Download i. appeals and execution styles

CHAPTER 9
CREATIVE STRATEGY: IMPLEMENTATION
AND EVALUATION
Chapter Overview
In the previous chapter the importance of advertising creativity was examined along with the creative
process of advertising. Attention was also given to various approaches for determining the big idea that
will be used as the central theme of the advertising campaign. This chapter continues the discussion of
creative strategy by turning attention to how these big ideas are developed into advertising messages. We
will examine various appeals and execution styles that can be used in developing an advertisement along
with tactical issues involved in the design and production of advertising messages. The chapter concludes
with a discussion of some guidelines for evaluating the creative work of the advertising agency.
Learning Objectives
1. To analyze various types of appeals that can be used in the development and implementation of an
advertising message.
2. To analyze the various creative execution styles that advertisers can use and the advertising
situations where they are most appropriate.
3. To analyze various tactical issues involved in the creation of print advertising and TV commercials.
4. To consider how clients evaluate the creative work of their agencies and discuss guidelines for the
evaluation and approval process.
Chapter and Lecture Outline
I.
APPEALS AND EXECUTION STYLES
Once the major selling idea has been agreed upon, the creative team then turns its attention to determining
the specific type of appeal and execution style that will be used to carry out the creative concept.
A.
Advertising Appeals—The advertising appeal refers to the basis or approach used in the
advertisement to elicit some consumer response or to influence their feelings toward the product,
service, or cause. At the broadest level, these approaches can be broken down into two categories
or classes which are informational/rational appeals and emotional appeals.
1. Informational/rational appeals—these types of appeals focus on the consumer's practical,
functional or utilitarian need for the product or service and/or specific reasons for owning a
particular brand. Exhibit 9-1 provides an example of a rational appeal. Examples of a number
of product- or service-related appeals that would fall under the category of rational appeals
are discussed including:
 Feature appeals
 Competitive advantage appeals
 Favorable price appeals
 News appeals
 Product/service popularity appeals
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B.
Emotional appeals—these types of appeals relate to consumers' social and/or psychological needs
for purchasing a product or service. Emotional appeals have become very popular in advertising
as marketers recognize that many purchase decisions are made on the basis of feelings and
emotions since rational, functional-based differentiation is often very difficult. Examples of
psychological states or feelings that can serve as a basis for emotional appeals are shown in
Figure 9-1 of the text and can be reviewed.
Another reason for using emotional appeals is to influence consumers' interpretations of their
product usage experience through the use of transformational advertising. This type of
advertising creates feelings, images, meanings and beliefs about the product or service that may
be activated when the consumer uses it and thus "transforms" their interpretation of the usage
experience. Examples of transformational advertising used by Norwegian Cruise Lines to create a
unique image for the cruise experience and differentiate itself from competitors are shown in
Exhibit 9-6.
1. Combining rational and emotional appeals—many purchase decisions are made on the basis
of both rational and emotional motives. Thus rational and emotional appeals may be
combined in the advertisement to attempt to influence both types of purchase motives.
2. Additional types of appeals—Other appeal types that are discussed in the text include
reminder advertising and teaser advertising.
Professor Notes
C.
Advertising Execution—Creative execution refers to the manner in which an advertising appeal
is carried out or presented. A particular advertising appeal can be executed in a variety of ways
and a particular means of execution can be applied to a variety of advertising appeals. Some of
the more commonly used execution techniques include:
1. Straight-sell or factual message—this type of execution relies on a straightforward
presentation of information about the product or service such as specific attributes or benefits.
2. Scientific/technical evidence—a variation of the straight sell where scientific or technical
evidence or information is presented in the ad to support a claim.
3. Demonstration—this type of execution is designed to illustrate the key advantages or benefits
of a product or service by showing it in actual use or in some contrived or staged situation.
4. Comparison—this type of execution involves a direct or indirect comparison of a brand
against the competition.
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5. Testimonials—many advertisers present their advertising messages in the form of a
testimonial whereby a person speak on behalf of the product or service based on his or her
personal use of and/or experiences with it.
6. Slice of life—this type of execution is often based on a problem/solution type of format. The
ad attempts to portray a real-life situation involving a problem, conflict or situation
consumers may face in their daily lives. The ad then focuses on showing how the advertiser's
product or service can resolve the problem. Slice-of-life executions are also becoming very
common in business-to-business advertising as companies use this approach to demonstrate
how their products and services can be used to solve business problems.
7. Animation—this technique used animated characters or scenes drawn by artists or on
computer. Animation is often used as an execution technique for advertising targeted at
children. Some advertisers have also been Roger Rabbit style ads that mix animation with
real people. For example, Exhibit 9-18 shows an image from a Star-Kist tuna commercial
featuring Charlie the Tuna that mixes animation with real people.
8. Personality symbol—this type of execution involves the use of a central character or
personality symbol to deliver the advertising message and with which the product or service
can be identified. The personality symbol can take the form of a person who is used as a
spokesperson, animated characters or even animals. The text discusses how AFLAC has
made effective use of this execution style by developing commercials that have made a duck
a popular personality symbol for the company.
9. Fantasy—this type of appeal is often used for image advertising by showing an imaginary
situation or illusion involving a consumer and the product or service. Cosmetic companies
often use fantasy executions although the technique has also been used in advertising for
other products such as automobiles and beer.
10. Dramatization—this execution technique creates a suspenseful situation or scenario in the
form of a short story. Dramatizations often use the problem/solution approach as they show
how the advertised brand can help resolve a problem.
11. Humor—humor can be used as the basis for an advertising appeal. However, humor can also
be used as a way of executing the message and presenting other types of advertising appeals.
12. Combinations—many of these execution techniques can be combined in presenting an
advertising message. For example, slice-of-life ads are often used to demonstrate a product or
make brand comparisons.
Professor Notes
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II.
CREATIVE TACTICS
Once the creative approach, type of appeal, and execution style has been determined, attention turns to
creating the actual advertisement. The design and production of an advertising message involves a
number of activities such as writing copy, developing illustrations and other visual elements of the ad and
bringing all of the pieces together in a finished product.
A.
Creative tactics for print advertising—there are three basic components of a print ad including the
headline, body copy, and the visual elements or illustrations. These elements are brought together
through a layout.
1. Headlines—the headline refers to the words in the leading position of the advertisement—
those that are likely to be read first or are positioned to draw the most attention. The most
important function of a headline is to attract the readers’ attention and make them interested
in the remainder of the advertising message. There are various types of headlines including:
 Direct headlines – straightforward and informative in terms of the message presented
 Indirect headlines—provoke curiosity and intrigue by using questions, challenges,
provocations, and other methods
2. Subheads—many ads also contain a main headline and one or more secondary headlines or
subheads. These subheads usually appear in a smaller type size than the main headline and
are generally larger the type size used for the body copy. They are used to break-up or section
off large amount of body copy and highlight key sales points in the ad.
3. Body copy—the main text portion of a print ad is referred to as the body copy. Body copy
content depends on the type of advertising appeal and/or execution style being used.
4. Visual elements—another major component of a print ad is the visual elements or
illustrations. Visual components often dominate print advertising and play a very important
role in determining effectiveness.
5. Layout—a layout refers to the physical arrangement of the various parts of the ad including
the headline, subheads, illustrations, body copy and any identifying marks.
B.
Creative Tactics for Television—As with print ads, television commercials have several
components which must work together to create the right impact and communicate the
advertiser's message.
1. Video—the video or visual elements are what is seen on the television screen. Decisions have
to be made regarding the main focus of the visual such as the product, the presenter, action
sequences, lighting graphics, color and other factors.
2. Audio—the audio portion of a commercial includes several elements such as voice, music
and sound effects. Voices may be heard in several ways such as through the direct
presentation of a spokesperson or as a dialogue or conversation among people in the
commercial. A common method for presenting the audio portion of a commercial is through a
voice-over whereby the message is delivered or action on the screen is narrated by the voice
of an announcer who is not visible. A trend among major advertisers is to hire celebrities with
distinctive voices to do the voiceovers for their commercials.
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3. Music—a very important part of many television commercials is music which plays various
roles and functions such as providing a pleasant background or helping create the appropriate
mood or setting. IMC Perspective 9-3 discusses how marketers use popular songs to help
deliver their advertising messages. Another important musical element in both television and
radio commercials is jingles, which are catchy songs about a product or service that usually
carry the advertising theme and a simple message.
4. Planning and production of television commercials—the various elements of a television
commercial are brought together in a document known as a script which is a written version
of a commercial that provides a detail description of its video and audio content. The script
indicates the various audio components of the commercial such as the copy to be spoken by
voices, music and sound effects. The video portion of the script provides the visual plan of
the commercial. Once the basic script has been conceived, the writer and art director get
together to produce a storyboard or a series of drawings used to present the visual plan or
layout of a proposed commercial. Once the client approves the storyboard, the commercial is
ready to move to the production phase. The production process for a commercial actually
involves three phases:
 Preproduction – all the work and activities that occur before the actual filming of a
commercial.

Production –the period during which the commercial is filmed or videotaped and
recorded.

Postproduction – activities and work that occur after the commercial has been filmed and
recorded.
Professor Notes
III.
CLIENT EVALUATION AND APPROVAL OF CREATIVE WORK
While the creative specialists determine the advertising appeal and execution style that will be used in the
campaign, the client must evaluate and approve the creative approach before any ads are actually
produced. A number of different people on the client side may be involved in evaluating and approving
the creative work of the agency. The amount and influence of these individuals will depend on the
company's organization and policies, the importance of the product to the company, the role of
advertising in the marketing program, and the nature of the advertising approach being recommended.
There are two basic stages in the development of advertising—creation and production. Most of the
attention in this chapter has focused on the creation stage and creative process. Once the creative
approach has been determined and approved, the attention turns to the production process, which involves
a variety of functions needed to produce the ad or commercial and put it into a finished form suitable for
use by the media. The client will have the opportunity to review the final version of the advertisement
after the production stage. However, it is important that a careful evaluation be made before the ad
actually enters production as this stage requires a substantial investment of time and money.
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A.
Guidelines for Evaluating Creative Output—There are a number of guidelines that personnel on
the client side might use to evaluate the creative approaches suggested by the agency. Some of
the most important and basic criteria or guidelines that might be used in evaluating creative
approaches are discussed in the text and include the following:
 Is the creative approach consistent with the brand's marketing and advertising objectives?

Is the creative approach consistent with the creative strategy and objectives and does it
communicate what it is supposed to?

Is the creative approach appropriate for the target audience?

Does the creative approach communicate a clear and convincing message to the customer?

Does the creative execution overwhelm the message?

Is the creative approach appropriate for the media environment in which it is likely to be
seen?

Is the advertisement truthful and tasteful?
Teaching Suggestions
Nearly every student has an opinion about the quality and effectiveness of various ads and those that they
feel are particularly good or bad. Students should enjoy reading this chapter and learning about the
various creative appeals and execution styles that can be used by advertisers. An interesting way of
beginning the lecture on creative strategy is to ask the students to name the TV commercial or print ad
they would rate as the "most outstanding" one they have seen lately. You might then ask them how they
think their list of top commercials would compare against that of ad critics. Publications such as
Advertising Age and AdWeek pick the best ads each year and feature them in special editions. For
example, the Advertising Age Best Awards are given each year in various product and service categories
and for various media including television, radio, newspapers magazines, out of home and interactive.
These ads are reviewed in a special section that is published each May. There are two very interesting
websites that you may want to visit and direct your students to: www.adforum.com and
www.adcritic.com. Commercials currently running can be viewed on these sites and they also include
reviews of spots, industry news and many other interesting features.
This chapter does not go into a great amount of detail regarding the process of creating and producing the
advertisement. If more detail is desired on areas such as art and layout, copywriting or print and broadcast
production students might be referred to a more traditional advertising principles book such as
Contemporary Advertising by William F. Arens. There are also numerous books available on the creative
process such as Creative Strategy in Advertising by A. Jerome Jeweler and Bonnie L. Drewniany and
Creative Advertising: Theory and Practice by Sandra E. Moriarty. Students interested in specific areas of
the creative process such as copywriting or layout can be referred to some of the books in these areas such
as The Design of Advertising by Roy Paul Nelson, Advertising Copywriting by Philip Ward Burton and
Fundamentals of Copy & Layout by Albert C. Book and C. Dennis Schick.
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Answers To Discussion Questions
1. The opening vignette to the chapter discusses the strong growth Skyy vodka has experienced over the
past decade. Discuss how advertising and other forms of marketing communication have contributed
to the success of Skyy vodka.
As discussed in the opening vignette, Skyy vodka has become a very successful brand as sales have
increased from just over 3,000 cases per year in 1993 to 1.3 million in 2002. Actually the strong
growth of the brand has continued as 2003 sales are expected to exceed 2 million cases. Advertising
has played a very important role in the success of the brand as the “Skyy cinema” campaign has
helped build an image for the brand and differentiate it from the competition. The advertising
campaign resonates very well with the target market of 21 to 34 year-old, urban metro consumers and
has helped establish an emotional connection between them and the brand. Skyy Spirits and the
Lambesis agency have also used other forms of marketing communication to build the cinematic
image for Skyy including sponsorship of independent film festivals and event marketing. Skyy’s
involvement with cinema also includes the commissioning of short films that include a “cocktail
moment” which can be shown at film festivals and on the Skyy vodka web site. These short films
serve as a form of “advertainment” similar to those for BMW which were discussed in Chapter 3. In
addition to the short films, the web site for Skyy has many other features that contribute to the
cinematic theme and have helped in the brand-building effort.
2. Discuss the differences between an advertising appeal versus a creative execution style. Choose
several ads and analyze the particular appeal and execution style used in each.
An advertising appeal refers to the basis or approach used in the advertisement to elicit some
consumer response or influence feelings toward the product, service, or cause. The creative execution
style refers to the way in which a particular appeal is turned into an advertising message and
presented to the consumer. A particular appeal can be executed in a variety of ways and a particular
means of execution can be applied to a variety of advertising appeals. For example an informational
appeal that focuses on a product's features or advantages can be executed through a straight-sell or
factual message, a demonstration or a comparison. A particular execution technique such as animation
could be used for an informational/rational appeal or for an emotional appeal. Students should be
encouraged to analyze the particular appeals and execution styles used in selected ads.
3. What are the differences between informational/rational and emotional advertising appeals and the
factors that would leak to the use of one over the other? Find examples of advertising campaigns that
use each type of appeal and discuss the reasons why it is used by the advertiser.
Informational/rational appeals focus on the consumer's practical, functional, or utilitarian needs or
motives for purchasing a product or service and emphasize specific features and/or benefits or reasons
for owning or using a particular brand. Informational/rational appeals are most appropriate for highly
involving or complex consumer products such as appliances, electronic products, pharmaceuticals,
automobiles, or financial products and services as well as for many industrial or business-to-business
products and services. These types of appeals are commonly used when consumers have a high need
for information and are likely to engage in evaluation and comparison of alternative brands. Specific
motives that can be used as the basis for rational appeals include quality, performance, efficacy,
durability, reliability, dependability and efficiency.
Emotional appeals relate to the consumer's social and/or psychological needs for purchasing a product
or service. Emotional appeals are most appropriate for products and services where social and/or
psychological needs and feelings are important or where consumers need to be reached on an
emotional level. Many consumer products are difficult to differentiate on a functional/utilitarian basis
and advertisers often turn to appeals to emotions to create feelings, images and beliefs that can be
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activated when the consumer uses the product. Moreover, marketers recognize that commercials must
be meaningful to consumers, as well as entertaining, and emotional appeals are often the best way to
touch the consumer and hold their interest. Emotional appeals are not, however, limited to consumer
products that are difficult to differentiate. Appeals to emotions are also used for major purchases such
as automobiles, financial investments, and many other purchases. Figure 9-1 lists various personal
psychological states (safety, security, fear, joy, nostalgia, pride) as well as social-based feelings or
needs (recognition, status, respect, approval) that can be used as the basis for emotional advertising
appeals. Students should be encouraged to find examples of ads that appeal to specific psychological
and/or social needs or motives.
Students should have no trouble finding ads that use informational/rational and emotional appeals.
However, they should be encouraged to discuss why they think this type of advertising appeal is
appropriate for the product or service they are analyzing.
4. IMC Perspective 9-1 discusses how a number of companies have been bringing back classic
advertising characters, spokespeople, and/or commercials. Why do you think companies are doing
this? Discuss the pros/cons of this strategy.
There are a number of reasons why marketers are bringing back advertising characters and
spokespeople or even old commercials. In many cases the advertising campaign that used the
characters or spokesperson was very successful and the marketers are hoping that this success can be
replicated. Marketers will argue that consumers remember these characters and spokespeople and
they also have favorable feelings about them which means the ads will be well received. They also
note that many consumers, particularly baby boomers, are very receptive to nostalgia appeals as they
want to relive their past and thus enjoy these commercials. Some experts also note that these appeals
work well during uncertain times such as the post 9-11 era as consumers feel more secure and
reassured by familiar advertising appeals from happier times.
The use of advertising characters, spokespeople and commercials from previous campaigns can be a
risky strategy that may backfire. Consumers may no longer identify with these characters or ads and
may even view the strategy as a form of desperation by the marketer. Many of these recycled
campaigns often are not very effective and the time and effort, as well as money, spent on them might
be put to better use by developing new creative ideas and campaigns.
5. What is meant by emotional bonding? Discuss how this concept can be used in developing and
advertising campaign for a brand.
Emotional bonding is a proprietary research technique developed by the McCann Erickson
Worldwide advertising agency in conjunction with Stanford marketing professor Michael Ray. This
technique is designed to evaluate how consumers feel about brands and the name of an emotional
rapport or connection they have with a brand compared to the ideal emotional state they associate
with the product or service category. The basic concept behind emotional bonding is that consumers
develop three levels of relationships with brands. The most basic relationship occurs at a
product/service benefit level and deals with how well advertising communicates information about a
brand. The next level involves the personality a consumer assigns to a brand on the basis of the cues
found in the advertising. At the highest level, consumers develop relationships with brands based on
feelings or emotional attachments. Advertising can play an important role in developing an emotional
linkage between a brand and a consumer.
The concept of emotional bonding can be to provide strategic input into the creative process and
determine how well advertising is communicating with consumers. For example, as discussed in the
text, McCann used emotional bonding research in developing the “Priceless” campaign for
Mastercard. The technique was also used in developing the long-running “brewing romance”
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campaign for Taster’s Choice instant coffee which was one of the most popular ad campaigns of the
90s.
6. Discuss how teaser advertising might be used to introduce a new product or brand or to reposition an
existing brand. What factors should marketers take into consideration when using a teaser campaign?
Teaser advertising is designed to build curiosity, interest, and/or excitement about a product/service or
brand by talking about it but not actually showing it. Teasers can also be used to draw attention to
upcoming advertising campaigns and generate interest and publicity for them. Teaser ads are often
used to introduce a new product or brand such as automobiles, movies or television shows. They can
also be used to reposition an existing brand as the curiosity and interest they generate can create some
excitement and intrigue that can help increase consumer involvement and make them more receptive
to subsequent advertising. When using a teaser campaign marketers will have to consider several
factors. They must make sure the teaser generates enough interest and/or curiosity among the target
audience to be effective. If the message is too subtle, consumers may not even attend to it. Marketers
must also be careful not to extend their teaser campaigns too long as this can create confusion among
consumers or even generate negative reactions. As noted in the text, you have to give consumers
enough information to hold their attention and interest yet maintain some level of mystery, intrigue
and or curiosity.
7. IMC Perspective 9-2 discusses how advertising for online companies failed to inspire a new creative
revolution in advertising. Do you think Internet and dotcom companies relied too much on developing
outrageous advertising? Might some of these companies been more successful if they had used more
traditional advertising approaches?
IMC Perspective 9-2 notes that a few years ago, many advertising people feel that a new creative
revolution was taking place in advertising as a result of the new technology emerging from the
Internet and the tremendous growth of ads for Internet related companies. They argued that these new
entrepreneurs were bringing a very bold and unconventional creative style to advertising. Many of
dot.com companies rejected the traditional ways of doing business and this is reflected in their
advertising. They were willing to take more creative risks than traditional marketers because they felt
that outrageous and edgy advertising was needed to get attention and build awareness for their
companies relatively quickly. Those who argued that online companies were leading a creative
revolution often note the excellent ads for financial services companies such as E*Trade and
Ameritrade as well as companies such as Monster.com. It should be noted that not everyone agrees
with the idea that the dotcoms are leading a new creative revolution. Many critics argue that while
many of the ads for many online companies were creative and fun to watch, they were ineffective at
communicating a meaningful message. They argue that many of these companies were too concerned
with having the funniest or most outrageous advertising and that most of these ads begin to look the
same. One expert has termed the branding strategies of most of the dotcoms “McBranding” because
online companies wanted fantastic branding campaigns delivered immediately rather than building
their image over time.
The second part of this question asks whether some of these companies would have been more
successful if they had used more traditional advertising approaches. The answer is this question is
probably no as the problem for many of the dotcoms was with their basic value proposition rather
than their advertising. Some of the online companies have survived because they offer a service or
sell products that meet customer needs as well as the traditional brick and mortar competitors.
However, many ecommerce companies failed for reasons that went beyond their advertising. While
these companies may have benefited from more traditional approaches to advertising, it is unlikely
that this would have made them successful.
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8. What meant by slice-of-death advertising? Discuss some of the reasons business-to-business
marketers might use this technique.
Slice-of-death advertising is an execution technique used to advertise business-to-business products
and services which involves showing the negative consequences that can result when companies
make the wrong decision in choosing a vendor or service provider. It is a variation of the slice-of-life
execution technique that is common in consumer products advertising which shows a problem,
situation or conflict that consumers face in their daily lives and how the advertiser’s product or
service can resolve the problem. Many business-to-business marketers use this advertising execution
technique to demonstrate how their products and services can be used to solve their customers’
business problems and how they are better than their competitors. This execution style is often used in
conjunction with a fear appeal although some companies, such as Fed Ex, also integrate humor into
their slice-of-death commercials.
9. AFLAC, which is a provider of supplemental insurance, has been very successful in making a duck a
popular personality symbol for the company in its advertising. Discuss why an insurance company
would develop an advertising campaign featuring a duck.
The AFLAC campaign is a very good example of how a company can take a cute character such as a
duck and turn it into a personality symbol that can effectively deliver an advertising message with
which the company can become identified. AFLAC, which is an acronym for American Family Life
Assurance Company, sells insurance policies which supplement primary health plans. ALFAC’s
various insurance plans are sold through insurance agents who work with customers in putting
together a program that best meets their needs. However, advertising plays an important role in
making consumers aware of the company and interested in learning more about its insurance plans.
Since this campaign was first introduced in 2000 awareness of AFLAC has increased tremendously
and the ads have helped make potential customers more interested in the company. The campaign has
been very popular and has been recognized by a number of major media which has generated a great
deal of publicity for the company and helped increase awareness. Supplemental insurance is a
product/service category that is not very easy to advertise as consumers are not interested in it or do
not want to address the need for insurance. The humorous ads featuring the quirky duck in all sorts of
odd places are a very good way to break through the clutter, get consumer to attend to the ads, and
register the AFLAC company name.
10. Discuss the role of headlines and subheads in print advertisements. Find examples of print ads that
use various types of direct and indirect headlines.
The most important function or role of the headline is to attract the readers' attention and make them
interested in the remainder of the message. Headlines can also perform a segmentation function by
engaging the attention and interest of consumers who may be most likely to buy a particular product
or service. Some ads use little or no body copy so the headline must work with the illustration or
visual portion of the ad to communicate the entire advertising message. Subheads are secondary
headlines that are usually smaller than the main headline but larger than the body copy. Subheads are
often used to enhance the readability of the message by breaking up large amounts of body copy and
highlighting key sales points. Their content often reinforces the headline and advertising slogan or
theme.
A direct headline is very straightforward and informative in terms of the message presented and the
target audience the ad is directed toward. Examples are headlines that make an announcement or
provide news or information to the reader. Indirect headlines are not straightforward but rather may
be designed to create attention, interest or curiosity through the use of questions, provocations, or
challenges. Students should find an example of ads that use direct and indirect headlines.
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11. Discuss the role music plays in TV commercials. Why might companies such as General Motors and
Microsoft and pay large sums of money to use popular songs in their commercials.
Music can play a variety of roles and functions in commercials. In many spots, the role of music is
primarily to provide a pleasant background or to help create the appropriate mood or setting for the
commercial. In some ads the role of music is much more central to the delivery of the advertising
message. It can be used to break through clutter, help establish an image or position, or add emotion
or feeling. Music can work through a classical conditioning process whereby it creates positive
feelings or affect that become associated with the product or service being advertised. Music can also
create a positive mood state that can make the consumer more receptive toward the advertising
message.
Companies such as General Motors and Microsoft and pay large sums of money for the rights to use
these songs such as because they feel the music is central to the feeling or image they want to create
in the commercial. For example, GM has uses the music from Led Zeppelin’s hit song “Rock and
Roll” in its commercials for Cadillac as part of its effort to attract baby boomers by creating a more
hip image for the brand. Microsoft licensed the rights to use the classic Rolling Stones song “Start
Me Up” in ads for its Windows 95 operating system as the music helped deliver a message regarding
the integral role the operating system plays in the functioning of a personal computer. The company
also licensed the rights to Madonna’s hit song “Ray of Light” for use in ads introducing its new XP
software as the company felt that the lyrics were very appropriate for promoting a technology product
such as the XP software. The use of the Madonna song also helped attract and hold attention to the
commercials because of her popularity and star power.
Additional Discussion Questions (not in text)
12. What is meant by transformational advertising? Analyze the ads for Norwegian Cruise Lines shown
in Exhibit 9-5 from a transformational advertising perspective.
A transformational ad is one which associates the experience of using (consuming) the advertised
brand with a unique set of psychological characteristics which would not be typically be associated
with the brand experience to the same degree without exposure to the advertisement.
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.
The campaign for Norwegian Cruise Lines, which uses the tagline “As far from the everyday as a
ship can take you. That’s the Norwegian Way,” is an excellent example of transformational
advertising. The campaign focuses on the cruise experience and emphasizes how Norwegian provides
each guest with a unique reprieve from the mundane routines of everyday life. Both the ad copy and
the visuals depict the vast array of experiences and activities to be enjoyed during one day on a
Norwegian Cruise Line voyage. Travelers may embark on a Norwegian cruise with a very different
attitude than those who choose another line, such as Carnival, where the advertising focuses on food,
fun and entertainment. This ad campaign has definitely helped change the way consumers perceive
Norwegian and how they might experience a cruise vacation.
13. Describe the use of dramatization as an advertising execution technique. Discuss a product or service
for which dramatization might be an effective form of execution.
Dramatization is an execution technique where the focus is on telling a short story with the product or
service as the star. The approach is similar to a slice-of-life execution in that it usually relies on a
problem/solution approach but uses more excitement and suspense in telling the story. Products and
services for which there are significant consequences or outcomes associated with their use or
performance are good candidates for the use of dramatization executions. Dramatization is an
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effective way to draw the viewer into the action and hopefully to get them to experience the feelings
and concerns of the characters. For example, Exhibit 9-20 shows a storyboard for a Zerex antifreeze
ad which uses dramatization by showing a woman coming home from a business trip and the sense of
relief she experiences when her car starts at the airport on a cold, snowy winter night.
14. Why do advertisers such as Procter & Gamble and other package-goods marketers use slice of life
executions so often?
The slice-of-life execution format is very popular among packaged-goods companies such as Procter
& Gamble because it is an effective way of connecting with consumers by showing common
situations or problems they encounter in their everyday lives. The slice-of-life format relies on a
problem-solution approach that is often presented with a little drama. These spots usually begin by
showing consumers facing or talking about a problem such as bad breath, dingy laundry, dandruff,
headaches, or dry skin. The short drama always ends with the problem being resolved by the
advertiser’s product. Many advertisers feel that the slice-of-life format is a more interesting and
effective way to present their message than just making performance or efficacy claims. Consumers
purchase products to solve problems and marketers feel the slice-of-life execution format is an
effective way of registering a product feature or benefits and showing how it can resolve common
problems we encounter in our daily lives.
15. Why do many advertisers pay large sums of money to celebrities to do the voiceovers for their
commercials? Do you think consumers recognize the voices of the celebrities doing the commercials?
Is it necessary that they recognize them for the commercials to be effective?
Advertisers will often pay as much as $500,000 to celebrities just to have them do the voiceovers for
their commercials. Some celebrities prefer this more subtle form of product endorsement as they do
not have to appear in the ads and thus can avoid the potential negative image of being perceived as
“selling out” and pitching products. Advertisers and agencies that pay these large sums of money for
celebrity voiceovers argue that a voice consumers have heard before is reassuring and makes the
message more effective. They also argue that some celebrities have very distinctive and engaging
voices that communicate very effectively.
It is difficult to say whether consumers recognize the celebrities doing the voiceovers in many
commercials. Actors who have very distinctive voices may be recognized such as Donald Sutherland
(Volvo), Richard Dryfus (Honda) and Jeff Goldblum (Apple Computer). However, most consumers
probably do not recognize the celebrities doing the voiceover in many commercials. It is not
necessary that consumers recognize the celebrity’s voice for the commercial to be effective.
Distinctive voices are often part of the talent offered by actors and actresses as they may be help them
be perceived a certain way (honest, humble, sincere, funny and the like). The voice characteristics
that help make them popular entertainers may also be effective for television commercial voiceovers.
16. Discuss the ethical implications of using personality symbols that might be appealing to young people
for advertising alcohol or tobacco. Do you agree with the position of advertisers who argue they do
not intentionally try to reach young people with ads using these personality symbols?
The use of personality symbols to advertise an alcoholic beverage or tobacco product can be very
controversial when the character has appeal young people. Critics argue that young people identify
with characters such as Spuds MacKenzie, who was used to advertise Bud Light beer, the Budweiser
lizards, or Joe Camel, the "smooth character" in the Camel cigarette ads. They argue that the
characters are used by these companies to entice young people to use their products by glamorizing
the brand.
The companies who create these characters argue that they are not targeting minors as their
advertising is placed in media that are seen or read primarily by adults. They recognize the problems
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associated with underage drinking or smoking and argue that it is not in their best interest to
encourage these behaviors. However, it is very difficult for them to reach their target markets of
young adults without some "spillover" whereby minors will see their advertising.
Obviously this is a very controversial issue and can be the basis for a very good class discussion or
debate over whether alcohol or tobacco companies should use personality symbols that may appeal to
young people in the advertising of adult products.
IMC Exercise
The last section of the chapter discusses criteria or guidelines that can be used for evaluating the
output from the creative process of advertising. Some of these concern factors that are not directly
accessible and thus more difficult to evaluate, such as consistency with marketing and advertising
objectives. However, answers to many of these questions are judgmental in nature and can be
evaluated such as appropriateness for the target audience, communication of a clear and convincing
message, whether the creative overwhelms the message, appropriateness for the media environment,
and whether the ads are truthful and tasteful. Choose a particular campaign, conduct some research on
it in the business press or trade publications, and then evaluate the creative approach as well as some
of the individual ads against these guidelines. Excellent sources of information that can be helpful to
students in this assignment are the ad reviews that appear in publications such as Advertising Age or
AdWeek. You might also go to web sites such as www.adforum.com and www.adcritic.com.
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