Exam 3 review

Exam 3 Review: Essay Questions 1. Contrast the role of an advertising agency's creative department with that of its business managers/account executives and explain the tensions between them. (CHAPTER 10) The agency's creative staff and its managers and clients have an ongoing feud?the poets and the killers. Creatives provoke. Managers control. Ads that win awards for creative excellence don't necessarily fulfill a client's business imperatives. Organizations deal with the competing agendas of the two departments. Advertising researchers are put in the unenviable position of judging the creatives, pitting "science" against art. None of these tensions changes the fact that creativity is essential to the vitality of brands. Creativity makes a brand, and it is creativity that reinvents established brands in new and desired ways. 2. Describe two methods of promoting brand recall. Why is brand recall particularly relevant to the advertising of "low-involvement" goods and services? (CHAPTER 11) The two ways to promote brand recall are (1) repetition and (2) slogans and jingles. Brand recall is particularly important to the advertising of "low-involvement" goods and services because the first brand remembered is often the most likely to be purchased. 3. What is the purpose of a creative plan? What elements should the plan contain? How does a copywriter use this plan as he or she creates an advertisement? (CHAPTER 12) A creative plan specifies the message elements that must be coordinated during the preparation of copy. The elements include main product claims, creative devices, media that will be used, and special creative needs a product or service might have. The copywriter uses this plan as a starting point. Once the creative plan is devised, the creative team can get on with the task of creating the actual advertisement?it just helps get all of the pieces in a pile before putting the puzzle together. 4. A headline for Mercedes-Benz diesel automobile reads, "A Mercedes-Benz has been driven over one million miles. Pick a color you can live with." List two possible purposes this headline could serve. Briefly explain how this headline matches the criteria of the listed purposes. (CHAPTER 12) Two possible purposes this headline could serve would be to emphasize a brand claim and to identify the brand. The "emphasize a brand claim" purpose could show potential buyers the difference of Mercedes compared to other cars that they are built to last long and have a history with cars. The "identify the brand" purpose could show the brand name as a historical icon. The goal is to identify the brand and reinforce the brand name with the build and history of luxury. 5. What are the similarities between writing advertising copy for print media and writing advertising copy for broadcast media? In general, what unique challenge does writing for broadcast hold? (CHAPTER 12) In both broadcast and print media, the copywriter must review components of the creative plan so as to take advantage of and follow through on the marketing and advertising strategies specified and integral to the brand's market potential. Writing for broadcast holds the challenge of creating images in the minds of listeners?theater of the mind. Also, radio commercials are rarely listened to with full attention?it's considered to be "audio wallpaper". In TV, the action quality can create problems. Video, words, audio, pictures, etc. all have to coordinate together to form a coherent message to the audience?that is hard to accomplish accurately. 6. Even though an advertisement is all type, its creation still requires art direction and design expertise. However, the lack of an illustration can severely hampers the advertisement's opportunity to effectively communicate. What purposes do illustrations serve? (CHAPTER 13) Illustrations serve the purposes of attracting the attention of the target audience, making the brand heroic, communicate product features or benefits, create a mood/feeling/image, stimulate reading of the body copy, create the desired social context for the brand. 7. Describe a TV commercial that you have seen recently. Analyze it in terms of how it meets (or fails to meet) four of the creative guidelines for TV advertising. (CHAPTER 13) Uses attention-getting and relevant opening; emphasis on the visual; coordinates the audio with the video; persuades as well as entertains; shows the product 8. What are the advantages of shooting a TV commercial on film versus shooting it on videotape? What are the advantages of shooting a TV ad on videotape versus shooting it on film? (CHAPTER 13) Film is the preferred option for most TV ads because provides a high-quality impression. It is the most versatile medium, but also the most expensive medium for production. A less expensive option is videotaping, however they are not very popular with directors or advertisers. They give a flatter image than film does and have less depth and color intensity. Videotape suffers in quality compared to film. 9. Identify 10 objectives of message strategy. Identify methods for executing each message strategy objective. (CHAPTER 11) 1- Promote brand recall(Repetition or slogans and jingles 2- Link key attribute(s) to the brand name(unique selling proposition (USP) 3- Persuade the Consumer(Reason-why ads, hard-sell ads, comparison ads, testimonials, demonstrations, infomercials 4- Affective Association: Get the consumer to feel good about the brand(feel-good, humor, sex appeal 5- Scare the consumer into action(fear-appeal ads 6- Change behavior by inducing Anxiety ((Social) anxiety ads 7- Transform Consumption Experiences(transformational ads 8- Situate the Brand Socially(Slice-of-Life ads, product placement/short internet films 9- Define the brand image(Image ads 10. Explain the difference between brands recall and brand preference as message objectives. Which of these objectives do you think would be harder to achieve, why? (CHAPTER 11) PAGE 375-382 Brand Recall is used to get consumers to recall its brand name(s) first; that is, before any of the competitor's brand names?this is achieved through methods of repetition, slogans and jingles. Brand Preference is used to get consumers to like or prefer its brand above all others?this is achieved through methods of feel-good, humor and sexual-appeal advertisements. (I think that brand preference would be harder to achieve because advertisers have to actually get consumers to like the brand through their feelings. With brand recall, they just have to get them to remember something about the brand. 11. Review the do's and don'ts of comparison advertising and then think about each of the brand pairs listed below. Comment on whether you think comparison ads would be a good choice for the product category in question, and if so, which brand in the pair would be in the most appropriate position to use comparisons: Ford versus Chevy trucks; Coors Light versus Bud Light; Nuprin versus Tylenol; Wendy's versus McDonald's hamburgers (CHAPTER 11) Ford v. Chevy trucks?This would be effective for either company because most members of the target audience have not demonstrated a clear brand preference for Ford or Chevy trucks. Coors Light v. Bud Light?This would be effective for either company because most members of the target audience have not demonstrated clear brand preferences for Bud Light or Coors Light. Nuprin v. Tylenol?Nuprin is the low-share brand, so it would be appropriate for them to use a comparison ad against Tylenol, who would not benefit either way from a comparison ad. This would increase attention of receivers and increase purchase intent of low-share brand, Nuprin. Wendy's v. McDonald's hamburgers?Could possibly benefit the lower-share brand, Wendy's in the long run to run a comparison ad against McDonald's hamburgers. 12. What are some of the ways advertisers use the internet to execute message strategy objectives? Do you think product placement and short internet films are effective in executing the message strategy of situating the brand socially? Have you ever consciously made a correlation between the products actors used during a film and your brand preferences? (CHAPTER 11) Advertisers use product placement and short internet films to execute message strategy objectives. I think, depending on the situation, that product placement and short internet films can be effective in executing the message strategy of situating the brand socially. I do not recall making a correlation between products used by actors and my own preferences, but I do know that I notice Paula Abdul's cup on American Idol every week with it's Coca Cola logo on it. 13. Think of a major purchase you have made recently. Which of the 10 message strategy objectives do you think were the most effective in influencing your purchase decision? Explain. (CHAPTER 11) I recently bought new tennis shoes, they are Nike brand. When buying them, I thought of the slogan "Just Do It"(Brand Recall). I used comparison when buying these shoes also, because there are many different brands of tennis shoes to choose from. 14. Explain the need for a creative plan in the copywriting process. (CHAPTER 12) A creative plan is the guideline used during the copywriting process to specify the message elements that must be coordinated during the preparation of copy. These elements include main product claims, creative devices, media that will be used, and special creative needs a product or service might have. 15. Detail the components of print copy, along with important guidelines for writing effective print copy. (CHAPTER 12) Three separate components of a print copy and guidelines for each: -Headline?be persuasive; appeal to self-interest; inject maximum info; 5-8 word limit; include brand name; entice to read body copy; entice to examine visuals; never change typeface; never rely upon body copy; simple and familiar -Subhead?the longer the body copy, the more appropriate the use of subheads; creative directors minimize subhead use -Body Copy?present tense; singular nouns and verbs; active verbs; familiar words/phrases; vary sentence/paragraph length; involve the reader; provide support for the unbelievable; avoid clichés and superlatives 16. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of music as a tool for constructing effective radio ads. (CHAPTER 12) When using music or humor to attract and hold the listener's attention, the copywriter must take care not to shortchange key selling points for the sake of simple entertainment. 17. Describe four common categories of mistakes that copywriters must avoid. From your personal experience with all types of ads, are there other common mistakes that you believe copywriters are prone to make on a regular basis? (CHAPTER 12) Vagueness, wordiness, triteness and creativity for creativity's sake (Gieco?stack of money with eyes on it) 18. Describe the principles and components that help ensure the effective design of print ads. (CHAPTER 13) Balance-formal and informal balances control the order and formality of the advertisement; Proportion has to do with the depth, width, height, and size of a picture on an ad. Order is the sequence of how you want someone to look at an advertisement. Unity creates harmony with all ad elements and uses white space and borders to set itself apart from other ads. Emphasis is when one element of an ad is emphasized more than another. 19. Assume that you are an experienced copywriter and have been asked to give a young colleague some practical tips on writing effective copy. Using the information in the text as a guide, give the person at least five tips. (CHAPTER 12) 1- Always respect the consumers' intelligence. 2- Use common things to relate to your audience, don't patronize. 3- Get your message across in a fresh, original and imaginative way. 4- If you would not let your family read it, don't write it?be honest. 5- Use your imagination! 20. List and briefly describe four basic characteristics of TV ads that TV copywriters should consider when constructing copy for this medium. (CHAPTER 12)