Product and Imagery Sources for a Beloved Brand:

QUESTION

PART 1

1 – Imagine you were creating content for a brand you love.  Explain what the product is.  What sources would you get imagery from, especially if you were on a limited budget?

2 – It’s important to have an image and headline that communicate an ad idea.  Select an over-the-counter national brand pain reliever. Research the pain the brand you selected targets—for example, arthritis pain, headache, etc. Imagine a metaphor for the specific type of pain. Explain an image in combination with a headline that communicates: This is how your pain feels. Your target audience should be able to identify with the metaphor. What will be implied is that the brand will relieve the pain.

PART 2 

1. Find an ad, animation, video, or social media campaign that exemplifies a brand promise. Explain why this is a brand promise. Below are some examples of ads that make a promise.

2. Explain what functional benefit vs. emotional benefit is and why it is important in advertising?

3. Explain what storytelling is. Give an example of a great advertising campaign that has strong storytelling in your opinion, and explain why.

ANSWER

Product and Imagery Sources for a Beloved Brand:

Imagine creating content for a brand that produces eco-friendly and sustainable reusable water bottles. The product is designed to reduce single-use plastic waste and promote a more environmentally conscious lifestyle. These water bottles are made from high-quality, BPA-free materials, and they come in various sizes, colors, and designs to cater to different customer preferences.

Given the limited budget for this content creation, it is essential to source imagery from cost-effective and royalty-free platforms. Some potential sources for imagery could include:

Free Stock Image Websites: There are several websites that offer high-quality stock images for free, such as Unsplash, Pixabay, and Pexels. These platforms provide a wide range of pictures related to nature, outdoor activities, and eco-friendly concepts that align with the brand’s message.

User-Generated Content (UGC): Encouraging customers to share their experiences with the water bottles on social media using a branded hashtag allows the brand to collect authentic and relatable imagery. This UGC can be reposted or incorporated into the brand’s content, showcasing real customers using and enjoying the product.

DIY Product Photography: Utilizing simple DIY product photography techniques can also be cost-effective. This involves using natural lighting and basic smartphone or entry-level camera equipment to capture images of the water bottles in various settings, promoting the product’s versatility.

Collaboration with Local Artists: Partnering with local artists or photographers who are passionate about sustainability can result in unique and compelling imagery that resonates with the brand’s values. This collaboration can be mutually beneficial, as the brand gains eye-catching visuals, and the artists receive exposure.

Pain Reliever Advertising Metaphor

The over-the-counter pain reliever brand selected targets tension headaches, a type of pain that many people experience due to stress and long hours of work. To communicate the feeling of a tension headache, the following metaphor can be used:

Headline: “When Work Feels Like a Jackhammer Inside Your Head.”

Image: The image features a person in a professional setting, dressed in office attire, with a giant jackhammer lodged inside their head. The expression on their face portrays the discomfort and frustration caused by a tension headache.

This imagery and headline aim to evoke a strong emotional response from the target audience. The metaphor helps individuals suffering from tension headaches identify with the exaggerated and relatable feeling of having a jackhammer in their head, emphasizing the intensity of the pain. By doing so, the brand implies that its pain reliever product is powerful enough to alleviate such severe headaches, providing quick and effective relief.

PART 2

Exemplary Brand Promise Ad

An excellent example of a brand promise can be seen in Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign. This iconic slogan and campaign have been synonymous with the brand for decades, reflecting their commitment to inspiring and empowering athletes and everyday individuals to push their boundaries and achieve greatness. The campaign features athletes from various sports and backgrounds, showcasing their determination, perseverance, and accomplishments.

This campaign exemplifies a brand promise because it goes beyond merely selling athletic apparel and shoes. Nike promises its customers that by wearing their products, they can tap into their inner potential and overcome obstacles to achieve their goals. The slogan “Just Do It” is simple yet powerful, encapsulating the essence of the brand’s promise to support and motivate individuals to take action and pursue their dreams.

Functional Benefit vs. Emotional Benefit in Advertising

Functional benefits in advertising refer to the practical advantages and features of a product or service. These benefits are tangible and address the specific needs of the consumer. For example, in a smartphone advertisement, functional benefits may include a high-resolution camera, long battery life, or a fast processor.

On the other hand, emotional benefits in advertising are intangible and focus on how the product or service makes the consumer feel. Emotional benefits connect with the customer on a deeper level, tapping into their desires, aspirations, and emotions. In the smartphone example, emotional benefits may include feeling empowered through creativity with the advanced camera, or staying connected to loved ones, fostering a sense of belonging.

Both functional and emotional benefits are crucial in advertising. Functional benefits provide consumers with essential information about the product’s capabilities and performance, helping them make rational purchase decisions. Emotional benefits, on the other hand, create a strong emotional connection between the brand and the consumer, influencing their perceptions, loyalty, and brand preference. Combining both aspects in advertising results in a compelling and persuasive message that addresses both the rational and emotional needs of the audience.

The Power of Storytelling in Advertising

Storytelling in advertising involves crafting a narrative that captivates the audience and emotionally engages them with the brand. It goes beyond presenting product features or benefits; instead, it creates a meaningful and memorable experience for the viewer. A great example of storytelling in advertising is Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign.

The campaign involved replacing the Coca-Cola logo on the bottles with popular names and phrases, encouraging people to share a Coke with friends and loved ones. The accompanying advertisements featured heartwarming stories of people coming together, celebrating special moments, and fostering connections over a bottle of Coca-Cola.

This campaign’s storytelling approach evoked feelings of happiness, nostalgia, and a sense of belonging, appealing to universal human emotions. By associating their product with joyful experiences and human connections, Coca-Cola strengthened its brand identity as a facilitator of shared moments and happiness.

In conclusion, successful advertising involves more than just promoting product features. It requires creating a brand promise that resonates with the audience on both functional and emotional levels. By leveraging powerful imagery, metaphors, and storytelling, brands can establish a strong connection with their customers, build brand loyalty, and convey their unique value proposition effectively.