The Creative Process – When Does it Begin?

1. The Creative Process – When Does it Begin? • Once you have determined : • Who your target market is • What your objectives are • What the offer will be • What media you will use • Then you need to write your creative brief • and develop your creative strategy

2. The Creative Process – The Brief The creative brief is a comprehensive document that helps you strategize and crystallize thoughts before writing copy, formulating a creative strategy or starting design work. The creative brief contains the "specifications" to which both creative services and copywriting should adhere.

3. The Creative Process – The Brief “Briefing is not just a matter of putting together a detailed list of facts, figures and instructions. Creative briefing should set out to inspire the people who create the magic – the creative teams.” Marketing, Ireland’s Marketing Monthly

4. The Creative Brief - Getting it Right • Regardless of how the brief is presented, or if • the creative resources are in house, there • should always be a written creative brief • The creative brief is the most essential element in creating strong, effective direct marketing communications. It should be motivational, not rushed • All stakeholders in the campaign should • be present at the briefing session – creative, account management, media, production

5. A Powerful Brief - The Right Elements • Background to Product or Service • Task • Objectives • Target Audience

6. A Powerful Brief - The Right Elements • Single Minded Proposition • Support • Desired Response from Target Market • Offer • Media

7. A Powerful Brief - The Right Elements • Tone and Manner • Mandatories • Budget • Time Lines

8. A Powerful Brief - The Right Elements Background To Product Or Service • Characteristics of brand; why job is being briefed; market considerations, overall marketing strategy • It should begin to whet the appetite of the creative team • Task • What is being asked of the agency/creative team? • What services do you want provided creative, • production, media? • What is the consumer problem/need that the • creative must solve?

9. A Powerful Brief - The Right Elements • Objectives • What do you want to achieve, by when • and with what measurable results?

10. A Powerful Brief - The Right Elements Target Audience • Prospects and/or customers • Geographic, demographic and psychographic elements • Current perception, attitude and usage of the product by the target audience now • Create as insightful a picture as possible

11. A Powerful Brief - The Right Elements • Single Minded Proposition • What is the one key message you want to deliver • in terms of the prospect’s own needs that sets you • apart from all other competitors? Differentiation • can be related to your products, service or • company • This is the heart of the creative process. It distills • all the compiled information into one or two • sentences • Support • What product or service features support • single minded proposition/key benefit?

12. A Powerful Brief - The Right Elements • Desired Response From Target Market • What beliefs/attitudes do you want target market • to have about the product/service? • What behaviour (action) do you want the target • market to take? • Offer • Offers to induce target market to respond to • your solicitation Media • What media do you intend/propose to • use? Direct mail? Print or press? Web?

13. A Powerful Brief - The Right Elements Tone and Manner • Descriptors for copy style (e.g. Emotional, conservative; fun; dynamic; serious, fear, etc.) • Mandatories • Any logos, slogans, terms and conditions to be included, etc. • Budget • Budget available to achieve what you are looking for • from the agency : creative, production, media • Timelines • Deadlines: for initial “rough” concepts, for completed • concepts, copy and layout, presentation to the client, launch • Expect delays

14. Various Processes • Client prepares brief and presents it to agency/internal creatives, media and production OR • Client prepares brief presents to senior • agency people and agency account manager. Agency • account manager interprets it and presents it to • agency creative & production team • OR • Agency account manager prepares brief with client. • Agency Account Manager/Client briefs creatives, • media and production

15. A Powerful Brief “Give me the freedom of a tight briefing.” David Ogilvy

16. Creative BriefCase Study Consumer Technologies

17. Task • What is being asked of the agency/creative team? • What services do you want provided? • Creative • Production • Media • What is the consumer problem/need that this creative must solve?

18. Task • Develop an integrated DM campaign with DRTV for CT in 2006 • Develop a :60 spot to test against infomercial • Consider using non-TV media in order to achieve attractive CPLs • Requires strategy, creative, production and media planning/buying • Campaign needs to drive leads to 800 number and url • Launch canister model • Address new pet and allergy targets

19. Objectives • What do you want to achieve, by when and with what measurable results?

20. Objectives • 2006 sales of $75 million (>50% VYA) • Cyclone:Thunder mix of 80:20 in first year of Thunder • DRTV CPL for Cyclone: $44 • DRTV CPL for Thunder: $60 • Convert 10% of >2 yr. Cyclone owners to Thunder

21. Target Audience • Prospects and/or customers • Geographic • Demographic • Psychographic • Current perception, attitude and usage of the product by the target audience now

22. Target Audience • US and Canada • 29 – 59 • 70:30 F:M skew • Above average income, education • Urban and suburban • Houses and apartments • Pet owners, allergy sufferers, new parents • Keeping a clean and tidy home is very important • Mix of technology innovators, early adopters, early majority • Prizm Clusters: U1, U4, S1, S3, E1, R1

23. Single Minded Proposition • What is the one key message you want to deliver in terms of the prospect’s own needs that sets you apart from all other competitors? • Differentiation can be related to your products, service, or company.

24. Single Minded Proposition • Only Consumer Technologies offers the power of dual-cyclonic vacuum suction technology to keep your home as clean and as healthy as possible.

25. Support • What product or service features support single minded proposition/key benefit?

26. Support • Canister and upright models feature exclusive dual-cyclonic suction technology • No power-robbing paper filter bags. Dirt is collected • HEPA filter technology captures 99.99% of the particles flowing through it down to 0.3 microns in size including bacteria, pollen, plant-spores, moulds and dust • Canister has unique stair-hugger design • Includes 6-ft hose, mini powerhead, bare floor nozzle and 3 on-board accessories • 30-day risk free trial plus 2-yr warranty • 24-7 toll-free customer assistance

27. Desired Response From Target Market • What beliefs/attitudes do you want the target market to have about the product/service? • What behaviour (action) do you want the target market to take?

28. Desired Response From Target Market • Current Perception: • Haven’t heard of CT Cyclone or Thunder but would try something new to get rid of cat hair/make my cleaner, especially during allergy season • Didn’t know there was a vacuum that didn’t use paper filter bags • Desired perception (actual customer testimonials): • “The first time I used the Cyclone I got two collection bins full of material out of the carpet!” • “I like its light weight and the HEPA cleaning filter. My daughter has asthma, so its important to me.” • “I love my Cyclone! I have 3 cats and after each use I can feel the difference in the air and see a lot of difference in my carpet.”

29. Offer / Call to Action • Offers to induce target market to respond to your solicitation • Action steps required of target audience to take advantage of offer

30. Offer / Call to Action • Offers: • CT Thunder Purchase Offer: • CT Thunder vacuum with Certified HEPA Absolute Air Filter, 3 on-board attachments, Mini Powerhead, Bare Floor Nozzle for $329 plus applicable taxes and shipping • One-time credit card payment or 5 monthly payments • 30-day in-home trial • CT Thunder Video Offer: • Free 30-minute video • CTA: • Call now 1-800-CON-TECH (266-8324) • Go to consumertechnologies.com

31. Media • What media do you intend / propose to use?

32. Media • DRTV: • Long-form (30-min) • Test short-form (:60, :90, 2:00, :30?) • DR print • Radio? • Direct mail • Email • Banner ads • Search

33. Other • Tone and Manner: • Descriptors for copy style • Mandatories: • Logos, tag lines, terms, etc. • Timing:

34. Other • Tone and Manner • Friendly, upbeat, very straightforward (i.e., keep a lid on metaphors) • Lots of pictures • Testimonials are critical • Mandatories • Follow brand and colour guidelines • Qualify all claims • Timing: • Need to be ready to go for Q4

35. Budget • DRTV CPL for Cyclone: $44 • DRTV CPL for Thunder: $60 • Creative development not included in above • Provide quotations for all activities