UNIT 2: CAMPAIGN PLANNING a) WHAT IS A CAMPAIGN?

A campaign is an organised series of advertisements having the same theme over a period of time. The campaign may be multi-media (aired over different media) but its theme is kept intact and it maintains a unified approach. All ads in the series are driven by the same though and physical continuity is provided by similarity of visuals and morals. In a broad sense, ad campaign is a process where the advertising plan is integrated to the overall marketing plan and corporate plan. The advertising objectives are achieved by formulating ad strategy, and then creative strategy that is implemented through media planning and media strategy. Thus, campaigns are part of the strategic marketing process. Campaigns can be local or regional. Pioneering campaigns launch new products, while Competitive campaigns emphasise superiority to retain the existing consumers or to expand into new markets. Advertising strategy which is designed to adequately support the marketing strategy when translated into a plan of action is known as campaign planning in advertising. b) CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES The objective or goal or purpose of the advertisement campaign may be quite broad in scope or may be quite specific or particular. It may be to stimulate primary demand or to build up a brand preference. Every campaign has minimum immediate objectives, but the ultimate goal is always to sell the product, service or idea. Examples of the minimum objectives are to obtain a large share of the market, to obtain a good name or image, to sell goods through direct mail, to correct mistaken ideas about the product, to introduce a new product, to promote a new style, to build corporate or brand image etc. c) THREE MAIN DECISIONS IN CAMPAIGN PLANNING An advertising campaign requires three main decisions. These are What to say This constitutes the advertising policy or copy platform, based on the marketing strategy How to say This incorporates the whole production side of advertising including artworks

 Where to say This refers to choosing the right media as a vehicle for the message. These three steps remain constant to all advertising campaigns. The campaign must adhere to three basic principles. These are Dominance It is better to have fewer but very dominating ads in the campaign so that they can be remembered well. Concentration It is better to focus on one geographical region, one ad theme and one design theme. Repetition This refers to the flexibility of the campaign to repeat the message. d) CAMPAIGN STRATEGY Basis of Campaign planning Information distilled over a period of time from past activities including advertising/selling forms the basis of the campaign planning. The primary data available and the secondary data gained through research guide the campaign. Market research provides quantitative guidelines and motivational research provides qualitative guidelines. Objectives of Campaign planning 1. To determine the market and its potential 2. To obtain the consumer profile 3. To study the consumer psychology 4. To know about the frequency or size of buying 5. To decide about the channels and their satisfactory operation 6. To bring about product modifications 7. To determine the geographical scope of the campaign 8. To do the media planning 9. To develop a central or core idea around which the selling points revolve 10. To determine the fundamental human desire to which the advertisement will appeal 11. To determine the type of copy 12. To determine the scheduling and space buying 13. To prepare the actual ad copy with a dominant central idea that has been effectively presented and laid out. 14. To decide about the placement of copy in the media to run the campaign 15. To decide upon budget 16. To co-ordinate with the general administration, sales staff and other promotional activities

Points to be kept in mind when planning a campaign 1. Identify the problem Why have the sales fallen? What is expected from the campaign higher sales or a better image or educating the consumer? This will help identify the USP. 2. The Budget How much is the client willing to spend? 3. Pre-testing Consumer and product research to find out the habits of consumers, their needs, their values, living standards; their present reactions to the product and how it is advertised. What feedback is available from the public or target audience? 4. Target audience This must be defined perfectly. Will the campaign address children, teenagers or the aged? Is it geared towards working women or middleclass households? Such questions need to be answered. 5. Media Selection Which is the most effective medium for talking about the product/service? Among the effective media, which one would reach the target audience? 6. The language Which language must be used for the campaign? 7. The visual and the copy Will they be read as they are intended or are people deriving a different meaning? The rule here is KISS (Keep it simple, stupid) 8. Timing and Duration Appropriate seasons must be chosen for launches. During the other seasons, reminder-oriented advertising must take place 9. Post-testing Gauge consumer reactions to the ad campaign 10. Effects on sales Did the ad lead to purchase? Marketing factors need to be looked at, instead of just creativity. Broad Strategy alternatives available when planning a campaign Change the perception of the companys brand Change the perception of the competitions brand Improve/reduce importance given to certain feature of that product class e) LAUNCHING A NEW PRODUCT There are no past experiences or past sales to guide the campaign. Thorough market research on similar products and state of market is thus required. Objective here would be to increase awareness of the product and establish it in the market. A new product requires a considerably large budget than an already established one, because continuous advertising is required. This ensures that the message reaches the target audience effectively. Generally, two years after the launch of the product is considered incubation period and maximum advertising is done during this time. In the very beginning, informative advertising is used and for the rest of the period, continuous reminder advertising is resorted to. Advertising costs for new products are to be treated as an investment, as they help build demand and boost sales.

f) UNIQUE SELLING POINT USP is a concept developed by Rosser Reeves. It is communication-oriented, and tries to differentiate between product offerings on the basis of a unique benefit of the product. As theorised by Rosser Reeves 1. Each ad must make a specific proposition to the customer. (What is the benefit of this product?) This should be a tangible benefit. 2. The proposition or promise made by the ad must be one that the competition has not so far made. 3. The proposition must be strong enough to move people. A truly unique attribute that gives the customers and producers a sustainable advantage is required. USP assumes that the customer thinks rationally and so, ad propositions must be rational. USP does not work on products where emotion plays a key role. g) MULTIMEDIA ADVERTISING Two levels 1. Based on the number of media used In multi-media campaigns, a number of different media vehicles are used. This overcomes the problems of a single medium and ensures that the reach can be maximised. 2. Based on content Multimedia means the use of images, text, symbols and other forms of written communication in the copy of the advertisement. h) FACTORS AFFECTING THE PLANNING OF A CAMPAIGN There are many factors that affect the planning of a campaign. These are 1. The firm, its reputation, position in the market, its financial share etc. 2. The product, its type, is it new or established, its differentiating features, packaging etc 3. Selling price of the product and how it compares to competitions prices 4. The number and type of consumers, their location and potential volume of sales 5. The number and strength of competitors, their marketing and advertising strategies. 6. The numbers and types of channels of distribution, their location 7. The purpose of advertising 8. The budget available 9. The various media available 10. The advertising schedule required (timing, frequency and size of ads) 11. The efficacy of the existing sales force 12. Any direct action stimuli like premiums, samples, contests