Art for arts sake…

We’re a creative bunch, and sometimes it’s fun to just make something – hat tip to Alex McDowell, who’s presently part of our successful apprenticeship programme for the design work.

The City maketh the culture

If you’re very blunt cities are just a collection of buildings, roads and infrastructure where people happen to live and work; they’re essentially just a theatrical backdrop to the daily dramas of each individual’s life – but I like to think they’re more than that.

Cities aren’t just backdrops, they define cultures and movement, some much more so than others. For years certain cities have grabbed their denizens and shown them the lights, whether it be London, Berlin, Köln, New York, Paris or Florence the greatest artistic, political and cultural movements have sprung forth from the cities that spin their inhabitants like whirling dervishes into creative thought and action.

Take the naturalistic beauty of Florence; this is a city that has inspired generations of not just artists, but real masters. You think of Florence and you think of the whole Florentine School cabal which – amongst others – gave us Donatello, Botticelli, Masaccio and Michelangelo; and to this day artists flock to Florence to be inspired, to take in the winsome tuscan countryside, the exquisite architecture and the delicate palette of colours, smells and tastes that float through every Florentine street and piazza.

Or consider the roaring seething orgy that still is Berlin – through generations this city has inspired biting satire, political activism and an art scene that could only be described as brutally honest portrayals of the world around them. Politically this is the city that saw the rise of Communism and National Socialism in the 30s, during the cold war it saw political activism like nowhere else with a plethora of strong protest groups and even today real dissent and anti-government feeling ferments with activists still keeping Angela Merkel’s coalition quite firmly on its toes. Artistically, this political melting pot drives the art scene, from the vicious social commentary of George Grosz or Kathe Kollwitz to the glorious revelry in the debauchery of the cocaine fuelled metrosexual nightclubs as portrayed by Otto Dix; and more recently the free-wheeling poor but sexy Berlin as captured so marvellously in my opinion in the joyous canvases of Ann-Kristin Hamm.

London again twists its inhabitants, the driving ever-changing scene in London opens new doors every day; one person’s crap is another person’s treasure, from the decaying East End of the 1980   that inspired the mega-canvases of multi-cultural faces in Gilbert & Georges seminal work ‘Are you angry, or are you bored’ to the gawking polemic on Britain’s celebrity obsessed culture embodied so well in Damien Hirst’s ‘For the love of God’ (better known as the diamond encrusted skull). Over and over again London like Florence or Berlin has allowed a level of expression that no other city in its shadow could foster. It’s taken in the waifs and strays and given them a canvas to play with: and that – that – is why we love our cities.

Vivid London – it’s not just a name: it defines us, the city we’re based in hones our approach. Life should be Vivid, and London inspires us. It truly is a vivid city; the cultures, languages, art, theatre, cinema, architecture, the whole simmering mass is exciting to be in – and because of that creative thought thrives.

It’s time for the creative industry to take responsibility

Our thoughts on COI Reform and today’s General Election

On the eve of the United Kingdom’s most interesting General Election in modern times, many in the advertising and marketing sectors are still concerned about the future of the Central Office of Information (COI), the British government’s marketing agency.

As well as being Britain’s largest advertiser, the COI is the Government’s main procurer of advertising and marketing services. Most British agencies are therefore stakeholders in the organisation.

The COI’s current way of working has been called in to question; both by the Government in recent months, and by the battling governments-in-waiting during this election campaign.
As things stand, the Treasury, led by Chancellor Alastair Darling, has ordered a 25% reduction in the marketing and advertising budgets of all Whitehall departments for the current two years. Both main opposition parties, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives have no objections to this cut.

But there is more to the parties’ plans for the COI. Campaigns that have worked in the past are now failing to reach their audiences or drive them to action. There have been success stories, like the recent binge drinking virals by VCCP which certainly caught the public’s attention.

Generally, though, the political consensus seems to be that COI campaigns aren’t as effective as they once were – mainly because they are becoming increasingly middle of the road, arguably as larger agencies begin to count on COI business regardless of creative content. Campaigns that fail to reach their objectives and don’t provide a great deal of return on investment are a problem for the taxpayer.

The Conservatives have announced plans to move COI contracts to a pay per results model. At Vivid London, we’d be happy to work under those conditions – we are confident in our abilities – but a lot of other agencies see the practice as unfair. They argue that ads can only promote behavioural change, not guarantee it.

Nothing’s certain in the world of marketing. You can never guarantee that a press release you send out, however interesting the story or full of hooks the content, will be picked up by the media. You can never guarantee that any advertising campaign that you run will change the audiences behaviour (purchasing or otherwise). And you can never be sure that your shiny new communications strategy will reach all of its audiences.

But you can mitigate these uncertainties. Our work at Vivid London is informed by thorough research – meaning that we audit all previous marketing efforts, analyse target audiences counterintuitively and focus on measurable deliverables. We’re upfront about our expected results and are happy to be judged (and paid) by them.

All in all, this will mean more efficient use of taxpayer money and more heated battles for part of the COI’s £232m annual budget. It will also lead to more stylish, effective and better advertising in the future. This is better for both agencies and consumers – after all, talking to the audience in a way that they understand is what creative agencies are supposed to do! Becoming reliant on government contracts not only impedes an agency’s creativity, but can also lead to disaster when these contracts are withdrawn. Just ask i-Level.

Whatever the colour(s) of the next government, the creative industry needs to become more efficient and adaptable – and it needs to accept direct responsibility for campaign performance. We always have – and always will.

–
Adam James Morecroft & Camille le Goff

German – The ‘Language of Ideas’

Guido Westerwelle, Germany’s Foreign Minister, is often lampooned for his distinct lack of finesse when speaking English. His political rivals often argue that his linguistic skills are not befitting those of a foreign minister. Amongst the social media public Westerwelle is infamous: A group that mistranslates German press articles in to his vernacular has almost 50,000 fans on Facebook.

It should come as no surprise then, that Mr Westerwelle recently launched the “German – the language of ideas” campaign. It highlights the strength of the German language with events running at Goethe Instituten around the world and counts some of Germany’s most prolific authors amongst its patrons.

We agree; German is a strong contender for the title of ‘the language of ideas’. Of themselves, Germans talk of their nation as being that of the Dichter und Denker (poets and thinkers) – It’s a fair point. Where would we be without Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Immanuel Kant, or Bertoldt von Brecht? Even if you’re not a fan of these, you won’t be able to deny the impact that German writers, philosophers and have had on European and world thought.

We’re commited to having an impact on the European media scene – that’s why our team is largely bilingual, and why we pride ourselves on integrated campaigns that are tailored to specific cultures.

To find out how we can make German the language of your ideas, contact us today!

Advertising in Supermarkets: Britain and German

Luisa joined Vivid London as an intern a month ago to gain new media new media skills. We asked her to compare an aspect of our work that she would experience in her daily life. She chose point of sale promotions in the UK and Germany. Read on!

Special offers versus consistent value for money

Beer, bratwursts and sauerkraut. Sausage, beans, and mash.

If you’re talking about cultural differences, a good place to start is the food we eat every day. Across Europe, supermarkets have become the main source of the food we eat – but that food, and the way it’s promoted and advertised, is still vastly different.

You could say that I’m in the perfect position to notice these differences. I’m from Germany originally, where I’m studying for a degree in commercial communications, but I’ve just started an Internship at Vivid London.

To highlight the differences I’ve noticed, why don’t we take a short trip through a German and a British supermarket?

The main thing you’d notice in a German supermarket would be the fruit and vegetables section. It’s often arranged like a market stall. Each product comes in a ‘normal’ and an ‘organic’ variety. Customers move through the shop slowly, in an anti-clockwise direction.

In Britain, the main thing I noticed was the forest of gaudy yellow signs pointing out this week’s special offers, which confused me at first. I wasn’t used to seeing these blatant ‘buy me’ messages everywhere! On top of that I had to constantly fight my conscience: We don’t have as much junk food in Germany!

Supermarkets are crowded in Britain. This was quite a shock for me: Briton’s are famous the world over for their good manners and affinity for queuing. It’s true; queues are very ordered in the UK, but this order doesn’t carry through to the rest of the shop, with people chaotically rushing through narrow aisles in every direction!

In Germany, it’s normal nowadays for even the most senior of executives to go to a so-called ‘discount’ supermarket with no shame. They may buy their ‘special products’ from a branded chain, but people of all income levels can be found browsing the shelves at their local Aldi, Lidl or Netto.

This isn’t the case in Britain. Campaigns calling for the middle class to ‘change their supermarket, not their lifestyle’ have been less successful: Waitrose and Marks & Spencer still compete for the ‘premium pound’.

There are certainly product differences (It would be hard to convince a German to buy baby food in a tin!), but the overwhelming contrast is promotional: German’s focus on consistent ‘good value’; Briton’s expect ‘buy one, get one free’ offers.

The choice is yours – check out each country’s supermarkets and pick the style you prefer. For me, it would be a mix between the two models.

A vivid obsession…

We keep coming back to it; but only because it’s so true: Our designers here are obsessed with good typography.

A colleague recently came back from a quick browsing session with a great suggestion: Helvetica (an office favourite) cookie cutters!

Don’t be surprised if you’re greeted by some yummy cookies, gorgeously designed, next time you come in to see us!

Our new website

We’ve been quietly working away over the past few days on a project that we’re really excited about. So excited that we’re now ready to shout it out.

Our new website launched in the early hours of this morning, and reflects both the historical evolution of the firm, as well as the vivid portfolio of clients we service.

Check it out at http://www.vividlondon.com now!

It’s tough starting out.

There are more university graduates than ever before – and less jobs for them to move in to. To get ahead, you don’t just need to shine: the key to unlocking the door is to get your foot in it first.

There is good news: We want to help.

Outstanding creativity comes in many forms. So do Vivid interns. Media, design and communications students are welcome of course, but we’ll still be interested if you’re studying maths.

The role is broad – you’ll learn about every aspect of a full-service communications agency. What we need from you is the ability to create outstanding work, and to do it with a smile. The position is unpaid; but reasonable travel expenses and a lunch stipend will be included.

Vivid has always recognised the quality of (what we like to call) ‘bright young things’. That’s why our staff have all risen to their current roles from internship positions. We give you the freedom to run with your ideas, and support you to bring them to life; where they (and you) go is up to you.

If you can commit to a full day (or two half days a week), ask us about a placement today.

How to make your clients love you!

I think of my clients as being like orchids, precious and occasionally a little delicate. They require light (or enlightenment), the right kind of nourishment and a wee bit of pampering. Some like special foods and drink but, in these frugal times, it’s more likely to be Costa Coffee than Claridges. At their best, clients – and orchids – give richness to our lives.

In most cases, your client has commissioned you because there’s synergy. The client not only likes your proposals but also believes that you can work well together.
The art form is to ensure that expectations on both sides continue to be matched. Honesty is paramount. Keep your skills up to date and be prepared to put in the hours. Create the fairy dust they cannot produce for themselves..

There are well known bear-traps of course. Some clients are essentially uncomplicated beings. All they want is a positive story on the front page of the Daily Telegraph, no matter that their product is a basic margarine with not one redeeming health feature. It’s a waste of time to point out that potential purchasers probably take the Express. It has to be the Telegraph, obviously, because that’s what the chairman reads. As the little meerkat says ‘Simples (kchk)’.

I thought this was an old-fashioned concept – surely we have moved on – but variations still occur. Recently, a US business school with a small London presence, well down the league tables overall, wanted coverage only in Business Week and the Financial Times, irrespective of the fact that there was no news story, no ground-breaking research, and a founder who might not wish to discuss his vision. Oh, and the client wanted our success to be reflected in enhanced registrations. And the budget was barely discernable to the naked eye. We asked politely if the client thought potential students were reading these publications but were informed that they should be. Vivid London was scrupulous in stating firmly that no guarantees could be made for coverage, much less in these top titles and so the client went with a bigger agency which, we suspect, took the pitifully small fee and ran.

In a purely consultative role, one is sometimes required to be guru and also therapist. I recommend that consultants do not encourage intimacy. It will probably be an embarrassment to the client later when they are feeling stronger that you know so much about their softer side. I once had to draw a line when a client whose waistband resembled the equator confided that he was worried, not about his weight, but about his hairline. We were heading into confessions of a racy youth and the regrets of middle age. We don’t go there.

Sometimes clients veer towards the tasteless or even something downright bad for them. In the former case, that’s fine: they are over the age of consent and they are paying. Where it is not in their best interest, you can give advice, if necessary robustly. Where you or your organisation are compromised or undermined, you must think carefully about any ongoing relationship.

Look after your better houseplants. Tend them, prune them, enjoy the flowering period – and with luck they will become perennials.

Falling into the trap – again

At university, I was never taken aback by professors citing Al-Qaeda as ‘the perfect example of globalisation’. It’s a statement intended to throw a first year off – How could this supposedly anti-modern (in the Western sense), anti-capitalist movement possibly embody what is the inevitable outcome of an interconnected, capitalist world?

Most first years limit their interpretation of the scope of globalisation to economics. Its intended meaning in this context is only clear after some thought: A transnational issue network, which operates efficiently thanks to the help of modern communication tools, and takes advantage of the global media to spread its message to a much larger audience.

What does this have to do with Islam4UK? Similarly, a group that most would expect to be unsympathetic to the media landscape of the United Kingdom knew exactly how to manipulate it to their advantage.

A little history: This may be the first (and is now likely to be the only) time you’ve heard of Islam4UK, but the organization behind it has a sound grasp of the importance of branding.

Its parent group, al-Muhajiroun was founded by a radical Muslim cleric Omar Bakri Muhammad in 1986, with the same aims as its current iteration: for Britain to accept that Sharia law is superior to ‘man made’ law, and that it should be adopted as the code of justice. It rose to infamy in 2005, when it held a conference titled ‘The Magnificent 19’, in reference to the 9/11 plotters. This received major media coverage. The organisation was subsequently banned by then Home Secretary Charles Clarke in 2005.

Sound familiar? History may be repeating itself…

Islam4UK released their plans to hold a march in a town that has now become somewhat revered in the eyes of many Britons. The press picked up on it instantly; it exploded on the wires and was soon all over our television screens. A forgotten man, al-Muhajiroun’s deputy leader, Anjem Choudary was suddenly given airtime on rolling news channels, arguing his organisation’s points to a wide audience.

Whether the organisation’s intention to march was ever sincere, they successfully created a media storm: front page headlines, features on all of the evening news debates, and even a statement from the Prime Minister. They took their issue, made it high-profile by making it highly controversial, and the media ran with it, acting as a huge megaphone for the voice of a tiny minority.

Their website was suddenly being linked to from the most reputable of websites; this in turn compelled the voice of the mainstream Muslim community, the Muslim Council of Great Britain, to warn of the rise in Islamophobia they were creating – which, surely, should have been far from the Islam4UK’s aims.

The old adage that there is ‘no such thing as bad press’ doesn’t hold true in this case: A Facebook group decrying their intentions grew exponentially to over 750,000 members in just a few days. In a perfect example of the strength of social media as a measure of popular opinion, the British Government has now ‘outlawed’ the group under Anti-Terror laws. Nevertheless, the organisation has reached its aim: Its ideas enjoy a higher public profile and have held the headlines for more than a few days.

At every level, from its ‘Web 1.5’ name to the deployment of its media strategy, Islam4UK has efficiently, if unfortunately, ensured that it can reach all who may be open to its message.

Most will agree that proposing this incendiary march was disrespectful and misplaced; none can deny the effectiveness of the strategy behind it.

Their response to the ban: That a ‘new platform with a new name will arise to continue to fulfill these divine objections until the Sharia has been implemented’. I don’t doubt it: Islam4UK will follow the footsteps of ‘Call to Submission’, ‘Islamic Path’, the ‘London School of Sharia’ and the like; all offshoots and separate brands of al-Muhajiroun.

A new ‘brand’, with a new gimmick, will launch from the ashes of this campaign, and the outcome is likely to be the same. How did they fall for it again?