If you’re asking an advertiser to commit to a long-term branding campaign, there should probably be a better creative strategy than:
“We’ll write you a new commercial every month or so.”
Otherwise, you may just be selling them 12 different commercials fighting for custody of the same brand.
Advertising trainer and BrandsFormation author Chuck Mefford teaches a a memorable way to build long-term campaigns: Bricks & Mortar.
The bricks change.
Stories. Humor. Customer problems. Situations. Seasonal angles. Different creative ways to earn the listener’s attention.
The mortar stays.
The positioning idea. Slogan. Jingle. Distinctive voice. Music. Sonic signature. Memorable phrases. The brandable pieces an advertiser can eventually own.
Here’s a completely made-up, rough example for our fake business, Northstar Appliance Repair.
Their main mortar is:
“Your appliance broke. Your day doesn’t have to.”
Now watch how we can build around it…
60-SECOND EXAMPLE
[BRICK]
SFX: Washing machine banging violently.
WOMAN: Okay. That’s new.
SFX: BANG. THUMP. BANG.
WOMAN: Honey?
MAN: Oh wow. If you’re wondering whether the washing machine is supposed to walk across the laundry room… I’m gonna say no.
ANNCR: Appliances have a way of breaking at the best times. Like Sunday night. The kids need clean clothes for school tomorrow, and the laundry basket looks like it reproduced overnight.
[MORTAR]
At Northstar Appliance Repair, we give you a realistic appointment window, let you know when we’re on the way, and explain what’s wrong before we start fixing it.
[BRICK]
SFX: Another loud THUMP.
MAN: Good news. It stopped moving.
WOMAN: Yeah, because it hit the wall.
MAN: Ah.
[MORTAR]
ANNCR: Washer. Dryer. Refrigerator. Range. Dishwasher. When one quits, you’ve already got enough aggravation. You don’t need your repair company becoming another problem.
SFX: Two-note appliance ding
Northstar Appliance Repair. Your appliance broke. Your day doesn’t have to.
Now next month, we don’t throw all of that away and start over.
We change the brick.
One more example. 30 seconds this time…
30-SECOND EXAMPLE
[BRICK]
MAN: Why is the milk warm?
WOMAN: Why is the freezer making soup?
SFX: Short stinger
MAN: I’m afraid to ask about the ice cream.
ANNCR: When your refrigerator quits, you don’t need a lecture about compressors. You need somebody to fix the refrigerator.
[MORTAR]
Northstar Appliance Repair gives you a realistic appointment window, lets you know when we’re coming, and explains the repair before the work begins.
SFX: Two-note appliance ding
Northstar Appliance Repair. Your appliance broke. Your day doesn’t have to.
Different problem. Different story. Different commercial.
Same advertiser. Same promise. Same “house”.
I’m pretty dang sure we could make this fake appliance repair business a household name!
One important note: Bricks and mortar is one very effective way to build a long-term branding campaign. It’s not the only way. Great advertising can take a lot of different forms. Don’t turn a good framework into another formula.
This also gives you a much better way to sell long-term Radio.
Just don’t rush the start date. Take the time to build something great for your new client. If you tell them it may take 3 or 4 weeks to get the strategy and creative right, that alone sends a message: you’re not just trying to get them on the air. You’re trying to make this work!
Keep the mortar. Change the bricks.
Build a campaign – not a pile of commercials.
Something that has a chance to (in the words of Chuck Mefford) turn a good small business into a great local brand!
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