How to create practical and creative print advertising?

There are several main forms of advertising, including video, audio, print, and interactive. Among them, print advertising is the most widely used. This article will teach you the general creation process and methods of print advertising.

The print advertising discussed in this article refers to the main communication screen of the brand. Generally, common communication materials are designed around the main screen, such as posters, roll-up banners, hanging flags, floor stickers, etc. Once you understand the creation method of the main screen, you will also understand most of the print advertising.

1. Basic principles of creation:

1. Exposure of brand core information is the first principle;

What is the core message of the brand?

These are the brand name, brand positioning, slogan, trust endorsement, brand story, flagship product, product selling points…these are the key information points that consumers are expected to remember or that influence their decision to buy or not.

No matter whether you are a large, medium or small brand, when doing communication, you must ensure the frequency and number of exposure of these core information. The more the better. We should not be afraid of too few and low exposures rather than too many and frequent exposures.

Because the audience is forgetful, you must make your presence felt in front of the audience as much as possible. The more the audience sees you, the more they will remember you and will think of you when they need you.

For example, the main picture of Wanglaoji looks very ordinary.

But in fact, all the core information was conveyed. The brand name was exposed three times, the slogan was loud and obvious enough, the "herbal tea beverage for banquets in the Great Hall of the People" was endorsed with trust, and the main selling product was the red can.

These brands have the core message and cool feeling, so even though the images may look average, they are effective.

2. Aesthetics and creativity are the second principles;

On the basis of meeting the first principle, we must also take into account the design's color tone, layout, and other aesthetic elements, and try to make it look good.

In order to attract the audience's attention, you can be creative in the form of expression, but be careful not to be creative for the sake of creativity. If the audience cannot understand it, the gain will outweigh the loss.

For example, look at the following advertisements, which are very creative, but such advertisements are useless and are only suitable to be used as draft proposals for competitions. Can anyone understand what the following two main pictures mean?

2. Basic methods of creation:

In terms of specific creation, according to the different content of communication, it can be divided into two types: "pragmatic pictures and creative pictures".

Pragmatic images focus on delivering the core brand information and do not pay much attention to the creativity of the image expression.

In addition to conveying brand and product information, creative images also require high creativity in their presentation.

A. Methods for creating effective main pictures: List the necessary elements and highlight the core elements;

a. List the necessary elements

Essential elements include brand name, slogan or communication theme, trust endorsement, brand story, product selling point, main product image, main product name, brand logo, brand mascot, and brand unique vision;

(Not all of them are necessary, it depends on the specific needs to determine what the screen shows, as many as possible is better.)

b. Highlight the core elements

What needs to be highlighted are the slogan or communication theme, trust endorsement and the main products.

For example, the main communication image of Pioneer Electric Appliances below is not very creative, but the communication theme is prominent, the contrast is strong, and it has a unique brand vision. It is eye-catching and impactful, and the communication effect is good.

For example, in the following main communication screens, the arrangement of key brand and product information should be made according to actual needs.

Version A of the print advertisement of Kuaiji Mountain

Version B of the print advertisement for Kuaiji Mountain

Print advertisement of Mingmen silent door lock

Betis olive oil print ad

B. Creative methods of graphic advertising

This kind of picture is common in wealthy industries such as real estate, communications, and automobiles. Because the communication budget is sufficient, the communication services are mostly provided by 4A-level advertising companies. Both parties A and B have high requirements for the creativity of the picture.

There are two ways to create this type of print advertising

One is to decide the theme first, and then decide the picture ideas around the theme.

One is to decide on the idea first, and then decide on the theme of the picture based on the idea.

The common premise of these two methods is that you must first understand the "marketing policy". Before the screen appears on the communication end, there must be a marketing policy on the front end, which will clearly introduce the business, products, nature and purpose of the communication to be achieved.

For example, if China Mobile is planning a promotional campaign, its marketing policy may include the following provisions:

"This communication is to promote the launch of 4G mobile phones, to let the audience know the advanced nature of 4G mobile phones and the benefits they bring to consumers. The purpose is to let the audience form an awareness of 4G mobile phones and be touched by the promotion activities, go to the business hall to participate in the activities, and increase the sales of 4G mobile phones in the business hall."

The specific models participating in the promotion are as follows..., and the specific activity plan is as follows...

This will make the pre-marketing conditions for creating communication images clear, and the image creation should revolve around this policy to achieve marketing intentions.

Let’s talk about the first creative method: “First decide on the theme, then decide on the creative ideas around the theme.”

The theme can be divided into main title and sub-title. The main title points out the core of the content to be communicated and is mainly responsible for grabbing the eye and attracting attention. The sub-title is mainly used to further explain the content of the communication and make it clear.

The subtitle is relatively simple, so we will mainly talk about the creation of the main title. There are many methods, Lao Liu simply summarized 7 for your reference.

(1) Sentence segmentation;

Separate a continuous word or phrase in the middle to emphasize the following part, and can also combine homophones.

1. With 4G, you can have endless speed and fun!

2. Look, no sunburn marks!

3. Play, it’s all different!

(2) Homophonic method;

Use words or idioms that are familiar to people to replace certain words or phrases.

1. Raise 4 unparalleled;

2. Release 4 life;

(3) relevant laws;

Utilize the specific content and related elements of hot events to establish a relationship and combination with the products and brand content to be disseminated.

Big-name stars don’t matter

Big brand discounts are important

Brazil's victory is not important

It is important to curry favor with the mother-in-law

The discussion of winning or losing is not important

It is important to please the mother-in-law

Football babes don't matter

Loving your baby is important

You have to queue up to take the bus

No need to queue for meals

(4) Irrelevant law;

It is often used to express degree, such as the degree of economy, the degree of size, etc., which are difficult to express directly.

Scream (Go Crazy)

Good time to buy 4G mobile phones at a bargain price

Save to no words

(5) Comparative method

0 yuan purchase? not enough!

Good time to buy 4G mobile phones at a bargain price

(6) Storytelling;

The best way to save money, why so

(7) Imitation method;

Create secondary creative works based on famous advertisements

For example, Youku’s slogan is: The world is watching

You can imitate the creativity: the whole world is eating it, Zhejiang is using it

Once the theme of the picture is determined, you need to create creative visual expressions around the theme.

You can make several pictures around a set of themes, or you can make different pictures for multiple themes.

Finally, when launching, choose the best one to execute.

For example, when Zhejiang Mobile was creating the main screen for its “traffic sharing” service, it created four sets of themes and four creative screen expressions, and ultimately chose Creative 1 to launch.

Creation 1

Idea 2

Creation 3

Creation 4

In addition to the theme of the picture, the copy should also have detailed text to further explain the content of the communication clearly and unambiguously.

For example, take the following draft of Zhejiang Mobile's "traffic sharing" service as an example.

"Traffic is grouped together and everything is shared" is the main title, explaining the core of the content being disseminated.

"1 share of traffic, 19 people playing together" is the subtitle, further explaining the content of the communication.

This part of the detailed text further explains the business selling points and makes the communication content clearer.

This part of the text clearly explains the business handling methods and disclaimers.

Let’s talk about the second method. First decide on the idea, and then decide on the theme of the picture based on the idea.

This is a reverse creative approach, which is more commonly used by designers because they are more sensitive to images and creativity. When they receive a creative brief or work order and understand the requirements clearly, many images may emerge in their minds.

They will find various visual expressions that can express this need from their own material library or the Internet, and then select the most suitable ones to make the pictures, and match the appropriate themes according to the copy and the pictures.

For example, in the following two sets of manuscripts for the joint promotion of Zhejiang Mobile’s traffic services, the designer first decided on the form of visual expression, and then the copywriter came up with the theme.

Creative direction 1

Summary

Draft 1

Draft 2

Draft 3

Creative direction 2

Summary

Draft 1

Draft 2

Draft 3

Author: Liu Guoqiang

Source: Liu Guoqiang Demolition Marketing