AIM BIG™ CREATIVE ADVERTISING AND CONTENT MODEL

Learn the AIM BIG™ Creative Advertising and Content model for designing and executing creative content and advertising campaigns to 10X your marketing ROI and cement your place in the minds and hearts of consumers.

Please note: This model is for creating a content campaign and can be promoted with or without paid advertising.

AIM BIG™ creative advertising and content model is an integral part of the BRIEFCASE content marketing strategy.

Evaluate the creative content on both form and function.

Function means communicating the message clearly to elicit the desired action and achieve the goal of BRIEFCASE content marketing strategy.

Form is being unique to break the clutter and brand, a perceived champion at that.

You will learn the below process,

A: Attention(Form)-How to capture the attention of the consumer in the first few seconds?

I: Interest(Form)-How to make the content relatable for the consumer?

M: Message(Function)– How to design an effective message?

B: Brand(Function)-What role should the brand play in the creative content?

I: Intersect(Form+Function)-How to increase familiarity with the branded creative content?

G: Grow(Form+Function)-How to grow the creative idea into a movement?

When you watch a movie or read a storytelling book, you have paid to watch or allot undivided attention with the expectation of entertainment.

In contrast, you need to earn the undivided attention of the consumer, with the creative advertising and content campaign, because of the continuous clutter of information on any media.

And, ultimately, it must result in the action you want your consumer to take for business results.

Hence, the need for AIM BIG™ creative advertising and content model. The below framework could be part of an overall storytelling theme like Rags to Riches, David vs. Goliath, Overcome the Monster, Adventure, etc. Or it could also be applied without any overarching storytelling theme.

Instead of promoting regular educational content with paid campaigns, which a lot of health and beauty brands do, design creative content with AIM BIG™ model, and then either promote organically or via paid advertising.

Either way, it will deliver much higher returns for the objective planned.

Without further ado,

AIM BIG™ CREATIVE ADVERTISING AND CONTENT MODEL

A: ATTENTION: (Form) First Step in AIM BIG™ Creative Advertising and Content

Attention is what the creative content/ad (and subsequent repurposed content) should capture first.

Brain’s survival tendencies focus on anything that is out of line or extraordinary, and maybe the laziness lets it focus on what is most salient, presented as the most promising opportunity.

Remember, don’t appear normal or run of the mill. Normal is average, and it does not warrant attention.

Best techniques to gain attention via creative are, with examples (Need images) are:

Surprise

Metaphors and similes that are out of context or incongruent content create the element of surprise.

Metaphors and similes

Nike: Pete Sampras throwing up a grenade as a serve implying explosive serve.

Mash-Ups (Incongruence)

Two contrasting images or words or background context: Anything that is incongruent with our commonplace understanding of the world.

Financial Times

Our brain can detect anything incongruent with the norm within 1/10^th of a second. The longer it takes to detect incongruence, the more the creative still needs to deviate from the norm.

Loreal: This ad is for men.

Humour and Reveals are another great way to grab attention

Humour

P&G Old Spice Ad

The opening scene stops you in your tracks and makes you wonder and aspire.

Reveals

Nike: ’66 was a great year for English

Questioning the norm is another technique to gain attention.

Always: Like a girl

Starts with a live recording of an answer to a question posed, show me what it looks like to run like a girl.

Emotional Resonance

A technique that makes you relate to the content emotionally. Usually, it is a reflection of an emotive time in your life.

P&G: Thank you, Mom-Sochi

Babies falling is entertaining initially and resonates emotionally.

No matter how you decide to gain attention, remember the law of least effort.

Check for the time it takes to get the desired reaction from the audience.

The element of surprise, humour, reveal, or emotional resonance should be apparent at first glance, within a few seconds at the max, without applying too much thought, and should align with the brand story.

The golden rule is not to be too cryptic.

I: INTEREST (Form)-Part of AIM BIG™ Creative Advertising and Content Model which relates with the Consumer

Post attention, the consumer will stay interested if the storytelling relates to them in an extremely salient way.

Insights about the consumer should surface next as she starts “feeling,” consciously or subconsciously, what’s in it for me?

Remember, insight could be a shared feeling around a purpose or a cause.

“Ideal insight” reveals the “extreme emotional enemy” that haunts the consumer and stands out in the creative advertising or content.

This emotional enemy need not be too obvious, and even a subliminal identification could work as effectively, if not more.

Transition, from attention to interest, needs to be seamless, as it takes effort for switching from one task to another.

Follow this logic: Look for an insight that they feel strongly, which is also closely connected with your brand’s core emotional promise.

You would have already captured the insight in your master BRIEF derived from the brand story emotional pyramid.

Example

Dove: Real Beauty campaign

Women start describing their physical features when prompted, in critical terms, something every woman identifies with, and this insight connects strongly with Dove’s Mission.

Here is the mission statement, the first thing you read on their website, “We believe beauty should be a source of confidence, and not anxiety. That’s why we are here to help women everywhere develop a positive relationship with the way they look, helping them raise their self-esteem and realize their full potential”

Always: Like a Girl Campaign-Run Like a Girl Ad

(Video under Attention)

The moment young girls before puberty are asked to run like a girl, and they start running as if they did not understand the phrase.

The story starts making sense to women who have crossed puberty. They have their “aha” when they realise, ” that’s when I began to lose my confidence.“

Always: Keep Playing Ad

Little and young girls speak out that they have been told they cannot play. Each narrates the frustration in their own words and it connects with the audience.

Loreal: This ad is for men(image under point 1: Attention)

Post attracting attention with the tag line and the images of lipsticks, the creative shows the % of women in leadership roles co-relation with the profitability of those companies.

The statistic connects with women.

It makes them feel proud and relates to their emotional enemy of not getting enough representation as leaders and makes their frustration more relevant and brings it in focus.

M: MESSAGE(Function)- Singular Message within AIM BIG™Creative Advertising and Content Model for Desired Response

Since the consumer is aware of their emotional enemy and the mind is looking for a solution, as a consequence, deliver one clear message to overcome the emotional enemy.

This message is already in the master BRIEF document of BRIEFCASE™ content marketing strategy.

The message should be heard with utmost clarity, whether throughout the storytelling/creative content ad or towards the climax of storytelling.

VICE DUH? framework could be used for messaging.

Example

Brand’s purpose and emotional promise have the strongest chance of resonating deep within.

Dove: Singular Message of Real Beauty Campaign: You are more beautiful than you think.

This message, is elaborated on by women citing how their perception of their beauty ends up impacting their whole lives: careers, raising children, marriage etc.

Remember, the singular message should induce the desired action. In the case of Dove, it got them new trials, but more importantly, increased loyalty and advocacy for their brand with word of mouth and social media shares.

Always: Singular Message of Like a Girl Campaign

Let’s make #like a girl mean amazing things.

The message is amplified by showing girls kicking, throwing, running like a champion.

A girl athlete amplifies the message further elaborating that she swims, wakes up,  and runs like a girl cause she is a girl.

To top it, a girl, in the end, says why cannot we make #run like a girl mean win the race?

P&G: Thank You Mom, Sochi 2016,

Elaborated message:

For teaching us that falling only makes us stronger. Thank You, Mom.

Keep some napkins handy for when the skier jumps into the scene, next to the Olympics banner.

Extreme product benefit demonstrations stick in the mind

Example

R29: Shortcuts

Use alliterations and campaign tag lines for making the message groovy

Example

Maybelline: Maybe she was born with it Maybe it’s Maybelline

B: BRAND: (Form and Function)-The Driving Force within AIM BIG™ Creative Advertising and Content Framework

We spoke about gaining attention, introducing highly relatable insights, and then giving a singular and clear message, but where does the brand come in?

After all, we are promoting the brand, however subtly.

The brand should play the role of the champion driver of the cause or a partner in purpose, helping the consumer overcome the emotional enemy.

The best partnerships are where you let the consumer be the hero but be there all along the way, supporting the endeavor, with shared beliefs, values, and purpose.

The brand will drive the entire story, and whether you show the brand name often or not throughout, the driving force or a partner that shares a purpose, which the viewer will feel, has to be the brand.

As Daniel Kahneman, in his book Thinking Fast and Slow, writes about Peak-End rule, people remember peak incidents or the most recent.

The invisible force, if you decide not to show the brand explicitly throughout, needs to be your brand.

It is best to surface the brand at the end (climax), which coincides with the peak in the story.

The brand should feel like a reveal about someone who is not seeking visibility or attention but is happy working behind the scenes when it all comes together.

In my opinion, for even higher impact, introduce the brand right after the climax, right after the crescendo of building emotions ends with a bang or ends with goosebumps.

Introduce the brand as nonchalantly, and it will speak the loudest.

Example

Dove: Beauty Bias Campaign

The brand is introduced right at the end after the emotional surge coinciding with the climax, core message.

Throughout the ad, you could feel someone driving the story, organizing and bringing the artists and the women together, asking questions of the women, and directing the whole storytelling.

The brand is introduced right at the end with no fuss coinciding with the moment when the emotional message has peaked.

Always: Like a Girl campaign

The brand, Always, is introduced as a champion, who wants to change the negative connotation with #like a girl.

And the brand is thence seen as driving the whole story. The climax shows the purpose of Always, “Let’s make #like a girl mean amazing things.” Join us to champion girl’s confidence at always.com.

The brand is not shown as the knight in shining armor rescuing the damsel but as a partner who is trying to inspire and help them overcome an imposed, limiting belief.

P&G: Thank You, Mom Campaign

The brand appears after the climax message of “Thank You, Mom”.

Post that, another message reads,” P&G-Proud sponsor of moms,” which reinforces the belief in the power of moms.

I: INTERSECT- (Form and Function)-AIM BIG™ Creative Content and Advertisement Across Media Channels

Customize the creative idea across channels by media, including your website.

Your creative advertising and content campaign should linger on in the minds and hearts of consumers long after they have seen the content.

Presenting the idea on more than one media channel with slight customization ensures both novelty and recognition and improves familiarity with the brand.

Example

Dove: Real Beauty TV video campaign was translated and repurposed into various social media posts.

G: GROW: (Form and Function)–Grow the Creative Idea behind AIM BIG™ Sequentially for Longevity and Memorability

Grow the creative content campaigns into one phenomenal movement that brings about some change in the world.

Once the AIM BIG Creative Advertising and Content campaign is rolled out, build on the creative idea and the first creative campaign with subsequent content campaigns.

Subsequent creative content campaigns, with the same creative idea, will genuinely help you dig a deeper neural pathway for your brand in the minds of the consumer and a special place in their hearts.

Why? It is easier for people to connect anything new to what they already know.

This makes the idea bigger in their minds, and a growing sense of familiarity further deepens the mind space and grows feelings, in their hearts, for the brand.

Always keep the one-page BRIEF of the BRIEFCASE content marketing strategy document as a reference so as not to lose track of the big picture.

As opposed to a one-off creative content campaign or launching campaigns in isolation, choose a creative idea for at least 1-3 years.

Roll out the first creative campaign and run it for at least a quarter and build on the same creative campaign with new content campaigns/ads every quarter.

Then repurpose the content campaigns into shorter posts/videos for a quarter/month.

Dove has branded itself emotionally around self-acceptance and self-confidence and used the creative ideas of Beauty Bias and Real Beauty.

Within each creative idea, Dove has rolled out multiple content campaigns/ads growing on and reinforcing the creative idea and emotional association of self-acceptance and confidence.

Dove carved out a distinctly clear place in the hearts and minds of consumers, post these campaigns, and sales and profits have soared ever since.

Example

Dove

Emotional association: Self-Acceptance and Self-confidence

a. Creative Idea: Real Beauty

Various campaigns/ads

Campaign 1: Evolution-

Campaign 2: Sketches-

Campaign 3: The Mannequin Challenge-

b. Dove Creative Idea: Beauty Bias

Various campaigns/ads

1. Dove: Beauty weight standards are a form of bias-

2. Dove: Beauty hair standards are a form of bias-

3. Dove: Beauty standards of looks are a form of bias-

All Real Beauty and Beauty Bias campaigns reinforce and build on the original creative ideas furthering the emotional association of self-acceptance and confidence.

c. Dove Creative Idea-My Beauty My Say

Campaigns/ads

P&G

Emotional Association: Raise the confidence of the girls during puberty

P&G Creative Idea: Thank You, Mom

Various Campaigns/Ads

1. P&G: Thank You, Mom 2012-

2. P&G: Thank You, Mom 2016-Because of Mom 2016

Creative content campaigns are for both paid and organic reach and also for both prospects and advocates.

Conclusion

Talking about ingredients, product benefits, and your processes are all too common. They no longer break the clutter for attracting attention or stimulate action for a health and beauty brand.

Your content needs to be creative to stand out, relate to the consumer, move people with the power of extremes, emotions, or groove, and then linger on in the minds and hearts of consumers for a long time.

AIM BIG™ creative advertising and content model helps you create and execute content for heightened awareness, engagement, and consequent sales and loyalty with the brand.

The creative should begin with an out of norm content piece for attention, hold attention and build a connection with a relatable Insight, convey a singular and elaborated upon message for the desired action.

The brand should direct the entire storytelling. AIM BIG™ Creative Advertising and Content Campaign should Intersect across media and Grow into a movement of sorts with multiple content campaigns and ads.