Posted by Dana Minter

If you work in any kind creative employment, or even if you’re “resting”, as they say in Hollywood, you are probably aware of what others in your field might be up to.  “Looking for inspiration” is the usual excuse for not getting on with your work, but seeing good ideas always perks me up and that’s good enough for me.

With three other creative partners sitting next to me, inevitably we tend to down tools whenever we see something halfway interesting. There’s always some great work to admire, but sometimes it’s almost impossible not to become envious -  “how come they got a brief like that”? “Huh, well anyone can do a decent charity ad, can’t they?” Anyone who’s worked in a creative department could continue this line of thought easily, I’m sure.

So, putting all petty jealousies aside, I thought about the one piece of advertising work I would most have wanted to have thought of myself. My choice is a brilliant “one off” idea for British Airways that blew me away when I first heard of it and, as this YouTube clip reveals, it certainly stopped cinema audiences in their tracks when it appeared.

Original, clever, funny, and so captivating, the audience gave it a standing ovation. It’s enough to make you sick. Anyway, I’m over it now – just. Watch and enjoy  (or curse, cry or scream with envy).

Posted by Ian Minter

Posted by Dana Minter

One of the interesting aspects of our job is the experience of meeting a wide variety of people, from all walks of life. People who usually have a great deal of knowledge about their particular line of work, but need some help from us to help sell their services to others.

Needless to say, we can only do this effectively if we can quickly grasp the essence of their business and determine what messages will need to be communicated to their target market, whoever they might be – from geeks   looking for new tech, lawyers looking for rich pickings, women in search of beauty, or fat folk looking for new waistlines. That’s just a few of the audiences we needed to reach in the last week alone.

How can we make this possible? It’s not copywriting, art direction, or graphic design, but something much harder to grasp and far more valuable – an idea. A creative concept, in our parlance.

For some reason, we have a really hard time persuading clients that we can’t really start on their project until we have one. We can’t start writing headlines, or body copy. We can’t create visual identity or think of an image that represents them. The idea is everything.  Starting work on any job without forming an upfront creative direction is like writing a novel without giving it any considered thought . Or, crossing the road without looking first.

I would have thought this was just commonsense. Assuming we have been well briefed, we need to take stock of what kind of company/product/people we’re dealing with and decide on the right approach. Very often, we find that existing marketing communications fail to capture the core truths about an organisation, or at least the most compelling reasons to believe what is being said about it.

It’s our job, as experienced professionals, to advise our clients and make recommendations. Writing words or making things look beautiful are easy, coming up with a brilliant creative concept that makes a client stand apart from all of their rivals and to grab the attention of their customers, now that’s hard.

The trouble is, most clients don’t understand this. And, because they don’t understand it, or grasp how important an idea is, they don’t want to pay for it.

I’m thinking of keeping my creative ideas up my sleeve from now on, on the opposite arm to the one I use to display fake Rolexes. If I can’t persuade anyone to pay for good creative concept, maybe I can try flogging them a dodgy watch.

Sadly, I think it’ll be a lot easier.

Posted by Ian Minter

As the nominations for best Animated Short Film were announced during the Academy Awards, I was drawn into the enchanting world of ‘Logorama’. Thankfully, this French film was awarded the Oscar, and the Producer gave a charming acceptance speech, reassuring everyone that ‘no logo was harmed in the making of this.’

I rushed to my computer to find the film in full. After viewing it on YouTube, I had one question – how on earth did it get made? Swearing Michelin Men, a hostage taking Ronald McDonald, a camp Mr. Clean and a Jolly Green Giant flasher are the nightmare of every brand manager. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it immensely, it just took me on a journey that I didn’t expect.

Still, it would be a shame if the brand gatekeepers were to pull the shutters down on this clever film. Unfortunately, with an Oscar under its belt and more publicity, it could happen.

The day after the Oscars, I could find the full film easily on the internet. Today, it’s been pulled from YouTube and consequently other sites due to ‘copyright’ reasons.

However, I’ve found it here – but be quick, it’s bound to be pulled soon. If that disappears, you can always see the 46 second trailer here.

Posted by Dana Minter

Posted by Ian Minter

No, the big shock was viewing Channel 9 for the first time in what felt like years, maybe decades. At least that’s what it looked and sounded like to me. What a culture shock! The same old corny “promo” voiceovers (mostly gravel – voiced old blokes), the cringe-making, sensationalist previews of forthcoming shows – the important expose of  “The Bare –Bottomed Bishop” on Current Affair (!) and even some TV commercials that took me straight back to the eighties.

Frankly, it was hard to believe how little the channel had changed while I’d been away – no wonder ratings have been plummeting – didn’t they consider it might be time for a re-vamp? Re-visiting 9 was like seeing a tragic old rock star, thirty years after they last had a hit. Fatter in the face, wider around the middle, hair much thinner, but cut in the same old retro style, desperately trying to cling to the past as if it was yesterday. Terrified to move on, to get a new haircut or, for the boys club at Channel 9, to recognise that women now watch TV too.

Despite my misgivings about the state of Channel 9, the ratings for Top Gear were higher than ever, which is kind of sad in a way. All those Channel 9 viewers could have enjoyed the Top Gear lads on SBS years ago, but they obviously found the prospect of venturing across to SBS, home of “weird, foreign-speaking news presenters and naughty films with subtitles”, too scary a prospect.

Now though, I realise just how frightening changing channel can be – just a short visit to Channel 9 certainly had me reeling in shock.

Posted by Ian Minter

Enjoy.

Posted by Dana Minter

However, today the notion of the big ( USP – based ) idea is changing fast – new mediums allow us to think smaller, with the ability to speak more directly and perhaps more honestly with our target markets.

Instead of selling hard, we have new options – we can allow consumers to decide what product they want, or don’t want, involve them in the product testing process, give them a voice, speak to them more personally, allow them to comment and share their views ( and discuss ) with other consumers.  In the “old” days, it was called soft sell, although now it might be more accurately described as personalised marketing.

This has also allowed manufactures to expand their bases, chasing new customers who might have been beyond the one size fits all approach. In addition to the mass market products, they now have the opportunity to experiment more, broaden their ranges and discover a new breed of customer.

One example is Mountain Dew, who invited customers to comment on the colours and flavours of a new range of drinks.  And, a recently launched Victorian brewer, did much the same thing and allowed beer drinkers to effectively become part of the product testing team and decide what the final beer, called Nelson, should taste like.

John Willshire of, Head of Innovation at PMD Media in London, recently discussed some interesting ideas on this subject in a talk  – “How Do You Socialize Production?”  He explains how technology is really turning our notion of big idea thinking., upside down.

Naturally, this means that we creative marketers have to really think outside the square, more than ever. If we don’t have to talk to everyone at once, we can speak to a few more intimately.

In other words, I think it’s time to start thinking small.

Posted by Ian Minter

Technorati Claim Token: N9PSKY8WYEWG