Creative Advertising Collaboration Reflection

Learning Objective: 6B2 6A2

As part of a brief set by Creative Advertising I collaborated with Lydia, a creative advertising student specialising in copy. Throughout this collaboration process I learned a lot about the way I like to work based on the problems that arose throughout the brief. There was a few miscommunications throughout due to my lack of involvement within the idea generation process as this was Lydias role due to the nature of her course. However once an idea had been established we both developed it further through the development of the poster campaign created. Ideally I think I work best when involved with the idea generation process as I get a greater understanding for the brief rather than just being involved in the design process. I also learnt to voice my opinions on certain decision louder and fight for what I think was right as I felt I gave in too quickly on certain decision meaning I wasn't 100% happy with the final outcome. However despite not being completely happy within the outcomes the final designs successfully answer the brief by targeting students to use shake n' vac.

Intern Talk

Learning Objectives: 6A2, 6B2

Origin Story:
Started at Lancaster University, studied computer science, dropped out after a year. Went back to Stoke-on-Trent, working in warehouse for 18 months, packing pottery. Went on to study cultural studies and sociology at manchester met, did masters in sociology. During masters time invited to join blog that friends had set up, start of self publishing. Turn blog into platform to showcase other peoples work. Interned at domus (paid) working behind scenes, on social media (scheduling). Got published online and in physical mag. Friend bought mag, Boat ended up interning there (unpaid), learned how an independent mag functioned, made effort to pitch things whilst there. Each print issue went to new city round world, went to Athens for 10 days trying to find genuine stories about people who lived there. Knew time was coming to end at Boat, sure wanted to stay in independent publishing.

Making Intern:
Proof of concept helped establish a visual standard. Moved back to Manchester from London. Most people in first issue was people who already knew through internships and from bar work etc. Kickstarter enabled production of first issue, raised £7000 used exchange of services and people already knew to produce kickstarter video. Used kickstarter is established in stated covered by multiple mags due to links with issues in news about internships at time. Realised wasn't enough money to make mag due to costs of publishing, started sponsorship angle. Print was good while lasted, hard to turn profit and sell effectively, cost £12000 to make 2000-3000 copies, with everyone getting paid.

Print Publishing:
Make sure print issue is not at centre of business model, as very difficult to make profit due to cost and distribution. Main element of profit is advertising within, high risk high reward. 

Evolution:
New website launch, more diversification by moving away from print, looking at different ways to do digital content. Conversations new addition for podcasts, youtube and events, mixing up delivery to find new audiences. Advantage of digital, smaller overheads, £9500 grand profit from Ace&Tate event which involved creating 5 stories, launch event, made print publication (limited edition 250 copies). Now working in collaboration with events production company, terms and conditions (legal advice for creatives), hosted at We Work, should help to take to any city. Launching podcast soon, initially tried to get funding from art council, if has community impact or purpose driven. Invested in kit from client revenue, also helped by University of Salford facilities, accessed students with participated.

Finances
Workshop/speaking services helped keep a-float, started with free, travel then started to get paid properly. The White Pube, modern spin of arts criticism, publicly publish earnings and comment on experience if feel underpaid or poor experience. If you pitch someone price and they don't negotiate price, you've priced too low.

Networking
Most influential:
Abraham - pop up agency, good pricing strategy
Sophie - helped with podcast and Facebook meetings. Been working in marketing and networking in London. Helped refined how intern communicates with brands, tone of voice etc.
Marlin - used to operations of Glug, very connected which has facilitated introductions. 

Growing:
One permanent team member Lorna, Openset (research based program), has number of roles. Will need team for podcast and youtube based on revenue created by those ventures. 

Questions:
Support at beginning:
lots of support at beginning from various people

Why name intern:
interested in that type of work, seem to be more and more popular but no-one talking about them.

Progress:
swings, risks sometimes pay off sometimes don't

Overall I found this presentation/talk very helpful as it was interesting to hear how an indie mag is set up and run, as well as the progression from print to digital. Furthermore it was interesting to learn about different funding methods to help start up your own business as many of these methods used by Intern could be implemented to other businesses such as setting up your own studios or funding freelance projects.

Time Planning

Learning Objectives - 6A2 

Due to the open nature of OUGD603 I've created a timetable of briefs to keep track of each brief so I can see what stage I'm at with each as I go throughout the module. Setting start dates and deadlines will ensure each brief is completed before the deadline so there is enough time for each brief to be completed to a high standard and design boards complete well before the deadline (7th may). In addition to being able to complete each brief know what briefs i'm doing and when will allow for more effective time management when it comes to organising internships as I can see what briefs I'm doing and plan my time effectively so I can complete my internship and stay on track with university work. 

Nest Submission

Learning Objectives - 6A2

I recently submitted to Nest an independent publication, whose next issue is focused on gender. I wanted to enter a piece of work for this issue as it allowed me to draw on my research surrounding gender conducted as part of OUGD601. Within this brief I chose to focus on the Adonis Complex a term given to a form of body dysmorphia that effects mainly young men and can result in excess body building as those effected see themselves as less muscular than they actually are. This element of the Adonis Complex is the focus of the piece I submitted which showcases what those effected by the adonis complex see versus what others see. The use of a bold extended typefaces achieves this concept as the outline represents what those effected see with the filled, mirror version behind what others see. Making the filled version difficult to see at first represents the issues faced by those effected as they cant see the damage they are doing to themselves. 

Creative Report Presentation

Learning Objectives: 6A2 6D2 

I was recently asked to present (see presentation below) my creative report from level 5 to current level 5 students explaining my approach to contacting professionals and process of creating the report itself. When presenting my creative report I focused on what I learnt from each person I interviewed and how I contacted that person, giving a run down of how each person contributed. I started by explaining the importance of using who you know which was how I was able to contact the Hungry Sandwich Club as I knew both Andy and Martin through my brother. Talking about why I wanted to contact each person was the main focus of my presentation as when I wanted to explain the importance of using the creative report to find something out that will help your practice such as if you want to freelance, how to go about doing that. Identifying how graduates and young professionals had set up on their own was a key aspect of the creative report for me as I wanted to see if this was an option of me upon graduation. Another key point demonstrated through the use of Benjamin was to do your research when contacting different people. With Benjamin I'd recognised him around university in first year so knew he had connections to LAU, making sure to mention I was a student to give me a better chance for a reply. Other tips is used when contacting him that I shared was complimenting and showing an interest in their work before sending the questions as you want to build a relationship and have a clear ask, such as would you answer some questions about your practice. This softer approach worked well as the person feels they are making a new connection rather than just answering interview questions. I also suggested that if the students could meet up with the person that would be best as it gives the opportunity to make a connection and build a network as your more rememberable in person than over e-mail. 

These where the main tips given within the presentation:

• compliment recent work 
• do your research 
• mix up subject title, name of work 
• use who you know 

Overall it was interesting sharing my experiences with other students as this isn't something I'd done before. It gave me the opportunity to practice public speaking a new less familiar environment as I'm use to talking in-front of students in my year but not on other levels of the course. I found the experience good practice, getting my points across clearly and concisely which has made me more comfortable talking about my own work and practice with other people giving me more confidence when talking to studios and people I don't know about my work. 

Work Placement Workshop

Learning Objectives: 6A2 6B2 6D2

Jobs as graphic design:

• Graphic designer (freelance)
• can freelance in agencies 
• Junior designer (studio)  - campaigner 
• In-house designer - campaigner 
• Junior designer in ad agency  - campaigner 
• Creative director - commander, mediator 
• Marketing 
• Consultancy - debtor 
• similar to freelance but more selling strategy than design strategy 
• can give a brand a nail on reading of trends within age group 
• Art direction - commander, protagonist 
• Teacher or lecturer 
• Social media manager 
• Studio founder - commander, protagonist 
• App design 
• Ux/ui design 
• Illustrator - advocate 
• Typographer  
• Product designer 
• Blogger/ social media - advocate, mediator 
• Set design  - advocate 
• Content strategist - protagonist 
• youth culture based
• Advertising creative - debtor 
• ideas machine
• Packaging design 
• Pre press technician 
• Front end web designer 
• no coding needed
• Motion design 
• Exhibition design - protagonist 
• OK-RM
• Interior design 
• Print maker  - advocate 
• dizzy ink
• moo
• newspaper club 
• Account director
• first point of contact for client 
• work for a single client within a company 
• Brand strategist - debtor 
• focused, building case around a re-brand 
• research based 
• Media planner or buyer 
• advertising based, once campaign is complete layout out case for where designs will be broadcast or based
• strategy based 
• Image retoucher 
• Art worker  - campaigner 
• retoucher, make sure work is ready for print 
• Magazine editor  - advocate 
• Event production 
• Video artist 
• Artist - mediator 

Personality Test:

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator - 16personalities.com results 

• The Protagonist
• ENFJ, -A/-T

Contacting Studios etc:

Be resilient!!

Formats:

• email 
• phone 
• mail 
• letter 
• package

Talk up soft skills and how you can fit within studio/team. Make first email short, sharp and compelling.

Have a clear ask, internship, feedback. 

Be clear about what you want, be direct.

Email needs to be easy to respond too and send follow up emails. 

Confidence and persistence 

Overall I found this session very helpful as it showed me the different job/areas I could go into after graduation. This was interesting as I just assumed I would go into a junior designer role within a small studio, then build up to art direction. However the idea of shadowing an art director or going straight into that area of design now feels more plausible.

Contacting Studios: Liverpool

Upon reflecting on where I want to work after university I decided to look at studios within Liverpool and Machester as I plan to be based in Liverpool but can commute.

Kalo:
After learning Kalo where the studio behind Mowgli's branding (see figure 1), a piece of branding I had admired for a while after seeing it around Liverpool and in the restaurant itself, I decided to contact to inquire about work experience. However as the Mowgli branding was a few years old I decided to conduct more research in order to reference a recent project I found interesting. I used Instagram to discover their recent project on Charles Loupot, a French artist (see figures 2-3). I found this project interesting as it wasn't a typical piece of branding, as this project was based on celebrating his work in a modern way. I found the approach to this brief interesting due to the clever use of typography which adds a modern element to older artwork.  Furthermore I chose to have 'Happy New Year' as the subject line instead of Charles Loupout or internship enquire so it would hopefully stand out more in the mailbox. Therefore I used this as a point of interest within my email asking about work experience. Despite including more information/ my opinion of the project I didn't receive an email (see figure 4). However an enquires email was used, proving that they are very ineffective and a more specific email for someone who works there would be more beneficial.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Studio Fifteen:
I discovered Studio Fifteen on google maps and was interested in their approach to branding as I found a number of their projects interesting, specifically their branding for the social media based company Twisted (see figure 5). However I didn't articulate this interest within my initial internship enquiry which was a mistake (see figure 6). On their website they have a dedicated email for internships, with a more structured approach than most studios which is why I was unsure as to how much to include within my email regarding opinions on specific projects (see figure 7). Upon reflection, a more detailed email, similar to my approach with Kalo should have been used. However I felt this studio was quite corporate lead rather than being approachable like other studios I had emailed making my email approach more reserved. However on reflection I don't think this studio is a good fit due to their more corporate feel as I want to work within a smaller more relaxed studio.

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7