Creative Strategy

Definition: 

“Creative without strategy is called art; creative with strategy is called Advertising” -  Jef I Richards

Advertising creativity is the skill of generating novel ideas that can serve as solutions to the various communication gaps. Creative strategies are developed by the creative teams of the ad agency. They determine the content of the message to be used in the advertisements by preparing a definite outline. These strategies are developed to meet the advertising goals and objectives. Broadly it should answer the four questions with regards to its target audience.

How you decide to introduce your brand to the world is one of the most important business decisions you will make. Even after a successful introduction, how you continue to present your brand’s image is an on-going effort. Developing a brand’s creative strategy requires an investment of your attention and a portion of your marketing budget.   
 
Creative strategy is the intentional and strategic approach a company takes in developing and implementing steps that will ensure and support the business’ growth.

Essentially, it is the outline or blueprint of how the end goals will ultimately be met. Your creative strategy provides the guiding principles for copywriters and art directors who are assigned to develop the advertisement. Within the context of that assignment, any ad that is then created should conform to that strategy.  A creative strategy contains moving parts. Each of these parts plays an integral role in meeting the goals that are set. The moving parts consist of detailed market research, an imaging plan, and effective strategic delivery. 

What Questions Should You Ask When Developing Your Creative Strategy?

1.     What is the story of your business?

2.     What are your primary objectives?

3.     Who is your target audience?

4.     What are your customers looking for?

5.     What calls to action will you utilize?

6.     What is the offering, what's in it for the consumer?

7.     What marketing channels will you use?

8.     What deliverables will you need?

9.     What budget can you put towards your creative strategy?

10.                        What is mandatory that need to be on your creative assets? Do you want the telephone number, email address or website address?  Sadly, this question is often missed.

11.                        What reference materials will you use to create your creative strategy?

12.                        What is your story?

When considering creative strategy, be sure to remain focused on effective communication. It can be lost in the midst of all the planning, but it is critical. The overall goal of any brand strategy is to communicate to the public effectively. What you choose to communicate is up to you and is where you get to be creative. However, making sure the public gets the message you intend can be the tricky part. 
 
Consider your long-term goals when developing your creative strategy. Pay attention to how much room you allow for growth. You do not want to box yourself into a genre or an image that is stifling. This is where market research will aid in the process. 

The above diagram depicts a general Marketing Information Flow across the advertising agency. The brand should have significant brand equity and propose a Unique selling Proposition to its customers. It should position itself in the minds of the customers as something which is unique, beneficial and has the potential to serve their needs.