how do nepali advertisers develop creative strategy

8/9/2019 How Do Nepali Advertisers Develop Creative Strategy

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KATHMANDU UNIVERSITYSCHOOLOFARTS

DEPARTMENTOF LANGUAGES & MASS COMMUNICATIONS

INDEPENDENT PROJECT REPORT

Creative Strategy Development Process in Nepali Advertising

A fourth year first semester project report submitted in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the degree of

Bachelor of Media Studies

By:


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- 3 Manyu , Creative Strategy Development 3AbhiManyu Dixit

CERTIFICATION

FOURTH YEAR FIRST SEMESTER PROJECT REPORT

on

Creative Strategy Development Process in Nepali Advertising

By:

Abhimanyu Mani Acharya Dixit (Regd. No. 004820-03)

Approved by:

1. Project Supervisor

Ananta Mainali

2. Media Studies Head of Department

Jangab Chauhan


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CREATIVE STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IN NEPALI ADVERTISING

Submitted By:

Abhimanyu Mani Acharya Dixit

Independent Project (MEDS 405)

Bachelor in Media Studies

Department of Languages and Mass Communications

Kathmandu University

Submitted To:

Ananta Mainali

Supervisor

Department of Languages and Mass Communications

Kathmandu Univertisity.


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ABSTRACT

Results obtained from In-Depth Interviews showed that the general process of Creative Strategy

employed by Nepali Advertising Professionals is as follows:- Understand the Product, Conduct

Target Audience Research, Understand the Consumer Profile, Understand Competition, and

finally Develop a Creative Strategy. This Creative Strategy is developed intuitively with gut

feeling, and with experiences of the advertising professional on how the ad hits the audience in

Nepali Context. International Advertisements works well if it is done considering Nepali context.

Language, Sensitivity and Cultural Settings should be answered in cross cultural

communications for international ads as well as for advertisements in different cultures within

Nepal. Humor is mainly targeted among others Emotional Sentiments used in all forms of Nepali

Advertising Communications. There are also Jingle Advertisements, Superstar Endorsements,

Cause-Effect Advertisements, and Informational advertisements. Recommendations for future

researches are also made in this research.


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express sincere gratitude to our head of Department, Mr. Jangab Chauhan, for

granting us the permission to work on the project. I am grateful to have Mr. Ananta Mainali as

our project supervisor. It is due to his constant support, supervision and guidance that I have

been able to successfully complete the project. My special thanks goes to Mr. Kshitij Regmi for

his ideas. I am also grateful to Mr. Bharat Lal Nyachhyon for his help. I would also like to thank

all my interview respondents, Abhaya Panday, Navin Joshi, Rajendra Salabh, Santosh Paudyal,

Subin Manandhar, and Subu Shrestha.

Last but not the least, I would like to thank all the faculty members of the Department of

Languages and Mass Communications.


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1. Background

1.1. Advertising

Advertising is a paid non-personal communication from an identified sponsor using mass media

to persuade or influence an audience (Berkman and Gibson, 1987: 9). This standard definition of

advertising has six elements. First, it is a paid form of communication. Second, the sponsor is

identified; third, most advertising tries to persuade or influence the audience to react. However,

in some cases the point of the communication is to make different stakeholders aware of the

company or product. Fourth, the message is conveyed through different kinds of mass media.

Fifth, advertising reaches a large number of potential consumers. And sixth, because it is done

through mass media, it is non personal. (Wells, Brunett, and Moriarty, 2004: 10)

Philip J. Kitchen and Patrick De Pelsmacher (2005) support this. According to them, advertising

has a high ability to reach a large audience but a low ability to deliver a personal message. The

level of interaction and credibility given by the target audience is also low. (Kitchen et.al, 2004:

12)

William Wells, John Brunett, and Sandra Moriarty (2004) list 3 basic functions of advertising

existing today: Provides product and brand information, Provides incentives to take action, and

Provides reminders and reinforcements (Wells et.al, 2004: 15). According to them, Although

many ads are devoid of information, providing the consumer with relevant information that will

aid decision making is still the main function of advertising. However, the information given

depends on the needs of the target audience, and the type of consumer. (Wells et.al, 2004: 15)


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Purpose of advertising is to make sales. This purpose is fulfilled by the functions. The functions

of advertisement are to inform, persuade, remind, influence, change opinions, and try to change

emotions, attitudes and behavior.

Kitchen and Pelsmacher (2005) point out that It (advertising) is seen as fulfilling one or more of

the following communications functions: informing, persuading, reminding, adding value, and

assisting other company efforts, the relative importance of each function being dependent on the

communication objectives of the specific situation (Kitchen et.al, 2005: 19).

1.2. How Advertisement Works

1.2.1. Communication Process

Advertising works through communication. Rajeev Batra, John G. Myers, and David A. Aaker

(2005) point out that similar to basic communications, advertising communications involves a

perception process and four elements: the source, a message, a communication channel, and a

receiver. Basic communication has a feedback mechanism which is very minimal in advertising.

However, the receiver will sometimes become source of information by talking to friends or

associates. This type of communication is termed word of mouth communication, and it involves

social interactions between two or more people. (Batra et.al, 2005: 59) In the model of

advertising communication system, the source of a message in the advertising communication

system is the point where the message originates.


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This model is similar to the Source, Message, Media Mix, and Receiver Model (SMCR process)

of communication. The basic SMCR communication process is the foundation for a model of the

advertising process. It begins with the source, or advertiser and its agency, and what they hope to

accomplish with the message- the objectives. Advertisers usually deliver their message through a

variety of tools, which we call media mix. Surrounding and affecting the message and media mix

is noise, which comes from both internal and external factors- internal meaning to the consumer

and external meaning to the environment. Next is message reception and response, where the

message is decoded. (Wells et.al, 2004: 157)

However, in the model of advertising communication system, the message refers to both the

content and execution of the advertisement. It is the totality of what is perceived by the receiver

of the message. The channel is the medium through which the message is transmitted from

source to receiver. Channels may consist of one or more kinds of media, such as Radio,

Television, Newspapers, Magazines, Billboards, Point-of-Purchase displays etc. Batra et.al

(2005) regard word of mouth communications as an important medium in the model of

advertising communication system. Word of mouth communication represents other channels

Figure 1: Model Of Advertising Communications System


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that are of special interest because it can sometimes play a key role in an advertising campaign.

They also add, Every communication system has a channel capacity. There is so much

information that can be moved through it and only so much that a receiver will be motivated to

receive and capable of processing. (Batra et.al, 2005: 60)

The receiver in an advertising communication system is also called target audience. Thus, the

receiver can be described in terms of audience segmentation variables, lifestyle, benefits sought,

demographics, and so on. Of particular interest might be the receivers involvement in the

product and the extent to which he or she is willing to search for and/or process information.

(Batra et.al, 2005: 61) The above model does not stop at receiver but allows for the possibility

that the initial receiver might engage in word of mouth communication. The receiver becomes an

interim source and destination thus becomes another receiver.

1.2.2. Persuasion Process

One of the earlier theories of how advertisement works was AIDA

model (Awareness, Interest, Desire, and Action). For the

communication model to work, it is supposed that the advertisers

would have to attract the audience first. Roderick Whites

Advertising and How to Do it (1980) explains the AIDA model,

Clearly, consumers, having minds, emotions, senses, and all the

psychological paraphernalia that foul up our processes, would in

some way process the material coming to them in the form of

advertisement (White, 1980: 56)

Awareness

Interest

Desire

Action

Figure 2: The AIDA Model


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For the AIDA model to work, it was assumed, an ad attracts the consumers attention. If ads

were to achieve this at all it would have to arouse their interest. For a sale to take place, however

would require more: a desire for the product. But everyone knew about unsatisfied or sublimated

or postponed desires: the final step must be action.(White, 1980:56)

Batra et.al(2005) in their book Advertisement Management describe model of communication

and persuasion process that shows the various processes that can occur after consumers are

exposed to an advertisement in Advertising Exposure Model.

Advertising Exposure Model helps in understanding the persuasion process of Advertisers.

Analysis of recent trends has resulted in five effects in the persuasion process.

First, exposure to the advertisement can create awareness about the brand, leading to a feeling of

familiarity with it. Second, information about the brands benefits and the attributes on which the

Figure 3: Advertising Exposure Model


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benefits are based are registered with the consumer which can also result from exposure to the

ad. Third, advertisements can also generate feelings in an audience that they begin to associate

with the brand or its consumption. Fourth, through the choice of the spokesperson and various

executional devices, the advertisement can lead to the creation of an image for the brand, often

called Brand Personality. Fifth, the advertisement can create the impression that the brand is

favored by the consumers peers, or experts- individuals and groups the consumer likes to

emulate. This is often how products and brands are presented as being fashionable. These five

effects can create a favorable liking, or attitude, toward the brand, which in turn should lead to

purchasing action. Sometimes the advertiser will attempt to spur purchasing action directly by

providing a reminder or by attacking reasons why the consumer may be postponing that action.

(Batra et.al, 2005:60, 61, 62)


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2. Introduction

2.1. The Advertising Plan

In theory, There are five key players in advertising- The advertiser, the advertising agency, the

media, vendor, and the audience (Wells et.al, 2004: 17). Advertising begins with advertiser, the

person or organization that needs to get out the message. Advertiser makes the final decisions

of the target audiences, the media, the size of advertising budget, length of the campaign, and

pays the bills. Advertisers hire agencies to plan and implement part or all of their advertising

efforts. The media is the channels of communication that carry the message from advertisers to

audience and response from audience to advertisers. The vendors assist advertisers, advertising

agencies, and the media e.g.: photographers, graphic artists, songwriters, printers, market-

researchers, direct-mail production houses, telemarketers, public relation consultants etc.

Advertisers always focus on target audiences; the intended customer who purchases the product.

(Wells et.al, 2004: 17, 18, 19, 20)

The players in advertising have specific roles in the advertising plan. Mainly three elements are

incorporated in an advertising plan: Targeting the Audience, Message Strategy, and Media

Strategy.

An Advertising Campaign Plan flows in the following process-

1. Situation Analysis (advertising problems and identifying opportunities)


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2. Key Planning Decisions (Advertising Objectives, Target Audience, Competitive

Product Advantage, Product Image and Personality, and Product Position.)

3. Implementation/Tactics

4. Evaluation

5. Budget

6. The Creative Strategy

7. The Media Strategy

8. Integration with Other Communication Tools (Wells et.al, 2004:189)

We can divide the creative work on a campaign into two steps. The first is determining the

creative strategy (what the message says). The second is determining the tactics (how to execute

the message). (Wells et.al, 2004: 548)

Advertising Strategy is a statement of how the objectives are to be achieved in terms of creative

content and media deployment. For the Creative Department of the advertising agency, there are

specific creative objectives, to be achieved through the fulfillment of creative strategy. (White,

1980: 66) The focus of this paper is on Creative Strategy which is discussed in detail below.

2.2. Creative Strategy

Creative Strategy is the logic behind the advertising message. (Wells et.al, 2004: 310) All the

logic and creative ideas is applied and discussed during the creation stage. The creation stage


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encompasses the creative (idea generation) process, the generation of written copy (copywriting),

artwork of various kinds (illustrating), and preliminary or comprehensive version of the

advertisement (layout). Obviously, client approval and supplier selection are also important

activities that must be done before final production can begin. (Batra et.al, 2005: 429)

A creative advertising strategy is defined as a part of general advertising strategy formed by the

advertising agency. Creative advertising strategy is defined as a complex of interrelated

organizational and creative decisions aimed at presenting product or service, conveying brand

position influencing consumer and distinguished by the catalyst effect. The result of the Creative

Advertising Strategy is the advertising message. (Vasiliauskait, 2005:1)

2.3. Topic Overview

In recent years, a wealth of literature has increased our understanding of cross-cultural

differences in advertising content (Abernethy & Franke, 1996: 1). Culture establishes its own

special vision of the world, and therefore the understandings and rules appropriate to one cultural

context are preposterously inappropriate in another. Advertising is one of several instruments

through which cultural meaning moves from one location to another in a social world. (Taylor

et.al, 1996:4)

Advertising is a growing business in Nepal. Binod Bhattarai (2001) writes that Nepali

Advertising industry is one of the fastest growing services in Nepal. The industry estimates this

growth to be about 20-25 per cent each year. Because of the growing revenue, many original

advertising and marketing concepts have prospered in Nepali Advertising. (Bhattarai, 2000: 99)


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How French Advertisers develop Advertising Strategy by Ronald E. Taylor, Mariea Grubbs

Hoy, Eric Haley (1999) has been able to defend the presence of cultural differences in creative

advertising strategy development. Tayloret.al(1999) has established that Creative Strategies are

different for different cultures because of the presence of Cultural Difference in Advertising. So,

Nepali advertising professionals creative strategy too is different. This research topic Creative

Strategy Development Process in Nepali Advertising is endeavored to understand how Nepali

Advertising Professionals develop creative strategies.

2.4. Methodology

Creative Strategy is not measurable. However, there have been qualitative researches on creative

strategy development process. Intensive interview is a qualitative research technique that has

been used in the past by many researchers to study creative strategy development. Intensive

interviews have been conducted with professionals involved in creative strategy development

from an advertising agency.

How Do French Advertisers develop Advertising Strategy (Taylor et.al, 1999) is used as a

model research to study the creative strategy advertising development process of Nepali

advertising professionals. This research was endeavored because there has not been an attempt to

study how Advertising Professionals of Nepal Develop Creative Strategy.

The in-depth interviews were taken sometimes in more than one session, in Nepali and English

languages with the interviewers deciding on the place of interview so that they are in ease to

answer the questions. The interviews were recorded. The translated and coded forms of

recordings are in the Appendix 1-6. The respondents are arranged alphabetically.


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Roger D. Wimmer and Joseph R. Dominicks Mass Media Research an Introduction (2005)

discusses advantages and disadvantages of intensive interviews for these reasons:

They generally use smaller sample.

They provide detailed background about the reasons why respondents give specific

answers. Elaborate data concerning respondents opinions, values, motivations,

recollections, experiences, and feelings are obtained.

Intensive interviews allow for lengthy observation of respondents nonverbal responses.

They are usually very long. Unlike personal interviews used in survey research that may

last only a few minutes, an intensive interview may last several hours and may take more

than one session.

Intensive interviews are customized to individual respondents. In a personal interview, all

respondents are usually asked the same questions. Intensive interviews allow interviews

to form questions based on each respondents answers.

They can be influenced by the interview climate. To a greater extent than with personal

interview, the success of intensive interviews depends on the rapport established between

the interviewer and the respondents. (Wimmer & Dominick, 2005: 127, 128, 129)

2.5. Respondents Selection Process

TheAdvertising Agencies Association of Nepal(AAN) is a group representing the professional

interests of advertising agencies (Bhattarai, 2001:101). Crity Awards is an award function


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organized by AAN has been rewarding advertising professionals for 5 years. It is the only

documented form of advertising creativity measurement in Nepal. Nirmal Raj Poudel, President

of AAN, in their monthly publication Advertising (2008) says, Crity Awards was instituted by

AAN in 2060 (2005). The cardinal objective of Crity has been to salute all those who have done

themselves and their agencies proud by creating outstanding creative work. The samples were

selected from the nominees and winners of the Crity Awards.

Statistical procedure mode was applied to select the respondents of the in-depth interview from

the Crity Awards. Mode studies repetition. Analyzing repetition in nominees and winners

resulted in six advertising professionals. These advertising professionals are working in creative

departments of advertising agencies viz. copywriters, scriptwriters, and radio jingle makers.

They handle more than one product. All of the six respondents have been involved in making

creative strategies for more than one media.

2.6. Respondents

1. Name: Abhaya Panday

Job Title: Creative Consultant

Industry Experience: 5 years

Average working hours: 3-4 Hours

Education: Masters of Management

2. Name: Navin Joshi

Job Title: Creative consultant and ad film maker


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Average working hours: 5-6 Hours

Education: BFA in Advertising Art and ideas, art used in Advertising and motion pictures

3. Name: Rajendra Salabh

Job Title: Media Person


Average working hours: 10- 12 hours

Education: Master in Law

4. Name: Santosh Paudyal

Job Title: Senior Conceptualizer


Average working hours: 8 hrs

Education: Graduate in Commerce

5. Name: Subin Manandhar

Job Title: Creative head/Art Director



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Average working hours: 10 Hrs

Education: B-Com

6. Name: Subu Shrestha

Job title: Executive Director

Number of Years working as a professional advertiser: 11

Average Working Hours: 12

Education: MBA

3. Analysis:

3.1. Nepali Advertising Industry Overview

There are no publicly available studies on the growth of the Nepali Advertising Market but there

are other evidences to show it is one of the fastest growing service industries. Since most

companies benefiting from advertising are private and dont have to publish annual report, as

publicly traded companies are required to do, it is not easy to estimate exactly the growing

business in Nepal. However, until 2001, the total advertising billing in Nepal is said to be in tune

of Rs. 1-2 billion, including both above and below the line promotional expenses. (Bhattarai,

2001: 99)

The only known association of advertising agencies in Nepal that does some kind of research is

Advertising Agencies Association of Nepal(AAN). AAN is a group representing the professional

interests of advertising agencies. AAN was founded in 1991. Some objectives of the organization

are: To protect the interests of advertising agencies; to coordinate the activities of formally

registered advertising agencies and advertisers; to provide effective and quality service to


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customers; and to make the advertising profession more professional. On average, about 85

percent of all advertisements appearing in different media are handled by AAN member

agencies. (Bhattarai, 2001: 101)

Today, there are more than 400 registered advertising agencies in Nepal doing business of over

299 (Corore) billion rupees. Of the total, 65-billion is in television, radio and print account for

some 150 billion. Similarly, the remaining amount 82 billion is occupied by Hoarding Board,

Flex Printing etc. (Advertising Business in Nepal, n.d.)

There are some figures that suggest the growth in advertising. In 1998/99 there were 75

advertising agencies that had recognition to handle advertisements published in publications of

the Gorkhapatra Corporation. The corporation had an advertising turnover of Rs. 124.3 million

of which about 80 per cent came from the advertisements handled by the agencies. Kantipur has

maintained a growth of over 25 percent every year after 1996/97. Radio Nepals advertising

revenue has grown from Rs 20 million in early 1990s to Rs. 119 million in 1999/00- almost a

six-fold increase. (Bhattarai, 2001:99,100)

3.2. History of Nepali Advertising

The origins of advertising can be traced back to the beginning of commerce. (Bhattarai, 2001:

87) Babylonian merchants were hiring barkers to shout our goods and prices at passerby in 3000

B.C. and The Romans wrote announcements on city walls. These are the first instances of

advertising seen in the ancient world. However, by the 15th century, poster and print ads as we

know them now were abundant in Europe. This can be credited to Guttenbergs invention the


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printing press. History of advertising in the modern world depended entirely on technological

development of Media. (Baran, 2003: 380, 381)

The earliest advertisement in Nepal, like anywhere else in the world was limited mainly to

announcements of orders of rulers done by tone cries and other public officials. Advertising as

we know today first appeared in the print media as a book cover. The early radio and television

ads in Nepal, except a few, were mere extensions of what appeared in print adapted for

broadcasting. Today, however, radio and television advertising have reached new levels of

sophistication, which again is a result of the developments in the media in Nepal, not to talk

about the influences of international radio and mainly television broadcasts which are now easily

accessible. (Bhattarai, 2001: 89)

Nepals first printed advertisement can be traced to an announcement on the cover of

Mokshashiddi, a book by Krishna Giri in 1862. The ad announced another book being brought

out by Nepal Manoranjan Press. The next printed ad in Nepali appeared in 1889. It was

announcement of another book cover announcing a forthcoming monthly publication, The Nepal

Bharat Jeewan. This ad had appeared on the cover of a book by publishersHasya Manjari. The

third ad in Nepali was an announcement in 1897 in Sudha Sagar, the first Newspaper in Nepali.

Gorkhapatra became a daily in February 1961. The first ad appearing in appearing in

Gorkhapatras premier issue announced what should be done to get advertisements in the paper.

The publication of the first newspaper was followed by many others which published public

notices, government orders etc. The printing press had come to Nepal in 1851. But real

newspaper advertising, which can be the beginning of what we see around us today, began only

in the 1950s. The government formed Nepals first press commission in 1957, which in a report


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submitted the following year said, Newspapers need to be given advertisements of government

offices, departments and secretariats. (Bhattarai, 2001: 90, 91, 92)

Prining by the private sector started with Kantipur Publication Private Limiteds two daily

newspapers-Kantipur(in Nepali) and The Kathmandu Post(in English) around 1993. The two

broadsheets emerged as a major competition to the government-run dailies: Gorkhapatra (I

Nepali) and The Rising Nepal(in English). Independent content, a different point of view other

than the governments, and color page printing gave Kantipurpublication some credibility to the

National papers. The color printing gave advertisers more flexibility with design and also offered

better rates because private sector had better flexibility as opposed to government rules and

regulations. Today, there are private newspapers which have done good following Kantipurs

footsteps. News magazines like Himal Khabarpatrika andNepal, all of which have collectively

contributed to the developments in Newspaper Advertising. (Bhattarai, 2001: 89, 90)

In mid august 1999, Radio Nepalbegan using satellite in its broadcasts which makes it the

medium with nationwide reach. In 1997 Nepalese had an estimated 1.7 million radio sets. Radio

Nepal had more than 3.9 million listeners. Independent Radio came to Nepal with the licensing

ofSagarmatha FM Radio in May1997. The licensing of independent Radio was made possible

by the National Broadcasting Act 1992 which succeeded the formulation of a National

communications policy 1992. The act was followed by the formulation of the National

Broadcasting Rules. Nepal Television which began broadcasting via satellite has a theoretical

reach that goes beyond Nepals Borders. However, because only roughly, 15 percent of Nepalese

have access to electricity, its reach is limited. In theory, today, Nepal Televisions signal covers

or is accessible to about 55 percent of the total population. (Bhattarai, 2001: 89, 90, 91)


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3.3. History of Advertising Agency in Nepal

The commercial potential of advertising in a growing number of publications and broadcasting

media was recognized as early as 1960 when the first advertising agency-Nepal Advertisers- was

set up. However, Nepal Advertisers was effectively limited to running a press clipping service.

Three years later, another agency- Nepali Printing and Advertising- was set up and it began

handling ads for some major clients such as Janakpur Cigarette Factory, Royal Nepal Airlines

Corporation and Nepal Bank Limited. Another agency was set up in 1965, Kishor Advertisers

which is still in business. The advertisers willing to place ads, the media and advertising agencies

are the three main players that make up the advertising business in Nepal. The advertisers spend

more money to communicate with their markets, and use advertising agencies to place their

advertisements in the media of their choice. (Bhattarai, 2001: 95, 96, 97)

The advertising agencies in Nepal perform a number of functions. They keep track of the rapid

changes taking place in Media, monitor and measure reading habits of people, advises the

advertiser on the suitability of media, write copy or produce videos and audio clips, and simplify

and monitor accounting and expenses. Media grants the agencies discounts for the work they do

for their clients, so the advertisers benefit from the use of advertising agencies services. In 1998,

advertising agencies had provided 85 percent of the advertisements that had appeared in

Kantipur Daily, the turnover from Kantipurs ad were about Rs. 115 million. By deducing 15

percent of the turnover, what is left is Rs. 97.75 million of which the agencies theoretically earn

a 15 percent commission, which adds up to Rs. 14.66 million. Thus what is evident is that there


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is something for everyone in Nepali advertising. The advertiser is able to get the message out and

both the media and the advertising agencies would benefit from it. (Bhattarai, 2001: 95, 96, 97)

3.4. Advertising Agencies in Nepal

Navin Joshi (2009) says Nepali advertising agencies have historically been for media release.

However, he says that there are media departments taking shape. I worked with one of the

largest agencies in Bombay, and having seen their structure, their way of working is completely

different to Nepali local advertising agencies. The General working structure of advertising

agencies Nepal is that there is a creative department to produce and a media department to

release. However, he believes that the main function of most advertising agencies is media

buying.

However, Navin Joshi adds, As the marketing became the primary for companies, branding

started became more professional, so creativity became more involved in promoting brand.

Creative departments are now taking shape, and now have become integral in an ad agency.

(Navin Joshi, 2009: Appendix 2)

Another Department, advertising planning and strategies is not functional in Nepal. However,

one department which has grown significantly is the Client Servicing Department. The client

servicing departments personals meet with the clients fix meetings and prepare a creative brief.

The department bridges the relation and flow of information with media and creative

departments with the client. (Navin Joshi, 2009: Appendix 2)


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3.5. Work Flow in Advertising Agency

The Work flow in an advertising agency starts with the Client Brief. Client brief has an overall

explanation of the marketing objectives and advertising objectives. The client servicing

department takes the brief and translates it to creative brief. The creative brief has specific,

funneled, and selective objectives to fulfill. According to creative brief, the creative department

personals translate it into creative content or creative ideas. Creative Copy and Creative Design

coincide in the idea. This idea is then executed by the designers and artists. This job is then formally

introduced to the client who either approves or disapproves the advertisement. If the ad gets disapproved,

the process takes the "gear-effect" and the whole process mechanizes again. (Abhaya Panday, 2009:

Appendix 1) (Subin Manandhar, 2009: Appendix 5)

The work flow can be summarized in the following steps:

Figure 4: Organization Structure of Advertising Agency


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Creative Brief received from client/initial meeting and discussion in detail with client

regarding any major upcoming campaign.

In house discussion regarding ideas/brainstorming etc.

Assigned detailed concept development work to copywriter/visualize.

Development of a scratch (rough concepts) ads and review within agency.

Development of a campaign idea along with refined executions for presentation to client.

Review of the concept with client.

Feedback/adaptation/changes.

Finalization of the campaign.

Production work for the campaign.

Photo shoot/TV shoot/Radio ad and Presentation to client of final work.

Adaptations. Release of ads in media according to a pre-determined media plan

(Subu Shrestha, 2009: Appendix 6)

3.6. How Nepali Advertising Professionals Develop Creative Strategy

When the respondents were asked if the agency followed any prescribed route to develop

Creative Strategy, only one respondent answered they do.

Subin Manandhar explained, We take 360 degree creative route to generate and execute ideas.

The 360 degree approach is a unique Ogilvy format that ensures the involvement of everything

from required TG, demography study, execution location, execution pattern, frequency of

penetration, duration of penetration, etc. Again in 360 degree execution PR support, B2B


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promotion, campaigning in grass-root level, BTL activity and ATL penetration are

included.(Subin Manandhar, 2009: Appendix 5)

However, other respondents did not say that they had a prescribed route. Abhaya Panday says

that a creative strategy depends on the nature of product and something that clicks for the target

audience provided by the advertisers. Low involvement products like Fast Moving Consumer

Goods can have light ideas because they require immediate selling. High involvement products,

like cars and fridges where customers are more involved need conceptual ideas. Its all about the

click. That click is basically gutting feeling. According to him, gut feeling is a combination of

distilled wisdom. Gut feeling is a combination of my experiences, my knowledge, everything

which is stored by my unconscious mind. (Abhaya Panday, 2009: Appendix 1)

Rajendra Shalabh also gave a similar approach of gut feeling and click to develop a creative

strategy. He studies the product, and the target group and what the product means to them. We

search what kind of idea hits this target group. We then look for the competition and compare the

competition with the main strength of our product. We point the requirements and start

developing a concept. (Rajendra Shalabh, 2009: Appendix 3)

Navin Joshi too does not have a prescribed route. He says that he does not only mix information

but he presents it in an artful way that would help brands establish in the market. He begins with

the basic understanding of the product, the consumer circle and the market. He takes the ideas

from the world around him, through everyday people. He then develops the ideas into creative

strategy- into words and visual forms and makes communication materials to help sell the

product. According to him, there is always a short term goal, and long term goal while making a

creative strategy. There are short terms achievements in long term goal. He also adds, Creative


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people have a definitive style of working. It comes through over a period of practice, experience,

and their results. And you are always improvising working style. (Navin Joshi, 2009: Appendix

2)

Subu Shrestha also employs similar steps of homework as above mentioned advertising

professinals. He clarified on how he develops a creative strategy by mentioninging four

processes. Through a proper understanding of the objective of the ad campaign, through

research online of what similar brands have done at that particular stage in their life cycle,

through experience of generating thousands of works over the past years, through constant

feeding of the brain with a daily reading/watching of all types of magazines/books and TV

programs/online sites etc. (Subu Shrestha, 2009: Appendix 6)

There has not yet been an attempt to study how Nepali Advertisers develop creative strategy. All

the above data is a result of in-depth interview of the six statistically selected accredited

Advertising Professionals working in the industry today.

So, Summarizing from the in-depth interview results, the general process employed by the

Nepali Advertising Professionals is: understand the product, conduct target audience research,

understand the consumer profile, understand competition and finally develop a creative strategy.

Nepali advertising professionals develop creative strategy intuitively with gut feeling and with

their idea of how it hits the audience.

3.6.1 Emotions and Culture in Creative Strategies


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Navin Joshi gets ideas from the society. I try to understand Nepali people, the current mindset,

their way of thinking, the way of earning money etc. He believes that International

Advertisements work well in Nepali conditions if they are adapted to Nepali Context. As an

example, he says there are behavior changing, public service advertisements which are more

implied in the undeveloped region of Nepal where a different culture exists. Social issues

communication in those areas is done in local cultural language and in local cultural settings.

(Navin Joshi, 2009: Appendix 2) The primary goal is to adapt to the different culture and hope

people understand it. So, in social communication, language, culture and sensitivity issues should

be addressed. (Santosh Paudyal, 2009: Appendix 4)

Advertisements are always trying to capture the core thoughts, emotions and basic needs by

reflecting the body language, and emotions. (Abhaya Panday, 2009, Appendix 1) Subu Shrestha

also believes that emotions work well with Nepali Audience. For a certain type of

product/audience, the slap stick type of humor, as in popular comedy TV serials tends to work

well. (Subu Shrestha, 2009, Appendix 6) Emotion also works for Rajendra Shalabh. He has

done mainly three types of creative strategy. The first type is jingle based. We make a jingle at

first, and then we visualize the jingle. The second type is with product and a voiceover. The

third type, which he believes is the hardest of them, is dialogue or conversation based. We

generally try cash on general sentiments and humor. (Rajendra Shalabh, 2009: appendix 3)

Subin Manandhar also thinks emotions work if conveyed in local language and cultural context.

He calls that the Lingo. Other types of advertisements that work in Nepali context are

Superstar endorsement- anything told by a public figure works, and cause and effect -any

advantage showing ad works. (Subin Manandhar, 2009: Appendix 5)


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Summary of the clients involvement was given by Santosh Paudyal. He believes that creative

strategies depend entirely on the client. He says Creative strategies depend on the client if they

let us innovate our creativity is seen. (Santosh Paudyal, 2009: Appendix 4)

Nabin Joshi too believes that creative strategy depends on the client. He shares his experience on

clients with international marketing understanding (International Non Government

Organizations) and clients with local marketing understanding. People with international

marketing understanding culture do a lot of research. I fit into their structure. They have the right

brief, and a well defined creative parameter which makes it easier to work. Local business

owners know the local context. But they dont know what they want from you. I always have to

work with their level of understanding. It is difficult and I have a lot of opportunities. But I still

have to convince them.(Navin Joshi, 2009: Appendix 2)

A lot depends on the client. Clients are the sole source of finance for an advertisement. And they

have the last say, whether to accept the creative idea or reject it. Other secondary factors that

affect the development of creative strategy like product research, target audience research,

consumer profile survey, communication effect research, copy testing etc. also depend upon the

client. (Abhaya Panday, 2009, Appendix 1) (Rajendra Shalabh, 2009, Appendix 3) (Santosh

Paudyal, 2009, Appendix 4) Navin Joshi says, The clients are investing money for their

goodwill. Depending on their resource available we do research and we cannot really push

them.(Navin Joshi, 2009, Appendix 2)

In conclusion, clients are the sole source of finance for an advertisement. Advertising

professionals develop creative strategy for the benefits for the clients profit in business or in

terms of social communications, the creative strategy is developed for effectivity in reaching the


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4.1. Creative Strategy Development Process in Nepali Advertising

In conclusion, the general process of Creative Strategy creation by Nepali Advertising

Professionals is given from steps (i) to (v). (i) Understand the Product to get some overview

about the attributes of the product. This is included in the Client Brief- the introduction of the

product and marketing objectives of the client. (ii) Conduct Target Audience Research.

However, the research may not be sceientific. The level of research depends upon the resources

made available by the Advertiser or Client. (iii) Understand the Consumer Profile of the

product. Also understand the target market, the respective age groups etc. (iv) Understand

Competition, study their advertisements, and (v) Finally Develop a Creative Strategy. After all

these studies are done, the real process of Creative Strategy- the creative content, creative

concepts and execution planning starts. Nepali Advertising Professionals develop Creative

Strategy intuitively with gut feeling, and with experience of how the creative content clicks or

hits the audience and how they would respond to it. Main creative strategies seen in Nepaly

advertising are: Jingles, Superstar Endorsements, Cause-Effect Advertisements, and

Informational advertisements. One of the more common parts among these is: Emotional

Sentiments. Humor is mainly targeted among others Emotional Sentiments used in all forms of

Advertising Communications.

International Advertisers spend a lot of resources in research especially audience research or

communication research. International Advertisers In Nepal are mainly INGOs and NGOs who

work with advertising professionals for social communications also called as public service

announcements. These social communications are done in rural Nepal where Nepali Language is

used very less. Hence, the need for research is essential. Social Communication works well if it

is done considering Nepali context. Language, Sensitivity and Cultural Settings should be


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answered in cross cultural communications by international advertisers as well as for other Local

Advertisers advertising within different cultures in Nepal.

4.2. Challenges in Development of Creative Strategy in Nepali Advertising

There is always an expectation to make the client understand the creative strategy. Everyone- a

young professional or an experienced campaigner has a tough time. To have a creative idea and

to put it across the client makes it a really challenging job. There are challenges in bring out new

ideas and make clients understand them. A parallel level understanding is necessary to work with

the client. (Navin Joshi, 2009, Appendix 2)

There is always the challenge is to push the boundaries and carry the client along in the

exploratory process. Client support is crucial to creativity. Not all clients want groundbreaking

work. So, it is always necessary to also understand what the client wants. Also, Advertisers

should not over or underestimate the audience in terms of their AdQ (Advertising

understanding). Generally client and agency tend to underestimate what the audience can

understand and thus end up with bland ads. (Subu Shrestha, 2009: Appendix 6)

There has also been a tendency not to trust Nepali Advertiser and go to Indian Advertisers. Also

clients do not depend on Nepali advertisers. If Indian directors come to Nepal, and make

advertisements, then it would be called well by the clients. (Santosh Paudyal, 2009: Appendix 4)

Rajendra Shalabh says that the client would go to India and spend over Rs. 20 million for an

advertisement in India but they would not spend Rs. 3 million for a Nepali creative concept

calling that very expensive. (Rajendra Shalabh, 2009, Appendix 3)


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Manpower is also a concern for creative advertisers. Nepali Advertising industry is not much of a

lucrative industry because it is very dependent in human resources. And we do not really have

great human resources, people would like to go to banking or INGO or some other field but they

do not really come to advertising. It has not been able to attract good manpower. (Abhaya

Panday, 2009, Appendix 1)

Santosh Paudyal says only one of the difficulty is manpower. People who have studied

advertising, and working in advertising is very less in Nepal. Formal education colleges too are

very less. Also, good understanding between the production team members is crucial. (Santosh

Paudyal, 2009: Appendix 4)

Subin Manandhar considers credibility as a major issue. The only thing that makes us level to

our standards, our communication pattern and our creative route depends entirely to the limits

where we can push. First off, the international ads (especially Indian ads) have become so much

upgraded that we have to be neck-to-neck with them to amass our authority in the market. Also,

according to him, the Nepalese market doesn't understand hyped-up creativity. (Subin

Manandhar, 2009: Appendix 5)

4.3. Recommendations for Future Research

In-depth Interview has very small samples. Out of 400 advertising agencies in Nepal, only 6

advertisers were taken for this research. These advertising professionals had won Crity Awards

more than the others. Most of these advertising professionals lamented that most clients still

regard advertising agencies as media buying agents. This could be a good research topic to

investigate and clarify the role of advertising agencies today.


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The respondents had interpreted two of their advertisements in the interview which had helped to

study the creative strategy process more lucratively. Future researchers can continue this

research topic-Creative Strategy Development Process in Nepali Advertising with content

studies of different Advertisements.

Nepal is a country with different cultures living under the same roof. The topic, Advertisement

Communications in different Cultures has also been touched in this research paper. Results

obtained showed that cultural communication is mainly done in Social Communications or

Public Service Announcements. However there is also a scope of Business Communication in

different cultures in Nepal.


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