Choosing Between Branding and Action Advertising Campaigns: When To Do What

If you’ve decided to invest in advertising for your company, congratulations. That’s an important step on the road to growing your company and increasing your bottom line. The next thing to think about is what kind of advertising campaign you want to conduct -- a branding campaign or an action campaign.

Each type of campaign has its benefits, as we will explain in this post.

What Are Branding and Action Advertising Campaigns?

Your brand is the image of your business. It’s what comes to mind when people think about your company. A branding campaign raises your visibility by making people more aware of your business. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for measuring the effectiveness of a brand campaign include the number of views, the size of the audience, the results of surveys, increases in brand awareness, and increases in recalling ads.

Action campaigns have more specific goals. They are meant to entice people to buy your product or service, or to take some other action, immediately or in the near future. KPIs for measuring action advertising campaigns, which are sometimes called promotional campaigns, include number of phone calls you receive, customer traffic to your location, attendance at a specific event, or an increase in sales for a certain time period. 

When Should You Use Branding Campaigns?

While you may not see results immediately, and they may be harder to track, when you run branding campaigns they can greatly benefit your company over the long term. The ultimate goal of branding campaigns is to raise awareness of your company so that your company is the first one people think of when they need your type of product or service. Any time you want to grow your company over the long term, you should highly consider a branding campaign.

Branding campaigns are also useful when something about your business is changing. For example, when you are starting a new company, entering a new market, or facing a new threat from a competitor. By reinforcing awareness of your brand during times of change, you help ensure that your company will thrive in the new conditions.

Lastly, branding campaigns are especially effective for retaining existing customers and building loyalty. By continuing to advertise to your existing customer base - you can create customer loyalty and stay top-of-mind so that a competitor can’t come in and take your place. 

When Should You Use an Action Campaign?

An action campaign is the best choice when you want your current or potential customers to do something specific, especially when you want them to do so in the immediate future or at a specific time.

If you are launching a new product or service, opening a store or a branch in a new location, having a sale, or putting on a special event, an action campaign will get the word out to people who are interested in what you are offering. The action campaign should entice people to promptly order your product or service, visit your new store, shop during your sale, or attend your event. It is critical to have a clear call to action in any action campaign.

Action campaigns are also great for announcing holiday specials, clearing out seasonal items, and even for recruiting new employees. Any time you want something specific to happen soon, consider an action campaign.

Branding Campaigns vs Action Campaigns -- Making the Right Choice

Both branding and action campaigns are important tools for attracting customers and growing your business. As with any kind of tool, you have to choose the right one for the right goal at the right time.

To get the most value from your advertising dollars, analyze your current goals, and then select the type of advertising campaign that will best help you achieve them. A media consultant can help you make that choice. By choosing the best fit for your current needs, you will maximize your advertising budget and make sure you get the results you are looking for.