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| CREATIVE |
Often in advertising, attention and awards go to the most outrageous creative solutions. In advocacy ads, where your job is to connect to people where they're at on issues that are often tough to understand, the challenge is a little different. To be compelling, but also to be assuring. To respect and reinforce the values that matter to your audience and to you. This isn't toothpaste. It's not sneakers. It's a brief moment to say, “we get it. We care about what you care about. Now here's something that matters and a specific thing we'd like you to do about it.” You've to grab attention, gain trust, and give a simple call to action. Often in just 30 seconds.
Most of my clients have been nonprofits or large campaigns with tight budgets. So I'm a big believer in how much people can achieve with relatively little to work with. I work with crews that are used to moving fast and checking egos at the door. Pet peeve – naysayers. People who will tell you things like “you can't afford film. You can only do video.” Or, “You can't afford video, this has to be a print campaign.” Or, “You can't afford any campaign, really. Just wait for things to get better on their own.”
Creative Strategies has taken budgets not much larger than that of a print and helped clients get the visibility of a feisty, high-frequency television presence. By working closely as partners with the client, figuring out ways to leverage in-house resources, and finding great talent that cares enough about the issues to pitch in on price.
Most important is research. It forms the foundation of message development, helping guide not only language, but which images appeal to which audiences, and which communities will be most likely to respond. It's also essential for evaluation of the campaign's effectiveness. Both qualitative and quantitative research are needed to establish a benchmark at the outset of a campaign, against which the progress of the campaign and potential course corrections can be measured. Creative Strategies works directly with researchers to design the research plan, from focus group discussion guides to questions for survey instruments.
Memorable creative is not enough in advocacy. Creative Strategies keeps this challenge front and center on ever campaign:
“Don't just grab me, |
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