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Section 4:
Creative Development

Creative development moves through a two-step process.

• The first step addresses overall creative considerations. Regardless of the medium for which the advertising is intended, the advertiser and his/her creative team first address a core set of creative planning questions. These questions, addressed at the beginning of this section, help to clarify target audience characteristics, key copy points and advertising tone/approach.

• The second step addresses media specific questions. Every advertising medium (such as print or broadcast) has a distinctive set of creative-related issues. Moreover, each medium within a media type (for example, magazines and yellow pages are both print media) has its own unique set of creative requirements. As a result, while advertising for magazines and print yellow pages share a common set of guidelines, there are also unique, additional guidelines for each medium. Yellow pages specific guidelines are discussed at the end of this section.

Note that Internet Yellow Pages directory advertising is not addressed. As discussed in Section 3, while the advertising options for Internet yellow pages are generally similar across publishers, each of the Internet yellow pages directory publishers has a unique set of advertising requirements for both external and internal search results advertising. Given this variation across publishers, we recommend that you visit each Internet yellow pages publisher's web site for examples of the creative approaches and forms allowed on that specific publisher's product.

Overall Considerations

Target Audience

Which individuals do we want to reach and be influenced by the advertising? Underlying the creation of any successful advertisement is a target audience profile - the explicit identification of the specific characteristics of the advertising's intended target. Target audience profiles help the creative team understand the people the ad is being written for and, as a consequence, how to maximize an ad's relevance and meaningfulness to these target audience members. Target audience profiles typically present three types of information, realizing that some types of information are more important than others in specific product categories. These information types are:

Demographic: age, gender, race, marital status, family situation, income and education.

Behavioral: past experiences with the product category and specific products.

Psychographic and attitudinal: attitudes and beliefs toward the product category, advertisers within the category and specific products.

Once all relevant target audience information has been agreed upon, a written target audience profile is created. (Click here for an example of a target audience profile).

Key Copy Points

What should we say in our advertising? Every advertised product or service has a set of attributes, also referred to as features or characteristics. Attributes can consist of physical characteristics (such as color, size, weight, number of locations, years in business), functional characteristics (such as availability, ease of contact, responsiveness, ease of use, past effectiveness) or inferred characteristics (such as honesty and believability.)The first step in identifying key copy points is to determine which of the product's or service's attributes should be incorporated into the advertising. Here the goal is to simultaneously identify the small set of attributes which are most important to the target audience and which (if possible) differentiate the product or service from the competition. The second step in developing key copy points is to translate the selected attributes into explicit consumer benefits.

Attributes are the starting point, but successful advertising requires that the set of attributes be transformed into benefits. Consumers make brand and product decisions based on the benefits offered, not on the set of attributes possessed by a brand or service. A car, for example, may have these attributes: side reinforced doors, roof and sides, technologically advanced air bag system and anti-roll over sensors. These attributes are of little advertising value, however, unless the target consumer realizes that they translate to an "extraordinarily safe driving experience." Similarly, a yellow pages services advertiser may possess these attributes: 25 years in business, advanced certification, written guarantee." These attributes become much more important when they are explicitly translated into the consumer benefit "absolute confidence that I (the customer) will be happy when the job is done."

In short, benefits sell brands, products and services. Attributes communicate the "permission to believe" that the benefit will actually be obtained or, from a slightly different perspective, attributes tell us what the product or service is while benefits tell us why we should use or buy it.

This ad from the "Dentists" heading illustrates the relationship between attributes and benefits. All of the bullet points in the ad are attributes of Western Dental Centers. These attributes serve to convince the reader that the overall benefits promised in the headline ("more dentist ... less money") can be obtained and that the statement in the subhead ("Quality dentists at affordable prices ...") can be believed. Imagine how much weaker this ad would have been had it not taken the step of explicitly expressing the consumer benefit in the headline.

(Click for larger image.)

Advertising tone and manner

Should our advertising appeal more to the head or the heart?

Advertisers can distinguish themselves from their competitors through the set of attributes and benefits they decide to place within their advertising. Advertisers can also distinguish themselves from their competitors with the tone and manner of their advertising, that is, the advertising copy can primarily present a logical argument/approach or can primarily be emotional and feelings-oriented. A look at two additional ads from the yellow pages "Dentists" classification illustrates how different advertisers distinguish themselves through the tone and manner of their advertising. While both full-page ads show a mix of rational and emotional elements, the balance is different in each ad.

This ad primarily takes a rational/logical approach. The second headline ("For all your ... "is a logical statement that summarizes the dentist's broad areas of practice. The picture emphasizes bright healthy teeth. The copy is direct and straightforward, listing the dentist's areas of expertise and medical affiliations as well as describing the office environment.

This ad primarily takes an emotional/feelings approach. The picture reminds the reader of emotional family connections (there is no real emphasis on the teeth), perhaps trying to position the dentist as a caring member of the family. The copy, while communicating rational attributes and benefits, is written conversationally and without hard-sell - as if one family member were talking to another. The soft, cool colors (primarily blue) reinforce the emotional tone of caring.

(Click for larger image.)

(Click for larger image.)

Print Specific Questions

Once decisions have been made with regard to target audience, copy points and advertising tone/manner, advertisers then begin to apply media specific considerations to the development of their ad. All print advertisers address the same set of issues, but the application of these issues changes depending upon the specific medium in which the ad will appear. This section presents these principles and shows how they are applied to yellow pages print directory advertising.

Ad Size

A determination of ad size is one of the first decisions to be made. This is intuitively reasonable since ad size affects the number, size and interrelationships of all elements in the ad. Each print medium presents different size options. Since yellow pages display advertising is sequenced by ad size (that is, larger ads appear before smaller ones), it is typically the case that it is to a print directory advertiser's advantage to purchase larger rather than smaller display space. Ad size appears to affect both an ad's ability to attract attention and to influence an advertiser's image.

• Attention. 70% of the people looking in the print directory usually look at the bigger ads when they are not sure where to make their purchase.

• Image. 65% of directory users feel that businesses with larger ads have well established reputations. (Source: Statistical Research Inc.)

While the terms "larger" and "smaller" have a constant meaning in magazine advertising (for example, larger ads are full page or spreads; smaller ads are quarter-page or smaller), "larger" and "smaller" are relative terms in print directory advertising. In heavily advertised headings, such as "Attorneys," "Automobiles," "Florists" and "Insurance," front-of-heading (larger) ads are all full page or double-truck ads. In less crowded headings, such as "Furniture" and "Opticians," the largest ad might be a half page ad. As a result, print directory advertisers typically examine all of the advertising in the desired classification prior to determining optimal ad size.

Headlines

Print ads attract attention in two primary ways - the illustration and the headline. Headlines attract members of the target audience to the ad either by explicitly stating or implying to the target audience that the advertiser understands what is important to them (the benefit), and that by reading the ad, the reader will find the best way to obtain that benefit. As illustrated in the ads below, successful headlines are simple and direct (so that they communicate instantly) and address either the key benefit sought by the target audience or the problem the target audience wants to solve. An ad can accomplish this through the use of a declarative statement (see add on left) or a question (see ad on right).

(Click for larger image.)

(Click for larger image.)

In addition, advertisers need to be SURE of their headlines, that is, they must take care that their headlines are:

• Specific: communicate one unique idea

• Unique: different in look or content from competitors' headlines

• Relevant: communicate information that the target audience considers meaningful and important

• Easily understood: communicate clearly in a way that avoids vagueness and ambiguity

This yellow pages ad's headline passes the SURE test. (Click for larger image.)

When developing print directory ads, care should be taken not to "waste" the headline. Consider the two ads shown below.

This ad presents an ineffective headline. Similar to many print directory advertisers, Total Home Architects uses its name as the ad's headline. This headline, however, does not have great potential for attracting readers and drawing them into the ad. And, given that Total Home Architects does not advertise in other media (like many print directory advertisers), few prospects are likely to come to the "Architects" heading with this particular name in mind.The headline wastes valuable space.

Illustrations and Pictures

An ad's ability to attract attention is also significantly affected by photos and illustrations. Pictures and illustrations can take any number of forms. They can, for example, show the product (alone or in use), illustrate the problem the product solves, show how the end result (the problem solved by the product) and/or show people like those in the target audience likely to use the product. Illustrations can also be used to illustrate important aspects of the body copy or to convey an image that, within the context of the advertising, is meaningful (either emotionally or rationally) to the target audience. Given the broad range of pictures and illustrations that can be used within any ad, how does an advertiser decide which illustration or picture to use? Research findings from print and yellow pages ad effectiveness studies indicates that pictures and illustrations increase in effectiveness when they:

• relate to the headline. Print readers, especially yellow pages readers, see pictures that do not relate to the headline as an irrelevant distraction.

• are distinctive. Using the same pictures or illustrations as competitive ads does not allow the advertiser to distinguish him/herself. However, an illustration that is distinctive but not relevant is unlikely to be effective.

• work to grab the reader's attention. Visually interesting (but not confusing) pictures and eye contact (that is, pictures of people looking out from the ad) are generally good attention getters.

• direct readers into rather than out of the ad. Illustrations should point inward to the advertiser's ad rather than outward to competitors' ads.

• show what the advertiser offers, in terms of outcomes, products or services. (Remember, "seeing is believing.")

• are easy to see. Avoid placing text over the pictures (which results in pictures that are more difficult to see and text that is harder to read).

The three ads below illustrate these principles.

(Click for larger image.)

(Click for larger image.)

(Click for larger image.)

Copy

The written copy within a print ad is a combination of transitional copy, attributes and benefits, with the presentation of benefits (in successful ads) typically taking visual precedence over the presentation of attributes. Effective print ads present copy that is easy to read, clearly communicates and gives the reader a relevant, motivating reason to take the next step, for example, purchasing the product or contacting the advertiser. While copy plays a role in most print advertising, it is of particular importance in print yellow pages directory advertising. Because yellow pages users come to the directory with a specific need in mind (they are either "shopping," collecting information for a planned future purchase, or "buying," that is, deciding which advertiser or set of advertisers to contact in order to solve their need now), information and details are of considerable importance. Yellow pages users want information to help them decide which business to contact. As a result, certain types of copy elements work well to motivate contact. These copy points relate to an advertiser's:

• Reliability - years in business, experience, size of firm, licenses, awards and certificates and degrees

• Authorization - brand names, trademarks, manufacturer, dealer, distribution, factory service

• Safety - insured, bonded, guarantees, association memberships, employee training

• Completeness - quality, cost and variety of product or service; specialized services, products and features; availability and inventory; catalogs and brochures; credit cards; hours; parking

• Location - address, nearest intersection, main cross-street

• Contact information - telephone numbers (both local and 800-number if available), web site address, e-mail address

Color

One of the analyses conducted early in the creative development process was a look at the competitive advertising environment. This information is important because it influences the extent to which different color options are likely to influence an ad's ability to grab attention, communicate clearly and motivate the reader. A rule of thumb is that in print media color is generally preferable over black and white (or in the case of yellow pages, black and yellow). However, the extent to which color is beneficial depends upon the competitive context in which the ad will be seen. In a magazine full of full color ads, a black and white ad may have increased ability to break through the clutter. Similarly, on a yellow pages directory page primarily composed of full color ads, a white knockout ad (a black and white ad) or a single color ad would stand out and, as a result, have the greatest chance of attracting attention. On the other hand, color would certainly help a yellow pages ad stand out in a heading whose advertising is primarily black and white.

Color, if used correctly, can prove to be quite beneficial. However, if color is used incorrectly, it can actually prove to be detrimental. Color is probably going to be more important to advertisers in the Florists or Photographers headings than advertisers in the Septic Tank-Repairing heading.

Advertisers have a number of options when deciding how color can best be used in their ads.

The third approach is to the incorporation of color is to completely redesign the ad to take advantage of the new options made available by four-color process. The ads below illustrate this approach.

Ad Flow and Design

At this point, the characteristics and elements of the ad have been determined: the headline has been written, key copy points have been selected and appropriate visual elements such as photos and illustrations have been identified. Now it is time to put all of these elements together in a way that is both functional and visually pleasing. The goal at this final point of ad development is to create an ad whose elements are arranged in a way that leads the reader through the ad in a specific sequence. Ways to control how an ad is read include the following techniques:

• Positioning people so that their eyes direct the reader's eyes to the next important element of the ad

• Using pointing fingers, boxes, lines or arrows to direct the reading sequence

• Taking advantage of readers' natural tendencies to start at the top (particularly the top left corner) of the ad and move in a Z pattern to the lower right corner

• Using white or open space to emphasize specific copy elements or illustrations. Readers' eyes will generally move from a dark to light elements, or from color to noncolor

• Using size (of illustrations and type) to attract attention

These flow and design techniques apply to all print ads, including print yellow pages directory ads. However, beyond these general principles, the nature of directory advertising requires an additional set of considerations for yellow pages ads. These include:

• Planning the ad so that the reader is led to the telephone number or web site address. This is the last thing that you want the reader to read.

• Making certain that type styles used in the ad are easy to read, not distracting and work well with each other (assuming that more than one type style is used). Print directory advertisers should avoid an overwhelming mixing of different type styles and sizes.

• Use white space and color not only to control ad flow but also to separate the ad from other ads appearing on the same page.

• Use bullets rather than lengthy paragraphs to communicate quickly and control the flow of how the ad is read.

Which ad works better?

You can see how well you understand the prior discussion, as well as increase your knowledge of dental advertising, by taking part in the following activity.

Two black and white dental ads are shown below. The number of telephone calls generated by each ad was measured over the course of a year. Which ad do you think was more successful? (Click here for results.)

(Click for larger image.)

(Click for larger image.)

Was your prediction right? What factors do you think accounted for the ad's greater success?

Two color dental ads are shown below. The number of telephone calls generated by each ad was also measured over the course of a year. Which ad do you think was more successful? (Click here for results.)

(Click for larger image.)

(Click for larger image.)

Was your prediction right? What factors do you think accounted for the ad's greater success?

Creating a Directory Ad

Nationwide Yellow Pages is a full service agency (CMR) that develops yellow pages strategic plans, media plans and advertising for national clients such as Days Inn and Pizza Hut. Nationwide has provided an example of the ad development process for its client PlaySpace.

The development process begins with PlaySpace and Nationwide working together to identify the major attributes and benefits desired in the ad. At this time ideas relating to ad design, layout and graphics are also addressed.The outcome of these discussions, the starting point for ad development, is shown in the ad on the right. Required copy points and benefits are highlighted in yellow. (Click for larger image.)

Nationwide continues the development process by creating rough, mock-up ads. These ads show the client how the required copy can be incorporated into the final ad and reflect the agency's current thoughts as to graphics and layout. Mock-up ads provide a concrete basis for agency and client discussion, serving as the intermediate step between conceptual thoughts about the ad and actual ad creation. The mock-ups can be seen on the left. (Click for larger image.)

Following PlaySpace's approval of the mock-up designs, actual ads are created. The ads (shown on the right) are presented to PlaySpace once the ads have passed through Nationwide's internal review process, assuring that the ads presented to the client meet all of Nationwide's criteria for effective advertising. (Click for larger image.)

At a final meeting with Nationwide, PlaySpace selects their preferred ad. The final ad for PlaySpace is shown below.

Sources

CRM Associates "Content is King," December, 2003.

Finally we appreciate DexKnows, DCG Yellow Pages, Inc. and AT&T's for permission to reproduce ads.