18th of September 2024
Three common mistakes in awards entries
Drawing on 30 years of empirical findings from the Institute, the writers debunk what they think are frequent misconceptions of what research says about how effective marketing works.
Have you ever been thirsty and thought to yourself, I need a red drink? I suspect the answer is no. But I’m betting that while scanning the soft-drink shelves in a busy and cluttered store you have used the colour red to help you find a Coke.
However, a common mistake seen in award submissions is the belief that Distinctive Assets are meant to convey a meaningful or enticing message that drives consumers to purchase. This is not the case.
Distinctive Assets are golden, not a golden goose
The role of Distinctive Assets is simply to make the brand recognisable in advertising and purchase situations and act as an anchor point back to the brand in consumer memory. Distinctive Assets require consistent reinforcement and should be timeless; other messages should be delivered through creative, which can evolve and adapt over time.
If Distinctive Assets really did convey meaning the way many designers believe, then some of the most famous brands might be in trouble. The Nike Swoosh says little about sportwear; Aleksandr Orlov is a Russian Meerkat who compares insurance providers. Despite (and arguably, because of) their category irrelevance, these Distinctive Assets are very good at what they do – provide creative ways to embed branding within advertising. The Nike Swoosh and Aleksandr ensure that ad exposures, no matter how fleeting, are linked back to the brand in consumer memory.
Read the full article in IPA.
