DI 5 - On Strategy and On Target

I've recently read an interesting article about advertising on target and on strategy. Had to read it twice to understand what it was saying lol...anyway, according to the article, these 2 criteria are crucial to effective and successful advertising campaign.

So, what's on target and on strategy? It means that your ad campaign must have the appropriate language used so that it's in the correct tone of voice to your target audience. For eg, if you're targeting investors, your copy should sound intelligent and serious instead of informal. It ensures that your campaign can 'connect' with your right target audience (T.A).

The message you deliver should also be intrusive and interruptive in order to make an impact - the 'punch' factor so that it captures your T.A's attention. And needless to say, having your message sound natural and convincing (something closer to the T.A's real life) helps in building up the emotional connection between your product and the T.A. For example, adding a "slice of life" factor to your ad campaign.

A good example on featuring something 'closer' to their TA's life is the 2005 Dove "Campaign for Real Beauty". It featured women of various sizes (like their T.A - real women) instead of bone-thin supermodels. It made their TA feel like they are one of them and thus the emotional connection automatically sets in. I think it's really smart as it brings the campaign into a deeper sense of worth rather than the superficial feature of supermodels that we obviously know that it's "so not referring to us". It makes us (ordinary real life women) feel that we are being understood, valued and cherished; And that they actually go all the way in making the effort to know what we actually want.

Just that sincerity alone makes us happy and more willing to buy their products. Smart. =D

Events concept Presentation

Had Events Management CA1 today too...was so nervous right b4 the presentation.

BUT surprisingly, everything went smoothly!!! yea and I think we did quite well...

woohoo YAYYYYYY!!! =D

heeheehee
hohohoho
hahahaha

PS: Jiayou mateys!!! (aka no-link group)

DI 4

Had DI again. This week we had to present our ad to our group members. Got several constructive feedback like too many different fonts and the layout of my product. And after reviewing, I realised them too. Sometimes, it's true that we won't spot our own mistakes until other people point them out to us.

Reviewed other people's ads too. Some of it were so creative. Wouldn't have thought it myself. Gotten a little embarrassed comparing my ad to others' (mine looked like it's been designed by a pre-school kid :P haha). But anyway it's ok. I'm going to improve as I practice along! =D

Then we have a new mission again...this time it's much harder!!! We have to design a print ad for design professionals in order to advocate a "Safe Design" campaign with the tagline "Practice safe design, always use a concept". And ta-dah!!! What's my concept?...grrrr have to go crack my brains now. see ya next week =D

Tata!!!

(DI 3)

Anyway, had our third Design and Illustration lesson class yesterday. Ms Nga showed us some heartwarming "Hallmark" TVCs (that I think would have brought my mother to tears - she has a softspot on all these family/children bonding thing.

I think they were very powerful, as it etches an emotion in me, which makes me remember it even though I've watched it only once. Nowadays, all we have on TV are the creative (and sometimes nonsensical) ads that just brings out a laugh in us and then we'll quickly forget them/ or the messages they were trying to bring across to us(some I couldn't even decipher). It is hard to find classic ones like these that are timeless.

Anyway Ms Nga also showed us some unique print ads that brought across a simple message in each one. She also introduced something new to us (SHRED)- Science, Huh? (Yes! it is what it is!!!), Response, Emotion and Deconstruct the Ad. We also learnt this 4 important factors to plan for : Audience, Purpose, Message and Execution.

Then we had to design our own advertisement for our products, mine's the Energy booster "Nutty/Crit Crack" Peanut Butter bar of course :D Had fun playing around with ideas as well as Photoshop,Illustrator (if you believe :P)and Paint etc...
Due next lesson.

Lessons have been fun so far...I getting to like all these designing for ads stuff now... and photoshop doesn't seem as irritating as it was last year during Design Basics. No regrets choosing this elective. (Especially after hearing what the rest were doing in the other electives heeeheee :D)

Yea, that's about it... Cya soon
Tata!!!
Cam Cam :)

(DI 1.2) - Yolk

(DI 2)

DI lesson 2

Each of us got a tablet for drawing in Illustrator for the whole Semester!!! How cool is that!!! It functions just like a mouse, only that it can do even more such as adjusting the thickness of the strokes when drawing off the computer. And it is very sensitive - you need not even touch the tablet with the tip of the pen, it will automatically detect it when you place the pen near the tablet.

The only thing is that I'm still not used to using it, but it is definitely a better tool to use when drawing off the computer as compared to the mouse.

Aside from the tablet (which I am currently fascinated with), we had to design a mascot(squirrel) for our product (mine's peanut butter, along with Gina). Thus we started sketching it all over our sketch books to come up with a series of design development (show the development/improvement of my mascot). Then we had to choose the best one and draw it on illustrator.(mine turned out rather scary in the end though :P)

We had to "pitch" our product to the class too, for constructive feedback whether our product plan will work or not. It was quite interesting to listen to the other groups' ideas and some of it (like the dog's hotel) were quite cool.

yea...and that's about it...

Tata!!! (off to blog for the next post; too many overdue :P)

PS: All these "DI" blog posts are part of my assignment for my Design and Illustration class :)

(DI 1) Design And Illustration- Field Trip to Yolk design firm

We had to sign up for a field trip to one of the local design firms in Singapore for my Design and Illustration class recently. Since I've heard about "Yolk" (the design firm I chose), I signed up for it.

The place was at River Valley, which as usual, I had no idea where it was ( I've no sense of direction at all :P). Thus was glad that several of my classmates chose the same design firm as me. We decided to meet up first before heading to Yolk together. However, we still got lost eventually. After a few rounds of searching and asking around (as well as getting wet paint on my sleeve as I accidentally brushed against a newly painted pillar while finding our way there), we decided to take a cab instead.

The firm was totally different from the inside compared to the outside. I didn't expect to see such a nice and cosy place judging from the exterior of the buliding. Inside, the ambience was great, the colour were nicely coordinated, and the interior furnishings were sophisticated. It looked like a cafe (an artsy fartsy one of course) more then an office. I liked it alot.

Met our host for that day, Kelveen, one of the founders of Yolk. He had prepared a slideshow for us, with lots of their work. First, he asked us where and what course were we from. Then he asked why we chose Yolk( so I told him that I've heard about Yolk somewhere before (although I can't remember exactly where :P).
He continued to introduce more about what they usually do, their cliente profile, the basics of graphic design etc etc...they had also organised an international graphic design competition online. He also showed us a really cool website that they did, with a storyline and cool graphics which the story is to be continued by the other netizens.

After that, he brought around his office. It was two storeys high - the ground level was for the account servicing team. It had a super cool touchscreen table there, containing all their works they have done over the years, such as the animated Mv of one of the songs of local band Electrico. You can even play around with the different channels of sounds in the songs (eg. you can "take out" the guitars and vocals to just listen to the bass and piano etc.) They even design games out of it! I was really impressed.

Then, we went upstairs. It was a different kind of setting - the ground floor was classy and sophisticated. The second floor was creative, interesting and "artsy fartsy" (if there's such a word heehee :D)
Yes, it was the creative department. The work desks were messier (well, creative people tend to be a little messier =D)and the whole wall was written and drawn on with different coloured chalks. Professionally hand-drawn graphics were pasted all over the walls too. AND, the best thing is, the webcams that they were using were 3-D!!! They had to put on the 3-D glasses when using it. SO COOL RIGHT!!!

The next room was the directors' office, were the founders' work desks are. The room looked more like business office now, except that there was an ENORMOUS bunk bed with a workspace underneath. The displayed all their certificates and plagues on the "bed" which I doubt they would sleep on. (it's too dangerous, too high without any safety handle). And also a yard for them to smoke and discuss ideas.

Then, as we were still overwhelmed by fascination (not exaggerating; the technology they used were like so advanced, like things you can find from Doraemon's pocket!!! lol), Kelveen introduced us to Social Media, something new that the company is moving into. He emphasised that Social Media is a new area of media that is full of potential; an area which more and more companies are looking into. They also started a Freshlook "Beautiful Eyes" campaign for their client on Facebook. Thus, I feel that it is essential to be able to catch up with the latest trends involving social media such as Facebook, Twitter etc. since people who are moving into social media are on the rise. It can be a very powerful and effective tool to reach out to the masses.

All in all, I have learnt so much from the trip to Yolk. It had opened up my perspective of the industry and broaden up my knowledge. I've picked up many vital pointers to note which are all very relevant to the media industry; not only restricted to the graphic designing area. It was a memorable trip that I'm glad to have attended. I'm really impressed.

So long,
Tata!!!

Camellia =D