What is a marketing campaign? I’ll start by sharing what I think are the components that make a campaign, well, a campaign.

The audience

The first component is the audience. Who are you trying to reach with this campaign? That should be clearly defined. Even if you’re planning to use mass media, you still need to define who it’s for. Mass media reaches a lot of people, but you want it to resonate with a specific segment.

At the same time, segmentation is not as straighforward as it seems. This is because there’s usually a lot of overlap between groups. For example ‘wine drinkers’ and ‘beer drinkers’ may sound like twho separate groups, but in reality, there’s a lot of overlap: people who drink both wine and beer. And vice versa, the group of ‘beer drinkers’ is not a homogeneous group, but consists of people with many different opinions and preferences.

Yet, if you try to create a message that works for everyone, it probably won’t work for anyone. (This is actually one of the first things I learned during my Bachelor in communication management.)

So before running any campaign, make sure to spend some time thinking about the audience you want to reach. What makes them tick?

The message (and the product)

The second ingredient is the message. What are you trying to communicate to the audience you’ve just defined? Usually, it’s related to the product you’re trying to sell. But in many cases, the message is not the product itself.

For example, Coca-Cola doesn’t focus solely on taste or ingredients of their products. They sell a feeling: happiness, togetherness, and having a good time. They’re tying their brand to that feeling.

Category Entry Points

A great way to think about this is with category entry points. I saw a Coca-Cola ad that said something like, “Taco nights with Coca-Cola.” The idea is to associate taco nights or dinner parties with Coca-Cola, so the next time you’re planning a gathering, you remember to buy it.

Positioning

Next, let’s talk about positioning. It’s not just about the product itself, but how you’re positioning that product or brand in the market. More importantly, it’s about the position you want to take in the mind of your audience.

A classic example is Volvo. They’re famous for safety. That doesn’t mean other cars aren’t safe—some might even be safer—but Volvo has claimed that position over the years.

The Three C’s of Positioning:

  1. Customer: Does the position matter to them?
  2. Company: Can you actually uphold this position? (Volvo couldn’t claim safety if their cars consistently failed safety tests.)
  3. Competition: Is this position already taken? It would be tough for another car brand to claim “the safest cars” because Volvo owns that space.

Messaging

Even with a clear position, there’s still work to do. That’s where messaging comes in.

Volvo’s position is safety, but every car they sell will have additional messaging:

  • “This is an SUV that’s very safe.”
  • “This is a family car that’s very safe.”
  • “This is a small city car that’s safe and has an amazing design.”
  • “This car is on sale now, buy before the end of the month to get additional discounts.”

So depending on the campaign, your message will focus on the overall brand, a subset of products (new product line for example), or a specific product.

Media Planning

After defining your audience, product, and messaging, you need to figure out where to reach these people. This is your media plan.

Multi-Channel Campaigns

Many campaigns are multi-channel, which means using different platforms:

  • YouTube ads
  • Instagram ads
  • TV commercials
  • Out-of-home (billboards, posters)
  • Print media

Also make sure to read this post from Grace Kite, which explains that adding more channels to your media mix creates synergy, which results in a stronger brand and higher sales.

Layers Within Media Planning

Even if you pick TV, for example, you need to decide:

  • What specific channels?
  • Prime time or off-peak?
  • Before a football match or during a family-friendly show?

For online media, it’s the same. If you choose social media, which platforms? And within those, what targeting options?

The PESO Model

Another good framework is PESO:

  • Paid: Advertising like TV, social, or display ads.
  • Earned: PR and media mentions.
  • Shared: Partnerships and collaborations.
  • Owned: Your website, email lists, even physical stores.

So, when planning your campaign, don’t stop when you’ve identified the paid channels you want to use. Also think about your partnerships, owned media, and if there is an opportunity to get some press coverage.

When doing online paid media, make sure you create a bespoke landing page for your campaign. That ensures a consistent user experience from ad impression to website visit.

Budget and runtime

Another key ingredient is the budget. How much can you invest?

Then comes runtime. How long will the campaign run? There’s an important distinction:

  • Spike Campaigns: For product launches or events, with heavy promotion over a short period (e.g., 4–6 weeks).
  • Always-On Campaigns: Continuous campaigns, often for brand awareness.

And of course, the more money you can invest, the more people your campaign can reach.

Brand vs. Performance Campaigns

  • Brand Campaigns: Focused on building brand recognition. (Think of Coca-Cola’s holiday truck ad—no call to action, just brand vibes.)
  • Performance Campaigns: Focused on driving action, like “Book Now” or “Get $2000 Off Today.”

Even performance ads should include brand codes (logos, colors, taglines) to build brand recognition over time.

What did I forget?

These are just some thoughts about marketing campaigns. Let me know if I forgot anything!