Five key priorities for delivering effective advertising

WARC today releases ‘Anatomy of Effectiveness: 2022 Edition’, a white paper giving brand marketers, advertising agencies and media owners a fresh perspective on the five key building blocks of effectiveness.

Why it matters

Much has changed since WARC published the first Anatomy of Effectiveness in 2019, David Tiltman, SVP Content, WARC, observes: “We’ve had a pandemic that saw budgets switch out of brand investment into performance marketing; we’ve seen the rise of ‘retail media’ platforms that are reshaping the media landscape; and with the impending death of the cookie we see a growing lack of confidence in advertising and media measurement.

“This updated edition of our white paper draws on new thinking and the latest evidence to present the key building blocks required to deliver commercial impact today.”

Five priorities

• Invest for growth

Understanding how factors such as brand size, campaign investment and category dynamics will determine effectiveness are key first steps when it comes to setting budgets and agreeing on objectives. Getting the right framework for investment is crucial if a campaign is to meet its potential.

• Balance your spend

Set the right framework for investment to ensure sustainable success. Whether it is long-term effects vs short-term sales impact, brand-building vs performance marketing, broad reach vs active in-market buyers or upper funnel vs lower-funnel, plan for effectiveness across different timeframes, messaging, audience types and buyer journeys to deliver maximum growth.

• Plan for reach

Campaign reach is becoming harder to achieve as media consumption fragments. This is forcing marketers to reconsider long-held assumptions about reach and frequency management. Factors to be considered include brand objectives, media selection and consumer purchase habits.

• Be creative

Creativity makes a difference and is the most powerful weapon under the marketer’s control. There is widespread evidence that creativity delivers increased effectiveness when it is distinctive, engaging, emotional and has some longevity. Recent research cited in LIONS’ State of Creativity 2022 study claims only 8% of agencies feel confident in convincing clients to invest in high-quality creativity and 12% of clients feel confident in convincing the CFO to invest in high quality creative.

• Plan for recognition

Advertising must be associated with the brand behind it, if it is to work. Planning for recognition involves creating shortcuts in consumers’ minds that make brands more memorable, impactful and easy to recall. Failure to brand communications properly is a common pitfall. Investing in and nurturing distinctive assets will enable quick recognition.

The white paper, launched in conjunction with WARC's Anatomy of Effectiveness hub, features new case studies, expert opinions and over 20 'Evidence' decks. WARC clients can read the full report here. A sample edition is available for all.

Highlights from the white paper will be presented to Cannes Lions attendees today as part of a full week’s worth of content curated by WARC, together with the world’s leading effectiveness experts, covering strategy, media, creative and digital commerce. For more details on WARC x Cannes Lions, click here. 

How Clorox thinks about purpose

Brand purpose has often been presented as being “much more fancy than it actually is”, according to Linda Rendle, chief executive of The Clorox Company, the consumer packaged goods manufacturer.

How Clorox defines brand purpose

• Speaking at the dbAccess Global Consumer Conference 2022, Rendle outlined how Clorox thinks about this issue.
• “Purpose is about knowing your stakeholders and then acting in a way that's consistent with what’s important to them and that drives why you do what you do,” she said.
  
• Based on this thinking, Clorox has developed its own clear set of objectives. “For us, [our] purpose is: We want to put people at the center of everything we do. We champion people to be well and thrive.
  “And in order for people to live a good life, we have to have a healthy planet. We have to have a healthy social structure. And so we make choices consistent with our brands to do that.”

Turning theory into practice

• Sustainability is a critical element of its strategy, such as reducing its use of original-use plastic and fiber packaging by 50 by 2030%.
• The company has also committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, a goal benefitting the planet and letting consumers act in accordance with the values.
• “That is an important way that we create value for the people that we serve. To give them options to be more responsible: that’s important to them,” Rendle said.
  
• Improving the quality of life by making more effective products is another aspect of its approach, as tasks like household clearing are “not the most joyous thing to do”, she added.
• “So the way you create value is you make it easier for people. You make it a better experience,” Rendle said.
  

The big idea

“That’s all purpose is to us. It’s really about being as human-centered and people-centered as possible, and then knowing that’s how we create value over the long-term by meeting those people where they are” – Linda Rendle, CEO, The Clorox Company.

P&G’s three principles for creative marketing

Procter & Gamble, the consumer packaged goods manufacturer, is tapping into creative principles based on human connection, product performance and diverse partnerships as it seeks to drive growth.

Why it matters

Growth is the superpower of the creative industries, according to Marc Pritchard, P&G’s chief brand officer. Speaking at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2022, he set up three principles for defending adspend, creating business growth and attempting to make a difference to society, not only as part of brand purpose, but across the marketing ecosystem itself.

The three principles

• Creativity must feel personal and talk about people’s lives, reflecting their reality and making their day a little better. “It touches people,” Pritchard said. “You can make them laugh, cry, act – and, of course, buy.” (WARC subscribers can read more here.)
• Communicating product performance and superiority matters for driving growth at a time of growing competition. “Performance matters. There’s a job to be done and a problem to solve,” said Pritchard. “We need to convey what that everyday product is, what it does, how to use it, why it’s better – and do so in a way that is useful and interesting.”
  
• The third creative principle for P&G is to build trusted creative partnerships – and to make sure these efforts reflect the diversity of the audience it is hoping to reach.

The big idea

“It’s creativity that makes markets bigger; that inspires innovation to attract more people to markets; that advances economic inclusion, where more people benefit through higher incomes, increased wealth, and more purchasing power” – Marc Pritchard, chief brand officer, P&G.

Brand in action: How Thread to Fabric champions the ethics of sustainability in SE Asia

Can brands effectively address climate change without also tackling other social impact issues in their sustainability strategy? WARC speaks to Jakarta-based Felicity Pascoe – senior gender equality, disability and social inclusion advisor – about this interplay and how to onboard more conscious consumers in Indonesia.

Why it matters

The issues of social impact and environmental impact are different but they are interlinked and mutually supportive. Brands need to look more holistically at their sustainability strategy.

Insights

• The sustainability movement is aligning with a broader movement in Indonesia towards fitness, health and wellness.
• Brands need to understand the social impact of climate change and how it worsens social inequality.
• For a brand’s sustainability strategy to be environmentally friendly and ethical, it must ensure fair pay and fair work.

Key quote

“Authentic sustainable brands that are profitable are a clear indication there is a conscious consumer market we need to be catering for” – Felicity Pascoe – senior gender equality, disability and social inclusion advisor and founder of kids clothing brand Thread To Fabric.