Developing a Creative Strategy
Developing a creative strategy requires answering three important questions.
- What result do you wish to accomplish?
- Who is your target listener?
- How are you going to communicate with your target to achieve your desired result?
For guidance in answering these questions, consult the Radio Creative Brief.
The Radio Creative Brief
This document ensures that advertising efforts align with the client’s objectives and expectations.
A strong and concise brief is necessary to maintain creative direction throughout the campaign’s execution. It must be prepared by a qualified account representative, advertising strategist or the creative director. The brief should:
- Emphasize one clear, defining message per script
- Include the advertising objective and target audience
- Be consistent with all other aspects of the advertiser’s brand development
When complete, the Radio Creative Brief becomes the yardstick by which all scripts and final commercials are measured.
The heart of an effective creative strategy involves stepping back from the product or service and examining how it actually fits into the consumer’s life.
The target listener’s age, income, gender, family status, lifestyle, attitudes, shopping and purchasing preferences form a very useful profile. Advertisers who fail to define this profile will be unable to reach their demographic. When you don’t know the target audience, you can’t interest them.
Solve the right problem
Commercials solve two kinds of problems: the Advertiser’s problem and the Listener’s problem.
- Advertiser’s problem: "300 minivans must go!"
- Listener’s problem: "My car is too cramped."
Which problem should you solve?
Many spots address the Advertiser’s problem and completely ignore the Listener. These commercials shout about features. They list options. They offer everything the advertiser has and numerous ways for you to contact them. What they don’t provide, however, is anything of interest to the Listener.
The Right problem to solve is the Listener’s problem. By doing so, the advertiser’s problem will be solved at the same time.
The Listener’s problem can be quite simple:
- My car is too cramped
- My TV is dying
- I’m not prepared for retirement
Or, the problem can be less tangible:
- I have an unfulfilled desire to do / feel something
- I need to be "somebody"
- I have the urge to enjoy a certain lifestyle
To solve the Listener’s problem, marketers must effectively communicate the key benefit or unique advantage that their product or service provides for the listener.
Details can be found in the Radio Creative Brief and in the Creative Ear article – It’s all about your listener - which features commercials that do an effective job of solving listeners' problems.