/ HOW MANY BRAND CONCEPTS DO YOU REALLY NEED TO PRESENT?
It's an important campaign... in fact, it could be critical to the success of our client's new product brand launch. They're swinging for the fences on this new creative. "It has to be mind-blowingly strong and send the right message. We want to explore every possibility out there." says, the client. "We'd like to see at least 3 - 4 high level concepts on this one." Wanting to please the client and offer as much value as possible, as well as getting a chance to create a novel campaign – our first instinct is to get inspired, roll up our sleeves and start creating. You want ideas!? We've got dozens of them – bam! And we excitedly get to work. But does submitting several concepts and directions really add value?
Clients want to see ideas – to see our thought development hoping to uncover something novel and be part of that exploration process. I agree. They intimately know their brand, their services, products and their target market and what the goals are. But by first, sitting down and collaborating with our client to develop an effective brand strategy and solid design plan at the outset. We can together determine the messaging, user experience, visual language, tone, and treatments and so on. We can now set our minds to the task of producing a strong concept that works toward achieving the client objectives.
Back in the studio, we'll explore and uncover as many ideas as we possibly can leaving the very best idea and approach uncovered. By the time we present our concept, we've gone through a careful process... and a cohesive concept and visual direction for the assignment is born. Why? Because we've exhaustively prototyped, tested, refined, and produced an effective design – the very best and most appropriate solution has risen to the top.
This is the optimum approach as they are getting our very best focused work and avoids exerting energy and time working with diluted creative. When we present, we're confident we have the right concept. Rarely, if ever – is the 3rd or 4th concept as powerful as your leading concept. At that point, we can concentrate our activity on refining making the concept as strong as possible to ensure a successful client outcome.
By: Byron Dowler
PS: A great read – Make It Bigger by Paula Scher