If you’ve been following along on Tongal you’ve noticed two new project types, Observations and Insights. Today we’re introducing a third - Campaign Ideas.
These are also sometimes known among marketing folks as “Big Ideas.” There’s a slight distinction though, because in advertising circles, the Big Idea is something of a holy grail – the most important job, that only the most brilliant creative directors can do.
Well, if you’ve ever sat at home watching a new TV ad or campaign and thought: “Wow, I could do better than that!”, then all we can say is hell yes -- WE believe you!
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What is a Campaign Idea?
At its most fundamental, a Campaign Idea should be:
1. Original: First and foremost, you can’t steal someone else’s Campaign Idea and stick a new brand’s name on it. Courts – and the brands who will take you there -- frown on that.
2. Creative: This one is tougher to define, but a Campaign Idea has to be more than a flat statement or demonstration of product capabilities. Yes, there will be an aspect of these, but typically, that something more is a story or narrative frame.
3. Repeatable: A Campaign Idea has to be big enough to hold or suggest more than one execution, be it video, print ad, Tweet or Facebook post -- such that you can see the relation or relevance from one to the next.
By way of example, let’s look at the Insight and Campaign Idea from this, now classic, Snickers campaign.
Insight: When people get hungry, most of us tend to get a little cranky.
- The relevance is that Snickers is more than just a candy bar – it’s a satisfying, between meal that helps you be your best self in any circumstance.
Campaign Idea: "You’re not yourself when you’re hungry"
- Famous, cranky people morph into other, nicer famous people the instant they bite into a Snickers.
What do lasting Campaign Ideas have in common?
They’re built on Insights: Remember, Insights are universal truths drawn from Observations that drive emotional and cerebral connections between a communicator (a brand) and its audience (customer). “When people get hungry…”
They change the way we see things: Great Campaign Ideas turn the tables – and render the familiar, new, or strange. Safe to say we can file the Snickers example under familiar and strange.
They generate narratives, and seek to engage and “involve” their audiences: A key feature many brands look for are ways to activate and involve their audience in the narratives they develop. There are lots of examples of this trend. For Snickers, they’re involving the audience by showcasing actors and scenes we all love and letting them “in on” the joke. This campaign for Kayak shows another way to involve the audience and is one of our all-time favorites.
They’re unexpected: A creative idea should have some element of surprise or wonder in it.
Major bonus points for the unexpected aspect to reveal some kind of relevance. Part of the fun and energy for an unexpected campaign idea is the discovery of the connection to the brand or product to the story being told. The punchline of the Snickers spot is the product itself.
They’re humble: It may be the last thing one expects from a brand, but increasingly, they are finding a greater utility for campaign ideas that place the brand or product in a supporting rather than starring role.
They’re also nice: In general, advertising reflects an upbeat, humanistic, and optimistic point of view. Ads that feature physical or verbal aggression, sophomoric humor, put downs, and barbed humor are still out there – but they’re becoming increasingly rare.
Finally, they’re ownable: This is not necessarily the same thing as original, but it starts there, and adds a requirement that the campaign is believably relevant to the brand and the value they provide to their customers. Brands borrow interest all the time – from stars and celebrities to movies, theme parks etc. This borrowing is done with care, and that same care is applied when brands are looking for their next great campaign idea.
Campaign Idea Projects at Tongal
When we ask you for a Campaign Idea here at Tongal, we’re looking for a succinct idea that captures as much of the above as possible in 500 characters or less. Sometimes, we’ll ask you for a compelling Tagline that riffs on your Campaign Idea in 140 characters or less. Finally, you may upload a visual asset if it helps better illustrate your Idea.
