Cliniques Turnaround and the Desired Effect of the Advert - Research Paper Example

Reengineering the Creative Brief: Clinique’s Turnaround The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate a Clinique product advertisement in the May 2009 issue of Cosmopolitan (See below)i. The product is a Turnaround cream for face and body. The central message of the advertisement is "Now reveal newborn skin, head to toe." The researcher shall attempt to evaluate the creative brief by re-working its strategy, contents and effectiveness. In doing so the researcher hopes to learn how to devise advertising strategies through brand positioning through the creative brief. Figure: Clinique’s Turnaround - MEDIUM DETAILS The choice for a medium is critical in gathering the maximum number of audience. This is imperative for effective advertising communicationii. The medium that has been used for the Clinique advert is print medium - Cosmopolitan magazine. Cosmopolitan is a popular magazine for women between the ages of 18 to 45. They mainly feature topics such as self grooming, sex, relationships and celebrity gossip. This is an ideal medium for conveying Cliniques message as Cosmopolitan is widely read by the consumer group that Clinique wants to target. This print media is also suitable for the target audience because women who have busy lifestyles due to work, family or relationships tend to find relief from browsing through magazines in search of solutions to their lifes little problems and issues. It is the time for thinking, and planning. By including an advert in such a magazine, Clinique catches the attention of the thinking reader, hence the long and explanatory copy. - TARGET AUDIENCE In advertising, understanding the need of the target audience is important to position the product and its message.iii The target audience seems to be older women between the age bracket of 30 years and 45 years who are undergoing the aging process and in need of staying young. Since they lead a busy life perhaps working or caring for a busy family, they look for a daily skin care solution which is easy to use yet achieve the desired effect of having "newborn skin, head to toe". - POSITIONING Cliniques positioning is to identify Turnaround attributes with the target audiences desire to "improve skin of all types and tones". Since no price is mentioned, the researcher assumes that the product is expensive. Instead, Clinique wants to focus on what women want most out of a daily cream. They want to position their Turnaround cream as the ultimate solution for women who want to keep their skin "healthy looking", make them feel "young" and look "radiant" upon application. - OBJECTIVES The objectives of the campaign are to extend its Turnaround brand, and make Clinique the authority on healthy skin. By using the Facets model of effects,iv the researcher identifies the following with the advert: See/Hear: Creates awareness and recognition through established Turnaround brand (for face) and link it with its product extension. Feel: The advert links the product with sensitive individuals who are conscious of their "dry, flaky and rough" skin by offering them the solution to their dilemma. Think/learn/believe: By providing information on how exfoliation can improve skin tones, types and look, Clinique makes the audience believe they know about the consumer best interests through the statement "We know you have it in you". Connect: Through this message, Clinique has established its Turnaround brand as the only cream that "offers continuous daily renewal". The implied message is for those who have used Visible Skin Renewer and Turnaround products before, and making new consumers to want to use the same superior skin renewable experience. Act: The advert encourages the user to "unveil it now" by taking the action to buy it and experience it. - The BIG IDEA The big idea that the advertiser wants to put into the target audiences mind is to feel young as a "newborn" through skin which is radiant, smooth, and healthy.v By using the tagline "now reveal newborn skin, head to toe" the audience is compelled to think that they can reverse their age through Cliniques miracle cream combinations. The idea is to make the reader feel that they will be using a product from a company which is an authority on skin care which is clear from the tagline "Allergy Tested. 100% Fragrance Free". - MESSAGE STRATEGY Based on the objectives and the big idea, Clinique has translated the creative strategy a ritual/heart message strategy.vi By addressing the need for good looks and feel young, Clinique appeals to the older audience who are constrained by time and lifestyles to maintain their looks. - MESSAGE APPROACH and MESSAGE EXECUTION The message adopts an appeal approach by featuring the practical effects of Turnaround on rough, dry and flaky skins, which are concerns for older women. By providing references to dermatologists frequently, Clinique support its claim as the ultimate exfoliating product and skin smoothening cream that would revive all skin types and tones. It does not compare with competitor brands but put forward solution for a regular problem of skincare.vii - THINK /FEEL The visual which corresponds with peeling off of dry and dull skin, resonates the original slogan that the product has the power to stop dull skin. The message makes the readers feel that they too can possess "newborn" skin with the purchase of the product Turnaround. - EYE MOVEMENT This is evident from the graphics used in the advert. The advert features a bottle and a tube of Turnaround products, with cellophane paper peeled off partially. No model has been used. Instead Clinique uses its product as models. This emphasizes on the product exclusively and imprints the image of the product package in the mind of the audience. The copy immediately below "Now reveal newborn skin, head to toe" confirms what the image tries to convey and encourages the reader to find out how to achieve "newborn skin" and what the product has to offer. viii - EFFECTIVENESS The desired effect of the advert is to give the impression that Clinique has something new and innovative for individuals with skin problems. This persuades the reader to learn more about the product, especially if the reader is already a user of Turnaround face cream. By the end of the copy, the message motivates the reader to take action and "unveil" their radiant skin now because Clinique the authority on skincare "know you have it in you". Reference "Clinique: Now reveal newborn skin, head to toe" Advertisement. Cosmopolitan May Issue 2009. Lee, Monle and Johnson, Carla. Principles of advertising: a global perspective. Routledge, 1999. Moriarty, Sandra; Mitchell, Nancy. D. and Wells, William D. Advertising. Pearson Education, 2008. OGuinn, Thomas; Allen, Chris and Semenik, Richard J. Advertising and Integrated Brand Promotion. Cengage Learning, 2008. Richards, Barry; Botterill, Jackie and MacRury, Iain. The dynamics of advertising. Routledge, 2000. Taylor, Ronald E. A Six-Segment Message Strategy Wheel. Journal of Advertising Research, November 01, 1999. Read More