Style over substance? Not the most reliable roadmap to success.

Many advertising agencies can’t be bothered with Creative Strategy… the navigational system for any marketing campaign.  Instead of starting there, they churn out ads, website design, commercials, billboards, direct mail and online marketing that – on a good day — may be “different”, “daring”, “clever” or “cute”.

But not strategic.

Why is that a problem?  Well, it would be like beginning a business trip without a GPS.  You’ll undoubtedly get somewhere… just probably not where you intended.  You’ll end up frustrated.  You’ll waste time, money and effort.  (And you’ll start over a lot.)

At Shirley/Hutchinson – a faith-based ad agency — our entrepreneurial prospects step off the elevator with the same kind of requests: they just want to fill a medium with a message.  Ultimately, that’s what we create for them.  But first, basic frontline research uncovers an idea that separates them from the competition.   A brand-identity that will bring clarity to all marketing messages.  A Creative Strategy.

When agency and client think strategically, the resulting ads all connect to each other.  They speak with the same voice.  And as a result, today’s ad dollar supports tomorrow’s… and next month’s… and next year’s.

It’s the only way to get cumulative impact from your advertising investment.