How much should I spend on marketing? How do you make a post go viral? Should I buy an ad in the Super Bowl?
As marketers, we get asked a lot of questions. And a lot of times our answer is “that depends,” which we realize is probably not helpful. But there are a lot of things to consider when engaging in marketing endeavors, and no two clients are the same!
In this blog series, we intend to expound on why exactly “it depends,” and give some slightly more helpful answers to our most frequently asked questions.
Here are Parts 1, 2 and 3 of this series in case you missed them or want to look at again:
- Part 1: Brand Marketing
- Part 2: Advertising
- Part 3: Social Media
This week: Marketing Creative FAQs (focusing on graphic design and copywriting):
Q: How much information does the creative team need to get started?
A: Ideally, everything you have. We need creative “bumpers” (like at a bowling alley) to keep us in line strategically, but we want the story, the tour and the “likes” and “dislikes” of your team. Knowing what to avoid is oftentimes as critical as what to aim for.
Q: Do you copyright taglines and logos?
A: We are copywriters, not copyrighters. We create stories and content to help sell products and services, though we do have a trademark lawyer at the ready to assist with your copyright needs and concerns.
Q: How do you come up with your ideas?
A: Teamwork is best. We often pair a copywriter with a graphic designer—with input from other creatives. The team researches together and separately, works together and separately, and then, like at the end of Ghostbusters, they “cross the streams” to create a more powerful, strategic solution. Two minds are better than one. And sometimes, the graphic designer comes up with the headline (though it’s often misspelled) and the writer comes up with the visual.
Q: Why does it cost so much for a [insert creative piece here]?
A: While it may seem like a matter of mere hours to build a piece of creative, there’s a lot more to it than that. There’s the time spent getting to know your business, researching the industry and your competitors, the multiple creative brains we leverage (and the educational degrees and professional trainings that feed those brains), the expertise we bring, the strategic thinking, and much, much more. There is necessary time and knowledge needed to fuel the creative. So, while it may be a matter of a few hours to complete a build, there’s more value than just that particular action.
Q: Can I use this picture I found on Google for my advertising campaign?
A: Maybe, but we likely won’t recommend it. It’s important to research any copyrights for images, costs associated, ownership, origin, etc. But, the image you’ve found could give our team great, specific direction of the type of look you’re going for!
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