Introduction to Advertising

The aim of advertising is to promote and appeal products to desired audiences:

• create a profit
• launch a new product or service
• create awareness of a product/service 
• rebrand an existing brand or product (change perceptions of that brand or product)
• create awareness of an issue or adjust attitudes or behaviours (non-commercial advertising)

Exploring Example Adverts

Create a profit - 

Launch new product or service - 

Create awareness of a product/service - 

Rebrand an existing brand or product - 

Create awareness of an issue or adjust attitudes or behaviours - 

Examples of effective multichannel marketing campaign

Gatwick Airport - Turning construction hoardings into public information points. The free space on construction hoardings was transformed by installing giant mobile barcodes.

TopShop - 

• Engage customers in-store by offering them a novel, exciting experience.
• Increase customer and prospective customer engagement on Facebook.
• Use social media and social media technology in a new and exciting way.

Video Game example - Uncharted 4: A Theirs End

What IDEAS do they create about the game? What APPEAL do they offer?

Advertising Messages

Most advertising focuses on communicating messages through the following:

•An emotional appeal – captures your attention – WaterAid

•A value proposition – reason to buy – Coca Cola (the value of feeling happy)

•A slogan – memorable and unites the whole campaign – Nike “Just do it”.

Unique Selling Proposition

1.Each advertisement must make a proposition to the consumer—not just words, product puffery, or show-window advertising. Each advertisement must say to each reader: "Buy this product, for this specific benefit."
2.The proposition must be one the competition cannot or does not offer. It must be unique — either in the brand or a claim the rest of that particular advertising area does not make.
3.The proposition must be strong enough to move the masses, i.e., attract new customers as well as potential customers.

Key Messages

USPs don’t just have to be slogans or celebrity endorsements. 
When creating an advertising campaign, the producers need to consider what the key messages are.  The messages must convince the audience that the product is the best available and will be of benefit to them.  Often a unique selling proposition (USP) is primary amongst the key messages.  The ultimate goal is for the product to become known for its USP.
An example of this is that Volvo market their cars with the USP of safety.  Other messages offer value propositions to the audience, which highlight the benefits of the product or service.  An example of this is Coca-Cola, which has long been advertised with the promise that ‘it will make you happy’.

Types of Propositional Messages

Establish a common ground – get people to trust the product.  Producers create a relationship that seems to be mutually beneficial and make the audience feel like the producer is similar to them.  For example, Bisto focus on family.

Establish a need – Make the audience believe they need the product.  Being part of a group is effective.  Apple are experts at selling all their products this way.

Solve a problem, whether the audience knew they had one or not. This involves first convincing people that they have a problem – creating anxiety and then offering a solution. For example, antibacterial cleaning products often use visualisations and statistics to convince us that every surface in our homes is crawling with harmful bugs – but, don’t worry! Buying these  disinfectant wipes will make them all go away!

Offer a benefit – this product will make you ‘better’ in some way.  Diet products have been using this approach for decades.

Key messages – Mitchell and Webb toothbrush advert sketch

- Made us think that we need to brush our tongues

- Did this by saying we won't get enough sex because of stereotypes of men not enough sex

- Used random statistics to convince people it was scientific

USPs and Key Messages example: Energy drinks

- States it will give you wings

Listerine TV Advert Analysis

- To make people use Listerine 

- The product is Listerine Total Care mouth wash and the brand is Listerine

- Using statistics and saying that mouth wash covers virtually the whole mouth

- Uses animations to show plaque being cleaned by mouth wash and a talking donkey with white teeth. Scottish association and Donkey with Shrek making it familiar. Also says a rhyme "Complete the Clean with Listerine". It is humorous. Shows product range at the end.