their brand significant, most answer: "We' re the biggest network of health clubs in the U.S." or "our casinos have the loosest slots." That is an example of the outer layer, but brand's tend to forget to express its inner layer, its soul. What this explains is the importance of using your outer layer to explain what is in the inside. Brand's should not just concretely state how their brand is the best, but they must incorporate the value the consumer will obtain from the brand. When the two layers work together simultaneously and effectively, the brand is on its way to a remarkable marketing campaign.

We Get Paid for Ideas

After four strenuous years filled with all-nighters, term papers and cumulative finals, there will be a time that we all have to step into the real world and into the workplace. It will be a surreal moment, as we are placed at the bottom of the totem pole just itching to worth our way to the top. I see myself sitting in at my desk and I think to myself: What am I getting paid for?

Today, I was reminded that I will be getting paid for my ideas. Ultimately, I will be noticed for the ideas I come up with that please my client. Well, that is scary to think about, but I will be ready. Yes, developing creative ideas is what I'll be paid for, but what happens beforehand is just as, if not more, important. It is the research. Over the past week, I have learned the extensive work that goes into researching a client's product, service or idea. It takes time, but it must be done in order to develop a great campaign for a client. What is the most important part of the researching process? You must always do a situation analysis. This will consist of asking yourself questions like who consumes the product? Why do they consume product? What is the consumer decision journey? Where did the product come from? What is the product's market share? What are the product's competitors?

There is an endless list of questions to be answered when researching the client's product, service or idea. One important concept I took from my Campaign Planning and Management class on Tuesday was that we never have experience. Unless you have been dealing with a client for 10+ years, we never have experience. New clients means that you have not had experience with that specific product. So, this, essentially, means that the drawing board is blank and must be filled with information from researching and doing a situation analysis.

Over the summer, I interned at an Integrated Marketing Communications firm in Boston, MA called Schneider Associates. It was surreal. I learned the true meaning of integrating six different promotional tools all in one to create a successful campaign. The reason I thought about my internship was because, as the intern, I had to do a lot of research about different products and companies when the executives were going to pitch to a new client. For example, it was mid-July when the Vice President came up to me and asked to me to find out everything there is to know about the Boston Teacher's Union. Immediately, I thought of a situation analysis. I had to find out who works there, who uses it, who are their competitors, etc. What I took from this experience relates to what Professor Spotts was teaching the class on Tuesday. It is so important to understand everything about the new client. It is also imperative to understand the voice of the client and how they want to be perceived by the media.

Ultimately, I will get paid for my ideas, but before the ideas, the research is the base of everything. I can't develop creative ideas without researching the client. The concepts of ideas and research go hand in hand in the marketing world and without them, a successful campaign is not in the horizons.

The Oreo: Milk's Favorite Cookie

After school, I remember plopping in front of my television with the best relationship in the food industry: Oreos and an ice cold glass of milk. It was impossible for me to have just one Oreo. If I have one, then I can count on eating at least five or six more. What is it about Oreos that makes them so successful? Is it the beautiful chocolate cracker paired with cream stuffing? Or is the emotional nostalgia feeling I get when I think about eating an Oreo?

Last week during class, my professor did an amazing job at keying in how a consumer's senses and emotions play a role in branding. I was blindfolded and told to hold a random product. I instantly knew what the product was. It was the traditional chocolate and cream sandwich cookie, an Oreo. I was not the only person in the class because when we were told to hold the product, more than one person said, "Oh! I know what this is!" How does Oreo do such a great job that consumers can depict their brand name just by the sense of touch? In my opinion, it relates back to emotion. It relates to how we feel about the product, the emotional connection we've had with it in the past that makes us recognize it without even seeing it.

Our next assignment was to fill out a survey depicting the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of an Oreo. I said chocolate, milk, delicious, snack, etc. I understood what the professor was trying to showcase at this moment. Nabisco is Oreo's parent owner and their brand manager has a goal of what he/she wants a consumer to first think of when hearing the word Oreo. In class, we were filling out a survey that the brand manager would use for research. I learned a lot about research, specifically in terms of Simmons data. This is a database in which I have the access of researching who consumes Oreos, what age, what ethnicity, what gender, etc.

Back the emotional appeal of Oreos... I believe that Oreos capture a great sense of nostalgia. Nostalgia is a concept in my marketing tool box that talks about consumers connecting with a memory in the past, preferably a happy memory. For example, if you ever hear a song that brings you back to a happy place and time, you're feeling a sense of nostalgia. I think that Oreos encapsulate nostalgia because I ate Oreos the most frequently when I was a kid. It brings back this happy emotion of being a kid again and having no worries in the world. It was a time of peace and fun, which is exactly what Nabisco's brand manager hope their consumers feel.

Oreos are the leading brand in ready-to-eat cookies, ahead of Chips Ahoy and Little Debbie, because of their success in marketing to consumers. Whether it be the nostalgia effect or the delicious taste, Oreo has been leading the score board for many years and I don't think that plan on stopping anytime soon.