Proposition
By Anastasia Karageorge
1. a statement or assertion that expresses a judgement or opinion.
2. a suggested scheme or plan of action, especially in a business context.
3. make a suggestion of sex to (someone), especially in an unsubtle way.
We all know the definition of a proposition as it appears in the dictionary. But what does it mean in advertising? Put simply, the position is a statement that should compel the customer to act. It’s where an insight into the product and the human truth fundamentally connects. Pete’s class explored the role of the proposition and explained how thinking of a good one can mean the difference between coming up with brilliantly creative ideas and really bad ones.
Initially, I thought the strategy and the proposition were different, but they’re mostly the same. Moreover, there will always be a main proposition within the brief itself but re-writing it a couple of times can help you find an exciting way into the problem. I tested this, working backwards to guess how Marmite might have arrived at their infamous “Love it or hate” SMP.
By framing the proposition on the brief as a guide, you give yourself more scope for creative executions while keeping it broad yet targeted. It’s easy to overwrite the proposition, but you should save the fancy copy for the actual ads. The simpler the prop, the better. Finally, putting the product in the prop can help you stay brief by keeping it central to the idea.
That’s all from me! Now prop till you drop!
