Creative Fodder

C R E A T I V E F O D D E R Industry through the eyes of a novice creative "I like urt." - A. Wiltsey

[betype]

Never Stand Still.

[crtv-fodder]

Child Abuse Street Campaign

http://osocio.org/message/neglected_children_are_made_to_feel_invisible/

This was a really disturbing image that many people in Melbourne, AUS stumbled across on their way to work, c/o of JWT agency. It is a provoking street campaign developed for the Australian Child Foundation. The installation covered a child-sized mannequin next to the words "Neglected children are made to feel invisible." When the mannequin was removed, the words "Thank you for seeing me" were made visible. Pretty strong message, eh?

What: The ACF is being advertised. They are a foundation that helps children recover from experiences of abuse, neglect, and domestic violence. They run completely on charitable donations. They want lasting recovery for these children.  

Why: To bring attention to the growing problem of child neglect and abuse in Australia. ACF believes in keeping children safe. To do that, they need to increase knowledge, prevent future cases of neglect, abuse, and violence, and get others to volunteer their time and resources. 

The intended target: The intended target is everyone. This is an issue that affects everyone, whether they realize it or not. Its placement in a high-traffic metropolitan area, where most people ARE in a rush and probably too busy to hesitate, proves the claim that "neglected children are made to feel invisible". I know for me it is a disturbing image, and I would stop in my tracks to see what was going on. I think they are trying to reach everyone, but mainly parents who can't fathom such a life for children and will donate to help the cause. 

Connection: The connection between the ad and its TA: the ad engages those who see the image of a child's form behind the placement, the people who stop are probably the ones who will support ACF and their mission. It's a disturbing image that hits those who see it and engage with it hard in the gut. 

SMIT: Don't turn a blind eye to child neglect. It's happening.  

Visuals:  The visual is incredibly strong: a lone child's form stuck behind butcher paper on a busy street corner. There is a stark contrast between the colors used for the type, making it stick out even more. The eye first lands on the form and its shadows, and then quickly deciphers the headline. 

Copy: The copy solves the "riddle" of the advertisement. Why is there a child's body stuck behind an ad, looking asphyxiated and broken? I like that there is a strong message left for those who "free" the child.

Context: This is very smart media placement, in my opinion. I'm in NY right now, and I can't tell you how many people rush on by and ignore all the advertisements because INFORMATION OVERLOAD. It's just too much and much of it SO garish. It's smart placement because those who go on by will probably rush past and double take when they see people's eyes locked on the ACF ad. Also, those who will stop and make sure the figure is okay before realizing it's a mannequin can engage with the placement and literally "pull" the child out of the bad situation.

Pretty powerful stuff. 

[crtv-fodder]

In these advertisements for Volkswagen created by DDB Tribal (Germany), they take a specific feature of the new Touran (park assist) and exaggerate it to illustrate the vehicle's capabilities. I found this piece on Ads of the World (http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/volkswagen_parking_precision_family). 

• What is being advertised? 

The new model VW Touran is being advertised. They are also taking advantage of years and years of Volkswagen branding. 

• Why is it being advertised?

It is being advertised because it was the first production vehicle in the VW group to be released with the new Park Assist Technology, which parallel parks for the driver using sensors and Park Assist street--definitely the Touran's USP.

• Who is the intended target?

I believe the intended target are those who live in the city or spend a great deal of time in there. They live in urban areas where the population is very dense and very limited space for parking lots. They must oftentimes maneuver into tiny spots. I feel with the second execution, they are targeting adults whohave families and choose VW based on brand image, safety, and fuel-efficiency. 

• What’s the connection between the product’s message and the target’s need?

The target needs something that will make their busy lives easier, that will help them be more efficient with their time. The product's message highlights a very important and innovative feature that sets the model apart from competitors. 

• What’s the SINGLE most important thing (10 words or less) being communicated in the ad?

VW is determined to make drivers' lives easier and safer. 

• How do the visuals support and communicate the single most important thing?

The visuals show "high-risk" parking spaces. However, they are not blatant or explicit. The copy ties it together and helps deliver that "a-ha!" moment.

• How does the copy support and communicate the single most important thing?

"Precision parking" breaks down Touran's Park Assist Feature in the simplest of words. VW is just that: simple, likeable, reliable. 

[crtv-fodder]

Exhibitionist

So as I was starting up my Cargo Collective site and sifting through my disjointed and jumbled desktop to look for projects and design work that would be deemed "website" worthy, I thought to myself it'd be great to get some pointers on how to actually show the stuff we make to show other people...to get jobs and careers and internships and stuff. 

http://www.howdesign.com/design-career/present-your-portfolio/

An interesting thing to note was that, showing your work "doesn't speak for itself". We're always told good work speaks for itself and needs no explanation. It was interesting to me as I was reading all these "Top 50" lists on how to present your creative portfolio that it came up time and time again: you need to be able to express yourself as well. One blogger's comment stuck with me: "As someone who hires designers, I will always choose personality over skills. Skills can be acquired, but personality... well, that's a tougher one." 

Fill your book with samples that have good stories behind them. Choose products that present creative challenges. Select goods and services that aren't safe. Address target audiences that are outside of who YOU and your peers are. This shows an ability to adapt and really get into the minds and emotions of the consumer of your product, brand, or service. 

When explaining pieces in your portfolio, refrain from bragging. An easy way to do this is to replace all the "I's" and "me's" with "my products" and "the client" and then following up with what you did for them. That's always an issue I had, dancing that fine line between bragging and talking myself up. 

I also looked up things to avoid at all costs, and I personally think the most important thing to avoid is... 

Lack of confidence.

Avoid saying things like "I'm just getting started" or "aspiring art director". In this designshack article (http://designshack.net/articles/business-articles/6-portfolio-design-mistakes-that-drive-me-nuts/), the author says “There’s a time and place to be humble, but your professional portfolio is not it.” Truth. 

[crtv-fodder]

Confession

I love typography apps. They make my life so much easier...I can't even comprehend. I oftentimes reminisce back to the stone age days where you had to take a picture, transfer it to your computer, and then pull it open in Adobe to add text and other elements. THOSE DAYS ARE DEAD, MUAHAHAHA (just kidding, you definitely still need to do that for serious typography/design projects). 

But it's still super nice to be able to just directly add/format text on your mobile device. This is my favorite:

Over:

And as a huge fan of the look of 35mm and film and a big advocate against Instagram defaults (I hope this last sentence didn't come off too pretentious...), I'd have to say VSCOcam is one of my favorite photo editing apps. Makes everything look beautiful without having to open up Lightroom. I'm all about the life hacks, y'all:

Now combine them and have endless fun!

[crtv-fodder]

(Hashtag) Killer Campaign

http://www.clioawards.com/catalog/2013/film/entry.cfm?entryid=201307387&award=50&from=1&to=500&order=0&direction=1

[crtv-fodder]

A memo for my copywriters out there...

So universal truths are those little nuggets of life advice that are still applicable nearly 30 years later. 

D. Ogilvy really got a handle on that ish. I pulled up Twitter this morning to see this at the top of my Tweets, re-tweeted by PR Daily News. I had never actually read Ogilvy's memo on how to write, despite Murphy's irrevocable admiration for the ad man. "The Father of Advertising", they call him. I can see why. 

He is saying the things we all think. I think this is the direction Toni and I want to go with the Volvo XC60, my last product for P1. I like the idea of saying/questioning things that are so universally accepted that people don't speak up about them, even when they are "hallmarks of a pretentious ass". The idea that there are these conspicuous ways of highlighting wealth that most people subscribe to...when Volvo drivers recognize it but, instead, see it as a waste of time and energy (this may be a stretch, but meh, I'm writing this at 2 AM and going on my 27th hour). I am really feeling the idea of "Luxury without Pretension".

Anyways, back to the subject. I think the adage from this that I identify with the most is "People who think well, write well." For me, this doesn't necessarily mean people who possess natural intellect or ace every exam. These people are people who are naturally curious about the world, picking up this trade and that just for the sake of learning something outside of their comfort zone. I used to be the very antithesis of this: always scared to take risks and look stupid. But I think in advertising, you HAVE to possess this natural curiosity--not just for things media and communication arts, but also those random things like roller derby or henna tattooing or making music with items found in your kitchen. People who don't let their careers or majors define them are the people who can be creative and string two seemingly unrelated things together meaningfully in new and profound ways!  

(2) I love this one, y'hear. 

(3) I'm so bad at doing this, as my blog illustrates; seriously though, I am incapable of making my thoughts succinct sometimes...really. 

(4) Don't ever be that asshole in the interview room who says "synergy". 

(5) Tell my Psychology professor that. 

(7) I wish someone told me that. 

[crtv-fodder]

AD/typography snobbery

http://factore.ca/on-the-floor/21-free-fonts-that-don-t-suck

[crtv-fodder]

What We Can Learn From Warby

http://adage.com/article/special-report-advertising-week-2013/advertising-week-video-warby-parker-future-retail/244382/

[graphicdesignblg]

My Workspace by Molly Jacques

[crtv-fodder]

Reblogging simply because this is one of my favorite Al Camus quotes.

"In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. 

In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile.

In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm. I realized, through it all, that…

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.

And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back."

Damn, say what you will about the guy, but he was a master wordsmith. 

So how do you guys work best? The creative workspace is really important. I am a big believer that certain environments are more conducive than others in fostering ideas and successful brain-dumping. BUT I will be the first to admit that I am a HOT MESS. My room is in a constant state of pigsty. I try to remain clean and organized, but it'll work out for maybe a day or two max. And then I always revert back to my old ways. The struggle is so real. 

I definitely need some pointers for my workspace, because whatever I'm doing right now is not working. So I looked around and composed a list of tips I think would be most useful to my fellow creatives out there: 

(1) Add as much natural light as possible. 

(2) UNPLUG the electronics. Digital detox, y'all. 

(3) White boards and a ton of Expo markers. Draw it out. 

(4) Make like 3M and work on side projects to keep the creative juices flowing (http://www.npr.org/2012/03/21/148607182/fostering-creativity-and-imagination-in-the-workplace). 

http://paidtoexist.com/awesome-workspace/

[betype]

Fonts of the Week.

These are the fonts of the past week (click in the name of every font to see more details):

Undersong

Industry

Triat

Lean-O FY

Niks

Delicatta

Finch

Mr Dodo

Appleton

Mercy

If you want to see more nice fonts visit: betype.co/fonts

[crtv-fodder]

Skin You're In.

"Humans have tattooed themselves for centuries as a form of healing, self-expression, remembrance, and even advertising. They’ve also been affiliated with criminals and gang affiliation, making it difficult for those with stamped skin to find jobs in the past."

Okay. So I can't be the only one that hears people say "I want to join advertising because the industry is so chill about tattoos." 

I hear this. all. the. time. As a precursor, I love tattoos. I think they are deeply personal decisions and, for the most part, truly beautiful works of art. They can have a long, wrought-out story. But that shouldn't discredit the short, robust, split-second-decision before stories either. 

Anyways, I am intrigued by creative placement, especially with thoughtful considerations made based on body form and how ink would sit on certain bones and areas of skin. I have two, both of which I don't regret. I would hate to be "defined" by my tattoos, but they will always hold a special part in my heart because of what they mean to me. Part of my identity, but not all of it. 

Both my parents used to tell me "You're never going to get a job when they see those!"  

What a load of bullshit. I learned early on that if a place I apply to doesn't hire me based on appearance, why would I want to work somewhere so judgmental? Seems hella superficial to me. Maybe it's a litmus test to see if I'd actually give an ish about the company culture in the long run. What I mean to say is, this is no one's body but my own; nobody should hold the cards but me. Someone might see it as desecration, others as ethereal. Point is, I should have sovereignty over the one body I have for sure. I should treat it how I want, not based on a subscribed set of ideals that someone dead and buried made up. 

"Thirty years ago, 1 in 100 people in this country had tattoos. Now 1 in 10 Americans have them, and one-third of those aged 25 to 30 have tattoos. While society is becoming more liberated and expressive, and piercings and tattoos become part of mainstream culture, some employers are still having a hard time wrapping their heads around body art in the workplace."

After a while, I realized it's definitely a generational divide. And maybe that's why it's so commonplace in advertising, because we are (for the most part) a very young industry. In areas like finance, accounting, medical, etc., people who own the company or business are often in the 40+ crowd. 

Without a doubt, piercings and tattoos are becoming much more commonplace. Less stigmatized. Time is on our side, because body art is becoming much more widely accepted.

A creative director I worked for (awesome guy!) had these amazing sleeves. I'm talking like, stop-you-in-the-middle-of-your-pitch-to-stare-at-the-level-of-intricacy amazing. Unfortunately, I was not creepy enough to take a picture. But the composition was just exquisite. It didn't evoke one style, but rather a variety of different art forms. It really baffles me how images like those can be recreated on human skin. You best respect the guy/gal etching into your dermis! For me, the process is just as intriguing as the end result. If I wasn't doing advertising, I'd probably be doing body art.

Maybe glassblowing.

So, in conclusion, it's kind of cool that we work in an industry where your work speaks, and not your ink. At the end of the day, your work should be all that matters anyways. 

By the way, here's a picture of my friend's friend's new tattoo. It was made Buzzfeed-famous, lawl. 

Full story/infographic here: http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/08/16/graphic-the-tattoo-industry

[crtv-fodder]

"Less is more, and sometimes nothing is most."

So today I was browsing through AdWeek and the top story featured an ad on page nine and ten (so front and back of a single page--that's important!) of The New York Times today for the upcoming film, The Book Thief. 

The bottom caption in 12-point font on the second page directs readers to a microsite, www.wordsarelife.com. At first I thought, "This is dumb. And so costly!" But then I realized, if I was flipping through a newspaper, I would definitely stop and pause at a spread with absolutely no newsprint. It's...brave? I'd be curious as to why. Was there a printing error, is a whole staff getting fired over this? I guess my point is, that I would wonder what it constituted. 

So this is what it constitutes (spoiler-free zone, I promise!): TBT is a movie about a young illiterate girl named Liesel who lives in Nazi Germany. She is taught how to read and write by a boy named Hans. Liesel begins to steal books from the giant book burnings organized by Hitler supporters. The idea behind this campaign was "Imagine a world without words". I mean, DAMN, that's pretty powerful when you sit down and think about it. The print ad is mysterious and, dare I say, jaunting. One of the commentators called it "right on the line between brilliant and stupid"--I'd venture to say it lean towards the brilliant side (at least for me, someone who is consumed by whatever book she's reading at the time and who can't imagine a world without literature).  

A powerful message doesn't really need a shit ton of embellishments, in my opinion. The message is simple: written word is hella important. Imagine waking up one day to find it completely wiped away. Or completely inaccessible. 

Promotion for TBT has largely been handled by 20th Century Fox's publicity teams, but the party in charge of this ad was publicity firm 42West. TBT is being advertised in order to garner buzz for the movie, which will premiere November 15th. The target is a certain subset of people that still get The New York Times delivered in the mail (I feel like it packs a much less powerful punch if you were to see it on the mobile version or on a tablet). 20th Century is trying to target not only fans of the book, but also people who would potentially go out and buy tickets to see the feature without ever having reading Zusak's work . They are also banking that these same people who read NYT have families that they would bring to the movie. The connection between the message and the target's need is it explains the theme of the movie by explicitly explaining...nothing. The SMIT: "Imagine a world without the freeing nature of words and self-expression". This is supported by the lack of both copy and visuals. Not to mention the media placement, in a newspaper--the most stereotypical representation of "old media". That creature comfort that's always been there since the dawn of time or since Steve Guttenburg woke up one morning and decided "Hey! I'm going to make type move!"  

This advertisement, if nothing else, really highlighted to me that our industry is subjective asfaq; there are people who think this is brilliant and then there are others who are downright offended by it/think it's the dumbest thing they've ever laid eyes on. I guess the little book lover in me makes me consider this the former :)  

http://www.justluxe.com/lifestyle/arts/feature-1950903.php

[bigpicturemag]

As a way to attract socially minded engineering students for the 2013 school year, the University of Engineering and Technology (UTEC, www.uet.edu.pk) with the help of Draftfcb (www.draftfcb.com), a global advertising agency network, created the world’s first billboard that actually produces water. Located in Lima, Peru – a city situated in the middle of a desert, resulting in almost no annual rainfall and limited fresh, clean water – the billboard transforms the air’s humidity into 100 liters of pure, drinkable water every day.

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201308/#/14

[crtv-fodder]

Great balls of fire.

So when I saw this OOH I knew I had to blog about it: the first billboard in the world to produce drinking water out of thin air. This is an example of real-life advertising that is truly aiding people and helping solve problems. Located in Lima, Peru, the idea was conceived by college students at the University of Engineering & Tech. It was carried out by Mayo DraftFCB. 

Because of the incredibly dry Peruvian weather and lack of running water, drinking water is usually taken from wells...which are usually polluted. This is a huge problem in Peru and in many other places in the world. In order to solve this problem on the local level, Draft partnered with engineering students to produce this billboard.

So how does it work? 

The billboard serves as a giant dehumidifier, capturing air humidity and then condensing/purifying the water in a process called reverse osmosis. Simple enough, right? According to the article, "In 3 months the billboard has produced 9450 liters of clean drinking water" for families in the surrounding areas! That's insane. 

What: The university is ultimately what is being advertised. Although the families in the surrounding areas are getting water for free, the university is ultimately the body receiving great press. 

Why: It is being advertised to show that Peru has the resources to really better the livelihood of its people. That is, if they continue to put money into their nation's higher education system.

The intended target: I believe the intended target are individuals who see opportunities to help their community and nation, but just need that extra push/incentive to take action. In this case, the target is also the families in Lima, who probably have never had steady accessibility to clean drinking water. 

Connection: The connection between the billboard and the target's needs is that the OOH display itself serves as a fully functional installation. The university recognizes the needs of Lima's people and are using this to send a message to their target, showing them that students' expertise can greatly improve people's standards of living. 

SMIT: The university is actively working towards cultivating better lives. 

Visuals: The visuals support the SMIT because of the use of the vibrant blue and the decision to include droplets. The billboard forms a pitcher. Very cohesive. 

Copy: The copy is simple and direct: UTEC presents the first billboard that produces drinking water out of air. They are helping the people of Lima. The droplets say "water here", directing them to the clean drinking water. 

Context: By utilizing the medium, Draft and UTEC are able to harness their tools to create a simple and surefire way to produce clean drinking water. It also grabs attention for the cause because of its sheer size. 

\

[adcollector]

DRAFTFCB (Spain) for ACCEM

[crtv-fodder]

Great art direction. Universal meaning. 

[crtv-fodder]

The in-and-outs of nonprofit advertising.

[crtv-fodder]

SAMUSocial: "Indifference Kills"

http://www.creativeadawards.com/indifference-kills/

SAMUSocial is a humanitarian effort worldwide that provides treatment and aid to the homeless. These images, for two separate campaigns that ran in France, are ones I will not soon forget. 

Oftentimes, advertising can be "too literal". However, I feel with very simple messages...it can really work, and it can really pack a powerful punch. The respective taglines translated to English are "The longer you live on the street, the harder it is to get off it" and "Indifference kills". These print ads don't show an ounce of blood or lesions or violence, but the simple imagery sort of takes your breath away. 

We have all been there. As students at UT, we walk by folks who live on the street everyday. We even have a name for them, "drag-rats". Every day, we sort of walk on by. This happens everywhere; it's universal. Not only are the homeless much more susceptible to illness, they also (for the most part) cannot get the healthcare that they need. 

The print ads I pulled were developed by Publicis for placement in France. 

• What is being advertised? 

Publicis is attempting to jumpstart commentary on healthcare for the homeless. They are advertising the nonprofit SAMUSocial, which provides services to the downtrodden in the EU. 

• Why is it being advertised?

They are advertising in hopes of getting people to stop and consider something they probably don't think about on a normal basis, as well as get their name and mission out there. 

• Who is the intended target?

The intended target is anyone with a room over their head, in my opinion. More specifically, it is people who have accumulated wealth of some kind and live in urban areas or areas where there is a considerable homeless population (think big metropolitan areas). 

• What’s the connection between the product’s message and the target’s need?

The target needs a call to action; why should they care to aid SAMUSocial's efforts? This ad delivers that CTO. 

• What’s the SINGLE most important thing (10 words or less) being communicated in the ad?

Our apathy only perpetuates the cycle of poverty. 

• How do the visuals support and communicate the single most important thing?

The visuals are very strong and make a statement, If you are going to address such a tough concept, you must commit. The visuals show the homeless unable to physically get themselves off the streets. The color palette is morose and evoke feelings of isolation, futility, and despair. 

• How does the copy support and communicate the single most important thing?

The copy is very small and in white, leaving the image to really command the page. I think this decision was made on purpose: people are naturally visual. It is easier to evoke pathos with a strong image, unless the copy is really strong. I like the simplicity of the copy: "The longer you live on the street..." and "Indifference kills." Punchy, succinct, and there's that little a-ha! moment when you connect it with the visuals. 

• How does the context or media placement communicate the single most important thing?

Both of these campaigns were found in print. Viewers of the ad probably have a disposable income if they can subscribe to magazines. I think it was purposefully put in print to get people casually flipping through magazines to stop and actually make sense of the image and copy.