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Belch: Advertising and
Promotion, Sixth Edition
V. Developing the
Integrated Marketing
Communications Program
8. Creative Strategy:
Planning and Development
Reeves said the attribute claim or benefit that forms the basis of the
USP should dominate the ad and be emphasized through repetitive
advertising. An example of advertising based on a USP is the campaign
for Colgate’s new Total toothpaste (Exhibit 8-11).The brand’s unique
ingredients make it the only toothpaste that provides long-lasting protection
and has been proved effective in fighting cavities between
brushings.
For Reeves’s approach to work, there must be a truly unique product
or service attribute, benefit, or inherent advantage that can be used in
the claim. The approach may require considerable research on the
product and consumers, not only to determine the USP but also to document
the claim. As we shall see in Chapter 21, the Federal Trade
Commission objects to advertisers’ making claims of superiority or
uniqueness without providing supporting data. Also, some companies
have sued their competitors for making unsubstantiated uniqueness
claims. 31
Advertisers must also consider whether the unique selling proposition
affords them a sustainable competitive advantage that competitors
cannot easily copy. In the packaged-goods field in particular,
companies quickly match a brand feature for feature, so advertising
based on USPs becomes obsolete. For example, a few years ago
Procter & Gamble invented a combination shampoo and conditioner to rejuvenate
its struggling Pert brand. The reformulated brand was called Pert Plus and its
market share rose from 2 to 12 percent, making it the leading shampoo. But competing
brands like Revlon and Suave quickly launched their own two-in-one formula
products. 32
Creating a Brand Image In many product and service categories, competing
brands are so similar that it is very difficult to find or create a unique attribute or benefit
to use as the major selling idea. Many of the packaged-goods products that account
for most of the advertising dollars spent in the United States are difficult to differentiate
on a functional or performance basis. The creative strategy used to sell these products
is based on the development of a strong, memorable identity for the brand through
image advertising.
David Ogilvy popularized the idea of brand image in his famous book Confessions
of an Advertising Man. Ogilvy said that with image advertising, “every advertisement
should be thought of as a contribution to the complex symbol which is the brand
image.” He argued that the image or personality of the brand is particularly
important when brands are similar:
The greater the similarity between brands, the less part reason plays in brand
selection. There isn’t any significant difference between the various brands of
whiskey, or cigarettes, or beer. They are all about the same. And so are the cake
mixes and the detergents and the margarines. The manufacturer who dedicates his
advertising to building the most sharply defined personality for his brand will get
the largest share of the market at the highest profit. By the same token, the manufacturers
who will find themselves up the creek are those shortsighted opportunists
who siphon off their advertising funds for promotions. 33
Image advertising has become increasingly popular and is used as the
main selling idea for a variety of products and services, including soft
drinks, liquor, cigarettes, cars, airlines, financial services, perfume/
colognes, and clothing. Many consumers wear designer jeans or Ralph
Lauren polo shirts or drink certain brands of beer or soft drinks because
of the image of these brands. The key to successful image advertising is
developing an image that will appeal to product users. For example, the
sports apparel company No Fear uses this type of advertising to create a
unique image for the brand as representing the outer limits of human performance.
Ads like the one in Exhibit 8-12 have helped create this image
for No Fear.
© The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2003
Exhibit 8-11 This Colgate
Total ad uses a unique
selling proposition
Exhibit 8-12 Advertising
for No Fear creates a unique
image for the brand as
representing the outer
limits of human
performance
257
Chapter Eight Creative Strategy: Planning and Development