Key takeaways
- First the business question: new segment, share growth or perception change?
- The asset matrix is the backbone of the campaign.
- The production calendar derives from the matrix, never the reverse.
- Measurement has three layers: reach quality, message recall, business outcome.
Start with the business question
The question a campaign must answer is one of three types: are we entering a new segment, growing share within existing customers, or changing a perception? Each requires a different idea, different channels and a different measure.
Ideas developed before the question is settled are usually beautiful but purposeless. They win the presentation and cannot be measured in the field.
The asset matrix
The matrix is the backbone: which channel, which format, which message, at what frequency. Campaigns that start without one discover missing assets mid-production and rush out content that drifts from the brand language.
The matrix is also a budget tool. Which asset is genuinely necessary, and which sits on the 'nice to have' list, becomes visible here.
The production calendar
The calendar derives from the matrix, never the reverse. Shoot, animation, design and copy work depend on one another, so sequence is critical; producing derivative formats before the master visual is approved doubles the work.
Approval points go into the calendar too. Undefined approval times are the most common cause of campaign delays.
Measurement
Measurement is defined before launch and covers three layers: reach quality, message recall and business outcome. Reporting only impressions and clicks shows that a campaign ran, not that it worked.
The business outcome layer must be defined with the sales team. Otherwise marketing reports success, sales reports failure, and both look right.