Shadow is a company from Spain devoted to the manufacturing and sale of

guitars, basses as well as other musical appliances and accessories. Shadow’s

products are of good quality at a very competitive price range. While Shadow has
physical stores in the main cities of Spain as well as an online sales platform the
company currently wants to carry out an advertising campaign. Their main objective
with this operation is to increase the sale of their flagship product; the electric guitar.
With the information that we have of the company as well as further knowledge that will
be obtained by conducting a market research we can determine our potential target
audience or audiences’ for Shadow’s advertising campaign.

Market research and SWOT analysis

Fortunately, for our company Shadow has a very good opportunity to increase its
sales of their flagship item the electric guitar. This is because in the year 2019 through
2020 global sales of all types of guitars had increased by 15%. That’s an increase from
8 billion to about 9.2 billion U.S. dollars. These sales upsurge includes acoustic, bass as
well as electric guitars. “Industry giants such as Fender and Gibson say they enjoyed
record sales in 2020, with Fender claiming that they “hadn’t seen another year like 2020
before in terms of sales”. And the first two quarters have shown that this trend has
continued well into 2021.” (Poole, S.) If these sales trends continue and with a well
implemented advertising campaign Shadow may very well see not only a boost in the
sales of their flagship product but also achieve their desired recognition in order to
consolidated and position themselves among its public.

Nevertheless, for Shadow to be able to best achieve these goals we must look at
the demographics most likely to be interested in our product in order to best decide
which sector or sectors of the public to target with our advertising campaign. That being
said we should also make sure to take in to account the current global turmoil that has
plagued the world in recent times. When deciding which demographics to target two of
the most important factors to take in to consideration when trying to identify your target
audience are age and gender. Through my research I’ve found that about 90% of all
total guitar players are males and under the age of twenty.
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https://infogram.com/percent-of-gender-of-guitar-players-1gl8e20vgq53mod

Taking these two factors in to account it my be tempting to take this information

and assume that our target audience should be predominetly young males under the
age of 20. However, this would be a mistake. According to Fender, a string instrument
and amplifier manufacturer that survayed over 20,000 guitar players from the U.K. and
the United States found that about half of all new guitar players were in fact women.
“Those initial findings led the company to seek relationships with female artists,
highlight more women in marketing campaigns and rethink its marketing strategy
around a massive new audience that it’d previously been ignoring.” (X. Wang, A.)

Based on these findings from Fender, Shadow may take a similar approach and
target both males as well as females which have been a more ignored demographic
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thus giving Shadow a new underserved clientele. Based on where shadow’s physical
stores are located we may also need to advertise in metropolitan and surrounding areas
of the Spanish public. However, since Shadow has started an online shopping platform
that has the potential to reach a greater and more diverse consumer we may be able to
advertise to this segment of the population as well. This is especially true if Shadow’s
online shopping platform offers delivery options to more rural areas of the country.
Now that we have determined our target audience we may perform a SWOT analysis or
Shadow’s advertising campaign.

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Advertising team

With regards to guaranteeing a successful advertising campaign the formation of

a well-developed, diverse and knowledgeable team is crucial. Many typical small or
large, advertising agencies often have three main sections or divisions in their team.
These may include: account services, creative teams, and media/digital specialists. Our
advertising team should include all three of these sections for ensuring optimum
success with Shadow’s advertising campaign.

Account Services Division: This division of our team is in charge of client relationships
as we as bringing in new clients. Another function of this section is preparing and
developing an overall advertising strategy. This requires in-depth research which may
include an external and internal analysis of the company as well as branding, and
segmentation of the market.

Creative Team Division: This section of our advertising team is the group that develops
the advertisements, billboards, magazines, newspapers, and television and radio ads.
This group should be diverse group with creative people and if possible somewhat
artistic. The creative team would ideally also involve of a copy department for creating
the messaging, and/or an art department for developing the look and design, of our
advertising campaign.

Media/Digital Specialist Division: Media and digital Specialists are responsible for
carrying out the media outlets for each project. This includes learning the details of the
product and analyzing the market competition, as well as researching current trends.
This team will also look at what has and hasn’t worked before. They look for new and
innovative methods of getting the word out. In addition to this the media/digital specialist
division will also be responsible for online campaigns which now a days are taking the
lead as the main form of advertising and messaging. This mode of advertising is
especially true for younger demographics.

Even though each division of our advertising team of workers have their own
individual and unique roles all sections of the team need to work together for the
successful implementation of our advertising campaign. “While all three sections have
their own specialties and roles within the agency, they come together to ensure the
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success of the client. As you can see, nothing could be accomplished without some
type of account management, creative talent, and media specialization, making them all
equally important.” (Monthly, C.)

Steps to follow for our advertising team

In order to determine the steps that we would need to follow in our advertising
campaign there are a few actions that need to be first established. Our first step should
be to define our advertising goals in a clear and specific manner. We should ask: What
do we want to achieve with our advertising campaign? Based on the company’s
background we know that Shadow wants to boost sales of their flagship product the
electric guitar and consolidate their position by gaining greater recognition among its
public.

Considering that Shadow has already decided what product it wants to promote
(the electric guitar) our next step should be to identify our target audience. Being that
through our previous research we’ve established that most new guitar players are under
the age of 20 and just as equally likely to be male or female we can set our sights on
this particular demographic. After determining our target audience our next step would
be on deciding where and how to best locate and reach our targeted audience. If we are
targeting under 20 year olds we should determine what is the best method of how to
reach this demographic. Whether via radio ads, newspaper, television, or online.

With the aim of making sure that we reach our goal in a timely fashion we should
also implement a specific timeline. For example, our goal is to have X number of sales
by X date. Or an X number of visits on our online platform by a certain time frame. By
having a set timeframe it will give our advertising team a clear goal of what is expected
of them and by when.

After establishing our goals, target audience, specific timeframe and objectives
our final step should be to set a budget for our advertising campaign. Setting a budget
will better ensure that the company’s finances are spent and used more efficiently and
responsibly. When setting up an advertising budget there are a couple of things that we
should take in to account. First we should consider all our potential expenses and
secondly we must always keep track of expenditures and adjust accordingly. “By
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monitoring your marketing costs and refining your efforts, you will be able to generate
more accurate budgets as time goes on.” (bdc.)

Target audience and messaging (Slogan)

When trying to run an effective and successful advertising campaign it’s essential
to choose a slogan that represents the company and your brand while simultaneously
conveying a message that speaks to your target audience. There are several things that
we should keep in mind when choosing a slogan for an advertising campaign. A slogan
should be simple and memorable. We should use small words that are easy to read and
repeat. We want Shadow’s slogan to be catchy but also motivate our target audience to
want to purchase and use our product.

Since our target audience is mostly young adults and teenagers we should
choose a slogan that speaks to them. When looking at slogans of some of the most
popular name brands among teenagers and young adults such as Nike and Apple we
can clearly see that their slogans are short and make a statement. “Just do it” or “Think
Different” both slogans also give a command in their advertising without being overly
forceful. For our company we can take a similar approach with our advertising campaign
slogan.

Shadow is a musical instrument manufacturer that wants to promote their

flagship product the electric guitar. We have already previously established that our
target audience shall be male and female teenagers in addition to younger adults. For
this reason I believe that our slogan should be: “Electrify your play”. This slogan is
simple, easy to read, say and repeat as well as catchy and easy to remember. The
slogan relates to our product by connecting the product that we are trying to promote
and sell. It also stays true to our brand which is to achieve greater notoriety and
recognition by getting more of the public to buy and use our product. Finally, same as
the aforementioned popular name brand products such as Nike and Apple Shadow’s
slogan gives the reader or listener a command. It provides something for the customer
to do or follow without being overly forceful in their approach. The graphic below is an
example of a logo and slogan that Shadow may use in their advertising campaign.
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Media strategy and advertising formats

For our advertising campaign we will choose a format that can best reach our
target audience. Considering that our target audience are predominantly those under 20
years old our advertising and media strategy should be one that is most likely to be
consumed by this generation. That being said we should also not lose sight of the fact
that since this demographic is so young they may not be the ones that are actually
purchasing our product. It is very likely those doing the actual buying of our product may
be the parents of our target audience. For this reason we may need a two prong
approach when choosing our advertising formats. For our media strategy to be most
effect we will look at which form of media are most likely to be consumed by both
demographics, thus ensuring that our advertising campaign will garner the most
attention from the public. However, since both generations Y (millennials born 1983-
1996) and generation Z (born 1966-1982) are very online oriented, advertising to both
these demographics should be relatively similar.

A survey conducted in 2019 by Piper Jaffray found that Instagram is the best way
to advertise to teens and young adults. “Teenagers and young adults prefer engaging
with brands through Instagram compared to other social media accounts…70% of
respondents said they preferred Instagram for shopping.” (Bursztynsky, J.) This study
also indicated that Instagram is extremely popular among teens with 90% penetration of
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teens ages 14-18. The Piper Jaffray survey also found that Snapchat comes in second
place for advertising with 50% of teenagers preferring this from of social media to reach
out to them. Taking this survey in to account and the fact that social media presence is
huge among our target audience it would be wise for our company to have an
aggressive online social media presence especially on Instagram.

As a social media advertising strategy Shadow may promote its flagship item by
seeking out artist, influencers and other popular figures to promote and review our
product. Seeing as “Social media usage is one of the most popular online activities. In
2020, over 3.6 billion people were using social media worldwide, a number projected to
increase to almost 4.41 billion in 2025.” (Statista.)

I would consider having a heavy online presence as a media strategy as the

most cost effective and appropriate format to use as an advertising format. Having an
online social media presences would also come with having the added benefit of not
only giving Shadow wider recognition among the Spanish public but it also would have
the potential to give our company more global recognition by allowing Shadow’s product
to be seen by a larger international market.

However, that is not to say that we shouldn’t also have a presence with our
advertising campaign in other media outlets as well. Television ads although can be a
bit expensive is still a great way to reach the masses. Billboards in the cities where our
physical stores are located as well as distribution of flyers can also be an effective
approach in achieving greater name recognition for our brand. Taking everything into
account we should ultimately take a divers approach with our advertising campaign.
Thus, ensuring that we will be able with our advertising campaign to consolidate and
position Shadow’s brand properly among the public.

Interesting advertising campaign for its innovation and good results for the brand

One of the most successful advertising campaigns in history was a campaign

that not only greatly increased the sale of its company’s product but also potentially
saved the company from obscurity. In 2010, the "Smell Like a Man, Man" advertising
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campaign from Old Spice solidified the company’s reputation as a modern brand. A
couple of things to highlight about this advertising campaign was that it was funny and it
advertised its brand on YouTube rather than using more conventional media such as
television ads. In just one month after the launch of their campaign Old Spice became
the number one most viewed brand on YouTube. "The Man Your Man Could Smell
Like" had a dramatic impact on the bottom line. The goal was to increase body wash
sales by 15%, but by May 2010, sales of Old Spice Red Zone Body Wash had
increased 60% from the previous year. By July 2010, sales had doubled. Advertising
Age would later name it one of the top campaigns of the 21st century.”
(Wieden+Kennedy)

As impressive as this may have been for its time an even more fascinating fact
was in the advertising agency Kennedy and Wieden strategies and techniques they
used to achieve success. Through the advertising agency’s research they found out that
60% of people that buy men’s body wash are actually woman. This simple fact led the
company to advertise to woman even though their brand’s target audience were initially
and historically men. The advertising campaign’s attempt to appeal to women by the
use of humor and lighthearted sex appeal also garnered the attention of teenagers and
young adults as well. Through the use of social media channels for advertising Old
Spice would quickly reinvent their image as a young and trendy brand.

The two pictures below show an older Old Spice advertising ad from a magazine
and the picture on the right is a still image from the 2010 Old Spice commercial
originally posted on YouTube. The picture on the left is a more serious ad and intended
to target adult male audiences. The picture on the right was a less serious more
humorous ad intended for woman as well as teenagers and a younger target audience. 1
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 Although Old Spice was dealing with stiff competition from other brands such as
Axe and Dove through its advertising campaign Old Spice was able to receive
substantial attention thanks to its ingenious use of humor, uniqueness and storytelling.
Ultimately, Old Spice’s advertising campaign by shifting their target audience was able
to allow its brand to differ from their competition. With this advertising campaign Old
Spice once again quickly became one of the most popular brands for adult men as well
as teenagers.

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 References

The Ad Campaign That Saved Old Spice - Cheddar Examines. (2018, July 31). [Video].

YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR0hDkMKVhY

bdc. (2021, August 27). What is the average marketing budget for a small business? BDC.Ca.

https://www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/marketing-sales-export/marketing/what-average-marketing-budget-

for-small-business

Bursztynsky, J. (2019, April 8). Instagram is the best way to market to teens, says Piper Jaffray

survey. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/08/instagram-best-for-marketing-to-teens-snapchat-

second-piper-jaffray.html

Devaney, E. (2019, December 11). 6 Famous Brands That Staged Successful Comebacks.

Hubspot, Inc. https://blog.hubspot.com/agency/brand-successful-comebacks

Monthly, C. (2020, July 27). The Typical Structure of an Advertising Agency. AI Global Media

Ltd. https://www.aiglobalmedialtd.com/the-typical-structure-of-an-advertising-agency/

Moore, S. (2020, July 13). The Campaign That Saved Old Spice - Better Marketing. Medium.

https://bettermarketing.pub/the-campaign-that-saved-old-spice-d925bed9aee8

Poole, S. (2021, October 13). Guitar Sales Statistics (2021) – Most Recent Guitar Industry Data!

Music Strive. https://musicstrive.com/guitar-sales-statistics/#electric-guitars

Statista. (2021, September 10). Number of global social network users 2017–2025.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/

Team ZenBusiness. (2021, August 11). How to Make the Perfect Slogan. ZenBusiness Inc.

https://www.zenbusiness.com/blog/slogan/

Wieden+Kennedy. (n.d.). Old Spice: Smell Like A Man, Man | Wieden+Kennedy.

Www.Wk.Com. https://www.wk.com/work/old-spice-smell-like-a-man-man/

X. Wang, A. (2018, October 16). Fender Study Finds Half of New Guitarists Are Women. Rolling

Stone. https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/news/fender-study-finds-half-of-new-guitarists-are-women-

738025/
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