This week Professor Argo shifted the focus of the Live Session review to identifying and presenting concepts more than reporting what happened in the meeting. This insight and synthesis is meant to show a logical, critical thinking process by connecting outside sources (including previous work).
Purpose of a Creative Brief
Just as every design agency or in-house design group has a different idea of what a mood board or style guide should contain, there are many different types of creative briefs depending on the project and persons creating the brief. However, all creative briefs serve a similar purpose: to define a singular message that sets the objective of the project. The creative brief is “a blueprint for your project that not only helps the creative team but also will help you as you shape the overall strategy and goals for the project” (Bruun, 2019). No matter how long or short the creative brief, Felton (2013) recommends that it answers the following three questions:
- What benefit are you promising?
- Who are you making it to?
- Why should they believe you?
Other areas can be addressed but answering those three questions should provide a strategy for solving the design problem at hand.
Brand Image
When developing a creative strategy, it’s important to keep in mind the brand image. Felton (2013) credits David Ogilvy with creating the idea of brand-image advertising. When products like shoes, cola, or sushi are very similar to their competitors, customers look to the brand image for differentiation. Brand image is more than a logo or package design, it is the recognizable personality of the brand. This includes not only visual elements and copy style but also the brand reputation built through customer interactions (Thimothy, 2016). To stand out from competitors, a brand image should be recognizable and relatable to the target audience, like an old friend they want to spend time with.
Unique Selling Proposition vs Emotional Selling Proposition
The idea of the Unique Selling Proposition (USP) was conceived in the 1950s by Rosser Reeves as a way to single out a product’s unique benefit to set it apart from competitors (Felton, 2013). This product-oriented strategy is one way of finding brand differentiation, but more recently the USP has given way to the Emotional Selling Proposition (ESP) conceived by John Hegarty. Instead of looking for the logical benefits of a product, the ESP finds the emotional selling points of the product. How does it make the use feel happier or more attractive? McPheat (2019) notes that negative emotions can drive a selling proposition as well by addressing consumer worries and fears. A creative strategy that combines the product-oriented USP and consumer-oriented ESP gives people more reasons to use the brand.
References:
Bruun, K. (2019, June 19). 10 Key Elements of a Successful Creative Brief. Retrieved from https://www.upwork.com/hiring/design/how-to-create-an-effective-creative-brief/
Felton, G. (2013). Advertising: Concept and Copy (Third). New York: W.W. Norton.
McPheat, S. (2019, April 23). What Is An Emotional Selling Proposition & Is It Better Than A Unique Selling Proposition? Retrieved from https://www.mtdsalestraining.com/mtdblog/emotional-selling-proposition-better-than-a-unique-selling-proposition.html
Thimothy, S. (2016, October 31). Why Brand Image Matters More Than You Think. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2016/10/31/why-brand-image-matters-more-than-you-think/
Joshua Siegel's Mastery Journal 