Is there ever any excuse not to use your best creative marketing ideas? Well yes, in certain circumstances we think there is - circumstances in which we found ourselves only last month.
We had been working with a client to create a fantastic new brand and identity, and then to roll it out from logo to website and sales literature, and on into social media spaces. When it came to the stationery, Leader’s creative team produced (as it generally does) two concepts - one the natural roll out of the great new theme, but the other really pushing the envelope - a great business card concept in particular.
And the problem? Well, it was just one new idea too many.
Branding is about the brilliance of the whole, not each individual item. The cards may have been very desirable (and they were). But were they necessary or appropriate? Sadly the answer was probably not. So we shared everything with the client, made our recommendations accordingly and eventually all agreed to put the brilliant new ideas on ice for a while, while rolling out the more ‘obvious’ first set.
And who knows? Perhaps when a brand refresh is called for somewhere down the line, we may still have a chance to let that great new conceptsee the light of day. I for one certainly hope so.
Posted by Marc on Jul 21, 2010 in
Marketing,
Opinion
“What makes a great creative concept – and has it changed?” That was the subject being discussed by myself and a colleague this week.
One thing we were both agreed on is that the most important element is, and always has been, what we think of as the ‘wow’ factor.
Now the ‘wow’ factor is pretty hard to quantify or define, but the one thing you can say about it is that you know when you’ve got it. It’s the head turner, the punch line, the thought provoker, the eye catcher – without it, there is really no point in having a concept.
That’s why delivering the ‘wow’ factor is such a big part of Leader’s mission statement.
So, the ‘wow’ factor comes first. What about second?
Well, I think not too long ago we’d have said ‘relevance’. After all, a great marketing concept isn’t just a creative idea – it’s something that helps you raise profile for your business, create or build a brand allegiance and, ultimately, sell products and services. So traditional marketing wisdom has always said that the creative concept should be closely linked to those products and services.
Except does it anymore? Where is the link between drumming gorillas and chocolate? Between meerkats and car insurance?
These are just two of many examples where the power of the ‘wow’ outweighs any issues of relevance. What they prove is that if you can interest, excite, amuse or intrigue your customers, they will go out of their way to find your brand, to remember it and to engage with it i.e. They will no longer need your sales messages spoon fed to them in the form of ‘relevant’ images.
So, if relevance is no longer the second placed factor, what has replaced it?
Well, given the explosion of media outlets and forms over the last decade, it has to be adaptability and longevity. Does your idea allow you to build, develop and grow a theme over a period of time and across multiple platforms, both online and offline?
The meerkats are a great example. Despite being a long way from relevant, they are simple(s), funny and adaptable, allowing them and their catchy punchline to be used in TV adverts, online video clips, viral campaigns, print / banner adverts, events and other PR activities – the list is endless. A great creative that combines the wow factor with this kind of longevity can give you months and months (if not years) of fresh angles, fresh impact and business success – whether it’s relevant or not.
So, we concluded, a great creative for the 21st century is characterised by:
1. The wow factor
2. Adaptability and longevity
3. Relevance to brand or product.
What do you think? We’d love to hear from you in the comments section.
