In this commercial society where we live, advertisements are everywhere. Some of these advertisements are mediocre, and some are unique and innovative, thus leaving a deep impression on people. The reasons for this difference are not only design and production factors, but also uneven advertising creativity.
After advertising planning, advertising activities have entered a substantive creative stage. At this time, the advertisement creator should consider how to fully and artistically express and explain the theme of the advertisement. A successful advertising strategy first comes from extraordinary creativity. Creativity is the driving force to attract consumers' attention and stimulate their desire to buy.
First, the connotation of advertising creativity
(A) what is advertising creativity. With the sustained high-speed economic growth in China, the market competition is constantly expanding and escalating, and the commercial war has begun to enter the period of "intellectual" war. Advertising has also risen from the so-called "media war" and "investment war" to the competition of advertising creativity, and the word "creativity" has become the most popular and commonly used word in China advertising industry. "Creativity" means "creativity" in English, which means creating, creating and causing. "Creativity" literally means "creating images". From this perspective, advertising creativity is an artistic conception activity between advertising planning and advertising performance production. That is, according to the advertising theme, through careful thinking and planning, using artistic means, the mastered materials are creatively combined to create an image process. In short, it is the imagery of advertising theme creativity.
In order to better understand "advertising creativity", it is necessary to explain creativity, image, representation and artistic conception. "Idea" refers to ideas and concepts. In artistic creation, concept is the thought and viewpoint to be expressed in the work and the core of the content of the work. In advertising creativity and design, creativity is the theme of advertising, which refers to the idea that advertising wants to explain in order to achieve a certain purpose. It is an intangible and conceptual thing, which can only be expressed by means of tangible things. Any artistic activity must have two elements: first, the objective thing itself is the object of artistic expression; The second is to express the image of objective things, which is a means of artistic expression. And the conception activity that organically links the two is creativity. In the process of artistic expression, the choice of image is very important, because it is a symbol to convey objective information. On the one hand, it should accurately reflect the essential characteristics of the things being represented, on the other hand, it should be understood and accepted by the public. At the same time, the freshness of the image is also very important. In advertising creative activities, creators should also strive to find suitable artistic images to express the ideas of advertising themes. If the choice of artistic image is unsuccessful, it will be impossible to inspire regret and convince consumers through the communication of ideas.
An objective image that conforms to the idea of the advertisement creator and can be used to express the characteristics of goods and services is called representation when it is not used as a concrete form of expression. Representation should generally be familiar to the advertising audience, and it is best to have a general definition in real life, which can cause some objective image association.
The image formed in people's minds, through the creator's feelings, emotional experience and understanding, penetrates into the certain meaning of subjective feelings and emotions, and is transformed into an image through certain association, exaggeration, concentration, distortion and deformation.
Once the image is transformed into an image, it has a specific meaning and subjective color. The image reflects the objective things and the creator's ideas in different degrees, and the audience's feelings it can arouse will be different. Using images to reflect the style and degree of objective things is artistic conception. That is, the realm that images can reach. Artistic conception is an important index to measure the quality of artistic works.
(2) the principle of advertising creativity.
The originality principle of advertising creativity. The so-called originality principle means that advertising creativity should not stick to the old rules, but be brave in innovation and be good at being unconventional. Original advertising creativity has the biggest psychological breakthrough effect. Unique novelty is to attract attention, and its unique charm will arouse people's strong interest and leave a deep impression on the audience's mind. Being remembered for a long time, this series of psychological processes conforms to the psychological ladder goal of advertising communication.
The principle of effectiveness of advertising creativity. Creativity is the first principle of advertising creativity, but creativity is not the purpose. Whether advertising creativity can achieve the purpose of promotion basically depends on the communication efficiency of advertising information, which is the effectiveness principle of advertising creativity, including understanding and relevance. Understanding is easy to be accepted by a wide audience. In advertising creativity, we should be good at combining various information symbol elements to make it moderately novel and original. The key is to find the best combination between novelty and understandability. Relevance refers to the memory association between the image combination in advertising creativity and the theme content of advertising.
Second, the golden pyramid principle of advertising creativity.
Pyramid principles is a particularly effective and practical tool for developing advertisements to express creativity. From the golden pyramid principle, we can gain insight into the thinking process of advertising designers and what logic to use to maximize creativity. As can be seen from the pyramid structure, the creativity of advertising is second only to the top of the pyramid. The golden pyramid principle of creativity is divided into three levels. The first level is information, which covers a wide range, including internal information, competitive enterprise information and economic environment information. These all-encompassing information are just individual statistical data, which are for reference only and cannot be read from the book. It must be carefully analyzed at the second level. This level involves a wide range of fields, including statistics, psychology, economics and sociology. Only after analysis and evaluation can the third level of advertising creativity appear. Only the creativity extended through these levels is the driving force to exert the advertising effect, and it is a false advertising trick.
Third, the process of advertising creativity and its thinking method
(A) advertising creative process
The process of advertising creativity can be divided into the following five stages.
1, preparation period-the institute collects information and inspires new ideas on the basis of old experience. Information is divided into general information and special information. The so-called special information refers to the relevant information collected specifically for an advertising campaign.
2. Incubation period-chew and digest the collected data, so that consciousness can develop and combine freely. Because all ideas are discovered by accident.
3. Enlightenment-most psychologists think that impression is the source of inspiration, so at this stage, all kinds of ideas are produced in the development and combination of consciousness.
4. Verification period-review and modify the generated ideas to make them more perfect.
5. Formation period-concretizing creativity with words or graphics.
(C) advertising creative thinking methods.
James young, an American advertising professor, said, "Creativity is not only inspired, but also the result of thinking." Creativity comes from "the recombination of existing elements", and creativity is not the exclusive product of genius.
Advertising creative thinking methods include the following three:
1, longitudinal thinking method: thinking vertically up or down according to a certain thinking route, which is a self-expansion method of the mind. It has always been evaluated as the most ideal way of thinking. The advantage is relative safety and clear thinking direction. Its defect is that it focuses on past experiences and patterns, and only reprints or improves old consciousness.
2. Lateral thinking method. Also known as the lateral thinking method, it develops in many directions when thinking about problems. This method is conducive to the generation of new ideas, but it cannot replace the vertical thinking method and can only make up for the latter's shortcomings. The vertical method is still used to think about any idea. At the same time, the lateral thinking method can remind creative people not to stand still when thinking. The two methods cooperate with each other and are used flexibly, which can get twice the result with half the effort.
3. The business rule of gathering brains: that is, a group of people gather all the participants' ideas on special problems to solve problems by means of meetings. This is a valuable creative thinking method.
Fourth, the advertising creative strategy of USP advertising
(1) Characteristics of USP strategy: USP strategy refers to a unique setting proposition, which can only be effective when advertisements can point out the uniqueness of products, that is, to discover and develop their own unique sales themes when conveying content. USP has three characteristics:
1, which must contain specific commodity utility. That is to say, every advertisement should make a statement to consumers and give them a clear promise of benefits.
2. It must be unique, unique, and it is a statement that other similar competitive goods have not or have not been publicized.
3, it must be conducive to promoting sales, that is, this statement must be strong enough to attract millions of people.
Due to the rapid development of science and technology, human society is constantly advancing, and universal and modular advertising creativity and performance can no longer attract the attention and interest of the public. It is necessary to find out the uniqueness of the product in the product and state it in the advertisement, that is, to implement a unique sales theme. As soon as this new advertising creative strategy came out, it immediately aroused enthusiastic response in the advertising industry and was widely promoted in the 1950 s and 1960 s. Russell Reeves USP, its sponsor, has created many excellent and successful advertisements by using strategies.
(B) the theoretical and psychological basis of USP strategy
1, the theoretical basis of USP strategy. With the development of economy and the improvement of productivity, there are more and more commodities on the market, and the competition tends to be fierce. Homogeneous products or homogeneous information based on standardization are difficult to win consumers, so differentiated marketing has become the main marketing strategy choice of enterprises. Differentiated marketing fully considers the diversity and heterogeneity of consumer demand. USP strategy meets the requirements of marketing strategy, because different information needs are based on different products, including core differences, morphological differences and additional differences.
2. Psychological basis of 2.USP strategy. Consumers' buying motives and behaviors are influenced by the process of who knows. The so-called "who knows" refers to the intuitive image that consumers get from external stimuli through their senses. Psychology believes that the process of Hu's choice is a psychological process. There are three kinds of chairman processes: selective attention, selective misinterpretation and selective memory. USP strategy is to make use of people's psychological characteristics of directors to publicize the unique characteristics and benefits of products in advertisements, so that consumers can pay attention to, remember and be interested in the benefits provided, thus contributing to their purchase decisions.
Verb (abbreviation of verb) brand image strategy
In the mid-1960s, David Ogilvy advocated the concept of "brand image". After more than 30 years of practice, this creative strategy has been favored by more and more people in the industrial and commercial circles and advertising circles, showing strong vitality. At present, establishing and strengthening brand image is still the foothold of many advertising ideas, and this strategy also represents the future trend.
(A) the meaning of the brand
Kotler, a famous marketing scholar, defines a product as a name, a title, a symbol or a design, or the sum of the above. His aim is to distinguish his products or services from his competitors. This is the definition of general marketing, but the connotation of brand and brand image involved in advertising is slightly different from it. Brand in advertising strategy is reflected in consumers' awareness and acceptance of a large amount of information contained in the brand, such as name, logo, symbol, pronunciation, benefits provided, product characteristics, market evaluation, development history and so on. It is based on the heart of consumers, and it is more reflected in a subjective understanding.
(B) the meaning of brand value
Brand value is the main factor of effective competition. In the market economy, anything that can bring or increase benefits to the actor can be regarded as the asset of the actor and then can be monetized. Brands are no exception. For manufacturers, brands are assets that can bring profits. Brand value can be considered as the value of brand assets. Commonly used in the following two meanings: First, the value of brand assets is divided into two categories: providing value for consumers and providing value for manufacturers. Second, in the sense of asset evaluation, that is, to quantify the value of brand assets in a certain way and give a certain amount of money, which is brand value. The value of enterprise brand assets is mainly improved by strengthening brand image. For manufacturers, the brand image held by consumers to a brand is its brand power.
Composition of brand power:
The advantage of brand perception is determined by the intimacy and respect that consumers get from their understanding and familiarity with the brand, while the brand vitality is composed of the suitability brought by the meaning of the brand to consumers' lives and the characteristics of the brand, that is, differentiation. Therefore, the best brand, that is, the brand with strong brand, refers to the brand with vitality in the market position (good brand image) in consumer perception. Strong brands play an important role in enhancing competitive advantage and expanding market share: market players are usually strong brands; Strong brands usually enjoy high profit margins; Strong brands have no life cycle.
(C) the formation of brand image
Every brand has a brand image in the market. Brand image refers to all the emotional and aesthetic qualities that people associate with brands. Brand image adds illusory image, personality and symbols to products, which makes people have different feelings and emotions about the same thing, which is the psychological basis of brand image. To establish a brand image, we must choose and shape a suitable advertising image for the brand, which can express the brand characteristics and personality and be accepted by consumers. From the perspective of advertising practice, the choice and creation of advertising image can be as follows:
1, suitable model
Such as "Marlboro" cigarette advertisement, deeply imprinted the image of "cowboy in the west" in my mind.
2. Trademark characters
Leo Bona's fictional "Hulk" character image for the pea of Hulk Company in 1935 is also a very successful brand image.
3. Humanized cartoon images of animals
British Hoffmeister
In the beer advertising planning for young beer drinkers, in order to meet the needs of young people's self-identity and reflect the characteristics and wishes of young beer drinkers, beer creatively created the smart image of George Bear.
4. Celebrity image
In the print advertisement of Lux soap, pictures of movie stars were inserted, thus establishing the image of "Lux soap, soap used by international movie stars".
5, the image of ordinary people
An advertising company in France once invited an 80-year-old washerwoman to play the leading role in an advertisement for washing machines. Soon after the broadcast, the old lady became a big star, and the sales volume of this brand of washing machine rose from the fourth in the country to the second.
Sixth, the advertising positioning strategy positioning concept is the most epoch-making theory for advertising creative strategy after the brand image strategy of "unique sales theme".
(A) the concept of positioning and its key points
The society we live in now is this year's explosive society. On the one hand, the excessive spread of information makes it possible for us to know more about our surroundings, but on the other hand, it brings more and more pressure to our thoughts. Excessive advertising products, brand information and audience capacity have formed a sharp contradiction. Among many products and brands, the problem that the audience faces in the purchase decision is not only what to buy, but also which brand to accept and choose. In order to solve this contradiction, Alice and others put forward the concept of "positioning" and advocated using positioning as a new communication method in advertising strategies to create more effective communication effects. Even if advertising and brand information find a place in the hearts of the audience, it is also called "positioning".
The psychological basis and feature location of 1. Location is an attack strategy. The concept of positioning makes the starting point of advertising creativity shift from commodities to consumers, which requires a more detailed study of consumer psychology. The characteristics of the concept of positioning: positioning provides a simplified information for the limited sweetness of the audience; Locate symbols base on bit sequences; Positioning and conservatism and plasticity of audience psychology.
2. The competitive feature of positioning should be "relative to competitors", which shows that positioning advertising is a kind of competitive advertising, because positioning is a psychological competition, and positioning recognizes and uses the position and advantages of competitive brands.
(B) advertising positioning strategy
Advertising positioning strategy includes the following contents:
1, leadership positioning-establishing leadership position. This is a positioning strategy aimed at occupying the first or leading position in a certain product category. "First" is the easiest to enter the mind; Biggest has the same function, so you can become a leader by striving for "first", "first" and "biggest".
2, than the attached positioning-keep up with industry leaders. This is a positioning strategy that can be adopted when the leading position of competitive brands is quite stable, the original ranking is difficult to break and reorganize, or their own brands lack the strength and possibility to become leading brands. This positioning strategy makes its own brand have a certain relationship with the leading brand, and on the basis of acknowledging the leading position of the competitive brand, it occupies a position that follows closely.
3, segmentation positioning-looking for market gaps, segmentation positioning is in the original sequence, decomposition of smaller categories, decomposition of small steps in the big ladder, and then positioning their own brands in the leading position in the small category or small step. In advertising creativity, there are many strategies to find the gap, such as price gap, gender gap and age gap. By this means, we can find the market gaps found by many brands as the foothold of our advertising creativity and appeal.
4. Reorganization and positioning-repositioning for competition. There are hundreds of self-sufficient products on the market. There are few opportunities to find an empty gap, and the position of leadership and "first" is unique. Faced with the above difficulties, the most unfortunate choice is to withdraw from the competition, but enterprises can create opportunities for themselves by restructuring and positioning strategies. The main point of the reorganization positioning strategy is to eradicate an existing concept and product, and then move a new concept or product into people's minds.
5. "Senior Club" strategy-The company can adopt this strategy when it can't win the first prize or some meaningful advertisements and there is no market gap. By putting forward this concept, companies with bad records will be included in "senior clubs", and club members will be the best in the eyes of the audience. This undoubtedly enhanced the company's position in the eyes of the audience.