A campaign, what does it take?
A campaign is a way for a brand to speak with its audience and to convey an idea all while delivering the brand’s essence. But how is it done?
"I don’t want a campaign, I just want an image with a message on it." Does this sound familiar?
If yes, you’ve either said it, thought it or heard it.
We’ve heard it, more than once, and we are here to say NO, NO, NO.
A campaign is a way for a brand to speak with its audience and to convey an idea all while delivering the brand’s essence (look, feel and tone of voice).
A campaign needs to have a purpose. Is the aim to raise awareness for a brand? Or maybe for a new product offering? What about a new location? Or even to get new customers? Or to increase sales?
Once the purpose is determined, the idea behind the campaign needs to be elaborated. It’s important to:
- Determine the target audience
- Deliver a message that matters to them
- Deploy this through a channel mix that fits the audience
What we often fail to mention when discussing campaigns is that they are also about compromise. It’s always tempting to want to put out so many messages when given a platform to communicate about your brand (especially when using print mediums given the heavy costs involved). However, to yield impact you need to streamline and drop one strong and meaningful message backed by a convincing theme and rationale.
It is then that ads are deployed, across different channels, all carrying the common theme of the campaign.
And most importantly, the idea & message you are putting out there need to prompt a reaction. You always want your audience to think, feel or do something.
So, what does all this jargon mean?
A campaign requires thought, research, time and effort.
Below is a checklist we propose for review before delving into the actual creation of a campaign:
- What is the objective of the campaign?
- What is the brand idea you want to push?
- Who are you talking to?
- What do you want to say to them?
- Which channels do you think would resonate most with your audience?
- Is there a time limitation on this campaign?
If you are thinking of creating a new campaign or if you simply want to know more about how to steer your brand communications, contact us for a free consultation.