Building the character of the creative –
When it comes to ensuring that we create on-target marketing materials, my partner and I have always employed what has been called the Q Strategy. We build a company backgrounder, craft a communications strategy, and then judge all creative by that strategy before presenting it to the client. We gather most of the information needed for this process by questioning the client’s marketing manager or business development director, and other key personnel or decision makers.
Surprising to some, tone often trumps “features, advantages and benefits” when it comes to manifesting the client’s compelling story from lists of marketing objectives. Yes, preliminary conversations with clients often center around how a product or service increases the good stuff, decreases the bad stuff, and does it all more effectively and efficiently. This is necessary and informative. But clients really come to life, and the story begins to take shape, when we start to talk about tone, personality, and the single most important feeling they want their customers to take away from their new messaging. In fact, it’s during this part of an input meeting when I often sketch concept ideas and write the first lines of rough copy in the margins of my notepad.
Several years ago, an article exploring this process was published in a few industry publications, including “Creative New Jersey” and the “Art Directors Club of NJ” newsletter. It was written by Joe Napurano, a very well-regarded art director and co-owner of BallottaNapurano & Co., Inc. (established in 1978). Joe happens to be my father, as well as a personal and professional inspiration. Here is the original author’s edited excerpt:
Client relations and the process of creating an ad
During a client-agency creative session back in the 90s I listened intently as my client was describing the “type” of advertising he thought would work for his company. Later, when I examined my notes, I found his list of descriptive words numbered over three dozen. Many of them contradictory: something awesome, something soft-sell, something clever, something technical, something humorous, etc.
What occurred to me is that there are many ways to create effective advertising, but very often it is the character of the ads that gets the client’s nod or the wastebasket.
Over the years, for fun, I’ve compiled such a list. True, most of it can be chronicled in the Cliché Hall of Fame, but for what it’s worth – use it, add to it, be awesome at your next stalled, input session – or slick, or clever, or shocking, or informative, or solemn, or nostalgic, or tough, or humble:
• Lighthearted
• Dramatic
• Conservative
• Copy-ish
• Short-copy
• Long-copy
• Lotsa White Space
• Straightforward
• Beautiful
• Atmospheric
• Technical
• Institutional
• Entertaining
• How-to
• Advertorial
• Informative
• Hard-working
• Educational
• Testimonial
• Expensive-looking
• Product-oriented
• Brag and Boast
• Pun-oriented
• Visually Stunning
• Deadly Serious
• Self-effacing
• Hyperbolic
• Hokey
• Image-building
• The Business Week Ad
• Corporate
• Directory-like
• Show-stopper
• Comparative
• Competitive
• A Puzzle
• A Toy Analogy
• Belligerent
• Little Guy vs. Big Guy
• The Nice Guy
• Shocker
• Co-op
• Authoritative
• Cartoony
• Comic-bookish
• Futuristic
• Old School
• The Industry Standard
• Nostalgic
• Tough Talk
• The Very Big Photo
• All Copy
• The Motherly Ad
• Special Effects
• Borrowed Interest
• Very Big Type
• All Headline
• Punchline
• Bottom Line
• Return On Investment
• Cliché
• Capabilities
• Double Meaning
• Patriotic
• State of the Art
• The Negative Approach
• Scare Tactic
• “We Can Help You”
• “We Exist For You”
• Play on Words
• A Series
• The Reasons-Why List
• Guarantee
• Did You Know These Facts?
• You Shouldn’t Have To Put Up With This!
• Emotional
• We’re Smart
• Sports Analogy
• No-Nonsense
• Handcrafted Quality
• Our Commitment
• Slice of Life
• Executive Biography
• Artsy
• Put-up or Shut-up
• Excellence Unequaled
• Let Us Show You Why We’re Good
• We Are on the Job
• Case History
• Brand Identity
• Sell the Sizzle
• Tongue-in-cheek
• Don’t Be Fooled
• Call-outs
• Coupon
• Free Stuff
• Introductory
• Grainy B&W Photos
• Journalistic
• Old World Craftsmanship
• In the factory photos
• Everything You Wanted To Know
• Celebrity Endorsement
• Animal Analogy
• Leader of the Industry
• Industry Pioneer
• We Invented It
• We’re Small But Better
• We’re Big But We Love You
• Real People
All my best,
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