Question

(I just need help with coming up with a good topic for this plan.)

Marketing Advertising & Comm Project Outline ADVERTISING PLAN NOTES

An advertising plan is the outcome of the advertising planning process. In practice, advertising plan formats vary because of the product's needs, the style of the writer of the plan, and the needs of the audience. Despite this, minimum content requirements can be specified and a logical pattern of organization suggested.

Elements of an Advertising Plan

A complete advertising plan must contain four interrelated elements. They are considered in the order in which they should be developed in following the advertising planning process.

Analysis of Problems and Opportunities. The advertising plan should logically begin with an analysis of the situation facing the product. This analysis must include both a look at the product itself and a study of the external environment it faces, including the competition, the structure of the market for the product, and the characteristics of prospective consumers. The analysis must be more than a recitation of facts in these areas. The facts must be analyzed in order to develop a specific list of problems and opportunities facing the product - problems that advertising must attack and opportunities this advertising must seize.

Setting Advertising Direction. The advertising plan must next set direction to guide development of advertising programs that will solve the problems and realize the opportunities facing the product.

It is useful to define two types of direction. One is the product's positioning. Positioning provides overall direction to the advertising by defining how the product will compete in its target market.The other type of direction is provided by problem-solving objeciives. It specifies what must beaccomplished by advertising to solve the problems facing the product.

ft_ograms ofAction. The third essential element of the plan is the specification of programs for future action. The programs of action are guided by the objectives and define the steps that will be taken to meet the objectives. The determination of the advertising budget, selection of advertising media, and determination of the advertising message are considered in this section of the advertising plan.

Control and Evaluation. The fourth element in an advertising plan, and one that cannot be too heavily stressed, is a program of control and evaluation of the advertising effort. There are two important areas in which control must be exerted. First, the effectiveness of the advertising programs in reaching their objectives must be monitored; thus specific standards of acceptable performance must be stated in the plan. One performance standard frequently used is the advertising budget, which represents the allowable level of spending. Standards for media programs are often set in terms of the target number of prospects to be contacted by the media selected.

The plan must also indicate how actual performance is to be measured so that comparisons can be made with the standards. In the case of budget control, performance would be measured by recording actual expenditures as the occurred. In the case of the media program, achievement of standards is often measured through use of rating services and audience studies that give the number and characteristics of people reached by the advertising.

The second area of the advertising program that requires control is the legality and ethical acceptability of the advertising effort. Again, the advertiser must establish standards - legal standards from a study of applicable laws and standards of good taste based on management's sense of propriety. Proposed advertising must then be measured or evaluated, preferably before commitments are made, to see that it conforms to these standards.

Guidelines for Developing an Advertising Plan

I. Analysis to Define Problems & Opportunities A. Consumer Analysis

1. Determining Consumer Needs and Motives

2. Segmenting the Market and Describing Prospects B. Product Analysis

1. Determining Product Characteristics

2. Analysis of Past Advertising for the Product C. Market Analysis

1. Sales Analysis

2. Competitive Analysis

3. Analysis of Environmental Influences II. Setting Advertising Direction

A. Positioning the Product

B. Setting Advertising Objectives

ID. Advertising Programs

A. Budget Program: Setting the Advertising Budget

B. Media Program: Selecting Advertising Media

C. Creative Campaign: Writing and Executing Advertising Message

D. Sales Promotion Program: Developing Incentive Programs for Consumers and Others IV. Control and Evaluation of the Advertising Program

A. Evaluation of Advertising Effectiveness

B. Evaluation of Ethical and Legal Acceptability

Answer 1

Steps to develop an advertising strategy:

1. Defining the Product or Service – Before developing the plans and strategies for advertising, the product or service offered by the company is clearly defined. This means that the position of the product in the market is determined. You have to understand the product and its customer base for effectively marketing it to the people at large. It is also important to understand the primary objective of the product or company.
2. Understanding the target audience – This is an important step in creating a strategy for advertising. Various factors are to be considered for determining the target audience such as demographic factors, psychographic factors, behavioral patterns, etc. The advertising plan is created after considering these factors. For e.g. cosmetic and beauty products are aimed at the women audience. The advertising strategy is derived accordingly.
3. Market research – Once the target market is determined, the next step is to study the market for that particular product. Research about the products already available in the market, what problems are faced in getting those products, what does the consumer desire from such products and such other issues. A marketing and advertising plan can be derived with the help of this study. Also, find out the latest trends in the market.
4. Developing a marketing plan – The strategies formed with the help of market research can be put down as the plan of action for marketing the product. This means, a marketing plan is created after determining the current trends in the market. The marketing plan aims to create a niche of the product so that it stands out among the competition. The plan of action also helps to establish the positioning of product.
5. Deciding communication media – The marketing plan is put to action using various channels of communication. It is important to choose the right media or a media mix for advertising. This depends on the product or service that is being marketed. The choice of the medium is made after considering the target audience and market research. If a physiology equipment is to be marketed, its advertisement will be put up as flyers or brochures in a doctor’s clinic or hospitals; in health magazines and websites and so on.
6. Budget - The budget may be determined either before or after creating an advertising strategy. It can be based on the resources available to the company. If the company has an expensive budget, they can carry out high impact advertising extensively. They can create effective advertising strategy without worrying about the finance. On the other hand, if the company has limited budget, that alone dictates the advertising strategy. Because, at every step of the market plan and advertising strategy, they have to consider the budget.
7. Marketing methods – Company can consider from among two types of methods to advertise while creating the strategy. They are push method and pull method. They can decide to go with either depending on their strategy and objective. Push method aims to convince the retailers or sales person to promote the product, whereas pull method is directly aimed at the consumers.
8. Modifying advertising strategy - This process does not end on creating and implementing the advertising strategy. One has to stay in touch with the trends in marketing and modify the marketing strategy time to time.