6 Questions to Help You Find the Perfect Ad Concept

1. What is the ad campaign’s goal? The number-one question to kick off any ad campaign should be related to the campaign’s goals. Your team needs to understand the ad’s “why” before you can create a concept that delivers on your desired outcomes. Figure out whether the ad will support brand awareness, product sales, a new initiative or something else.

2. What products or services should we push? If your ad is designed to push your brand’s products or services, you’ll want to know which, specifically, you’ll focus on. Companies with larger product lines need to get granular with their sales ad concepts to ensure they reach the desired audience. Identify the right segment of your business to advertise and use that as a jumping-off point for creative ideas.

3. Who is the target audience? Ads also need to be catered to a specific audience segment in order to fully convey their message. Knowing your target audience is key to understanding which ad concepts will work and which ones will fall flat due to their different interests, wants and needs.

4. Where will this ad live? Determining the platform for your ad can really help your team narrow down possibilities. Display ads through Google will be far less expansive than video ads. A 30-second ad spot for TV will look different from a 6-second pre-roll ad on YouTube. If you plan to use the ad in multiple places, take note of that, too; you’ll want to think of concepts that would perform well across multiple channels.

5. Should we draw from current events? If your brand has its finger on the pulse of current events and trends, it might be a good idea to incorporate those into your next advertising campaign. Topical advertising has the potential to go viral because it’s so relatable in the moment. However, there are also many benefits of timeless advertising that won’t fall out of popularity in a few weeks. Which option you choose will depend on your budget, goals and abilities.

6. What message are we trying to send? Some of the best concepts are born out of this question alone. Think about the core 

message your audience should take away from the ad and distill it down to just a few words. By using this sentence as a guidepost, you’ll ensure the message doesn’t get lost amid wacky concepts or lengthy videos.

Coming up with innovative concepts for ad campaigns isn’t every brand’s strong suit, and that’s okay! Working with a creative partner can help. Answer these six questions before you sit down to generate ideas, and your campaign is sure to deliver success.

Ready to get started on your next video or social ad campaign? Say hello to Spin Creative!

Spin Creative is a video production company and creative agency helping marketers create winning video and creative strategies that engage, inspire and activate targeted audiences. Spin is headquartered in Seattle with offices in San Francisco and London, serving brands around the globe.