The Backwards Brief
Choose a specific example of graphic design / illustration / branding / art direction / motion graphics, which is related to your research subject area.
This could be a poster design, brand packaging, an ad in a magazine, a piece of animation, a shop front window, a book illustration etc – whatever relates to your research subject and area of media.
Quicksilver Dynamite Surfing
Agency Saatchi, Denmark
Creative director: Simon Wooller
Background
What do you think is the background, which has informed this work? (Market, Competition etc)
This video was created as a viral for surf brand Quiksilver by Saatchi & Saatchi, Denmark. The video was most likely created to put onto YouTube, or a similar video website to create brand awareness other countries, and to spark interest in surfing.
Audience and context – Who do you believe is the target audience? What is the context for this piece of communication?
I think the target audience for this was younger people, mainly males aged between 18 + 25 interested in extreme sports. I think it was intended to grab attention if they came across it on the internet, as the age group would be very ‘tech savvy’.
1) Executional guidelines – Describe the key words (mood, personality or visual qualities etc) that has informed this work? What are the materials, techniques and processes used to create this piece of communication?
Exhilarating, exciting, playful, fun, cool
The style of this video seems to have been purposefully done in an amatuer way, by using a mobile phone or handheld camera. This was probably done to provoke debate and discussion as to whether the video was real or not, and ultimately get it tp spread via word-of-mouth among the youth public.
I think it was probably intended to look like it was made cheaply, but the special effects of the dynamite in the water shows that a lot of thought had gone into this. By adding music over the top, they make it appear like it was done at home on iMovie, but was probably edited on something like Final Cut Pro.
1) If you were commissioned to design this work yourself – what are the stages in the research and design process you would use? List as bullet points:
Research processes
- Read the brief
- Research deeply into target audience i.e. what do these people enjoy, what do they watch, where do they go etc
- What would provoke a reaction in them/grab their attention
- Be outrageous
- How to connect with them and create a positive brand awareness in a country where people don’t generally surf
Design processes
- Brainstorm several ideas
- Narrow down this brainstorm with thumbnail sketches/storyboards of ideas
- Pick the best few and expand on these, think about how these can be made into a viable campaign, content etc
- Decide on a final idea, think about execution i.e how you are going to film it, what reaction do you want it to cause?
- Storyboard final piece
- Check it would fit target audience
- Film
- Upload and let the fun begin!
How might these processes relate to your own research?
My project is about creating a viral campaign to the niche market, and expanding this into the wider audience. this viral is a perfect example of the kind of project I would like to generate. this video was posted onto the internet so people vis searching for surfing would find this video. Ultimately this was the niche market that creative agency started off with, but was soon blown up (excuse the pun!) into a big debate generating millions of views and discussions that spread to the papers and news station around the world.
I will be working along a very similar process to what I answered to question 4, as with a viral campaign it has to be outrageous and spark interest particularly to the niche market, and hopefully if it is successful, into the wider audience.
