I have found today this video about a typical interview of a focus group in the stone age. First watch the video, then read my comments.
Ok, it’s a campaign of DraftFCB – an advertising holding. It’s ment against clients, who seem to be too stupid to understand the great idea. But this is the classic view of a creative department towards clients. The client doesn’t get it – but its the right solution for him.
Now you as a creative, an art director or agency have to ask yourself three questions:
Did I miss the point, misunderstand the briefing or my research on the market was wrong?
Do I have the right solution, but in the execution I’ve gone too far? Do only “creatives” get it this way?
Did I get it right, but my presentation was so weak, that the idea did not come across?
If you respond to any of this questions with yes, go ahead and start over.
If you fail on the first question you propably didn’t do a rebriefing.
If you fail on the second you probably applied too high standards on the “receiver” end – assuming that you understand the meaning does not imply that your client or his clients will get it. If you present to a focus group ask yourself if the focus group is the correct one.
If you didn’t present well you killed your idea by yourself.
And to switch sides another time If you are really sure about your idea and you client will not buy it, then try to sell it to its competitor. They will probably don’t buy it either, unless you tell him, that its competitor didn’t want it and if he takes it he will differentiate himself.
I’ve recived an email from Getty Images telling me, that they will stop selling Images under the “Rights-Ready License”. If you never heard of this license don’t bother – though it was intresting. It was a mix of Roalty Free and Rights Managed Images. In short. You bought the rights for an image based on its use (like RM), but you can reuse it for that use as long as you wanted (like RF). Getty describes it like this:
Rights-ready (RR)
Rights-ready products may be used for the particular use and the project and end client specified at the time of licensing. When you order a rights-ready product, you will be asked to submit information that specifies how you intend to use the product, and the project and end client for whom it will be used. Pricing of rights-ready products is based solely on the use of the product that you select. You don’t have to pay any additional royalties if you reuse rights-ready products for the same use for the same project and end client specified at the time of licensing.
It was paired with combo uses like Print+Web and the prices where affordable. The image quality was somewhat better then standard RF, but not as good as standing out RM-photography. All in all not a bad deal. But it seams the model didn’t work out.
They announced that some features of the RR-Licensing will be transfered to the Rights Managed Licensing – let’s see, I will keep you updated.
Fonts are the key to bringing the message to your reader. I will not bore you with explaining you the importance of typography, but I can tell you that I love well designed type and even though I’m not obsessed (ok, a little bit) with fonts and typrography, I hate working with poor “developed” fonts…you read right, fonts are not only designed but must also be developed just like software. …click here to continue…
This approach, to start with the conclusion, works best for small design teams and firms that upgraded their marketing department with an art director. They reached a point where they feel the need to get to the next level – in quality and organization. Most of the times, the art director role is not full time. I mean by saying this, that the art director is not just directing, creating and reviewing, but is also part of the execution. He is not only part of the workflow, but he actually finishes projects himself. This is no limitation, and with time the execution part will become smaller and smaller eventually. This sets the art director on the same level with his team and this is even more true if this role is filled by a designer formerly in the team. This is very important and is one of the main distinctions between the two approaches I’m presenting here. The art director is not above the team, but on the same level and part of the team. So how does it work? …click here to continue…
Not every advertising agency or design/communication/marketing department of firm need an art director. But when they grow (in size or quality) they create this position sooner or later. At this point they will hire an art director or promote one of the graphic designers already on board. One of the main difference between a graphic designer and an art director is its “leading role”. This leading role extends into leading the graphic designers working with him on the projects. Team-leading and human-resource management is not usually taught in schools and universities – at least not in the design oriented colleges I know. They are sometimes part in post-graduate studies for managers. But how can you establish your leading role as an art director if you have been promoted or you are on your first assignment and have to lead a team? Here some insights from my personal experience. …click here to continue…
I stumbled across this advertising for a custom gift card producer. First watch it, then I tell you why I like it so much.
I like this spot, because it shows you what you can do with the product rather then braging about the technical aspects. To use the 3D-Card to show a before and after is not very creative (is ment to do that), but to tell a story where the twist is caused by the features the card has is very clever.
One small flaw is in the spot. How did the postman know that he is the right person? There was no stamp and no address on the back?
To talk anymore about Helvetica seems pretty awkward. There is now even a movie with Interviews to important designers, featuring David Carson, Erik Spiekermann, Matthew Carter, Massimo Vignelli, Wim Crouwel (availlable in DVD and Blu-ray). In the movie you will find a lot of the theories that I find most intresting and write about in my lessons on how to become an art director. Besides the admiration to this great font we find it difficult to find alternatives. Maybe – but I’ve found a quite some very cool fonts, that can take on the ultra classic fontHelvetica. …click here to continue…
Getty Images, the big stock photo merchant (as I call them) still wants to be “fun and creative”. This time they have send me the best wishes for the year 2009 with a gadget. A gadget, or should I better say a nightmare I remember from my childhood. Crystal Ball is an italian invention from the 80s – every child wanted it because it looked so fun in the TV Spots and it was expensive. Well, the real nightmare was, that it stinks like hell, as it is everliquid plastic, you can never get the results shown on TV and its nowadays not a retrochic thing, but a real chemical dinosaur from the 80s. I was shocked to find out that you can still buy this unhealthy crap – and even worse, they state that its safe for children.
What do you think of a company that send you a toy from the 80s as a gagdet – a toy which has not innovated since and doesn’t apply modern nature-aware standards? The mailing states “to remain elastic the whole 2009″ – they should have better be elastic themself extending the research to the response of the clients of this product in the 80s. So always research if the gagdet from the “past” still fits modern lifestyle and if you don’t bring up bad old memories.
First put the plastic on the tube
Holding upside down blow gently until you have a headache
Scholz & Friends, abig german advertising Group made this little animation how advertising in the old days compares to today. Very ne at and you can’t explain it a simpler way.
You want something more efficient than brain storming? The results of brain storming are not satisfying? You want alternatives where you can get great results with the least effort. Guerilla fighters are known for having a great impact without huge investments in humans or weaponry. I translated this concept into my guerilla alternatives to brain storming. …click here to continue…
What is the job of an art director anyway. How is it like? And how to learn to do the things the right way in real life. I will present you here some insights and some tutorials about becomming an art director, not just a graphic designer. Tips & Tricks you won't learn in any school and normally you will have to figure them out yourself. So go ahead and start your lessons.
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If you are really sure about your idea and you client will not buy it, then try to sell it to its competitor. They will probably don’t buy it either, unless you tell him, that its competitor didn’t want it and if he takes it he will differentiate himself.
and 
). In the movie you will find a lot of the theories that I find most intresting and write about in my lessons on how to become an art director. Besides the admiration to this great font we find it difficult to find alternatives. Maybe – but I’ve found a quite some very cool fonts, that can take on the ultra classic 
