9 IMC Message Strategy

IMC Message Strategy
All planned brand messages should:
1) Create brand awareness
2) Change or reinforce customers’ attitudes
3) Stimulate some kind of response or action
4) Stimulate the interactivity that helps build brand relationships
The IMC Creative Brief is based on these mandates and how they relate to the brand decision-making process.
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Creating Brand Value for a
Biscuit

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Brand Message Strategy
Development
The fourth step in the IMC planning process is developing message strategies.
Companies and their marketing communication agencies employ strategic thinking at a variety of levels in the marketing communication process.
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The Creative Message
Brief
A creative brief is a document that provides the guidelines for creating brand messages.

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The Creative Message
Brief
Creative briefs typically include items such as:
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Restatement of the marketing strategy
Restatement of the marketing objectives in terms of the intended message impact
The message format or approach
The psychological appeal
The selling premise
The big idea or creative concept
The message execution details
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Citigate Cunningham’s
“Positioning Platform”

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Purpose or Key Problem
Identifying the company’s main opportunity or key problem is the first step in developing a selling strategy.
This key problem should summarize the most important finding from the SWOT analysis. 7

Functional-Area Message
Objectives
For each MC area used in the MC plan, message objectives need to be developed.
 MC efforts are measured against their objectives, so stating appropriate objectives is an important part of determining the desired impact.
 Creative message objectives are often based on some notion of hierarchy of effects such as the AIDA model.
 A less hierarchical approach includes awareness, attitude, action and relationship building.
 Brand message objectives and strategies need to dovetail with the marketing plan.
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Appeals and Execution
Style
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Advertising Appeals