Wednesday, December 14, 2011

EOC Week 11: Final Blog

Discovering great ad men like George Lois and Don Draper gave light to what is to come of a great ad campaign. Advertisements are placed in our lives to cause action, and strike a nerve. Great ad men of our time such as George Lois brought gave us our MTV, and introduced the world to T o m m y H I l f I g e r. The ad men of our time were made up of a team of creative persons that worked together collectively to give a solution. Common forms of advertisements are through radio, print in newspaper, magazine, billboard and wraps of cars and buses. By television airwaves and now with technology, media is delivered to us through the use of Internet on laptops, desktops, and smartphones. The very first noted ads from restaurants, events, automobiles, and fashion were created by hand renderings before there was print. Great ads are able to tie in visual aids, and typography to create one dynamic message. A great ad also tells a story without giving a sales pitch.

The classroom experience was overall rewarding. I was able to stay behind many nights to drain my thoughts into my blogs until there was nothing left, and there were two days where I missed completing the beat of the drum. Working on the final project was initially a thrill as I thought of several media choices for the creative content. I believe the overall completion of the project fell short due to not following the proper outline for each entry, as I noticed that the subtopics I chose became repetitive for the ad campaign overall. I spent the majority of the time researching and compiling feedback, as I wanted to perfect the pitch to render seamless creative content. When going back to approach the writing portion and noticing there was no longer an even flow, the project unfortunately fell short. With the proper content for the subtopics, and ability to deck the walls with the creative content, I’m sure I could have completed an exceptional final based on the pitch.

Final: Analysis of the project in the Real World

"ideas should be evaluated for usefulness, for whether they merit further exploration, and for originality." (Chapter 3)
The analysis in the real world will take place in observing the dress style habits of young men and women. This will take place not only in upscale nightclubs, or fancy restaurants, but in the typical day dress styles as the campaign should be brushed over the people lightly with strokes of elegance.

"An advertising campaign is a series of coordinated ad units, based on an overarching strategy and highly related ideas, connected by look and feel, voice, tone, style, imagery, and tagline, where each individual ad in the campaign also can stand on its own." (Chapter 10)
The advertisements will all remain consistent with classic styles. Some in black and white to to tell stories of the past and some leading from black and white to color of our present flavors mixed to create a gradual balance of what was then to what is now.

"A story has to address the brand and make it the “hero” or even the “action hero” of the story. " (Chapter 10)
The man is the hero, and with Kangol on top, Kangol acts as the hair of Samson. Kangol gives man his strength.

Final: Creative Content

The following is the storyboard for a commercial:








The Narrative:
Kangol lead the globe in fashion headwear since 1938. From the village of England to the streets of New York, Kangol has conserved his brim and surfaced to the top. Under the top is where businessmen, senators, athletes, comedians, and armed officials meet unparalleled. On top you will find Kangol. The youth and the wise would catch the breeze and learn to appreciate its brim on hot summer days. The mayor and the mobster are shielded from the brisk air that cuts through the nights created by skyscrapers.

"Certain behaviors promote creative thinking, such as looking for connections, observing acutely, asking questions and recognizing problems, and being open to new ideas and methodologies." (Chapter 3)
Within the entire ad campaign, there are 4 parts of one that will be represented on billboard, GQ, Esquire, and several other fashion magazines, as well as by commercial. The commercials will be ran 6-11pm between sports games, and reality t.v. programs. The ads in magazines will consist of an image of a man tipping his hat to a lady as she is also wearing a Kangol hat, captured in a classic black and white style-reading the following:

A man wears.

A woman wears.

The woman essentially compliments the man… gifted to compliment you both.

-Kangol

"the idea that an uninhibited atmosphere would cultivate the flow of creative thinking." (Chapter 3)
Indeed throughout the creative process the scripts were read over by random men and women for feedback. The feelings evoked by men, and women, as well as who they felt the campaign was targeted to and for who..men or women.
"It is often the marriage of the first thought with a twist that works…" (Chapter 3)

The 1st thought:

A man wears.

Final: The Big Idea

"The montage is carefully cut and edited together to create a unique whole." (Chapter 7)
The unique whole of such a powerful brand as Kangol has been set in a grand scheme. Marketing will take place across the globe again in a unique way. In nightclubs, bars, upscale restaurants, and for leisure the style for young men and women will be to dress the par.

"Anyone worth knowing is attracted to stories, aren't they?" (Chapter 2)
The stories of the past times will convey the message of the ads... as the man tips his hat to her... With the placement of the ads in the right places, the story of the ad campaign will be realized at first sight, and within the initial reading. Stories indeed inspire and brings forth emotion and a spirit to listen and become aware.

"I want to learn everything I can about the consumer I'm advertising to, so I talk to anyone who can offer me an insight." Bill Schwab creative director (Chapter 2)
As Bill Schwab one of the greats knew throughout his career that an effective ad involves the people. He included the people in the creative process from beginning to end. The beginning of the Big Idea has been passed from hand to hand of women and men. The Big Idea will not stop at that point as analysis will continue into the boutiques, and the scenes the young men and women.

Final: Promotion

"In an overcrowded, competitive marketplace, relevant and engaging branding can ensure efficacy for a quality product, service, group, individual, or commodity." (Chapter 4)
With the generations of today continuously looking for a fresh new look, the market for what is next up and new is always presenting itself. The market now is competitive. Good thing that Kangol has been in combat.


"Not only does branding identify and distinguish, it builds equity (the value of the brand or group)." (Chapter 4)
Through the ads, Kangol will again take presidence over television airways, graced across the skyscrapers of New York and made fashionable by magazines for the London streets again.

"An advertisement (or “ad”) is a specific message constructed to inform, persuade, promote, provoke, or motivate people on behalf of a brand or group." (Chapter 1)

Final: Objective

"As with designing with type, how you visualize an image depends upon the idea, content, audience, integration with images, context, and medium." (Chapter 8)

The audience consists of the men and women of today's popular scene. Our objective is to set the trend for the upcoming year. To bring elegance into our daily dress, and to bring forth the sense of pride a woman has for a man. The sense of regard a man has for a woman as she steps into a room, is the essence of emotion being expected to yield from the ad campaigns. To create a quiet after the storm again from the indirect and for some direct turmoil that we face as a nation of people. Kangol originally evolved from a time of war, and was soon turned from a hat for a man in combat to a hat for a man charm.

"How you visualize and compose your idea hinges on what you want say, how you want to communicate it, to whom you are saying it, and with what nuance." (Chapter 8)

This speaks directly to our target audience, but becomes a familiar tune or whisper to the patron Kangol once knew. Our objective for this old friend is to evoke a spirit to dust off the Kangol and take his lady for a spin around the room for a dance.

"...an agency must generate several viable concepts to present to their client." (Chapter 4)

The four main concepts are:
To evoke a man and a woman in passion for one another in an elegant accord.
To remember the history of Kangol, and continue its legacy.
To remind the man what has been created as a memorable attribute to the man's character.
To remind the woman of what has made her fall for his charm time and time again.

Final: Mission Statement

"A brand or group can even compare its (new and improved self) to its former self." (Chapter 7)
The company as it has now been made a part of our history, is what makes the man you know today. Kangol is a brand that will face repositioning itself in the market. It has had its name recreated 20 years ago with the hip hop culture's rap artists influence by artists, LL Cool J, and Run DMC. The hat is forever being recreated with every new era. As Kangol approaches another year, the brand will be redefined with as the classic. Kangol is "The Hat". Kangol will be reintroduced to its loyal patrons, and to its patrons of tomorrow.

"challenged the comparison by repositioning the...campaign" (Chapter 7)
As the styles have been passed from our great grandfathers, then to a generation that has marked the styles of the 80s, now in 2012, the style will be les than a challenge to create an official look. The product is available for boys to men as well as girls from the age of 5 to women with classic styles. The target is for the men and women of tomorrow ages 25-36. The generation that is on the scene, and playing the role. Men and women of today.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Week 10 EOC: What makes a good ad campaign...

From the movie Art & Copy, "Sitting there trying to figure out how you just failed... you just f... yourself."- George Lois

We tell stories and recreate our lives, history, movies, and the present through advertising.

"Creatives want to believe they know everything but know they're in deep trouble the minute they roll out of bed…” stated an ad man from Art & Copy. These are the geniuses that we are familiar with from our past. These are the people that roll up their sleeves and take on the world the best way they see fit through challenging the norms and creating revolutions.

An ad may not be anymore than superficial smut to one, but indeed revolutionary dreams written across skyscrapers on labels known as build boards is what gives us likeness to one another. These things inspire, and give light to a dark moment. "Live strong", "Just do it.” and "Yes we can." has allowed our society to move mountains. The phrase alone of a good ad campaign can take you to a place that awakes your soul to "Go forth".

"Something to connect with society in an entertaining form..." essentially is advertising, quoted from Art & Copy. Good advertising puts you there; gives you pride and make you believe life is yours for the taking.

As George Lois declared what his thoughts were about failing, this is evident of what advertising is not. Good advertising makes you wonder how they did it. Good advertising allows you to keep it going to the next take giving its consumer an experience. This experience can be one that they can relate to or have never known. A good ad makes the one that it’s never known believe they just shook hands.