Our advertising message consists of the idea together with other relevant information. The idea spots the uniqueness of the product to win a place in the consumer mind. It is easier said than done. Message design identifies the consumer’s perceptions about the products. The following questions give a good insight.

1. What is the nature of the product: its generic category.
2. For whom it is meant: the segment.
3. What are the special characteristics of the product? How is the consumer going to be benefited?
4. Who are the competitors? What is their promise?
5. Is the product different from the other available products? How? Is it a technological breakthrough?
6. On which occasions will the product be used? How often?
7. What would you like your consumer to perceive this brand as? What position would it take?

The answer to these questions is given by marketing research and by the advertiser and his agency. The creativity of the agency matters most here.

Thus there are tonics in the market, for the aged and for the persons recovering from illness. There is a set of tonics for children and expectant mothers. There are haematinic tonics of iron for anaemic individuals. Incremin, a pleasantly flavored tonic containing Lysine – a growth factor from Lederle has been promoted as ‘ a tonic for growing –up children’ to stimulate their growth in terms of height. The visual of a giraffe eating leaves off a tall tree, emphasing its tall neck re-enforces the concept of growth. Incremin found a strong vacant position and just sat on it- the tonic for growing children.

Walter Mendez, the Creative Director of Clarion made a landmark campaign of

Maggi 2- minutes Noodle a positioned as any time snack, good to eat and fast, to cook aimed at children to begin with.