Vol.28: How to Deliver Consistent Message by Online & Offline Media (Advertising 1)

The previous articles from Vol.25: How to Effectively Integrate Media/Communication Channels (Part 1) through Vol.27: How to Effectively Integrate Media/Communication Channels (Part 3), integrating online and offline media and communication channels for synergy based on AIDA model has been discussed.

Topic of this article is hot to deliver consistent core message by effectively integrating online and offline media/communication channels. In doing so, the author would like to discuss advertising and other content (article etc.) separately because they are rather different. This is probably because the objective of advertising and other contents is different.

Before answering to the question “what are KFS (Key Factors for Success) in delivering consistent core message by advertising of online and offline media?”, let us recap on the objective of advertising.

1. What is the objective of advertising? (recap)

Regardless of types of media, objective of advertising is drawing attention and interest of consumers most of whom have not interest in the products and services, and navigate them to the driving point of the persuasion scenario briefly explained in the previous article Vol.13: How is Landing Page Optimization Related to Persuation Scenario? Advertising is either 15 or 30 second visual and/or sound, or a still picture with catch copy.

2. What is important in advertising of all online and offline media?

There are a few important points in advertising regardless of all online and offline media. The first point is branding or identity (consisting of core message, concept, style, image etc.). This is the same for what the author said “other contents” earlier, a topic that a book can be written and this will not be discussed in this article. The second point is (first) impression/impact, and this is what it makes different from “other contents”.

The challenge is delivering the core message based on the brand strategy integrating all online and offline media, while creating each advertisement leveraging the characteristics of each media. This is the focus of this article.

3. How can the core message be consistently and effectively delivered by advertisement, leveraging online and offline media?

The author would like to briefly discuss by each media. The underlying concept is “one-source multi-use”.

1) TV

Excellent image building and scenario requirements of successful TV advertising (mass advertising), which is usually 15 or 30 second movie (visual and audio, rich media) TVCF. Being a rich media, creative visual, sound effect/BGM, narration and terop are composites of TVCF. In many cases, TVCF and other mass advertising of printed materials are developed simultaneously. However, TVCF tends to lead/influence advertising creation of other media. It is true that it is easier, logical and effective to develop visuals used in printed and online advertisement from TVCF, which is probably the reason.

What advertising by TVCF is different and challenging from printed and many online advertising (e.g. link banners, search engine result pages, rich media ad) is probably scenario planning/development of 15 or 30 seconds and producing the product of TVCF. 15 and/or 30 seconds are very short nevertheless excellent scenario needs to be planned and developed within that timeframe for effective TVCF together with the detailed planning of each composite. This can be more challenging than those of TV content.

One thing that TVCF could be different from other advertising is that the core message does not necessarily have to be understood at the beginning. In fact, as a strategy of “element of surprises” to maximize impact so that attention and interest of the audience will be drawn, the products and services advertised not clear until the end of the 15 or 30 second TVCF in a few cases. This can be a TVCF strategy, which is not the case for others.

Other well used strategies to maximize impact or news hook to create “buzz” include use of celebrities and famous people in advertising, and use of luxurious setting. These strategies can be used only if sufficient budget is available. These strategies are usually adopted for BtoC product TVCF.

2) Newspapers and Magazines

Eye-catching and creative visual, well planned layout/design and catch copy are requirements of successful printed media mass advertising of newspapers and magazines. In many cases, essence (elements) of the total TVCF are “converted” to 2 dimensional printed advertising consisting of visual and text. This is the “visualized” output of core message and brand image.

Both vertical version and horizontal version are usually created because these printed advertising can be both versions, depending on the space of the advertising.

What makes newspaper and magazine different is effect of colour. This is because of the difference in quality of paper. In general, paper quality of magazines is far better than those of newspapers. This is one reason why advertising of products that colour and texture is vital in branding and core message delivery (e.g. make ups, jewelries), newspaper advertising is rarely used. Other possible reason is the target audience of newspapers is likely to be too wide for such products and advertising by magazine read by target customer is more used.

3) Radio

Well planned scenario, rhythmical narration easy to understand simple words and phrases and sound effect (BGM) are requirements of successful radio advertising. Being the only media delivered exclusively by audio, this is quite different from others, and the success largely attributes to the narrator, i.e. the quality of the voice and the narration skills.

4) Posters and Billboards

Similarly to adverting of newspapers and magazines, eye-catching and creative visual, well planned layout/design and catch copy are requirements of successful printed media mass advertising of posters and billboards. One thing that makes advertising of posters and billboards different from advertising of newspapers and magazines is that it needs to be more visual and catch copy oriented, and cannot rely on detailed texts, because these are usually seen from a distance.

5) DMs and Flyers

Eye-catching copy with trigger words and phrases, well planned layout and attractive visual are requirements of successful DMs and Flyers. This means that creative visual developed for newspaper and magazine advertising cannot be used as it is in DMs and flyers. For this reason, simplified version visual(s) needs to be created in many cases, and complement by texts. Simplified version visual(s) are often used in catalogues.

6) Online/Internet

This consists of variety of advertising and requirements for success depend on which kind of online advertising. What can be said is that rules or requirements for successful online advertising are different from that of traditional media mentioned above. This deserves much discussion and will be the topic of the next article.


References:-

Edelman, David C (2010), Four ways to get more value from digital marketing
https://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Marketing/Digital_Marketing/Four_ways_to_get_more_value_from_digital_marketing_2556