Marketing Tips: Creative and Consumer Strategy

If you are preparing a new program or continuing one that has not been as successful as you would like, you or your team needs to consider a creative or consumer-oriented strategy before doing anything else.

Creative strategy explains the benefit of the product or program (what), the composition of the target audience (who), and why they should believe the message (why). A creative strategy often is developed by using a creative strategy statement. In a creative strategy statement, you put the who, what and why of the strategy into one statement to help you clearly define your plan.

My message will target (who) and convince them that (what) because (why).

A consumer-oriented strategy promotes the brand image, describes the lifestyle associated with the product or service, or appeals to the attitudes and values of the audience. For example, a consumer-oriented strategy could explain that people who use information from the Master Gardener program enjoy the lifestyle of having a beautiful landscape around their homes.

Courtesy University of Florida Extension

Rich Mattern, Information Specialist, (701) 231-6136