Reflections TV advert by P&O
Interesting that the big talking point for this ad in 2007 was the song used by Feeder – feeling the moment. Popular song and emphasized the overall message.
Link to a later campaign looking at P&O Cruises which focused on everyday being different and unique:
I have been asked to design a website by a client in WordPress through my design company Ice Age Media: www.theiceage.co.uk
The client has provided me with a design that he would like converting into wordpress – see below:
I needed to know how to fully customise a wordpress theme. I spoke to Adam who pointed me to downloading a version of WordPress and uploading it to a server, I looked into my hosting for theiceage.co.uk and noticed that my ISP provider did in fact provide a MySQL database! Armed with this I downloaded WordPress from the WordPress site and unzipped the file on my local drive.
I found a great tutorial at
http://www.webdesignerwall.com/tutorials/building-custom-wordpress-theme/
The general jist of the whole customisation is to begin as normal with HTML files designed in Photoshop. Then to bit-by-bit custoimise the HTML files with PHP code and save the files as PHP extensions. Sounds easy…
Using Dreamwever I was able to follow the tutorial above with some pre-designed HTML pages and look to split the home page into header, content, sidebar and footer. This was similar to using Frames in HTML (which I have used before) yet more about editing code and understanding it. As I worked through I began to understand PHP and why it was present in the pages, eventually I was taking things out such as blog posts on the home page and replacing with static text (like a regular website and not a blog). I was able to customise the pages so that it mocked an actual standard website rather than a blog which would help me when customising my clients wordpress theme.
After I had customised the HTML files to PHP files I uploaded them to the WordPress extension of my site: www.theiceage.co.uk/wordpress
Before doing this however I had to login to my control panel for my hosting and setup a database. This was quite easy to do and I noted the database name and password for WordPress. Once I had this I was asked by WordPress to customise the wp-config.php file with name and password and then upload. This then activated the database and WordPress’ admin section was enabled so I could login etc.
After upload and logging in I met with a few areas to customise. I looked to add pages, add widgets and customise the style.css file so that everything looked and worked well. I was very happy with how this all went and now I am looking forward to editing the clients design and sharpening my skills with CSS.
This project focused on creating awareness on the issue of dropping elastic bands on the streets, creating litter and an eyesore. How could we raise the issue to postmen and women? The project raised some interesting points in regard to interactivity and a local environment.
I have en joyed looking at different concepts on this one, such as interactive, pressure sensored doormats that would alert the postman and remind them not to drop. Another idea was to reinvent a postie’s arch enemy the domestic, vicious, house dog. This time though the dog would get vicious because it hates elastic bands on the floor and if it sees one being dropped goes psycho at the postie (a comical deterent message in the window perhaps). Finally one of my other initial ideas was to create the concept of a sling shot that householders would have by the front door and if they see a postman dropping an elastic band they could use what they have collected from the floor and their sling shot to fire these elestic bands back at the guilty postie!
I decided though to go with the concept of panic attacks as my last post. The reasons why were down to the fact that it was something that would help posties rather than attack them. Posties are under pressure at the moment with strike action and the bad press received from the public so if something was in a positive light it may be taken on board better. I went about storyboarding ideas and narrowed down 4 areas I could do a viral clip on: Bad weather, vicious dogs, bicycle with no brakes and also car alarms/house alarms.
THE FILM
I shot a quick mock-up video of ‘bad weather’ as I felt this was the easiest one to shoot and get my bearings for filming. It went quite well, I chose a day with poor, rainy weather and organised some props (step ladder, watering can, postie outfit). We shot a few takes of the walking postie who would suddenly look up and panic at the suddenly changing weather and this went ok. We tried having the postie walking towards the camera but I felt it looked better side on and then zoomed in, it looked more realistic – as if you were looking over at a postman from across the road. The second shoot was later on in the day when it was properly raining and we used the step ladder and watering can which added to the effect of a rain storm hitting. This was used after the postie had panicked and then used the elastic band on his wrist to calm himself, the postie’s attitude was ‘at peace’ and with a contented smile on his face – got drenched. I organised for one of team to climb up the ladder (out of shot) and then to pour water on the postie’s head. The camera person got the shot but on reflection a couple more retakes would have been better as both the shots taken were too low and more of the head and rain from above would have been better. The shot chosen had some of the postie’s head cut off and that was dissappointing.
THE REVIEW
Taking this clip back to the group gave me some interesting feedback. Firstly some branding was needed at the end. I did this by experimenting with a logo based upon not dropping elastic bands. Looked at some interesting examples on a Google image search and tried out using the form and shape of a red elastic band putting this into different, common objects such as a traffic light, idea bubbles and a traffic sign. Felt the traffic sign was strong as this is what posties would come across everyday. The new branding was then added to the film clip using Windows Media Maker. A second point from the group was ‘where did the elastic band on the postie’s wrist come from?’, ‘why is it on his wrist?’. Thought this was a good point so I went out and re-shot a clip of the postman picking up an elastic band while walking down the street and then put this on his wrist. I was able to fit this into the existing movie clip relatively well but as the scenery was slightly different which again looks a little ‘jumpy’ in the clip so with more time it would have better to go back to the original street in Oswestry.
SUMMING UP
I feel that the clip although only a mock-up gets the point across and communicates the idea. I think that the ‘bicycle without brakes’ or even the ‘vicious dog’ could have been stronger clips to have shot, yet it is in a series of 4 so they are all included in my final presentation of ideas (though not as actual mock-ups). The problem was just a matter of limited time on this project.
The whole idea is tongue-in-cheek and hope that a laid-back comical style would lighten the issue so that its not confrontational yet at the same time time raise awareness and stick in posties minds. The theme of the clip is ’stop the drop’ and why? well elastic bands are useful – so use them, your loss if you don’t. Sometimes the environment is hammered as a reason why we shouldn’t do things but here I am saying ‘do this one for yourself’ and ‘you would be missing out by throwing bands away’. Hopefully this change of tone in the viral ad would make an impact.
Panic attacks!
Stop panic attacks by using a rubber band! Check out the facts:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4477979_stop-panic-attack.html
“When entering a situation where you may panic, you may want to wear a rubber band around your wrist. When you feel the beginning signs of feeling out of control, snap the rubber band. It will bring you back into the moment. Then repeat silently an encouraging phrase to yourself, such as “I am safe. I am safe.”"
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Stopping posties from dropping rubber bands. Well how about the use of ’smart rubber bands’? Maybe an ultrasound devise that attracts dogs placed into the random elastic bands (not all due to cost) and would emit the ultrasound when the rubber band hits a hard surface…such as the ground. So when its dropped dogs are alerted and may feel the urge to investigate and take on the postie?? Its possible. Here is the techy info from Wikipedia:
“Ultrasound is cyclic sound pressure with a frequency greater than the upper limit of human hearing. Although this limit varies from person to person, it is approximately 20 kilohertz (20,000 hertz) in healthy, young adults and thus, 20 kHz serves as a useful lower limit in describing ultrasound. The production of ultrasound is used in many different fields, typically to penetrate a medium and measure the reflection signature or supply focused energy. The reflection signature can reveal details about the inner structure of the medium, a property also used by animals such as bats for hunting.”
Link below goes into more detail on ultrasonic transmitters:
books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=0824776593…
Would this alert posties to not dropping the bands? It could well be a deterent not knowing which bands would attract angry / irritated dogs. A few personal injury claims against the postal service may be in the offing though…
I have chosen to do a D&AD project brief that looks into ambient advertising for lastminute.com and targeting their mesage of ‘get more good stuff’.
My initial thoughts went towards the type of people who may use lastminute.com – adventurous, impulsive, money-to-spend individuals and this led me to the book and film ‘The Beach’ by Alex Garland.
The primary theme of this novel is discovery. This theme includes both self-discovery and the discovery of something new and unique; an unfound and undisturbed paradise. The beach is a legend amongst young travelers in Asia. It is rumoured to be a lagoon hidden from the sea, with white sane and coral gardens, freshwater falls surrounded by jungle and plants that have remained untouched by man for a thousand years. On this beach, there are said to be a few carefully selected internationals settle in a communal Eden. The narrator is Richard, a twenty-something man who has been subjected to far too many Vietnam War movies. He is adrift in Southeast Asia, Bangkok, and he wants something different, the ultimate travel spot unspoiled by man. Like most of the travelers he meets, Richard is bored with the usual disharmoney of Thailand and craves something more exciting. Richard is a regular, young, English man (L.DeCaprio in film) in his early twenties. Up until his recent journey to Bangkok, he has had no significant life-altering events in his life; he is a typical product of his technologically advanced environment and he wanted some action in his life.
This type of individual – living for now, adventurous and looking for a great experience is one of the types of people that an advertsing style could be aimed at. In addition wealthy famalies, kid-ults and dinky’s (double income no kids yet) – all of which work hard and play hard.
“Trust me…its paradise”
“Its not where you go, its how you feel for a moment in your life”
I was looking around for inspiration on what to set myself as a negotiated study and I remember how much I was impressed with Virgin’s latest TV Ad…
The idea behind this ad is immense. ‘Powerful Media’ is the Virgin slogan here and it certainly is with this succinct 1 min ad that attaches us, the viewer, to the journey of a person who through his mobile phone jumps from one “world” to another. Brilliant use of the inside of a train as the ‘room’ in which the different ‘worlds’ of this persons life unfold as they listen, interact and game using the mobile phone. Interesting use of a person’s life as the basis of the journey and the fact that it can be intrinsically personal to us – making this ad valuable to us as consumers, that we can be immersed in this ‘world of entertainment’. Also the use of a ‘normal’ train journey makes it more personal to the general public and the excellent use of a night scene throughout which again adds to this sense of imagination and fantastical worlds.
For my project I would like to do something that links with ‘real lives’ and connects with today’s public. I like the idea of being ‘immersed’ in something as the Virgin ad expertly promotes and motivates the viewer. A good point to mention is the soundtrack has a perfect link to the ad and lends itself to memory and imagination, hope and love. I would enjoy looking into narrative and promotional advertising using the techniques displayed in Virgin ad.
This design was just an idea to go with the movie that dipicts a first person shooter game and child soldiers.
This storyboard visualises my idea for a first person shooter movie. It is based on the Nike ad featured previously in my blog and on the popularity of first person shooter video games such as Call Of Duty. With the target audience in mind I feel this would strike a chord.
The narrative of my storyboard is YOU walking in the steps of a militia soldier. You are given drugs at the outset and told to go and shoot down a village, following this killing you return back to your militia camp and are congratulated by other members of your militia. When you get inside your barracks you drop your gun on the bed and turn to look in the mirror…what you see is not a battle-hardend GI JOE character but a small child looking back. The realisation is that you have just been followingthe steps of a child soldier!
I saw a very impressive advertisement produced for Belgium audiences using the Smurf’s Village as a backdrop
It is for adults viewing only acording to the company that produced it and it shows a perfect cartoon community being blow apart. It shows the innocence of childhood being torn away. I thought it was an excellent and pointed design and idea using cartoons to portray this message hits harder in my opinion as it has the shock factor. I will try and incorporate this in my own designs.
Found an interesting site on the issue of child soldiers when researching the subject:
http://www.helpchildsoldiers.com/
The site had an intereting interactive Flash intro which asked the question “Are you helping child soldiers fight?” with a simple yes or now clickable buttons. Interesting that when you instictively go for the ‘No’ answer the flash movie plays an animation of the mouse cursor going back over to the ‘Yes’ button and clicking it – even though you clicked ‘No’. The message would then say if you are doing nothing to stop it then you are supporting it. Quite a hard hitting message and takes the easy way out from the equation. This has inspired me to produce something that gets the message across in a stark way. The site has also given me some statistics to reinforce a message:
An estimated 300,000 children are being used as soldiers right now
Children are fighting in19 conflicts worldwide
Most of them are abducted from their families
The above image is from childsoldiers.com and shows that you can get a hard-hitting message across by using symbolic imagery – in this instance looking at child toys and manipulating these into war. This is inspiration for my barb wire idea – keeping it simple and clear.
