A new start.

Oh how things have changed in the past two months. After 4 weeks of intense interviews and a move to another city, I have finally settled into my new life of living Manchester working for TBWA. It feels like a new world jumping from a 5 person agency to 75 people but one that was definitely made for me. The last few weeks have been spent learning about the company, getting to know the team and attending my first ever advertising awards evening. Nominated for the final and biggest award at the Prolific North Awards, I was very proud to have joined the team on stage when they announced that we won the 'Best Integrated Agency' award. Followed by glasses of champagne and some shameless photo booth selfles, the night was huge success and a great way to enter the agency.
For those of you that aren't familiar of the wonderful work TBWA Manchester have produced, we are proudly responsible for the latest Wilko ad, Neil the Sloth, Smyths, Manchester United and many more amazing pieces of work.

Unwatchable

Probably the only way to describe this film is unwatchable. I found the video whilst reading about whether charities are going to far with their shock tactics and after watching this I am genuinely speechless. The video was released by Save the Congo to help increase awareness of the link between minerals used in UK mobile phones and the use of rape and murder as weapons of war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Making the controversial decision of setting the film in an english home with a british family, the charity questions - “Would we accept it, if it was happening here?” 

Part of me feels like I never want to see the footage again but part of me is sat here thinking everybody needs to see this at least once to be aware of what is actually going on. I find it sad that charities feel it has got to the point where creating this type of campaign is the only way to get through to people, but if it is, then I applaud them for opening my eyes and actually having the courage to present something so harrowing. Im not sure I could ever work on something so intense, and Im not sure I fully support the way they have visualised such graphic scenes, but I do know that I signed the petition straight after watching it and surely that was their ultimate goal? I think a lot of the time we don't feel an urge to support organisations and charities because they dont directly affect our lives. But by creating a video that has a much stronger relation to us, it makes people realise how unacceptable these issues really are. Credit to Dark Fibre, Jo Bains, Angela Dixon and Thea Wellband. 

Sign the petition now - http://www.unwatchable.cc/thefilm/?petition

If fast food could talk...

So some of you might know that for my final dissertation Im looking at how the animal rights organisation PETA could adopt a new strategy and method to change people's views on veganism. The challenge for me? I love meat. And have no intention on changing my mind any time soon. As Ive looked at PETAs work and other animal rights charities, Ive noticed the overuse of shock tactics are leaving viewers feeling uncomfortable and ashamed, which nobody should be made to feel about something that society has taught us. In particular I watched this video from Mercy for Animals, an organisation I was unaware of until now. With the aim to expose what really goes into fast food meat, this talking sausage tells his dramatic life story and the horror he's been through. As I watched the video I wondered how it was going to make an impact, and suddenly the screen splits to the video footage of trapped animals and meat being processed. And now Im left feeling shocked and disgusted by the concept. But its not going to stop me from eating fast food. Although many campaigns can make people question themselves as meat eaters, a lot of the time all it does is spark conversation for a short amount of time. If animal rights organisations are serious about turning more people vegan, they need to understand that lecturing them and referring to them as 'animal abusers' is not the way forward. Stop trying to think of controversial adverts and the craziest publicity stunts and start educating people on how they could do better. 

The Harlem Struggle

I have to admit when I first saw the Harlem Shake I spent good hour after watching all the videos on Youtube, thinking of ways that I could recreate my own. But today I came across a slightly different version of the dance that has sparked controversy worldwide. The Dutch Parkinson's Society released the video, 'Worst Shake Ever' that shows society chairman Eric Roos, shaking out of control after not taking his medication. Designed by Saatchi and Saatchi the strapline reads - 'Shaking, fun for some … daily struggle for others.' With the aim to raise awareness of the disease, the video has received mixed reviews with many feeling offended and finding the overall approach distasteful. Personally I think its genius. The fact that Saatchi and Saatchi have acknowledged the success of the Harlem Shake and applied to an organisation that struggles to gain media attention at the best of time, is brilliant. Tapping into worldwide trends is something that more brands should be taking note of, whether it be social, cultural or environmental. With over 90,000 views its clear that they have reached their goal of raising awareness even if it has caused a stir. 

Infographics

So Ive finally sent my dissertation to print, the thing that has been driving me crazy for the past few months. I mentioned in my previous post that I was looking at ways in which brands could use location based advertising to target customers passing by. To be honest I have actually really enjoyed writing about it, although slightly sick of it towards the end the idea of geofencing could be the future of marketing. This might not make complete sense as you've not read my dissertation but here are some infographics I designed to sum up my whole idea. Enjoy, and let me know your thoughts!

Wimpys Braille Burgers

As sad as it sounds one of the things I look forward to at christmas is getting books for my course, I cant justify spending my own money on them so its nice to get them as presents. This year I got the book Goodvertising, which is literally like an encyclopaedia of advertising. Ive already managed to read it back to back, and found so many new things. Starting with the Wimpys braille burgers.

Wimpys aim was to let visually impaired people know that they offered braille menus in all of their restaurants. So to spread the word with the help of Metropolitan Republic, they built braille burgers using the sesame seeds on the buns. Reading '100% pure beef burger made for you', they sent them to three of the biggest blind institutions in South Africa and let 15 blind people finally see what they were eating. When I read about this I instantly thought how powerful and simple the idea was, although as mentioned in the video it was only small gesture, its executed brilliantly and brought together with a genuinely moving video. Nice to see fast food chains finally doing something sincere with their marketing. 

Its the motherhood, its another hood.

For a while now Ive been meaning to do a blog post but time has been limited with the large amount of work I have to do. And probably down to the fact that every time I sat down to write a post, I had nothing to write about. Listening to music on youtube I came across one advert I chose not to 'Skip' and actually watch. Known for their witty and funny approach to advertising, Fiat have released the Motherhood rap advert. Listing everything a mother has to go through from spending three months in pjs to swapping your sexy handbag to a snot stained sack, the advert features a range sharp lines with a catchy tune. Clearly targeting the everyday mum, Fiat barely promoted their car throughout the ad and focussed on appealing to a potential consumer. Really refreshing way for a car company to engage with its audience, hats off to Mother for creating what is being described as 'viral video gold'.

#FirstWorldProblems

In a new advert for Water is Life, the charity features Haitian children and adults reading out tweets that used the #firstworldproblems hashtag. The 1-minute video features "complaints" such as "I hate it when my neighbors block their wifi." and "I hate when my phone charger won’t reach my bed". The video's concept of taking what has become a popular theme within social media and using it to expose the irony of the #FirstWorldProblems Twitter hashtag is brilliant. Not only does it make you cringe as they repeat the tweets you know you have posted this week, it makes you realise what is actually going on outside the not-so-crazy world of social media. DDB delivers one of the first campaigns that opts to eliminate the hashtag rather than encourage people to use it. What makes the whole campaign that bit more moving is the personalized responses in which various Haitians console those who have used the hashtag on Twitter. I think this is probably one of the best responses I have ever seen a charity create in order to raise awareness of those who are struggling to gain even their basic needs.

Helpless

For the past few months I have been exploring the ways in which brands use shock tactics to raise awareness and looking at how effective they are. This short film 'Helpless' is the definition of an extremely effective use of shock tactics. Telling the story of a man who's diagnosed with cancer, undergoes treatment, and lives, only to choke to death at a family gathering because no one knows basic first aid that could save his life. The campaign was developed after a recent study by St John's Ambulance discovered that over four times as many of us think more people die from cancer than a lack of first aid. St John Ambulance is now appealing to people to obtain a free pocket-sized guide featuring first aid skills that can help in the five life-threatening situations by texting HELP to 80039. The execution of the idea has been handled with such sensitivity whilst getting across the hard hitting statistic that 140,000 people a year die in situations where first aid could have helped. A very impressive approach to an issue that many people dont consider.

Fitness First Bus Shelter

As I started to watch this video, I slowly realised what Fitness First had set out to do and Im not quite sure if it's worked in their favour. The bus shelter located in Rotterdam, boldly displays your weight using the scales built into the seats. Many people have argued how clever the advert is but the general reception is any company that has just publicly exposed your weight without your permission is not somewhere you want to spend your money. I cant decide whether I love it for the brilliant execution or hate it because if that was me I would be rather embarrassed. Although the idea is meant to be a motivational tool, I wonder if Fitness First considered those with eating dissorders and how it might effect them when they took a seat. I understand companies cant please everyone when they create an advert but it doesn't seem like they pleased anyone with this.

This Is Nursing

The Royal College of Nursing launched their ‘This is Nursing’ campaign today which aims to promote the challenges and rewards that a career in nursing can bring. This short film displays the ups and downs of being a carer, whilst at the same time showing a patient’s journey through life. The RCN have said they wanted to challenge the negative publicity about the patient neglect and poor conditions, 'It’s time to celebrate the outstanding work nurses do on a daily basis, often in extremely difficult situations’. I personally think it’s nice to see a campaign supporting the NHS, especially as it shows the reality of modern day nursing and the skills needed to be part of this profession. I can’t say I spent much time in the hospital myself but this promotional video definitely gives a more positive vibe around the NHS and its services.

Olympic Torture Games

Yes, I know the Olympics are over and done with now but whether your bored of them or not I still seem to be finding more campaigns that I need to share. Although the Olympic adverts released this year have been pretty impressive, I did come across these Amnesty International torture campaigns that were designed in 2008 following the Beijing Olympics. The human rights organisation used popular sporting events and displayed them in a slightly less patriotic way, with the slogan reading ‘after the Olympic Games, the fight for human rights must go on’. Unfortunately for ad agency TBWA, the adverts were deemed too graphic to be released. I can understand that the use of the Olympics in this context might have been considered offensive, but it definitely gets the message across. Organisations like Amnesty struggle to compete against large corporate brands on a daily basis but when they produce such powerful imagery, I think it should be shared and not hidden.

Fauxlympics

Unfortunately none of these adverts are officially supporting the Olympics, these adverts were designed for the Fauxlympics, a competition set by marketing company the Drum. Inviting all ‘creative athletes’ to help brands and agencies discover what will and won’t be allowed by LOCOG.

The competition was split into four catorgories:
The Sprint: Guerrilla ads that would be taken down faster than Usain Bolt can run 100 metres.
The Long Shot: Ads which probably should be allowed to run, but probably won’t.
The Hurdles: Ads which manage to get around the advertising rules.
The High Jump: Funny ads which break all the rules.

Here Ive selected a few of my favourites but there are endless amounts of humorous ideas, the entry date for the competition has already closed but voting continues until tomorrow night. To view more and to vote for your favourite visit http://www.facebook.com/thedrumpage

David Beckham takes the stage

For a while now I’ve been banging on about how the use of celebrity endorsements is usually just a waste of money, however after seeing this video I take it all back. I don’t know if it’s my strong love for David Beckham or whether the idea itself is so simple but Adidas have definitely hit the nail on the spot with their ‘Take the stage’ campaign. Adidas invited people from around the country to support TeamGB in their photo booth at the London Olympics, but little did they know a guest visit from David Beckham was coming their way. It’s clear to see what an impact this endorsement had on the public, sometimes its just knowing how to use a celebrity to your full advantage.

Meet the Superhumans

Although many people living in London are dreading it, I’m quite looking forward to the start of the Olympics, in particular the Paralympics. Every time I turn on the TV I seem to catch same advert supporting the Paralympics ‘Meet the Superhumans’ campaign and each time it grabs my attention. I admire the way Channel 4 have portrayed the athletes and their approach to telling their stories. To me I feel a lot more interested and intrigued to watch the Parlalympics after the release of the campaign, and the idea of watching the ‘superhumans’. Director Tom Tagholm said, "We knew we had to make some noise. We knew we had to add some edge and grit and attitude.” The campaign has been a huge success, with critics saying ‘its put other Olympics adverts to shame’ and I think I have to agree.

Porn is moving

Slightly crude but still love this. Great way to let viewers know that internet porn was moving to the new .xxx domain, playful work from M&C Saatchi.

vending trending

I originally started writing this post on the latest BOS Iced tea vending machine campaign and the term 'vending trending'. But when I researched the different ways vending machines are being used in marketing I found Unicefs Dirty Water campaign. We have all seen the adverts on tv about developing countries having to drink dirty water but when the people of New York were presented with the same dirty water, it finally hit home. With the choice of 'Hepatitas water' and 'Typhoid Water' priced at $1 many people got involved and helped to donate. With the alternative option to text, one dollar could provide a child with 40 days of clean water. The campaign was a huge success and spread online and offline around the world.

I think its easy to be impressed by brands like Coke and BOS for their attempt to create a cool marketing vending machine but when organisations like Unicef create lifechanging machine they deserve a lot more recognition. Unicefs approach was subtle, it got the hard hitting fact across that the consumption of clean water is still an issue world wide whilst collecting donations in the process.

Moving Day

Ikea has been acknowledged for its interactive stunts over the years, but most recently they have won a North American Gold Effie for “Moving Day”. Due to the number of leases ending on June 30th, many people are required to move house on July the 1st, with this in mind Ikea launched an experimental campaign providing people with boxes for their move. Printed with moving tips, check lists and discounts on furniture, the boxes could even be transformed into a chair for moments of exhaustion. Placed around Quebec, the boxes were hung flat on walls and designed to be the hardest working posters yet.

 Ikea considered peoples desire to return to a time when neighbour helped neighbour, by offering a small helping to hand to get them through stressful times. Their aim was to guide all those feeling a sense of disorganized desperation to a state of composed and organized optimism. Seeing Ikea communicate with its customers in such a supportive way shows that the brand wants to further build its relationships not just sell products.

For Ikea, the sales increase from the ‘cardboard box’ campaign was the equivalent to building, stocking, and opening an additional 300,000 sq. foot store in that market. A clearly successful, thoughtful and surprisingly useful campaign designed by Leo Burnet Toronto.

Who cares?

When the Swedish armed forces needed to recruit more young people, they decided to create a campaign that would test how far people are willing to go for one another. The digitally intergrated event consisted of one person sitting in a box until someone replaced them. The question was: Who cares? Every hour a door would open, and if someone else was there to take their place, they could leave.

The campaign directed people towards a live-streamed website where they could follow the person in the box in real time via 4 different cameras. But visitors to the site could do absolutely nothing to help him. Unlike many other social campaigns no like or tweet could save them. The only way to help was to physically take the place yourself.

With nearly double the applicants, the campaign was clearly successful as people all over city visited to take part. I think what I like the most about this idea was that it went against many social networking campaigns, and insisted that you physically got involved. It’s not an easy thing to have to promote but I think they have approached it in a really memorable and unusual way.

Visitnorway.com

As the video explains commuting the same route every day is exhuasting and reptitive but what if there was a way to entertain people whilst riding the subway. Visitnorway.com had the idea to use in-tunnel advertising, mounting multiple LED screens on the tunnel walls displaying scenic Noway imagery. With every screen perfectly aligned to each passenger window, it creates an enjoyable animation promoting Visitnorway.com. This idea has the ability to reach out to millions of passengers each day, its not the first time this type of outdoor medium has been used but its one of the most effective I have seen.