Check out our campaign for TROIKA:
www.adokplease.com/troika
Monday, May 25, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Radio ga ga!
Radio Ad, Radio Ad, Radio Ad! Think radio. Listen radio. Watch radio. When not doin anything, close your eyes and try to hear visually. In fact talk sparsely. Be minimalistic. Be interesting. Don't bore the crap out of people. Do not be preachy. Do not be condescending. Do not idealise the listener. Do not belittle them. Be their friend. Don't be overtly friendly. Talk to the listener, make them listen. Don't make them realise you are just a salesman trying to sell them your product. Wait! Are you closing this blog already?
Never realised how difficult it can be to write a radio ad. I may love to talk, but radio doesn't offer the luxury of going on and on. The user would just switch the channel to another.
My initial draft, which was supposed to be a parody of the Paid ads which we see on television, was 313 words long, making it around 240 words longer than expected.
Here it is:
Sad little thing I know. Rewrote it again, making it much shorter this time.
I am still not satisfied with the idea. Maybe I need to think differently. The radio ad is nowhere close to the print ad. Also something in my gut tells me that it is just too simple. Maybe using a everyday scenario will help?
As my flatmate Carl would say... Meh! Just not as effective as I would want it to be. It may be funny, but maybe not. And what if the listener doesn't understand that Jack dropped a huge rock/stone tablet on the table? That certainly won't do. Back to the drawing board. Maybe using an emotional appeal will help?
Never realised how difficult it can be to write a radio ad. I may love to talk, but radio doesn't offer the luxury of going on and on. The user would just switch the channel to another.
My initial draft, which was supposed to be a parody of the Paid ads which we see on television, was 313 words long, making it around 240 words longer than expected.
Here it is:
Radio Script. Parody:
Staged Voices like an Infomercial
Sherry: So Jack, what is this great new product you wanted to tell us about?
Jack: Oh yes. But before that, tell me, how many times have you wandered out and thought of something, only to forget it later because you could not write it down, as you did not have a pen or had a pen but no paper?
Sherry: Uh-oh. I know that feeling. I have lost so many good ideas for that exact reason.
Jack (without missing a beat): Now you don’t have to worry anymore. ‘cos with the new Inka pen from Inka, (FX: pen swooshed out) you will never ever forget an idea.
Sherry: Oooo...So what is so great about this pen? I mean apart from looking good, it seems to be a normal ball-point pen.
Jack: I am glad you asked Sherry. It may look like a conventional ball-point pen, but if you look at the other end, it has a built in keyring, so you will never leave your house without it. And with this pen you can actually write anywhere.
Sherry: Anywhere...?
Jack: Yes, anywhere... With it you can write on... (starts writing)...
Fx: scribbling on paper...
(Jack continues) Umm dee dum dee dum...
Sherry: (whispering) say your lines Jack...
Jack continues writing and humming, not paying attention to Sherry.
Fx: Sound of writing on wood, metal
Sherry: (whispering while Jack and the FX continue) We won’t get paid if you don’t say your lines.
Sherry: (improvising) (clears throat) So you mean to say with Inka you can write not only on paper, but also on...
(Loud screeching noise as Jack starts writing on glass)
Stop it Jack! Someone take that pen away from him.
Fx: Sounds of a struggle. Sounds of metal, wood and glass shattering. Fade out.
* Pause *
VO: Inka Pens. Write Anywhere.
Sad little thing I know. Rewrote it again, making it much shorter this time.
Radio Parody Edit:
And now we take you back to our presentation of Inka Pens.
FX: Sounds of writing on wood, metal and glass.
VO: Inka Pens. Write Anywhere
I am still not satisfied with the idea. Maybe I need to think differently. The radio ad is nowhere close to the print ad. Also something in my gut tells me that it is just too simple. Maybe using a everyday scenario will help?
Radio Ad - Office:
Male 1: So Jack, how was your weekend camping?
Male 2: It was good. Just got back a couple of hours back.
Male 1 (smirking): And did you receive the boss’ message to finish the report? Bet you couldn’t finish it.
Boss: Morning lads. So where are the reports?
FX: *Thud* as Jack plonks a big rock on the table.
VO: Inka Pens. Write Anywhere.
As my flatmate Carl would say... Meh! Just not as effective as I would want it to be. It may be funny, but maybe not. And what if the listener doesn't understand that Jack dropped a huge rock/stone tablet on the table? That certainly won't do. Back to the drawing board. Maybe using an emotional appeal will help?
Radio Ad - Save Edna:Bingo! This works for me. Much better than the previous ones. It needs to be worked upon, but somehow I like this. Let's see what Garry thinks.
Meet Edna. Edna used to be a liberated soul, a thought unhindered by the material world. She used to enjoy the open air just like the rest of us. But her freedom was short-lived as one day she was shackled down, trapped for an eternity in a book. She has been living in the same place for years now. Unable to move, unable to do anything. She spends her remaining days trapped in the dilapidated cell, awaiting death under the very walls of her prison.
Give your words a chance to live unrestrained. Inka Pen. Write Anywhere.
It's a beautiful day!
Not really. Just thought that it will make me feel better.
Anyways, showed the execution to Garry. He suggested a couple of changes to the design. He recommended using the book sideways instead of the way we used it and the spiral binding could become the wired fence while the lines still remained as the bars.
After that he told us briefly about radio advertising. He told us about this ad in UK for some Tanning cream. The basic plot showed an English gentleman putting the cream on while talking on the radio and as he talks his accent turns into that of a West-Indian (or maybe Jamaican), demonstrating the effectiveness of the cream. (WOW! I wish I could think of ads like that).
The point of the above paragraph being, Garry challenged us to write a radio ad for INKA pens. After being told about that great example, I doubt I'll ever be able to live upto his expectation...
Anyways, showed the execution to Garry. He suggested a couple of changes to the design. He recommended using the book sideways instead of the way we used it and the spiral binding could become the wired fence while the lines still remained as the bars.
After that he told us briefly about radio advertising. He told us about this ad in UK for some Tanning cream. The basic plot showed an English gentleman putting the cream on while talking on the radio and as he talks his accent turns into that of a West-Indian (or maybe Jamaican), demonstrating the effectiveness of the cream. (WOW! I wish I could think of ads like that).
The point of the above paragraph being, Garry challenged us to write a radio ad for INKA pens. After being told about that great example, I doubt I'll ever be able to live upto his expectation...
Day ???+3
Ok... I am actually getting bored of the title "Day???+n" now. Now onwards I am just gonna call it something different everyday.
We were just working on the ad for Inka today.
I found the list of ideas I wrote down the other day. Something for you to while away the time till we finish the ad.
* flush *
We were just working on the ad for Inka today.
I found the list of ideas I wrote down the other day. Something for you to while away the time till we finish the ad.
Idea #1:In fact I think I'll use Idea #12 for this post!
"I was here" or graffiti in ink at improbable places like the bottom of a swimming pool, on a snow laden peak, on a wall in hell, etc.
Idea #2:
Faces with stuff written on them
"jackass" on the boss's forehead.
The climate/temperature part can be illustrated by making the boss red with anger.
Write on the most impossible surfaces.
Idea #3:
Write on places which do not exist or whose locations are not known: Area 51, Bin Laden's lair, Bush's brain, somebody else's thought bubble etc.
Idea #4:
New sport.Extreme writing. Where people write at unlikely places.
Idea #5:
Desk where the word documents are written on the screen?
Idea #6:
Cave drawings, more artistic and in ink.
Idea #7:
Names on life jackets written by pen?
Idea #8:
Long letter written on paper extended onto desk/beach?
Idea #9:
Message written on the bottle instead of in a letter.
Note written on lunch instead of a letter in the bag.
Idea #10:
An ad at the bus shelter, where the ad is actually written on the glass.
Idea #11:
Tattoo artist with a pen instead of a tattoo machine.
Idea #12:
"Please flush after use" in toilet bowl.
* flush *
Day ???+2
So where were we? Inka pens!
Came back and continued to brainstorm for ideas. Fired up Word and started typing out ideas.
Came up with a couple of concepts where you could actually demonstrate where the pen writes.
You could have an underwater shot in a pool, with grafitti saying I was here. The "I was here" campaign can have multiple executions, showing both actual as well as metaphorical places which were difficult to reach, like Osama Bin Laden's cave or Bush's brain. This can also be extended as a Guerrila campaign and could have quite interesting executions.
Came up with around 10 more ideas, which were good, but still not ground-breaking.
It wasn't till later in the day, I picked up a notebook and realised something which hit me like an atomic slap
I turned around my notebook over and over again and realised that a turned notebook could easily pass off for prison bars. Why don't we show words escaping the "Prison" because of the pen? That way we can easily escape the cliche of showing the old concept of showing words in highly improbable places. Also, it was a very symbolic idea and metaphorical idea and I was pretty sure no one has executed this one till date.
So there I go writing down words, which can be shown escaping the prison. Words like Freedom and Liberation perhaps? Or should it be other words which in fact signify imprisonment but are acting the exact opposite? So again I was in a predicament... I have an idea, but do not know how to execute it.
Fortunately, when I showed the idea to Kyle he was able to come up with a simple solution. Do not show words escaping, instead show other pens imprisoned behind the bars, while our protagonist stands outside not restricted by the "bars". Voila! I did not have to worry about the execution anymore. We could easily demonstrate our products benefits by showing what the other products lack! In fact if we did not show our product, we could still get away with it.
Moral of the story: Looking at something in a totally different light can give you an idea.
Showed the idea to Garry along with other ideas where we show how the product can be misused if it falls into the wrong hands (a kid's hands). He liked both of the ideas, but (correctly) thought that the "Prison" idea was pretty good. In fact he actually thought it was a pretty good idea, and we may be onto something.
So Kyle has now started working on the execution of the ad. Will post the ad once it is finished.
Came back and continued to brainstorm for ideas. Fired up Word and started typing out ideas.
Came up with a couple of concepts where you could actually demonstrate where the pen writes.
You could have an underwater shot in a pool, with grafitti saying I was here. The "I was here" campaign can have multiple executions, showing both actual as well as metaphorical places which were difficult to reach, like Osama Bin Laden's cave or Bush's brain. This can also be extended as a Guerrila campaign and could have quite interesting executions.
Came up with around 10 more ideas, which were good, but still not ground-breaking.
It wasn't till later in the day, I picked up a notebook and realised something which hit me like an atomic slap
I turned around my notebook over and over again and realised that a turned notebook could easily pass off for prison bars. Why don't we show words escaping the "Prison" because of the pen? That way we can easily escape the cliche of showing the old concept of showing words in highly improbable places. Also, it was a very symbolic idea and metaphorical idea and I was pretty sure no one has executed this one till date.
So there I go writing down words, which can be shown escaping the prison. Words like Freedom and Liberation perhaps? Or should it be other words which in fact signify imprisonment but are acting the exact opposite? So again I was in a predicament... I have an idea, but do not know how to execute it.
Fortunately, when I showed the idea to Kyle he was able to come up with a simple solution. Do not show words escaping, instead show other pens imprisoned behind the bars, while our protagonist stands outside not restricted by the "bars". Voila! I did not have to worry about the execution anymore. We could easily demonstrate our products benefits by showing what the other products lack! In fact if we did not show our product, we could still get away with it.
Moral of the story: Looking at something in a totally different light can give you an idea.
Showed the idea to Garry along with other ideas where we show how the product can be misused if it falls into the wrong hands (a kid's hands). He liked both of the ideas, but (correctly) thought that the "Prison" idea was pretty good. In fact he actually thought it was a pretty good idea, and we may be onto something.
So Kyle has now started working on the execution of the ad. Will post the ad once it is finished.
Day ???+1
The past few days have been relatively slow. Haven't really received any new briefs apart from the one for Inka pens which I have conveniently forgotten to mention in my previous posts.
Anyways, here is a quick flashback.
Receive an e-mail from Garry saying that since I should have a proper portfolio by the time I am out of here, I should work on award winning briefs. Also got a link to Inka pens (basically pens which write anywhere-underwater, upside down, in zero gravity-anywhere!)
So the painful part of research begins all over again. This time I started off with looking at competitor's ads as it would be quite possible that I might come up with concepts which have already be done. Also, watching ads can serve as an inspiration to think out of the box. I just loved the Bic infinity ad. Although it was for pens with more ink, it was one of the simplest and most brilliant executions I have ever seen for pens till date.
Back to research. Found the original link to Inka pens. They also have a lot of competitors. Read up on the competitors as well. As I like to write myself (even though my handwriting sucks) I quite enjoyed researching for Inka. In fact I even read quite a few testimonials for various pens written by pen lovers around the world, hoping I will be struck by inspiration.
Unfortunately I had lectures so I had to live early.
Hoping to work on it again tomorrow.
Anyways, here is a quick flashback.
Receive an e-mail from Garry saying that since I should have a proper portfolio by the time I am out of here, I should work on award winning briefs. Also got a link to Inka pens (basically pens which write anywhere-underwater, upside down, in zero gravity-anywhere!)
So the painful part of research begins all over again. This time I started off with looking at competitor's ads as it would be quite possible that I might come up with concepts which have already be done. Also, watching ads can serve as an inspiration to think out of the box. I just loved the Bic infinity ad. Although it was for pens with more ink, it was one of the simplest and most brilliant executions I have ever seen for pens till date.
Back to research. Found the original link to Inka pens. They also have a lot of competitors. Read up on the competitors as well. As I like to write myself (even though my handwriting sucks) I quite enjoyed researching for Inka. In fact I even read quite a few testimonials for various pens written by pen lovers around the world, hoping I will be struck by inspiration.
Unfortunately I had lectures so I had to live early.
Hoping to work on it again tomorrow.
Day ???
Am writing again after who knows how many days. The past few weeks have been pretty good in the agency. Our idea was pitched to the client and I hope they accept it. Would be really good if our idea is accepted. Just imagine... an ad for Queensland Transport in my portfolio! Muhahahahaha... No let me rephrase that laughter... Teehee!
I am tickled pink that our idea might actually used by QT. A product of the minds of a Chinese and an Indian. I guess what they say is true, ideas have no nationality. An idea if good, will transcend all cultures, religions, countries and whatever else is tossed up at it.
Anyways, here is me crossing my fingers.
I am tickled pink that our idea might actually used by QT. A product of the minds of a Chinese and an Indian. I guess what they say is true, ideas have no nationality. An idea if good, will transcend all cultures, religions, countries and whatever else is tossed up at it.
Anyways, here is me crossing my fingers.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Day 6 & 7
Day 6: Got Kyle to work today. Starting today he is an intern here as well. Finally I have an AD I can bounce ideas off. Introduced him to everyone and briefed him about the client and started the brainstorming sessions.
Day 7: Brainstormin session continues. Came up with quite a few ideas, although can't say I am very please with all of them. Nevertheless in order to show that we haven't been just warming our chairs, we showed them to Garry.
Again, he reminded me to use iconoclastic imagery, which will make it easy for the viewer to identify with the problem and the solution being offered. Out of around 10 ideas he liked one (which is not too bad, considering I did not like many of them either). So now we have to work further on the ad and give some polished copy and visuals.
Day 7: Brainstormin session continues. Came up with quite a few ideas, although can't say I am very please with all of them. Nevertheless in order to show that we haven't been just warming our chairs, we showed them to Garry.
Again, he reminded me to use iconoclastic imagery, which will make it easy for the viewer to identify with the problem and the solution being offered. Out of around 10 ideas he liked one (which is not too bad, considering I did not like many of them either). So now we have to work further on the ad and give some polished copy and visuals.
Day 5
Showed the ads to Garry... He liked the idea behind a doodle I had made (which I did not particularly like). He showed me a better way of representing the idea. Have to think of a headline for that now.
Lesson for the day: Over the board need not mean creative. Sometimes you have to mellow down the ad according to the client requirements. Advertising is not always about being creative. Sometimes just saying the right statement is likely to be accepted than finding a novel way of saying it.
Lesson for the day: Over the board need not mean creative. Sometimes you have to mellow down the ad according to the client requirements. Advertising is not always about being creative. Sometimes just saying the right statement is likely to be accepted than finding a novel way of saying it.
Day 4
Monday... Today I was supposed to get the modifications done to an old ad campaign, but that was stalled. Whiled away my time working on the previous briefs. Read up a lot of stuff on traffic rules and regulations. The internet is such a vast source of information, but so many discrepancies!
Though I realised something important... Research is hard, especially on my eyes. Came up with a few ideas which I thought were good, but as Garry aint in today, will have to show them to him tomorrow.
Though I realised something important... Research is hard, especially on my eyes. Came up with a few ideas which I thought were good, but as Garry aint in today, will have to show them to him tomorrow.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Day 3
Came in early and started reading the briefs from yesterday. After a while G popped in and asked if I could make a few minor modifications to an old campaign they had done. Supposedly the logo had changed and so had the name of the council (no hints about who the client is), so had to check the copy and make the required modifications. Luckily someone had already highlighted most of the copy which needed to be changed, so just had to substitute a few words here and there.
Not wanting to do a shoddy job, I took especially long to ensure I had checked, re-checked and re-re-checked everything. Showed the work to G. He made a few suggestions and told me I have to supervise the modifications on Monday. Another high! (I dunno why people smoke or do drugs, they should just join advertising) Hehehehehe...
Called it an early day and went back home to sleep as I hadn't been able to sleep properly for the last week.
Till next week folks!
Not wanting to do a shoddy job, I took especially long to ensure I had checked, re-checked and re-re-checked everything. Showed the work to G. He made a few suggestions and told me I have to supervise the modifications on Monday. Another high! (I dunno why people smoke or do drugs, they should just join advertising) Hehehehehe...
Called it an early day and went back home to sleep as I hadn't been able to sleep properly for the last week.
Till next week folks!
Day 2
Day 2 should have been Wednesday, but due to unforeseen circumstances (improperly cooked food to be precise), I had to play hookey from work on Wednesday. So here it is Day 2 - Thursday!
Woke up in the morning to find it was raining cats & dogs outside. In fact it was raining so heavily I will go ahead and say it was raining horses and cows. After a debate with myself, good sense prevailed and I decided to go to work.
By the time I reached office I was dripping wet. I know I can be quite a drip, but this was ridiculous... Anyways, G had gone out again for some work, so I sat down in his office (as there seemed to be a rather big Fooseball table in the place assigned to me) and continued with the assignment I had received on Tuesday. After about 3 hours of researching, 4 pee breaks 'cos of the cold weather, and about 16 hours worth of shivering I came up with a couple of ideas more.
Around midday G came in and shooed me out of his office. Back to my cubicle. Back to researching some more about school zones and what not. After sometime I was called by G to attend my 1st briefing along with the other team members. Some jokes, teasing, introductions and questions later the briefing began. (As G had instructed me not to open my mouth unless asked a question, I did just that).
Whoa! 3 briefings instead of 1. Damn! And so little time to finish the campaigns. But I was super psyched. I was grinning like a stupid idiot at the end of it. Just being in there gave me such a kick, that I realised why I wanna do advertising. For the rush, for the excitement and did I mention the rush? I know there ain't a reason for me to get all gung-ho, as I haven't done any work yet, but just being there gave me such a high... Guess I am just a bit looney!
Anyways, post briefing I went back to my cubicle and began researching on motorcycles and what not. After a couple of more hours of staring at the monitor and trying to figure out the various thingamajics about bikes I decided to call it a day.
Catch you later.
Woke up in the morning to find it was raining cats & dogs outside. In fact it was raining so heavily I will go ahead and say it was raining horses and cows. After a debate with myself, good sense prevailed and I decided to go to work.
By the time I reached office I was dripping wet. I know I can be quite a drip, but this was ridiculous... Anyways, G had gone out again for some work, so I sat down in his office (as there seemed to be a rather big Fooseball table in the place assigned to me) and continued with the assignment I had received on Tuesday. After about 3 hours of researching, 4 pee breaks 'cos of the cold weather, and about 16 hours worth of shivering I came up with a couple of ideas more.
Around midday G came in and shooed me out of his office. Back to my cubicle. Back to researching some more about school zones and what not. After sometime I was called by G to attend my 1st briefing along with the other team members. Some jokes, teasing, introductions and questions later the briefing began. (As G had instructed me not to open my mouth unless asked a question, I did just that).
Whoa! 3 briefings instead of 1. Damn! And so little time to finish the campaigns. But I was super psyched. I was grinning like a stupid idiot at the end of it. Just being in there gave me such a kick, that I realised why I wanna do advertising. For the rush, for the excitement and did I mention the rush? I know there ain't a reason for me to get all gung-ho, as I haven't done any work yet, but just being there gave me such a high... Guess I am just a bit looney!
Anyways, post briefing I went back to my cubicle and began researching on motorcycles and what not. After a couple of more hours of staring at the monitor and trying to figure out the various thingamajics about bikes I decided to call it a day.
Catch you later.
Day 1
1st Day at work. Met a couple of people. P - the production Manager, J - a partner of the firm and a few more chaps whose names I cannot recollect. Cannot recollect 'cos I was so nervous that my mind was working overtime, but my ears were not. Anyways, nice fellas here. They seem friendly and helpful. Not like a bunch of wiseasses I met recently in another agency back at home.
G had gone out for some work, and had an assignment for me. Probably to see how good my thinking skills were. Had to think up of various concepts for a certain ad they had made. For the first time since I am back from India I have realised I am rusty. Haven't been exercising my mind enough I reckon. Anyways after coming up with various ideas by evening and showing it to Garry, I got the first lesson of the day - "Surprise the audience. The audience does not want to see something they can predict. Give them something to hang on to."
Lesson learnt G!
Till tomorrow.
Ciao.
G had gone out for some work, and had an assignment for me. Probably to see how good my thinking skills were. Had to think up of various concepts for a certain ad they had made. For the first time since I am back from India I have realised I am rusty. Haven't been exercising my mind enough I reckon. Anyways after coming up with various ideas by evening and showing it to Garry, I got the first lesson of the day - "Surprise the audience. The audience does not want to see something they can predict. Give them something to hang on to."
Lesson learnt G!
Till tomorrow.
Ciao.
Wat is dis blog abwt?
Hey there fellas. I'll soon be commencing my workplace learning placement (just a fancy name for an internship) with Redsuit Advertising. I'll be trying and noting down my experiences as an intern in an OZ agency.
Hopefully I won't stop writing midway. Wish me luck.
Ciao.
Hopefully I won't stop writing midway. Wish me luck.
Ciao.
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