Develop An Advertising Plan

CHAPTER 4

Purpose of an Advertising Plan:

Advertising Plan: Describes the thinking and tasks needed to achieve a successful advertising campaign that fits into the advertisers marketing strategy.
All decisions made during the creation of an

advertising campaign must fit into the advertising plan.

Components of an Advertising Plan

1. 2. 3.

4.
5. 6. 7.

Introduction Situational Analysis Objectives Budget Strategy Execution Methods Evaluation

Introduction
Presents an executive summary and overview of the entire plan. Executive Summary: Summarizes the most important parts of the advertising plan.

Similar to a summary of an entire book. Can be two paragraphs to two pages in length.

Overview: Summarizes important information in

each section of the document.

Similar to a summary of each chapter in a book.

Situational Analysis
Describes the factors that influence the advertising plan.
1. 2. 3. 4.

Reviews the company and product history. Evaluates the products strengths and weaknesses. Defines the target market. Evaluates the competition.

Objectives
Describes the goals that the advertising should accomplish. Sample goals/objectives:

1. Increase consumer awareness of brand. 2. Change consumer attitudes about the product. 3. Promote replacement of outdated products with new products using new technology. 4. Persuade consumer to try a sample of product. 5. Convert occasional user of product to regular user. 6. Persuade consumers to switch from a competitors product. 7. Increase sales.

Objectives
An objective must be clearly stated and include criteria to measure the success of the campaign. Example: Based on surveys completed at the conclusion of the three week advertising campaign, McKnight Advertising Agency will increase brand recognition from 50% to 55%.

Budget
Identifies the amount of money that will be spent on advertising and the method used to calculate the amount. Budget methods:
1.

2.
3. 4. 5.

Affordable Method Historical Method Percent of Sales Method Share-of-Voice Method Objective and Task Method

Affordable Method
The advertiser spends what it thinks it can afford. Commonly used by small, inexperienced businesses. Disadvantages: Poor method of setting a budget because the advertiser doesnt know if it is spending too much or too little.

Historical Method
The amount of the current budget is based on the amount the advertiser was able to afford the previous year. Ex. (Last years budget) x (Inflation) =Current Budget Disadvantages: Generally not recommended because the budget does not take into account changes made to the business since last year (i.e. competition). New businesses cannot use this method

Percentage of Sales Method

Amount of current budget is based on % of last years sales or anticipated sales. Commonly used by large companies. Higher % of budget is used on new products

It costs more to build a consumers awareness of a new product. (10%-35%)

Disadvantages Could lead to overspending on budget or decrease in advertising due to low sales.

Share-of-Voice Method
Based on the idea that if you spend more than your competition consumers will be more aware of your product than your competitors.
Many companies use this method.

Disadvantages: Your competitors spending information may be impossible to obtain. The same amount of money will not automatically create a campaign of the same quality. Your competitor may have a different objective, requiring a different budget.

Objective and Task

The only method that uses the relationship between what you want to accomplish and what you want to spend. Objectives must be specific and clear. Costs are based on the level of the objective (or task) you want to accomplish. Disadvantages: Obtaining each level of your objectives will require a different spending level.

Strategy
Identifies how the advertising plan objectives will be accomplished. Involves:
1.
2. 3.

Identifying the target market Selecting a positioning strategy Choosing the type of advertisement

Positioning
The process of making an advertisers product different from other products in the consumers mind.
Benefit positioning: Selects a single benefit

that users might believe is important. User positioning: Demonstrates how the product will fit into consumers lifestyle. Competitive positioning: Focuses on the differences between your product and other similar products

Choose the Type of Advertising

Brand Advertising Informative Advertising Comparative Advertising

Defensive Advertising
Persuasive Advertising

Execution
Identifies where, when, and how the ad will be placed in the appropriate media.

Evaluation
Describes the tests and criteria that will determine the success or failure of the advertising campaign.

Return on Investment: The amount you earn from the money you spend.

Changing Behavior is Difficult

Hierarchy of Change

Awareness and Recall

Change Attitude

Brand Preference

Believe Product Claims

Change Purchase Behavior

Evaluation Measurement Tools

Awareness and Recall Testing Unaided recall: Do you remember any commercials you saw on T.V. last night? Aided recall: Tell me what you think of when you hear the work Nike. Mall Intercept Method Mail Questionnaires Telephone Surveys Consumer Panels Tracking Studies