DONT MAKE CHANGES
Best Advertisement
Room to Read (See Appendix 1 for print advertisement)
Target Market
The target market is the typical Businessweek reader aged 25-55 years, which may include business executives with decision making power, individuals with high disposable incomes, or people who would like to contribute to a charitable cause individually or on behalf of their companies.
Positioning
Room to Read positions itself as a non-profit organization that works towards the development of kids and strives for a better society by empowering children through books. The positioning map shows the reader’s impression of the brand, in terms of its trustworthiness and effectiveness as a charitable organization. See Appendix 2 for Positioning Map.
Emotional Connect
This advertisement aims to connect with the reader emotionally, by evoking feelings of generosity and inspiring individuals to make a difference in the lives of children. An emotional response is the first step to creating a long lasting relationship with the reader.
Communication Objectives
The communication objective of this advertisement is to establish, maintain or increase:
* Awareness: An informative body helps the reader learn the current situation about kids and the lack of books. It encourages the reader to seek more information about the cause and possibly make a donation. * Memory: Maintains and increases memory in the organization because it uses an uncommon visual that may pique the reader’s curiosity and is likely to be memorable to the reader. * Attitudes: Establishes and maintains the attitude that books are vital to the success of children. * Action: Although the advertisement may lead the reader to donate to the organization, it encourages the reader to seek more information, hence increasing awareness of the organization and its efforts.
Execution Technique
This advertisement aims to be informational and motivational, by providing facts about kids and their lack of books, and urging the reader to help open doors for others, respectively.
Other Information (See Appendix 3 for Room to Read Past Advertisements)
Print Advertisements
Headline: Stopping power, transmission, persuasive, and locking power
The headline, “Children who walk through library doors are better equipped to walk through others”, conveys the organization’s message. This leads readers to proceed to read the body of the advertisement. It is memorable and persuasive.
Visual: Stopping power, transmission, and locking power
The unusual combination of a stairway made of books, a steel door, and a rural setting grabs the reader’s attention and arouses curiosity. Thus prompting the reader to play close attention to the body of the advertisement.
Body: Transmission, persuasive, and locking power
The lengthy body and white font is unattractive and not sharp enough to draw a reader’s attention. However, the content of the body is convincing, thus making it memorable to the reader.
Tagline/slogan/logo: Stopping power, locking power
This advertisement does not contain a tagline, but has a clear logo. The books under a roof signify a space for books, and illustrates the title of the organization, Room To Read.
Overall Evaluation Criteria (See Appendix 4 for additional evaluation criteria information)
CRITERIA | Headline | Visual | Body Copy | Tagline/Slogan/Logo | Stopping | ✔ | ✔ | | ✔ | Transmission | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | | Persuasive | ✔ | | ✔ | | Locking | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Suggestions for Improvement
In order to enhance the effectiveness of this advertisement, it is recommended that: * Room to Read add their official tagline, “World Change Starts with Educating Children”, to the print advertisement, describing their vision and providing more information about the organization. * The headline, “Children who walk through library doors are better equipped to walk through others”, be placed in a more visible location to be more eye catching. * The “Employment Office” sign be more noticeable to convey the idea more quickly. * Some statistics be added, such as the percentage of children in the developing world that lack access to books, to make the advertisement more convincing to the skeptical reader.
Print advertising is the best form of media to use to convey concepts with depth and to grab the attention of an influential person who is reading a Business Week issue. An advertisement like this would appeal to the target market’s senses and prompt them to donate or pay attention to this cause.
Worst Advertisement
Honda (See Appendix 5 for print advertisement)
Target
The target market is the middle class married couple aged 25-40 years, who need space and utility to transport anything from kids and groceries, to furniture to camping gear.
Positioning
Honda has positioned itself as a “Suburban Utility Vehicle” that has the utility of a sports utility vehicle, but with the space of a minivan. It is rugged, yet suitable for families. See Appendix 6 for Positioning Map.
Emotional Connect
The advertisement aims to connect with the reader by helping them recall positive memories which included an SUV, implying that such positive experiences can be recreated by purchasing the SUV.
Communication Objective
The advertisement aims to establish, maintain, or increase awareness of the utility and sportiness of the Honda Pilot SUV by describing the different functions of an SUV and by providing technical specifications of the vehicle.
* Awareness: Establishes, maintains, and increases awareness of the Honda Pilot because the advertisement provides detailed technical information about the vehicle and its functions. * Memory: Advertisement is not memorable because it lacks creativity. * Attitude: Establishes and maintains the attitude that SUVs are rugged, sporty, and multi-functional. * Action: Does not encourage the reader to purchase nor test the Honda Pilot. However, the reader may seek more information.
Execution Technique
This advertisement promotes specific model delivering messages about how to make readers’ life better with details. It appeals several dreamy benefits which consumers can enjoy rather than brag cutting-edge specifications of the product.
Other Information (See Appendix 7 for Honda’s past advertisements)
Evaluation Criteria (See Appendix 8 for additional evaluation criteria information)
CRITERIA | Headline | Visual | Body Copy | Tagline/Slogan/Logo | Stopping | | | | | Transmission | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | | Persuasive | | | ✔ | | Locking | | | | ✔ |
Suggestions for Improvement
In order to enhance the effectiveness of this advertisement, it is recommended that:
* There should be more attractive visuals in order to better convey the creative concept. An outdoor-sy background may appeal to the target market, while a better visual of the car would facilitate understanding of the message. * The photograph should better illustrate the spaciousness, comfort, and family-friendliness of the vehicle. * The headline should be better phrased and more visible and eye catching to improve the stopping power of the advertisement. * The length of the body should be shortened to maintain the reader’s interest. * The layout and alignment of the advertisement should be less messy. It does not use space efficiently, creating a very “cluttered” feeling, hence discouraging the reader. The Honda advertisement illustrates a situation where a clever concept gets lost in the creation process. Although the advertisement sends a clear message to the reader which is consistent with its targeted segment, we do not believe it is well-executed. As a result, the advertisement is weak, especially in terms of stopping and locking power. We have to take into consideration the limits of the print medium. A television advertisement may have been more effective in conveying the message, and would be better demonstrate the abilities of the vehicle.
Appendix 1 Room to Read print advertisement
Appendix 2 Room to Read Past Advertisements
Appendix 3 Room to Read Positioning Map
Appendix 4 Evaluation Criteria for Room to Read Advertisement Elements
Stopping Power: Rating: 6/10
This advertisement has a reasonable amount of stopping power since it makes you stop and wonder what the picture is saying to you. The visual makes you want to read and find out what the advertisement is about.
Transmission Power: Rating: 8.5/10
The message is conveyed sufficiently quickly and is loud and clear from the advertisement and its supporting text. The audience can grasp the brand message and understand the creative concept easily.
Persuasive Power: Rating: 8/10
It appeals to the target market since its set out in a clever way and has aesthetic semblance. It achieves the desired positioning as it manages to convince the reader about the importance of books and education in grooming children hence prompting them to donate and or at least find out more about the Room to Read organization.
Locking Power: Rating: 9.5/10
The originality and innovativeness of the ad contributes to making it memorable while achieving most of the communication objectives. This ad definitely has a lasting impact on the mind of the reader diverting their attention to one of the important needs of the children of the developing world.
Appendix 5 Honda print advertisement
Appendix 6 Honda’s Positioning Map
Appendix 7 Honda Past Advertisements (Date)
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Appendix 8 Evaluation Criteria for Honda Advertisement Elements
Stopping Power : Rating: 3/10
The stopping power for this ad is very low. It is very common, and it looks like any other car commercial. There is an impression of deja vu. Even the tone of this ad does not grab the reader’s attention.
Transmission Power : Rating: 6/10
The message is clear, and the reader’s understand the concept the ad is trying to convey nevertheless the message is not delivered quickly, the message could have been more straightforward.
Persuasive Power : Rating : 7.5/10
The ad has a strong persuasive power, it appeals to the target market by firstly multiplying the associated experiences with the car. It clearly explains the benefits and strengths of the car required from an SUV. However one might regret the lack of visuals to further the concept and make it even more obvious to readers.
Locking Power : Rating: 2/10
The ad is not very memorable, although the concept is clever, the creative work surrounding the ad is not executed well enough for the reader’s lasting impression.
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Appendix 9 References 