Design a communication campaign

Trigger: "Snickers commercial"

Learning Objectives:

1.     How to create a message that has a mass appeal, is memorable, international and persuasive?

2.     What are the steps in designing a campaign?

3.     How to execute a campaign and what media to use? 

 1. How to create a message that has a mass appeal, is memorable, international and persuasive?

The main essential to create an effective communication is based on the 4C’s model. It comprises comprehension, connection, credibility and contagiousness.

Comprehension:

The essential point for creating an effective communication is to build a comprehensive message. Companies should take into consideration if the audience gets the message if they understand the main idea that the companies try to express and if they can play it back. Therefore, it is important to create a clear and straightforward message and repeat them time and time again ( tell the audience what you are going to tell them, next, tell them and then tell them what you told them)

Connection:

Moving people is not easy. It is all about building a connection between a company and its customers and making them believe that they are listened and understood. A connection should be involved in emotions of customers such as fear, excitement, anger, etc. Because emotions provoke actions and the heart-touching message will remain in customer’s mind for a long time. Moreover, to build a real connection with customers, companies should keep asking themselves what problems they are solving for customers, what solutions they offer customers and how will the customers react when they perceive the message. (Example: Nike – “Just do it” campaign)

Credibility:

It is not easy to make people trust. When receiving a message, beside of thinking about its content, people also think about who is saying it and where does it come from. Hence, the corporation’s credibility will decide how the audience perceive the message. On the other hand, companies should take into consideration whether the source or the media that displays the message is trustworthy. As even the message can reach and connect the audience on an emotional level but they could turn around because of the untrustworthy source.

Contagiousness:

Contagiousness in communication is when audiences get the message, feel connected with it, spread it around or even use the catch phrase in their daily conversation. In order to create a contagious content, the message should be energetic, memorable and original.

Furthermore, being honest and simple can gain a huge connection with customers in an international market.

Different cultures result in different expectations and attitudes in customers. However, the same thing remains with customers coming from all over the world is their “persona”. Many companies have run their advertising campaign successfully by using this persona marketing strategy. By recognizing that all people want to express their opinions, to be listened, and to be recognized by others, some big companies such as Dove, Marlboro figured out that the essential way to reach customer’s heart is to be honest and simple. Dove understood the so-called “women’s problem” that every woman is afraid to be getting older, wrinkled, fat, etc. Instead of sending the same message as other companies have done for over many years, Dove decided to run a Real Beauty campaign with a simple but meaningful message “You are more beautiful than you think”.  Dove made people who use their products not only feel more confident, be listened and understood, but also made them recognise that nothing is more crucial than be grateful for their natural beauty instead of spending a lot of time and effort to analyze and fix the things that aren’t quite right.

Marlboro’s advertising campaign in early 1955 also captured a lifestyle which many men aspired at the time. Both of companies created ads that they knew it was sensitive but meaningful to customers and even though a company wants to send a message to the audiences inside national borders or in an international market, stay honest and simple is a key to building a successful communication campaign.

Finally, when the company decides to make the message global, they should consider about cultural contents. The company might translate their message in different languages when they want to expand their market in other countries. Therefore, the message must be fit on and relevant for each target country. Effective is rather to create a message which is relevant to more people than a limited group of people or regions. 

2. What are the steps in designing a campaign?

1       Ideation and research
2       Build a vision
3       Define targeted market and customers
4       Determine objectives ( short-term and long-term)
5       Create a plan ( strategy + media use + budget)
6      Forecasting campaign outcome

3. How to execute a campaign and what media to use? 

• Designing a campaign requires a lot of research in order to identify opportunities and potential to realise an idea of a campaign.

• Companies should take into consideration following questions:

• Why a company wants to run this campaign
• Are there any existing things in the marketplace a company wants to change, develop? Or prefer to create a new trend?
•  What is a product all about?
•  What problems they are solving for customers, what solutions they offer to the customer?
•  Why do customers want to use this product or service?
• How will the customers react when they perceive companies’ message?

• Building short-term and long-term objectives according to SMART model. Campaign objectives must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely

• There are two types of media use: traditional and social media

                Traditional media: broadcast media (TV, radio, and cinema), print media (newspaper and magazines) and outdoor media (poster)

·                    Social media:  online media such as websites, online publication, mobiles, social media platform such as Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, etc.

There are no the best media, but only the (most) suitable one depending on what message and how a company wants to deliver it to customers.

• A plan must comprise tactics and strategies, budget planning and outcome forecasting

• After a period of running a campaign, companies should consider measuring the results

References:

Albanese, I. (2016). How to Make Your Message Memorable for Effective Communication. The Balance. Retrieved 30 May 2016, from https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-make-your-messages-memorable-the-4cs-model-1918478

Lake, L. (2016). How to Plan Your Marketing Campaign in 7 Easy Steps. The Balance. Retrieved 9 August 2016, from https://www.thebalance.com/steps-successful-promotion-campaign-2295836