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Creativity Advertising

Big ideas, mini formats: how to get your message across in a six-second ad slot

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By Tatiana-Vivienne Jouanneau, Chief Marketing Officer

September 8, 2017 | 5 min read

Having been popularised by YouTube, the six second ad slot is now being offered to television advertisers by the Fox network. But how do you get your message across in a fraction of the usual time? Tatiana-Vivienne Jouanneau, Duracell International’s chief marketing officer, looks at how brands can extract maximum value from the miniature format.

speed

The mini-length ad is proclaimed to meet the demand of millennials' attention span and media consumption habits. The same way the mini-length skirt in the 1960s met the demand of teenagers gaining independence for individuality and self-expression.

But the mini-ad, just as the mini-skirt, is not universally flattering. Minis are all about cut and proportion; unless they fit perfectly, both the mini-ad and mini-skirt could look ridiculous and irritating.

So, here are seven thoughts for a brand to get the mini-ad fit right.

1. Start with a singular brand proposition

Instead of making the mini-ad exclusively a creative challenge, recognise that it is a strategic one. The concept of mini-ad is to respect the viewer's time by rewarding them with unique brand information fast. The mini-ad screaming the brand name for six seconds is a maxi logo-ad, like a poorly fitted mini-skirt stating the obvious.

The six-second call to action can be an ad but only if it gives the information people want to receive – news or recency as examples. We know that mini-ad can help drive incremental awareness but you don’t want this awareness to be an empty one.

2. Don’t assume you can cut or compress a mini-ad out of longer existing ad

The mini-ad needs a separate brief and separate production funds. Just as a mini-skirt cut out of a longer one will be always ill-fitting, a mini-ad recomposed from exiting footage will not have a positive integrity.

3. Bring to creatives creative brief for a mini-ad along with a media plan

Tightly defined consumer audience, media platform or device you are designing it for, expected media consumption occasions. This will not only contribute to your value as a strategic partner but will greatly inspire creative teams.

4. Have the total brand media plan and brand game plan, not limiting to a mini-ad only

Clearly recognised for the upper funnel impact like awareness and recall, mini-ad lacks in more sophisticated drivers like persuasiveness and emotional connect. It can’t carry the brand alone and work for all the occasions. You shouldn’t wear a mini-skirt to the Opera.

5. When buying the creative think about one telegraphic frame to leave with the viewer

It is pretty much impossible to tell a story in six seconds and creatives will say the same about any other length that is not one-minute long. But if there is a story – it is a telegraphic frame, one visual which stays with you. If I am to imagine the Cinderella fairy-tale in one frame, it would be a poorly dressed girl in the kitchen but with a crown on her head and the prince kneeling with the shoe next to her.

6. Commit to consistent usage of brand assets

This goes beyond logo because proportionately logo will have less space in a mini-ad. You should not try to squeeze in the selling line on top of your benefit proposition either. You need to define your brand world, broader campaign canvas, choices of colors and reaffirm brand character and brand tone of voice.

You need to have a distinctive set of brand assets which differentiate beyond the category you are playing in. Your brand assets should have a cross-industry standout. Prior to mini-ad world, reportedly at least one out of three ads suffered from misattribution. Getting your brand credited with investment will not become easier when the length goes from 30 seconds to six.

7. Test it fairly.

There is always a strategic debate of testing prior to airing or moving fast and learning in market. If a mini-ad is incremental to your current plan, it is safe to assume that learning in market would measure its incremental value. Still, consider testing it for attention grabbing and recall power as well as for the absence of negative on “it’s irritating” against a fair benchmark. Leave aside a full set of purchase intent and business building potential measures.

Mini-ad like mini-skirt has the opportunity to become a brand wardrobe classic. It is in keeping with miniaturisation of the products, helps consumers chose better products and services by distinguishing the real benefit from a fluffy one, keeps creative employment despite tighter media budgets and unites the industry. Let’s just make sure that it’s not your only brand-wear.

In the world where everyone wears a mini-skirt, it is called just a skirt. As we continue loving the sophistication and elegance of a pencil skirt and depicted femininity of a maxi length, the proven effectiveness of 30-seconds and entertainment and the emotional connection of longer content is hopefully here to stay too. Let’s enjoy the positive attention of a mini-ad.

Creativity Advertising

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