We live in a world full of marketing clutter. Consumers see approximately 6000 advertisements every day. Whether a small company or a large organisation no one will argue that getting consumers’ attention is a monumental task.
As companies struggle to differentiate themselves from their competitors, they also have the added pressure of consumers consciously avoiding marketing activity. The unrelenting truth is that if the products/services, brand, or company does not get notice, it will eventually cease to exist. So, the ultimate question is: how does a company get noticed?
While a number of techniques may be applied in order to increase product and brand visibility, nothing is as efficient and cost effective as creative cut through marketing. Companies performing great creative cut through marketing, such as, ING, Cadburys, Mars, and KFC have embraced very clever and imaginative advertising and marketing campaigns over the past 2 years.
However, is this creative cut-through marketing enough and is this kind of marketing all it takes to enhance consumer awareness? Unfortunately, creativity alone will never be enough to cut through enormous clutter and sell a product/service and brand.
What separates ING, Cadbury’s, Mars, KFC from many other companies is not only their brand equity, products and services, and huge marketing budgets but also their strategic communication.
To create a fun, crazy, and cheeky campaign without communicating product/service features, consumer benefits, and brand culture and character is easy. But trying to combine the two is the real challenge that marketers face when it’s time to launch a new campaign; without the correct communication, it’ absolutely useless to engage in any form of marketing.
Take ING as an example. Their latest marketing campaign features a talking orangutan who projects the same attitudes and perceptions as generation Y consumers. The message is simple, but very effective: don’t stress, don’t worry, watch your money grow, and relax while it does. This message resonates with the target market. What’s more, the brand’s highly visible. Love it or hate it, you’ll certainly notice it.
So, while these companies are imaginative with their creativity and cut through material, they still infuse their advertisements with a clear and thoughtful message that they know must be communicated to the public in order to have maximum effect. Thus, great creative cuts through the clutter while effective communication makes it very clear what’s on offer; both are of equal importance.
In today’s very competitive environment, companies realize they must engage consumers with clever and entertaining advertising. And let’s face it, if advertising is a part of our everyday lives then why should any of us have to endure boring advertising? Conversely, using fantastic creative with a message that’s jumbled looks ridiculous. In other words, use the ape but get the communications right too!
