Tuesday 29 March 2011

My Best Ad of 2010 - E4 Flashmobbed Advert (D&B Takeover!) - Week 8



I dunno what it is about me, but I love a bit of chaos and this ad ticks all the boxes. In a nutshell this ad shows....

The devastating effects that can occur when drum & bass is unleashed upon a group of innocent pop-lovers in a busy London shopping centre. What seems like a nice bit of synchronized dancing turns into all out junglist mayhem as SKIBBA & CO bring the place down! The track used is 'Human Error' by 'Human Error'.
After first watching the ad.  I thought it was just another sequel to the popular T-mobile 'Flash Mob' ad.  But, in fact the ad is actually modeled on T-mobile's - check it out: Original flash Mob Ad  So, after second viewing... T-mobile's ad, in comparison to E4's offering. Makes the whole concept of a "civilised" flash mob now seem really boring and cliched... As a result the thing I don't get is why the ad was banned? Anyways, I think it it's a brilliant ad! Its got something for everyone Sex, Shock and Rock 'n' Roll what more could you want?

To be honest I actually feel quite privileged for witnessing this on commercial TV, since I only got to view it once, before it was promptly taken off air. So, I thought it only right to share this masterpiece with you. Enjoy!

Monday 14 March 2011

Reviewing Digital Innovation – Week 7

As part of the graduate scheme. I have been given graduate objectives. Which are a list of tasks I’m appraised on throughout my rotation in different departments throughout the agency. One of the tasks, on the list that I have been doing since I started is ‘Competitor Site Monitoring’; this basically involves regularly reviewing the banner ads of our main competitors within the international financial services market. To monitor innovation and trends. 


Monitoring the Competition
When I initially began conducting competitor site monitoring, I really had no idea what I was looking out for… I mean, what exactly represented an innovative banner ad? How was I supposed to spot trends in banner ad execution? And, what exactly were my findings going to be used for? However, this week I had all my questions answered and, discovered additional things along the way. 


Digital Innovation Presentation
As I had to support the team in preparing information for a digital innovation presentation; which involved working alongside Planning to feedback the digital innovation information I had collected from my weekly competitor monitoring. Than attend a meeting with a host of creative and digital specialists to discuss and share digitally innovative campaigns relevant to the clients brand which could possibly be used to inspire future digital campaigns.

Click the links below to see some of the digitally innovative integrated banner ad campaigns that were identified and presented to the client.

Wednesday 9 March 2011

First impressions are lasting impressions...The Company Meeting - Week 6

In the above blog introduction I promised to discuss the highs and lows of my advertising experience. In previous blog posts I have shared many highs so now I think, its about time that I share the lows, cause I don't want to short-change you. 


The Company Meeting
It was late afternoon, and time for the company meeting. An occasion where the entire agency downs tools for an hour and gathers in Bobbs Place - the company bar. To witness a showcase of all the great creative work happening within agency walls; Senior Mangement inform us of any new business, company initiatives or awards the agency has achieved.  And, its also used as an opportunity to present 'Heroes' with awards for hard-work and welcome 'new starters' to the agency. 

New Starter Embarrassment 
When I arrived at the company meeting, Bobb's Place was packed! So, I took a seat on the floor close to the front of the stage. Our Managing Director kicked-off the meeting by briefly running through the agenda on a PowerPoint presentation. As she did so, my eyes homed-in on the last item of the agenda. Which said 'WELCOME NEW STARTERS' still feeling like a' fish out of water'. 


I felt an acute sense of dread wash over me, because I really wanted to keep a low-profile and I had no idea what welcoming new-starters involved? or what I was expected to do and not do? So, I began to feel the nerves of potentially making a mistake set in. The fear of making a mistake played on mind, to the point I found it very difficult to concentrate on everything that was happening during the course of the meeting. I was trying to think of a sensible strategy I could use to avoid needlessly embarrassing myself. I decided the best thing to do, would be to copy what the other new-starters did - "when in Rome" and all that Jazz! Except when new starter introduction time came around. Guess whose name was first on the list? Mine of course!   When, the Managing Director called out my name. My heart stopped. Than started again, but this time it began pounding 10x faster! 

The Announcement
I was seated on the floor so, I quickly stumbled to my feet. However, instead of staying in one place like a normal person... I preceded to make my way to the front of the stage to introduce myself to the company.  (I was so nervous, really didn't want to be doing it - but,  I assumed that's what I was expected to do.) 


So, yep! I stood up in front of the entire company and said something along the lines of "Hi my name is Jessica, I am the new graduate, I come from West London University and last week I found out I was awarded a First Class Honors Degree!" The entire company gave me an  energetic round of applause and I went back to my seat on the floor, ready to watch the next unlucky candidate make an arse of themselves, like me. Except... this didn't happen. Because, usual protocol was just to raise your hand and say hello! From whereever you were standing . Not, marching up to the front of the stage and telling your life story! The moment, I realised this I could have died - I wanted the ground to swallow me up... I was beyond embarrassed. 

The Aftermath 
When I returned to my desk, the whole team was rolling over in laughter, basically saying "Jessica - your nuts". The Account Director said "what you did was a fantastic PR stunt because now everybody knows who you are, which can only be a good thing!" And, I would diffinately employ someone like you; because your obviously very brave! But, the main thing the team more surprised at - which I honestly never thought they would be. Was the fact I had achieved a 'First' and neglected to tell them. I can't really say why, except that I don't think arrogance is an attractive trait, and I silently felt it was deserved. Because, like many students I had worked hard and paid a lot of money for my degree. Plus, the novelty of achieving a First quickly paled in significance to joining the agency.

The Lesson 
Even though I really embarrassed myself at the company meeting - in more ways than one.  It actually turned out quite well...  As that day, I left the office feeling really silly and embarrassed. However, when I returned the following morning. As soon as I entered the office lots of people were introducing themselves to me and congratulating me on my degree, and in the days that followed I began to make friends and be invited to drinks and events. So I can only figure that my Account Director was right when he said "now everyone knows you". I think, because I put myself out there. Many people have felt OK to put themselves out there with me..

So, I'm less embarrassed because I think that episode has quickly helped me to settle in within the team and the agency.  Therefore maybe the lesson here is "in some situations it pays not to follow the crowd... March to your own beat and see what happens!"

Whats the Worst that Can Happen? 

Tuesday 1 March 2011

Digital Ad Execution: The BLUE Man Banner - Week 5

Week 5, of my advertising agency experience so far has been really good. I have noticed that time, days and weeks go so fast in an agency environment. I think, maybe it’s due to there being so much work to do. For instance, this week involved helping out with the Blue Man Banner Refresh - an animated Flash Banner advertisement that features on the client’s website, see below.
Blue Man Banner Ad
The banner refresh required I worked with the Account Director in order to clarify and understand the client’s rationale for updating the banner. I found this task especially interesting; because I was presented with a list of keywords consisting of search terms that the client had collected from analysisng click through traffic sources to its website. I had to judge what the client’s search engine optimization requirements were? In doing so, I learnt that it was to nurture its organic search traffic, and not for keyword optimiztion reasons. Due to search engines being unable to communicate with flash banners. The great thing about this task was that I was given full responsibility over its internal management. This involved liaising with the client via email, updating the client on the project’s progress at the weekly status meeting and scheduling a face to face meeting with the client to discuss the project’s next steps.

Date: 1 March 2011

Looking back over My Shoulder - March

Ok, so it’s March and my second month working in the agency, the experience so far has been a real eye-opener and very exciting!


Looking back at last month...
I think in the future, I will always remember the start of my career in advertising as a major culture shock. Main reason is, I went from being a care-free marketing student to a Digital Marketing Executive in the space of 2 days.

As on January 28th I submitted my dissertation and on the 1st February I started working. At the time I left university, I had no idea of what my examination results were, because I had literally just sat them. I kept thinking… I could have failed miserably; therefore a large part of my day consisted of logging on to the university website in my downtime, to check if the examination results had been published…. Nail biting stuff I can tell you!




It's Impossible to Know Everything
I felt like I went from being a competent and able marketer at university. Feeling a little lik a "big fish in a small pond" to feeling like a "very small fish in a big pond". Which was quite a humbling and grounding experience. Because, I had to accept and realise that even though I have studied marketing and business for over 10yrs and have always had a life-long passion for the subject and profession. There is still so much about practicing marketing and the advertising industry that I don’t know. And, more surprisingly the people around me don’t know everything either; because, the industry moves so fast and relies on innovation.

I suppose that’s the reason why it is very common for the term 'marketeer' to be used as a blanket term for the role. As when you scratch the surface you realise that many people specialise in specific areas of the profession, for example, it is a Marketing Planners job to analyse marketing insight and come up with over-arching themes or ideas for a campaign - which are known as marketing strategies and an Account Executives role to work in tandem with the client and agency to support the wider team in managing the clients account i.e. brand. So, looking forward into March... armed with a bit more knowledge - i'm really looking forward to discovering what this new month has instore for me!


Date: March 2011