Scenario 10-3
Advertisers have a wide choice of objectives and methods when creating an ad for a
product, no matter what the product category is. For example, both Taylor and Yamaha
sell guitars. Both have created ads that have been recognized by the advertising industry
as outstanding creative efforts. However, they have chosen different ways to use
magazine advertising to sell guitars.
A representative advertisement for Taylor features a photograph of a beautiful, lush,
fog-shrouded green forest. The headline reads, “If a tree falls in the forest and you’re not
there to hear it, does it make a sound? Yes, it just might take 7 or 8 years.” The copy is
three sentences long and talks about the time and attention that Taylor takes in making
quality guitars. Only the top couple inches of a guitar featuring the Taylor logo is
shown. While the ad could be classified as exemplifying a number of approaches to
meeting message objectives, it most closely fits the description of the USP method by
linking a key attribute (quality) to the brand name (Taylor).
The main visual in an ad for the Yamaha Pacifica is a bold shot of the guitar. The
headline reads, “To survive, you need four things: Food. Sex. Shelter. Guitars. Make
that two things.” This ad also features characteristics of several approaches to meeting
message objectives. However, the headline seems to define it as using the humor
method to persuade consumers to prefer the brand.
Ads such as Taylor’s try to:
a. link special attributes to a brand, either explicitly or implicitly.
b. place brands in socially desirable environments.
c. use comparisons to other brands to create an image.
d. engage the consumer on a high cognitive level.
Why is the objectives section of an advertising plan so important to an advertiser?
Name at least three of the objectives described in the text. For each objective, list one
important consideration for advertisers.