Journal: week 5
EVALUATION METHOD: K.E.V.I.N.
Knowledgeable and wise
Elder. Unlock thy
Vault of experience!
Is this n00b’s SPEC ad
Nectar to birds?
Rating system:
Almost an idea.
Better than the last one.
Can sort of see where you were trying to go with this.
Didn’t really get it.
Effort noted.
PEER CRITIQUE
Valley Jazz Festival
The class was given the task of coming up with print and radio ads for the Valley Jazz Festival and then seeking out someone in the room that we’ve never worked with and providing feedback on each other’s work. However, not much constructive feedback was communicated between my partner and I, the reason on my part being that I’m still in the relationships building stage with people in the class and I prefer to leave a positive first impression.
CREATIVE BRIEF
Valley Jazz Festival
Why are we advertising?: To boost attendance to the Valley Jazz Festival.
Whom are we talking to?: People with only a passing interest in jazz.
What do they currently think?: “Well I doubt it’s worth the effort and risk to go a festival where I only vaguely like the music.â€
What would we like them to think?: “It’s an once a year event, that must be pretty special. I guess I can break out of my usual routine on the weekend to go down there. ”
What is the single most persuasive idea we can convey?: “You could be at the Valley Jazz Festival instead.â€
Why should they believe it?: The Valley Jazz Festival showcases homegrown and international talent.
Are there any creative guidelines?: Produce one print ad and one radio ad. Avoid using traditional imagery and copy. So no African American bands, any sort of instruments, coffee houses or senior intellectuals.
TUTORIAL MOCK UPS
Valley Jazz Festival
Visual: A young man falls asleep during a church service and rests his head on the shoulder of person next to him.
Tagline: Note to self: should have gone to the Valley Jazz Festival.
Visual: A bored young woman is competing in a chess tournament. Frustration is evident on her face.
Headline: Note to self: should have gone to the Valley Jazz Festival.
Visual: A woman shows up to a party dressed in Playboy bunny costume but everyone else is in formal dress.
Headline: Note to self: should have gone to the Valley Jazz Festival.
TUTORIAL WRITE UPS
Valley Jazz Festival Radio ad: 30 seconds
Voice over: The marketing department told us to put some music in this ad about the very hip Valley Jazz Festival. We couldn’t decide on what. So instead we’ve decided to play this.
Plays sound effect of blowing raspberries.
Voice over: The Valley Jazz Festival. [insert dates]. More fun than..
Plays sound effect of blowing raspberries.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Voice over: If beer is to…
Plays sound of a metal concert.
Voice over: And green tea is to…
Plays sound of monks chanting frantically.
Voice over: Then that hot chocolate in on that rainy day is to…
Plays music samples.
Voice over: The Valley Jazz Festival. [insert dates].
WORKING CREATIVELY
Tyson Barker, Director, Strategic Marketing Partners.
3 important things I’ve taken away from Tyson’s experience are:
1. Have resources at your disposal or know where to get them, just in case when bad things happen.
2. Get everything on paper, just in case when bad things happen.
3. It’s okay if you’re a small company, as long as you can maintain the illusion of being something bigger.
While Tyson was recounting the ‘phone number incident’, I was once again reminded of the two success factors that I noted in Week 1, because I suspect the charisma factor played a significant part in his negotiations. Talent you can develop with hard work, but charisma causes me much frustration as I see it as an innate attribute.
Tyson also mentioned solving tedious tensions between client and the creative team, where the client would request changes that the creative team opposed and he would often have to draw the, “they are paying for your wage,” card. I like money a lot and whilst I’d like to think I would let it outweigh any moral conscience, I can still see myself over-defending my own work and that’s something I need to watch out for.
This also raises an interesting question. Which is worse:
1. Do the work and implement client changes that you are against. The campaign fails.
Or
2. Do the work and convince the client not to make any changes. The campaign fails.
I prefer 2, to give the client someone to blame instead of themselves. Owning up to the failure might just keep the client, instead of them going off the another agency in hope that the new agency’s ideas are so brilliant and no matter what the client wants to change, it will work out.
AFTER THOUGHTS
Good – Fast – Cheap
When it comes to developing a campaign (though applies to just about any job really) you can have any 2 of 3. Listed here in order of preference:
1. Fast & Cheap: but looks bad.
Suits: Small/home businesses, self employed tradesman.
2. Cheap & Good: but slow.
Suits: Start up companies.
3. Good & Fast: but expensive.
Suits: “Response” ads. Such as Sizzler after the food-poisoning scare.
I don’t think I will ever undertake any Good & Fast job by myself. There is too much stress and you have very little support and recovery time if anything goes wrong. One of the benefits of Fast & Cheap is that you can get a half-decent portfolio built up fairly quickly.