Modern Advertising Planning - (Revised Second Edition)

Author: Wei Junying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: The book is divided into fifteen chapters, forming an intrinsic logical structure through two longitudinal and transverse dimensions. Vertically, it outlines different advertising planning thoughts and models based on the development and evolution of advertising concepts, emphasizing the exploration of inevitable factors in specific market contexts to establish a systematic theoretical framework. Horizontally, it discusses various technical means and strategic methods in advertising planning, aiming at practical operation and specific application, thereby forming a modern advertising planning paradigm. For ease of reading and to meet textbook requirements, the chapter arrangement largely follows the basic pattern of advertising planning works. Each chapter is both a part of the whole book and an independent unit discussing specific issues. The book is outstanding and innovative in terms of academic level, content structure, and textual expression. It not only focuses on traditional mass media advertising and discusses advertising planning around creative strategies but also comprehensively introduces various marketing communication concepts such as sales promotion, public relations, direct marketing, and integrated marketing communication, thereby constructing a new framework for the discipline of advertising planning. Second, the book emphasizes the development and evolution of advertising planning concepts. The rationalization of advertising planning as an operational model hinges on its adherence to certain planning concepts. The book systematically summarizes different planning thoughts and the paradigms they represent by reviewing the basic concepts of advertising planning. Third, it pursues a unity of descriptive and normative approaches. A professional textbook seeks scientific value not only by reflecting the general outline of the field but also by establishing the basic regulations of professional theory. The book combines diachronic and synchronic perspectives, striving to derive certain universality from the exploration and observation of advertising phenomena. Fourth, it innovates the format of advertising planning textbooks. The book focuses on the disciplinary characteristics of advertising planning, emphasizing the combination of theory, practice, and case studies. It not only satisfies theoretical logic but also reinforces the professional atmosphere through case studies, hoping that theory will elevate practice and case studies will inspire operational insights. Of course, no professional work can escape the inheritance and reference to past works, and such assistance is the foundation of academic development. The book draws on and references expert research results, using authority and reliability as criteria, selectively absorbing their essence while integrating various research findings into its own logical system.
Structure and Learning Methods of the Book
The book is divided into fifteen chapters, forming an intrinsic logical structure through two longitudinal and transverse dimensions. Vertically, it outlines different advertising planning thoughts and models based on the development and evolution of advertising concepts, emphasizing the exploration of inevitable factors in specific market contexts to establish a systematic theoretical framework. Horizontally, it discusses various technical means and strategic methods in advertising planning, aiming at practical operation and specific application, thereby forming a modern advertising planning paradigm. For ease of reading and to meet textbook requirements, the chapter arrangement largely follows the basic pattern of advertising planning works. Each chapter is both a part of the whole book and an independent unit discussing specific issues. Each chapter includes key points and learning objectives, cases and related charts, summaries, key terms, and review questions. This format is designed to help students grasp the main points of the discussion, understand the basic ideas more quickly, and delve into professional knowledge. To help students better understand advertising planning theory, the book provides detailed discussions on the formation and development of major theoretical viewpoints, striving for clarity and depth, and explaining relevant theories through case studies. It must be emphasized that these theories are the condensed wisdom of advertising over more than a century of practice. Pure theory may be dry, but without understanding it, it is difficult to grasp the deeper reality of advertising. The mastery of theory can be achieved through understanding inevitability or further reinforced by key terms. Of course, the purpose of learning theory is to benefit practical work. Therefore, to complement advertising planning practice, the book also cites relevant cases alongside theoretical explanations. These cases are classic works from the advertising industry, embodying creative strategies and outstanding ideas, and serving as the best annotations for advertising theory. Through case study and analysis, students can enhance their intuitive understanding of advertising planning and should focus on inspiration and reflection, grasping the essence of cases and applying them to similar situations. The review questions at the end of each chapter are designed to guide thinking, serving as either classroom discussions or homework to deepen understanding of the material.
Over the years, I have been teaching and practicing in the advertising industry, but since last year, I have dedicated myself to research and writing, driven by a passion for ideas and free expression. The completion of this manuscript coincides with the arrival of spring in the Jiangnan region, when the scenery seems particularly vibrant. Xin Jiaxuan’s poem once described, “To laugh at the east wind from now on, it will perfume plum blossoms and willows, leaving no leisure.” It feels like “I see the green mountains so charming, and I suppose the mountains see me as such.” At the conclusion of this manuscript, it must be stated that during the writing process, my graduate students Liao Qin and Wang Jia assisted me in compiling the English translations of key terms and handling related charts. Ms. Yang Ling of Capital University of Economics and Business provided significant support in perfecting the book. My gratitude goes to them all.
Wei Junying
March 2004
This summer vacation was bound to be busy, filled with the usual tasks of a book lover. As I was revising another manuscript, a call from Beijing informed me that the stock of Modern Advertising Planning was depleted and would soon be reprinted. Ms. Yang Ling, who was in charge of the overall coordination, had previously mentioned that revisions would be made for this reprint. Two years after publication, a revised edition was released, a feat unprecedented in my previous manuscripts, reflecting the speed at which Capital University of Economics and Business updates its content. Fortunately, I had already considered these revisions, and with the changes not being extensive, they were completed quickly. The revisions mainly involved textual corrections, as well as significant adjustments to chapters and . The original book placed greater emphasis on theoretical discussions of advertising strategies and leaned toward the academic completeness of advertising as a discipline. The revisions aimed to highlight practical guidance for advertising operations by adding content on advertising planning models and paths in chapter , which primarily reflects my own research and summarization. Chapter on integrated marketing communication, a subject I have focused on recently, was reorganized and expanded with new content. The case studies in this chapter were also replaced with examples from domestic companies.
After the book’s publication, I once told a friend, “I’ve written eight books on advertising, and I probably won’t write another one.” There were two reasons for this. On one hand, after years of researching and writing about advertising, I felt I had said everything there was to say, and had no interest in saying more. On the other hand, I deeply felt that isolated advertising research faced increasingly narrow prospects under the influence of information technology and diverse markets. In fact, advertising itself was also facing new challenges. The diversification of information technology and media broke the traditional limitations of advertising, and the diminishing marginal effect of advertising had become an irreversible fact. In this context, classic advertising theories established by figures like Claude Hopkins, Rosser Reeves, David Ogilvy, and Bill Bernbach needed to be reexamined in the new environment. As Leo Burnett’s advertising company surveys showed, audiences recognized up to 102 forms of advertising, meaning we had entered an era of pluralistic advertising. This era requires a pan-advertising mindset, freeing ourselves from the mindset of traditional media advertising and unifying various marketing communication methods with advertising. This conclusion can be drawn simply by comparing the growth of advertising and promotional expenses in recent years. When a company’s spending on other marketing communication methods far exceeds its advertising expenses and shows a high growth rate, traditional media advertising expenses rise slowly. Meanwhile, some brands with extremely high recognition and strong influence, such as Microsoft, Walmart, and Starbucks, rely almost entirely on traditional media advertising during their growth, making such dependence negligible. All this prompts further reflection.
I am always willing to share my thoughts with readers of this book and thank them for their appreciation of my work, as well as for their suggestions. My email is: wjy60@zj.com.
Wei Junying
August 2, 2006