6/9/09

To Search before To Communicate

When we started with this consultant, the first thing that jumped to many of our customers was the word research. Either they thought their ad agency did that work before seting their creative ideas on paper, or simply neglected the investigation as if it were an extra cost that simply end up being an expense. Nothing could be farther from reality.

The importance of research is not limited to market research or to profile the target audience they'll "attack". Its scope is to research the symbols and signs that they perceive and how they should be mixed to cause a specific impact. Usually what happens in many design firms and advertising (without neglecting his work as creative or triggers of ideas that break the linearity of the conventional and allow ads to be memorable) is that they tend to follow trends.

riesgos en la comunicación

riesgos en la comunicación

Risks in the communication

When investigating the symbols and signs and how to structure it in a message managed to reduce errors, waste of time and money and increase the possibility of impact. Take the notorious case by case brand grilled hamburger (because it tastes better grilled) Burger King in Spain. A harmless television campaign that showed the friendship of a Mexican and an American raised in Mexican society swirling thanks to graphic advertising expressed what I got no television advertising.

True, the society to which the message was directed society was neither Mexican nor American, was a neutral Spain who simply had the opportunity to test the Texican. However, returning to action, if the TV spot expressing friendship (and really is a good TV ad), would it not have been more appropriate to place the Mexican and American, shaking hands or drawing in a way that be more obvious?

In contrast, the U.S. position is selfless, looking to one side and the Mexican is terribly low. A shaking hands, a fraternal embrace had succeeded better convey the message that it achieved its television version.

This is known as culture research both in society that will be taken as "target" and societies that engage in the message (as above it is clear this distinction because it general society and the society represented-representation are the same) and never be unnecessary. What is sought with this type of desk research and field is not obstructing the creativity of advertising geniuses far more obstacles to confront the idea is to make announcements to support highly creative and highly understandable.

Finally, let us share another graphic ad, showing hindu godess Lakshmi Mittal inviting us to eat a processed beef cow, eventhough cow is sacred to hindu...