Week 11 Final Exam

 I have learned a lot in this class, and I have overcome a lot of challenges, but, looking over the last six weeks, I do not think I deserve a good grade.  Even with the problems I have encountered these last few weeks, and even with how hard I tried to catch up, it was not enough.  Having calculated my score using the computer’s calculator, I deserve a D, despite understanding the objectives.  It means nothing to understand if you let life beat you around to the point that you can no longer demonstrate your understanding.  You can tell someone you understand something all you want, but it means nothing if you cannot show them.

I only did a few twitter posts per week, which is what really killed me this quarter.  I let my stress get to me to the point that I even let such a simple task slide.  Additionally, I missed one week of class, was late on a blog post due to technological difficulties, and failed to complete one of the EOC’s.  Even having worked on my final project every time class time was given, it does not make up for these problems, especially being that I did not double-check the quotes, which should have been two from each book chapter, not three per blog post.  I will accept what I have earned with responsibility.  I apologize for the type of student I have been over this quarter, especially in the last couple of weeks.  I let life's challenges get to me far too much.

Analysis of Project in the Real World

The advertisement draws the eye, and the attention of the viewer, with a unique visual and a simple, straightforward message. It combines eighty percent emotion with twenty percent logic, and appeals to a broad audience.

The composition itself is visually interesting, creating a clear focal point. “When you determine what to emphasize and what to de-emphasize, you are establishing a focal point. Position, size, shape, direction, hue, value, saturation, texture of a graphic element, or an anomaly (a graphic element or image that deviates from the rest), all contribute to creating the focal point of your ad.” (Ch. 9, Page 6) I used the rule of thirds to place the focal point, and bright color to distinguish it from the rest of the image. The same color which distinguishes the focal point is used to draw attention to the slogan, “Have Fun,” allowing it to give a visual impact to the viewer.

“Most designers mix faces when they want distinction between display and text type. Other designers mix for conceptual, creative, or aesthetic reasons. The obvious reasons for mixing faces are to achieve differentiation (for example, to make captions distinct from text) and to add contrast to the visualization of a concept.” (Ch. 8, Page 4) In the case of this ad, typefaces are mixed to distinguish between the logo and copy, and create emphasis on the copy. It differentiates the copy from the logo, but does not draw away from the importance of the brand itself. “A general rule is to restrict your designs to no more than two (or three) typefaces.” (Ch. 8, Page 5) While this design technically pushes the limit at three, including the text of the logo, it works well due to the visual harmony of the elements.

“Being concise is critical. My mother used to call it “short and sweet.” My colleague Professor Alan Robbins advises students to delete what can be deleted while still retaining meaning.” (Ch. 6, Page 6) The copy is strong in that the two-word headline retains its meaning, and says more than a longer headline would.

Overall, strong copy, visuals, and a well thought out relationship of the elements in the advertisement make it visually interesting, drawing the reader’s eye. The message of celebration, as well as the wholesomeness of 100% apple juice, keeps their attention.

Creative Content

Promotion

“Strategy is the conceptual underpinning of any visual communication, unifying every visual and verbal application within a program of applications. Essentially, advertising strategy is considering the brand's or group's positioning and aiming your advertising application (the type of design problem) in the marketplace to achieve differentiation, relevance, and resonance.” (Ch. 2, Page 3) The campaign strategy will focus primarily on print advertisements in magazines which target youth and adult demographics. It will achieve getting the audience’s attention through the use of strong visual messages to remind the viewer of entertainment and celebration, even during less-than-enjoyable times. The point is that the viewer will be reminded of other celebratory times in which they have used Martinelli’s cider, and realize that life itself should be celebrated with the reward of a little bit of cider.

“Readability means body copy that is easy to read, thereby ensuring a frustration-free reading experience. How you design with a suitable typeface, with considerations of size, spacing, margins, and color, contributes to readability.” (Ch. 8, Page 1) The typeface will be a simple, legible typeface, such as Constantia, allowing for the imagery to do the talking while still allowing balance with the copy of the advertisement. It will draw attention without becoming the main focus of the advertisement.

“Outrageous visuals are almost a sure bet to get a viewer's attention. When those visuals express an idea, then you've got a really great chance to persuade a viewer.” (Ch. 6, Page 3) The visuals will juxtapose celebratory elements, such as balloons, and, of course, Martinelli’s Cider, with everyday situations, like work and school. The unique, unexpected combination will catch the viewer’s eye and cause them to thing of life in a new and refreshing way, and that image should carry over to the product itself. We want them to think, “Martinelli’s cider is a brand that encourages people to celebrate life, and live it well. Made with 100% apple juice, it’s a win-win.”

The Big Idea

“Basing ideas on personal life experience or observing others can help make your ad ideas relevant to others’ lives.” (Ch. 10, Page 6) There is no man or woman on Earth who doesn’t want to live an enjoyable life. A person strives for happiness, and enjoys celebration. The idea for the “Have Fun” campaign is relatable to a broad audience, encouraging people to just celebrate life. It will create a strong emotional connection with people through desires that are shared by the entire market.

The ads will show average, mundane situations brought to life by a single celebratory element, occurring in part due to Martinelli’s Cider. The ads would transform boring, everyday life into something amazing and novel. They would feature such situations as classes, sick days, and even doctor’s appointments being brightened up by celebratory elements.

“Carried through any campaign, there must be a distinct core idea, an underlying central concept or related ideas—one could call it a theme (a distinct recurring, unifying idea) or story. That core idea is communicated through the visual and verbal relationship in each individual ad unit in each medium, where a part of the brand story is told in each medium.” (Ch. 10, Page 4) The theme here is that life is something to be enjoyed, and can be, for better or for worse, if you have some small, bright thing to help you celebrate life itself. Any day can be brightened up by adding a little bit of celebration. Life is something with which to have fun, and Martinelli’s is there to help make life bright.

“In advertising, slice-of-life format is a drama showing a realistic portrayal of life, featuring everyday situations to which average people can readily relate.” (Ch. 7, Page 10) People will be able to relate to the many situations posed, because they will be problems many people have encountered throughout their lives. The strategy is for them to recognize the situations, and realize that with a change of attitude and a bit of celebration, life is exciting and fun.

Competitive Analyses

“Fully understanding the strategy and the competition before conceptual design is critical.” (Ch. 5, Page 8)
The competition for Martinelli’s Cider mainly consists of low-cost store-specific brands such as the one offered by Fresh & Easy, but recently, another brand of cider has entered the market. Welch’s Sparkling Grape Cider has grown in popularity over the last couple of years, becoming the company’s major competitor. Welch’s offers numerous juice products, as well, competing with the company.

Welch’s advertising is primarily aimed at promoting their juice to children through their mothers, identifying itself as being tasty, healthy, 100% juice. This wholesome image of the brand carries over to their other products. Martinelli’s juice offers the same benefits, and has its share in the same demographic. However, there is one thing that Martinelli’s offers which Welch’s does not. It has been established as a celebratory, fun brand, served at New Year, weddings, and other special events. The strategy is to promote this aspect to the young demographic, telling them that life can be made interesting and exciting through Martinelli’s, while mentioning the health benefits in the copy of the ad below the slogan.

“A brand or group embodies something: ethics, humanitarianism, preservation, coolness, fun, family values, respectability, excitement, energy, novelty, inventiveness, cutting-edge research, healthful living, an active lifestyle, etc.” (Ch. 4, Page 11) What Martinelli’s embodies is celebration. It achieves a bright, happy emotional connection with its market without letting go of the value of healthy living.

“People are 80 percent emotional, 20 percent rational. Reason leads to conclusions. Emotion leads to action.” (Ch. 4, Page 16) A major strength of the campaign is the fact that it will appeal to that 20% logic while still letting the emotional aspect dominate the brand image. The ad will place the health aspect in people’s minds, but allow the fun to do the work of getting them to buy.

Martinelli's: Have Fun

Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider is a brand associated with the most celebratory, fun moments of life.  Oftentimes, any person wonders why life overall cannot be filled with the emotions of those moments.  There is always that one thing that seems to drag on for hours and hours, even though it has only been ten minutes since it began.  The “Have Fun” campaign is designed to suggest that any experience can be like the happy New Year or Graduation in which we normally enjoy Martinelli’s.

“Seeing a situation, brand, organization, product, service, or behavior from a different perspective (reversal) can help stimulate ideas.” (Ch. 2, Pg. 4)  In this particular example, the cider is not used in a party setting, as it is usually.  “Meaning depends on context; by changing the context, you can imagine a different meaning.  Basically, entertaining the as-if experiment allows for novel possibilities.” (Ch. 2, Pg. 4)  This time, the frame is changed so that the cider is used in some manner of mundane everyday setting, suggesting that the cider is what makes the party what it is, and in saying this, communicates the message of enjoying life in a unique and interesting way.

“Creative advertising requires the communication of a meaningful message to an audience through an idea, expressed through the visual design and copy.” (Ch. 2, Pg. 6)  This campaign will present the strong, relatable message of simply enjoying life through strong visuals associated with celebration juxtaposed with images from everyday life.  The copy consists of two simple words we have all used at some point in our lives: “Have fun.”  It effectively conveys the message that life is something to be celebrated and enjoyed in its entirety, and that every moment has some fun in it if you look at things from a different perspective.  In short, life itself is fun.