Creativity can creep into the picture many ways, including your own boredom with your business; overestimating the sophistication of your market; taking advice from unqualified sources, etc. The most important thing to remember, as
David Ogilvy put it is: creativity is what sells.
Every element of an ad, printed piece, or strategy should advance the sales process. If something does not move the prospect closer to purchasing, what is its purpose?
It’s interesting to note that much of the advertising that wins the awards and the approval of the advertiser, his associates, friends and family members fails miserably in selling anything.
Most marketing purposes can best be served by sticking to the proven basics, rather than relying on the current creativity fads.
Principle #1: Ask yourself – are we being creative just for the sake of being creative?
Principle #2: About humor – being funny in marketing is risky. When it works, it’s wonderful, but it flops much more often than it works. Ask yourself – why are we trying to be funny? Does it capture attention better than any other mechanism? Also, a tip – being funny is safer with regular customers than with new prospects.
Principle #3: Watch out for the “creative graphic artist” in putting together your print media. The Artist is irresistibly tempted by creativity for creativity’s sake, to justify his existence!
Principle #4: Why should I, your prospective customer, choose you vs. any and every other alternative available to me? You MUST answer this question!
Principle #5: If you offer the same product or service as someone else, one of you is unnecessary.