Every day consumers are hit with a barrage of different advertising messages. In fact, most New Zealanders see around 40 ads a day. To be seen, it’s essential your ad stands out from the crowd.
When it comes to choosing a creative idea for an advertising campaign, there’s often a temptation to gravitate towards the ‘easier get’ – the safe option that no one’s going to make a fuss over or complain about.
Trouble is, your category’s competitors might just be thinking the same thing. The result? Everyone ends up looking and sounding the same. That’s exactly why a differentiating campaign was needed in the first place.
While this may seem obvious, it’s easy to overcomplicate and gradually break ideas down into safe but dull directions. Many people are drawn to the reassuring familiarity of something they’ve seen before. Doing anything different can seem like a risk but in reality, the greatest risk your business could take, is not taking any.
At Harvey Cameron, we look for insights unique to brands and their audiences. Right from the outset, campaign territory options are specifically tailored to each business, immediately differentiating brands from their competitors.
Ideas are formed around these insights and developed to appeal to different target audiences.
So, how do you choose a good idea?
Your first question should be, does it scare you just a little bit? It may sound counterintuitive, but a good idea can make you feel uncomfortable at first. This is because it’s new – and new is different. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong. In fact, it often means it’s a unique position that’s likely to stand out to your audience.
Importantly though, the idea shouldn’t be edgy or different without reason. It should play into a larger strategy while entertaining and rewarding your audience for interacting with the brand.
Secondly, ask yourself if the idea centred around a true, human insight? An idea that makes you uncomfortable for the sake of it might get attention, but it may not resonate with your target audience. That’s why it’s important for the idea to also leverage a genuine product, category or human truth. Without an insight, a campaign can easily fade into the background in a cluttered advertising space where everyone is vying for customers’ attention at once.
Another consideration is whether can really afford to make the idea well. Some ideas rely on a high production budget to make them sing. If you’ve fallen in love with a territory but don’t have the budget to do it justice, rather than making cuts and compromising your end campaign, pause to find more budget or simply choose a more achievable idea.
Another point to keep in mind is whether your idea will stand out enough to earn its own media. A conspicuous campaign that hits home will be shared and talked about - by the consumers, the general public and the news media - giving it a life of its own. This doesn’t mean you’ll get away with no media spend. The best viral campaigns are supported by promoted/sponsored posts, digital ads and influencers.
Finally, ask yourself if the idea will stand out against competitors and truly differentiate your brand. If not, it’s worth considering an alternative campaign.
These steps should help you choose an original campaign. One that’ll help your brand stand out and one your customers will love and remember.
