• AC Production Guidelines
• Pricing Guidelines
• Time Frames
• AE's Guide to Killer Creative
• Collateral Checklist

Seven Essential StepsTo Getting Killer Creative

1. Gathering meaningful information for the most effective creative.

2. Turning lots of information into a brilliant strategy.

3. Writing an outstanding workplan.

4. Getting the creative team into the act.

5. How to tell if the work is on target.

6. Presenting/selling the creative.

7. Getting it produced.

Gathering Meaningful Information For The Most Effective Creative.

Developing the basic information to get the creative process rolling

• This is the responsibility of the account team.
• This information is essential to develop the correct strategy/workplan and executions.

  TARGETED CREATIVE
  FOCUSED STRATEGY
  BASIC INFORMATION

Gathering Information

Possible sources:

The client. (The client knows more than they think. Be a good listener and ask questions.

• Briefing sessions -- Human Resources, Line Managers.
• Employee interviews.
• Current product/corporate/recruitment ads and brochures.
• Corporate and/or Employment URL.
• Any internal communications you can get your hands on. For example: newsletters, videos, ERPs, etc.
• Corporate guidelines.
• Take a tour.

Other Sources: (Maybe you can tell the client something about their company they don't already know.)

• JWT SC Research Department
• Market census.
• Nexus scans.
• Media reps can often provide information on the prospect or industry. Make them work.

What Is "Meaningful Information"?

Carefully reviewed information that makes it possible for both you and the creative team to understand the client's company, the target audience and the real problem that we need to solve.

(Not piles of raw or irrelevant information.)

Find out things like:

• What does this company make, sell or do?
• What is its reputation? With the target? With its customers?
• Is the reputation, (if negative), real or perceived?
• What is the company's position in the marketplace?
• Where are they headed? What is the corporate vision?
• What is happening in the industry? Any hot trends?
• Is the industry healthy?
• A brief corporate history.

What's it really like to work there?

• The corporate culture?
• The environment?
• Are candidates knocking down the doors, or are their employees running away in droves? WHY?
• The company's reputation as an employer?
• How have they been recruiting people? What works, what doesn't.
• How do they compare on salaries, benefits, training, etc.?
• Is there any bad news that we need to know about? (Low pay, high stress, scandals, etc.)

What about the competition?

• Who are they?
• How are they doing?
• How do they stack up next to our client/prospect? Both in reality and perceived.
• Their unique selling point to candidates?
• What is their recruitment message?

The Target Group(s)

• What positions need to be filled?
• Demographics/psychographics of target groups- Sex, age, education, temperament, cultural fit?
• Where are they?
• How do we reach them? (newspaper, internet, search, etc.)

Turning all of this information into a brilliant strategy.

Just What Is The Creative Strategy?

• Using all of the gathered information, come up with a plan to make an impact on the target audience.
• Determinine the desired response.
•  
• Using all of the gathered information, come up with a plan to make an impact on the target audience.
• Determinine the desired response.How To Write An Outstanding Creative Workplan
• A superior workplan is based on a skillful assessment of all the facts.
• Is written in concise, straightforward style.
• The creative workplan is the primary mechanism to communicate to the creative team all that you want them to know.
• Most importantly, the creative workplan contains your recommended strategy.

  "Let's blow them away."

  "Ads must be professional."

  "Make it really creative."

  "We have to get this account or my office will close."

Personal Comments Are OK, But They Do Not Take The Place Of Relevant Information.

Getting the Creative Team Into The Act

Development Of The Creative Is The Responsibility Of The Creative Team.

An input meeting with you, the creative team and the client is usually very productive.

After submitting the CWP, discuss the strategy with the creative team.

Revise the strategy if a better one evolves.

Creatives and AEs should keep lines of communication open during creative development.

Rough concepts should be discussed.

Try to get any additional info that is needed by the team.

If any of the parameters of the project change, let the team know immediately.

All updates should be in writing, even if you have told someone personally.

Whenever possible, get client buy-in on the CWP before work begins on the creative.

How To Evaluate The Creative Solution

• Is the work a faithful execution of the creative strategy?
• Will it get attention?
• Will it get the intended response? example: a positive change of perception, resumes, calls, etc.
• Is it consistent with the company's corporate guidlines and desired image?
• Is it good enough for the book?
• Does it make you a little nervous? If the work passes all of the above scrutiny-- nervous is a good thing.)
• Always have a supporting rationale when giving an opinion about the creative.
• Distinguish between personal opinions and strategic judgements. ( "I never liked that word" is an opinion. That word has a negative connotation within the industry" is strategic.)
• Discuss your evaluation wiht the creative team. You're input is important.

Selling the Creative

The Presentation

• Review key elements of the creative workplan.
• If someone from creative will not be presenting, make sure you get their input on key selling points.
• The creative should be presented enthusiastically, and with complete understanding of the strategy.
• At the end of the creative presentation, the client(s) should feel that you not only listened to them, but you really tried to solve the problem. (Not just regurgitation.)

After A Presentation, It's Important To Contact The Creative Team To Tell Them How It Went.

Getting the Creative Produced.

After The Client Approves The Creative

• Volunteer to participate actively in any client internal presentations of the new creative.
• Request an estimate to finish development and to produce. If there are existing cost guidlines/budgets, provide them.
• Don't push for under-estimating. It's always trouble. If the costs are too high-- tell the estimator and they will cut back where possible, or tell you if the project has to be adjusted to the budget.
• Be careful not to promise anything that can't be delivered. (Delivery dates, very low costs.)
• Provide a Creative Request with deadlines, sizes, etc.

Remember...

Killer creative is always a result of teamwork: Creative/ Account Service/Client.

Sharing client comments -- good or bad -- will help develop a trusting relationship between you and the creative team.

Developing a solid strategy up-front is especially crucial when the project is a rush.

The time and effort you invest in collecting information, analyzing it and developing a strategy will come back to you tenfold in killer creative.