Why is it important to create a creative campaign?

Because creativity always pays off!

We are well aware that the battle of companies takes place in the field of attention : whoever manages to enter the consumer's mind even for a few seconds a day will have been able to penetrate that solid barrier of indifference that protects him from the infinity of contents with which get in touch every day.

So let's start with some evidence on today's consumer :

• His knowledge of brands is superficial and he is rarely able to indicate what differentiates one brand from the others;
• As a result, brand loyalty is quite low;
• Brands are rarely the subject of his conversations and, even when they are, they are touched on in passing, like details in a story;
• Building relationships with brands is not considered a priority.

Contrary to what one might think, companies rarely choose to implement campaigns with a high level of creativity , which are instead reserved for the launch of new products or for brands that weigh little on the company's profit. Small companies are more inclined towards this type of investment.

The cause lies in the lack of knowledge of one's public. In fact, the fear is that the results achieved by the brand will be destroyed by a campaign that deviates from the promotional activity implemented up to that moment, that therefore the implicit message that the creative campaign brings with it will not be understood by the public or that it will be wrongly understood.

Because a creative campaign is never a waste

But let's clarify one thing first: creating a creative campaign is never a waste. In fact we are speaking to an awake consumer , who has learned to carefully and judiciously select the messages that arrive from the outside. A creative campaign tells them something important about the brand, namely:

• “Ours is a quality product, because we have invested a lot in it and it shows”
• "Ours is an innovative and intelligent company, because it is capable of transmitting messages outside the box"
• “We are a successful reality because we can afford not to save on creativity”

All positive messages don't you think?

But let's take a closer look at the implications of a creative campaign.

First of all, the benefits of creativity are manifested in the long term (at least six months) because they are linked to emotional aspects. In fact, advertisements that convey rational messages influence the behavior of consumers more quickly, but they will not have developed a particular attachment to the brand or that product. Conversely, creative advertising lays the foundations for a lasting relationship , so much so that the consumer is less sensitive to price, agreeing to spend more on brands that communicate in an unprecedented way.

The originality of a campaign makes it easier for the brand to become a topic of conversation between people and the word-of-mouth is a very powerful tool capable of affecting market performance.

How creativity affects the brain

Creative advertising usually presents an implicit and ambiguous message, i.e. one that can have more than one interpretation or that is in contrast with the mental schemes of the consumer. The latter is faced with a dilemma, a situation that needs to be resolved, and will engage his energies in an attempt to work it out .

The consequence is that fewer exposures to the advertising message will be needed to develop memory and a behavioral response. At the same time, he will get tired of a creative message later, because with each new exhibition he will look for new details to confirm his interpretation.

Another fundamental aspect, shown by the scholars Yang and Smith, is that consumers assume an attitude of openness and curiosity in the face of this type of communication. This happens because a mechanism called DPC (desire to postpone closure) is established, for which one is willing to assume more information before judging. Therefore, prejudices, stereotypes, beliefs do not come into play, and above all less selection is made on the information received.

In essence, the consumer wants to be treated as smart and capable . The initial frustration with the complexity of the message gives way to the satisfaction of being able to decipher it.

The positive sensations stimulated in the consumer will repay not only the product performance, but also the trend of the brand. In fact, creative advertising leaves traces and associations in the memory which facilitate brand recognition, but also its spontaneous recall.

How to make a creative campaign: 5 ways

According to the test invented by psychologist Torrance in the 1960s, divergence can be created in five ways:

• Using original elements that deviate from what already exists or what the public thinks they know;
• By adopting a flexible vision of the product, which shows it in new situations or in uncommon uses;  
• Combining elements that normally have no connection;
• By communicating ideas and messages in an elaborate and subtle way, thus stimulating cognitive abilities;
• Inserting particularly fascinating elements from an aesthetic point of view.

We can cite some examples of advertising that in 2020 have exploited these principles.

Let's take some examples

"Be careful what you swallow" was an advertisement launched by Burger King in which the brand ironically shows the comparison between the famous banana stuck to the wall by the artist Cattelan and a potato chip they produce (and certainly much tastier) for the price of 0.01 cents. Fun is guaranteed: Burger King demonstrates that it has a flexible vision of its product and a watchful eye towards novelties, communicating an implicit and highly stimulating message for the consumer's brain.

Heineken instead leveraged gender stereotypes with its "Cheers to all" campaign. The message is clear: his beer can also be associated with a female image, thus distancing himself from competitors who usually show beer as a male product.

Finally, the Digital Detox campaign implemented by Porsche has linked the theme of digital detoxification to the pleasure of driving, inspiring emotions of freedom, self-awareness, contact with nature and with others. The unusual juxtaposition of these two themes has led to the creation of a very engaging campaign.

Daring is the keyword!

In short, creative communication can bring enormous benefits to the brands that put it into practice, while offering a valuable experience to the target audience. It's not that difficult to make: just follow these simple rules and have a healthy desire to 'dare'.