Effective Advertising: Strategies and Message Design

Posted on Mar 25, 2025 in Marketing

Advertising is a technique that informs the public about a product or service through various media channels to motivate consumer action.

Reciprocity is a common form of exchange in societies, operating outside of market economies. It exists in all cultures, as virtually all human beings live in societies and possess some goods or services to exchange.

Propaganda involves launching a series of messages designed to influence citizens’ values and behavior.

The Essence of Advertising: Capturing Attention

Advertising encompasses text, images, sounds, and symbols that convey an idea. Its purpose is to capture the recipient’s attention, effectively communicate the idea, and ensure the recipient remembers the advertising’s purpose, associating it with a brand.

Advertising creativity involves generating the core message idea, which is determined by the campaign’s objective and communication strategy:

  1. Information
  2. Persuasive

In this edition, we present an article on advertising, excerpted from the Consultant Est @ regia, written and edited exclusively for Str @ Strategy Magazine subscribers. If you’re not a subscriber, you can request a free copy via email. Our only requirement is magazine subscription.

Message Design: Targeting Your Audience

When designing a message, consider the primary recipients:

  1. Existing customers
  2. Former clients
  3. Potential customers
  4. Staff
  5. Suppliers
  6. Competitors
  7. Other community agencies

After defining the target audience, set the macro target for the communications campaign.

Before proceeding, clarify the marketing strategy:

  • Identify the market and target customer.
  • Define the desired competitive position.
  • Determine the role in relation to the client.
  • Anticipate the client’s perception after the campaign.

With these concepts clarified, establish the campaign objectives:

  1. Launch and introduce the service or product.
  2. Position and/or maintain the brand image.
  3. Maintain or restore sales.
  4. Prepare vendors for a specific territory.
  5. Build staff ownership by “selling the company.”
  6. Attract qualified staff.
  7. Mislead or confuse competition.

The media campaign is a marketing tool to meet the target: master and control a product or service.

Do not pretend “art”; look for effectiveness.

Customer-Centric Messaging

The protagonist of each message should be the customer, not the company or its products/services.

Customers are interested in what the company, products, or services can do for them.

These concepts are crucial for positioning the product or service, defining its personality, and establishing the business philosophy. This should be decided before creating the ad campaign.

To achieve a successful message, answer these questions about the consumer:

  • Who and how?
  • What do they want from the product?
  • How, where, and when do they buy it?
  • How, where, when, and why do they use it?

Investing in research before the campaign is often worthwhile.

Previous experience of the advertiser and/or agency is also helpful. Common sense and imagination are often required.

Crafting a Competitive and Credible Promise

Establish the promise to convey, considering the attributes and benefits consumers expect from the service or product. Ultimately, what drives the consumer’s purchase or use?

This promise must be competitive and, above all, credible.