I’m tired of these big, old, staunch ad agencies that focus on the output of creative work instead of the outcome of the creative work. Creativity is NOT the Holy Grail. A holistic strategy that’s relevant and important to the consumer IS the Holy Grail. Only after you have your strategy firmly entrenched should you add in creativity to activate that strategy in a creative way for a winning formula every time.

For instance, an ad for a restaurant shouldn’t just make you laugh – it should make you hungry, it should literally make your mouth salivate! A commercial for a car company shouldn’t just make you want to run out and buy the soundtrack being played in the background – it should make you want to get behind the wheel of the car and feel how it hugs every corner of the road! An ad for a hotel shouldn’t just entertain you – it should make you want to book a plane ticket and a room right then and there! You get the picture – creativity just for creativity’s sake is pointless…and a waste of time and money.

Industry experts are gradually starting to see the light. Ace Metrix, a syndicated commercial tester, launched last year. The company “analyzes the creative effectiveness of TV commercials.” In other words, do the commercials work?? Their system evaluates dozens of variables within 24 to 48 hours of the spot’s launch. This is where agencies of the future need to focus their efforts and energy: what worked, what didn’t; what got results, what didn’t; and what drove store sales, raised basket and turned consideration into action. It’s about changing the “what is” to the “what could be.” And here’s a little secret sauce: If you think it’s all about the creative, think again my friend. You better make sure someone at the other end truly understands media in today’s world, traditional all the way to digital.

At Zimmerman, we have always focused on the input and outcome of our creative work, not the output! Just look at the work for any number of our clients. Take Nissan for example: We were successfully able to ignite four pillars for the car manufacturer – reliability, dependability, style and power. Or take Papa John’s: We film their pizza using a proprietary technology that makes the cheese on the pizza bubble and steam before your very eyes, awakening your hunger senses. Or CARFAX: We taught consumers across America to walk into car dealerships and demand, “Show me the CARFAX!” Party City, Ashley Furniture Homestores, White Castle, hhgregg, Jackson Hewitt, Firehouse, Pep Boys, Friendly’s and soon Boston Market…the list goes on and on. All the work is built off of an integrated strategy that connects to the inner soul of the consumer with meaningful, relevant creative that changes consumer behavior and drives sales.

In today’s challenging economic times, it’s more important than ever that you have an agency partner that understands the responsibility of stealing share and driving profitable sales. Companies today have fewer resources, less money, and diminishing patience when it comes to putting up with an ad agency that doesn’t deliver results. You CANNOT sacrifice outcome for output if you want to have the best, most relevant work in the marketplace. And if you don’t have the best, most relevant work out there, you’re toast.

LINKS:
Adweek – 2009’s Most Effective Ads