Creative strategies employed by brands capture how the brand is represented in the public eye. It encapsulates the brand’s story, vision, and business aspirations. A working creative brand strategy involves understanding your target audience, defining what actions to take, and which creative marketing strategies to employ to achieve the desired results.
Setting up effective creative strategies begin with defining your goals and coming up with innovative solutions. Strategic brand management is part of the campaign and helps make the brand memorable. Well-thought out creative strategies help brands reap the benefits years after the campaign has ended. Marketing strategies also come under the purview of creative campaigns as they are interlinked with the company’s business targets.
What is a creative strategy?
According to a recent study, in the US, seven in 10 people felt that creativity was crucial in the growth of the economy.
A creative strategy opens up the floor to discussion on what the company does right and what can be improved. Without a strategy in place, you lose track of what you are trying to accomplish. Creative engagement also helps reduce anxiety and stress.
British advertising tycoon David Ogilvy once said, “If it doesn’t sell, it isn’t creative.”
A creative strategy is crucial for any business’ success. Creative strategies are part of a complete brand strategy that will help you draw in and retain customers, who identify with what your company stands for.
1. Apple
How can anyone forget Apple’s “Think Different” campaign? It reconfigured the tech space and started a cult-like fan base as Steve Jobs sold the idea of being special enough to own an Apple product. From 1997 to 2002, Apple Inc., ran the iconic campaign narrated by Jobs.
Steve Jobs co-wrote and narrated the below-mentioned piece for Apple’s campaigns. Under the backdrop of world famous historic leaders, his voice told people that being different is good and acceptable.
“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.” — Steve Jobs, 1997
Jobs taught his colleagues what it means to be a brand evangelist and unleash your creative talents. Apple’s “Think Different” campaign also translated into a mesmerizing product line that included iMac, iPod, iPod Nano, iTunes Store, Apple Stores, MacBook, iPhone, iPad, App Store, OS X Lion — not to mention every Pixar film.
The Think Different campaign resurrected a brand that was falling off the public’s radar. After the campaign launched, within 12 months, Apple’s stock price tripled and a year later, when the company launched iMacs, it became one of the best-selling computers in history. The campaign won many awards and catapulted Apple into the limelight, and it has never lost its shine ever since. The tech giant is one of the most valuable brands in the world.
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” declared Apple’s first marketing brochure. Thinking differently and keeping things simple has served Apple well. This principle made it the first company in the world to hit a market capitalization of over $3 trillion.
2. Tiffany
The robin’s egg blue color is synonymous with Tiffany. If you find that blue box anywhere, you know where it is from. The Tiffany Blue was trademarked in 1998 and since then the box is identified with diamond jewelry. The packaging as well as the white satin ribbon around it is also trademarked. It is one of the most recognized packaging designs in world history.
Tiffany Blue Boxes are so sought after that incredible steps are taken to protect them. And as the blue boxes are coveted just as much as the jewelry, people often sell the boxes on Etsy and eBay. Tiffany & Co celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2012, but there is no stopping this diamond magnate.
The brand has zealously guarded the boxes just as much as their jewels. The boxes were first introduced in 1845 and since then people have tried to get their hands on one, through different tactics. Founder Charles Lewis Tiffany recognized the appeal of the boxes, which had a certain visual appeal with its clean lines and simple coloring, and forbade his employees from giving the boxes for free.
The rule is iron clad. If you want a box, it will be given free upon purchase of a design from the store. The controlled exclusivity and prestige attached to the box helped it define the brand image. In 1961, the company allowed Paramount Pictures to film a part of their movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s inside their flagship location.
The blue Tiffany box was also conveniently placed in big Hollywood movies like Bride Wars and The Great Gatsby, selling the dream that if you are to get engaged, it has to be Tiffany.
Often, brand logos are a big part of creative strategies. Tiffany is probably the only brand where its packaging is more identifiable than the logo. The brand has made sure that for over a century it has remained consistent and permeated people’s consciousness with what it stands for. Tiffany leads the market in engagement rings for its exquisite diamonds, remarkable setting, and its iconic Tiffany blue box. In 2022, the Tiffany & Co brand was valued at approximately $6.55 billion, up from $5.48 billion in 2021.
3. Nike
A swoosh that urges you to “Just Do It.” One brand that is known by its logo everywhere is Nike.
But what sets Nike apart from other sportswear brands is its collaboration with and sponsorship of celebrity sportspersons. A stroke of genius, Nike’s creative strategy is a study in how to do business and earn the goodwill of fans. Although it seems like a no-brainer, its partnership with sportspersons has given the brand visibility and helped it emerge as a powerful sportswear company. Nike’s partnership with Michael Jordan is probably the most famous and lucrative deals in recent history.
The Air Jordan sneakers, when first released, were priced at $65 apiece and skeptics wondered if it would find buyers. But as Michael Jordan achieved continued success, the shoes practically flew off the shelves. The Swoosh logo ignites a feeling of fast action and speed that is exactly the image that the Air Jordans promoted for Nike. Air Jordans hold the record for the most expensive pair of sneakers ever sold, as they fetched an eye-watering $560,000 at a Sotheby’s auction for a pair of the original Air Jordan 1s that was worn and signed by the player. Furthermore, footwear accounted for 66% of Nike’s total revenues and is one of the most recognized sports footwear brands in the world.
Over the years, Nike has made it a point to collaborate with the leading sportspersons in different fields, including Giannis Antetokounmpo in basketball, Tiger Woods in golf, Rafael Nadal in tennis, LeBron James in basketball, and Maria Sharapova in tennis.
By consistently associating itself with the best in every discipline, Nike’s creative strategy focused on building an image wherein the general public equated success with Nike products.
In 2022, Nike’s global revenue amounted to about $46.71 billion, an increase of over $2 billion compared to 2021. The Swoosh logo today stands for fast sound, speed, and motion, much like the company’s rise. Nike uses emotional branding based on the idea of heroism. Just like their sports heroes, who sport the Swoosh, customers are led to believe that they too can do great things with strength and determination.
The minimalist design is today associated with winning sports stars as Nike’s creative strategy bears fruit.
4. Coca-Cola
As a brand, Coca-Cola knows how to connect with customers emotionally. “From Share a Coke” to “Open Happiness” the soft drink brand has leveraged the human need to belong to draw customers.
With its “Share a Coke” campaign Coca-Cola targeted millennials, by calling on them to buy Coke bottles and share the names of their friends and family members whom they would like to share it with. These names were then printed on bottles and customers tried to find bottles with the names of their near and dear ones. The #Shareacoke hashtag went viral on social media, carrying the brand’s message to the young and the old. The campaign resulted in the ratio of young to adult consumption of Coca-Cola going up by 7%, other than creating a positive image for the brand.
However, nothing imprinted Coke’s message of finding joy in simple things as much as the “Open Happiness” campaign that was run across the world. The intent of the campaign was revealed on the company website by Coke’s marketing officer.
“Throughout its history, Coca-Cola has always tried to express a refreshingly positive view of the world,” said Joe Tripodi, chief marketing and commercial leadership officer, The Coca-Cola Company. “Open Happiness builds on that heritage, recognizing that even with the difficulties and stress of modern-day life there still are opportunities, every day, to find a moment to recognize life’s simple pleasures. This new campaign reminds people that Coke is always there to offer that small moment of fun and refreshment when you need it.”
The campaign allowed Coke to seep into people’s consciousness as an affordable beverage that you can buy when you feel like having a taste of life’s simplest pleasures. The global campaign was developed in partnership with Wieden + Kennedy and persuaded buyers into believing that all they needed was a bottle of Coke to find happiness in everyday life.
Connecting with customers at a personal level is at the heart of crafting winning creative strategies. Coke’s marketing campaigns throughout history have always been fresh and memorable, as it encourages people to get together and reminds them that no celebration is complete without a bottle of good old Coca-Cola.
5. Dove
Unilever, the maker of Dove brand of products, launched The Dove Real Beauty Campaign in 2004. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it has brought tears to the eyes of people and successfully challenged the traditional idea of beauty. Talk about a powerful social message and marketing campaign wrapped into one.
One of the best creative strategies in recent times, Dove’s Real Beauty campaign came into force after the company surveyed more than 3,000 women in 10 different countries. The survey found that only 2% of women considered themselves beautiful.
Dove used the study as an opportunity to change public perception and to raise awareness about self-esteem issues amongst young girls and adults. One way the campaign was carried out was through the Dove Real Beauty Sketches, where a forensic artist trained by the FBI, who didn’t look at the participants, drew sketches of women based on descriptions of themselves and by strangers. The resultant video was powerful, emotional, and eye-opening, and reinforced Dove’s message that You are more beautiful than you think. To date, Real Beauty Sketches have been viewed over 180 million times. The campaign did not stop there.
In another part of the campaign, friends were asked to describe what they liked about each other. Yet another campaign highlighted how toxic beauty standards cost the economy billions of dollars and affects mental and physical health.
The company used their advertisements as a platform to raise awareness about issues regarding body image and self-care. Women across the world identified with the message, and the raw, emotional responses spurred people into action as they imbibed the message Dove stood for. It elicited a strong emotional response and high shareability rate from viewers, emphasizing the campaign’s major success.
The eventual Dove Self-Esteem Project resulted in the company working alongside youth activists, researchers, experts, and likeminded organizations on their mission to build body confidence and fight the toxic beauty standards fueling appearance hate and discrimination.
Dove’s sales skyrocketed and the campaign was widely appreciated across the world. Sales stood at around $2.5 billion in the campaign’s opening year but today, they have crossed $4 billion, bringing in revenues and igniting positive change in society.
The impact of the creative campaign is so great that it is remembered even today, and helped launch multiple programs to aid the younger generation in growing up with a body-positive mindset.
The best creative strategies help a brand differentiate itself from its competitor, promote what it stands for, and connect emotionally with customers. Your brand’s creative strategy ensures that your brand’s message reaches the masses and is aligned with your overall goals. It gets inside the minds of customers and provides good ROI along with business development.
