Cover Boy (clutching at straws)

Over the years we've had the opportunity to get a lot of clients high profile media coverage, including a swathe of magazine covers, however there's not a lot that is more satisfying than getting on there yourself. Thanks to Idealog I've finally done it!

I am clutching at straws here, but with the naked eye I am able to be recognised, so I'm claiming it. That's me above the big yellow "E" in 'TH"E" CONVERSATION" ... and yes that is an ostrich behind me.

Marketing in a recession

OK, so we've all been told the end is nigh, the sky is falling and we're heading for recession for the foreseeable future. We also know the old adage that the most successful businesses continue to advertise through the tough times. When the raw reality hits of decreasing confidence, needing to pay the bills and your staff, this is easier said than done.

We believe that they key is to advertise smarter, rather than less.

• Have a strategy for your brand and communications. Ad hoc marketing decisions end up in wastage and substantial cost increases over time
  
• Reconsider your media mix
• Explore online social networking and targeted advertising strategies
• Try something new. As Einstein put it, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results
• Utilise a cost effective communications agency with a coherent and strategic approach to spending your cash
• Remember that generating word of mouth is the most effective form of communication
  

Finding a place in the world

I recently attended the Semi Permanent conference in Auckland. It was a great event with presentations from twelve creative professionals working around the world in a range of disciplines including graphic design, motion graphics, interaction design etc. Over the two day conference some common themes emerged amongst the speakers. Often their best work and most creative projects were “love jobs”. One designer even said that she forgave her fee for a poster to enable the client to afford a very expensive printing technique. The resulting posters were so beautiful that the client decided to sell them online. They sold out in a couple of days. The designer has beautiful photographs of her work but was paid absolutely nothing for this project.

I understand the thinking behind this and can relate to it myself – when an enjoyable project comes along you are more than happy to put everything into it in the hope that the high quality work may be noted by your peers and potential clients, which will then lead to more work. Creative professionals are doing their best work for free and are charging higher prices to do poorer quality or less creative work. I repeat, creative professionals are doing their best work for free and are charging higher prices to do poorer quality or less creative work. Can you imagine a builder working by this philosophy? Or a surgeon? Or anyone else for that matter?

Another theme that emerged during the conference was the old design vs art debate. Is good design art? One designer insisted that it was, whilst another said art and design will never be the same because “design has to work”. Perhaps professional creative people have a repressed inner artist who is dying to express themselves. This inner artist is so desperate to work on a creative project that when one comes along they do it for free. Maybe this explains why designers are prepared to work on enjoyable projects for free. If this is the case, then surely creative professionals should satisfy themselves creatively outside of work. If they don’t, it’s the same as going grocery shopping when you’re hungry.

The other argument is that if clients appreciated creativity they would pay for it. Surely then it is our responsibility to educate clients on the benefits of creativity in communication. If clients recognise and appreciate better work then they would be prepared to pay for it. There are effectiveness awards that may help in the client education process, but the work is rarely exceptional on a creative level, so these awards would fail to encourage clients to pay more for something they percieve they don’t need. Other award shows judge creativity with no regard for effectiveness of the communication, so these also do not reinforce the worth of creativity. This leads me to my own personal struggle.

I worked as a graphic designer for five years and never understood the general mentality of designers. Designers are employed to produce pieces of communication, however in most cases, they do not care if the work actually communicates. For many their work is a vehicle to deliver selfish fulfillment. For example, a designer will present a logo in the colour orange and post-rationalise the colour choice to the client when truthfully, the colour has no relevance to the brand or the business, it is simply their favourite colour.

This self indulgence never sat well with me so I left design to work in advertising. As an outsider to the advertising industry I liked the lack of pretense. These guys were making ads to sell products and weren’t pretending otherwise. I liked the strategic foundations of advertising. Briefs came from understanding both the brand and the consumers and the resulting work reflected these insights. As a creative person I was inspired by the creative ads I saw and I worked as hard as I could to get a job with the creative director who's work inspired me most. Very quickly I discovered that advertising creatives are obsessed by winning awards.

Like the design industry, advertising work considered to be potentially award winning is done for free. I worked in several agencies where day-to-day work on real client jobs was less important than my ability to win awards. I was expected to pro-actively create work for existing or new clients that could win the agency more awards. Award winning advertising is generally made for industry peers. Everybody is trying to be more creative and innovative than each other. Often in the quest for awards, the client, their product and the effectiveness of the work is irrelevant. I personally do not agree with this approach. Clients give us their marketing budgets in good faith. In my opinion I think that providing solutions with no regard for the cost or the outcome is disrespectful and lacks integrity.

Sometimes I do not know where I fit in the world of creative professionals. I know that I enjoy the creative problem solving process and I like that my work can help people grow their business. I love all forms of creative communication when it is relevant to the brief and when it is executed without ulterior motives. I do believe that there are solutions that are both creative and effective. I hope the work we produce for our clients at The Whisper Shop reflects this.

Angela, Creative Director

Become a fan!

We think it would be lovely if you become a "fan" of The Whisper Shop on Facebook.

Crackerjacks, Freedom from 9 to 5

The Whisper Shop have had a major client project in incubation for a little while now, but the egg has finally hatched. Last Thursday we launched Crackerjacks.

Crackerjacks is New Zealand's marketplace for contractors. Up until now, someone else has always dictated when and where you work. But not any more. Crackerjacks' contractors have a lot more control over how they spend their time. As a contractor you decide when you work, who you work for and how much you want to earn, and with Crackerjacks now it can all be managed at your fingertips.

If you're one of the New Zealanders crying out for more leave and greater flexibility of working hours, contracting is a great way for you to achieve that all important work/life balance, allowing you to own your own time. Contracting gives you the freedom of being your own boss, minus the responsibility of running a business. It allows you to do what you like with a Monday, mould a Friday to suit yourself and you get to choose what you're going to do with your own December. It's completely up to you. As a Crackerjacks contractor you get to pick and choose how you spend your time, and most importantly, you are in control of your own life. It's the contemporary way to approach your career.

Crackerjacks is for people of any vocation, is great for mum's returning to the workforce, people who are studying part-time, older people who aren't quite ready to retire yet and of course people who want to make more money and want greater flexibility in their working style. And of course, since we're going to build the most comprehensive collection of contractors in NZ, if your business needs to hire a contractor - you now know where to look. We believe we are offering businesses the most cost effective and user friendly offering in the market.

Spend your life wisely, become a contractor. check out www.crackerjacks.co.nz and become a fan on Facebook

The Whisper Shop ... in pictures. Part2

The Whisper Shop ... in pictures. Part1

Introducing Onto-it

Onto-it is an Information Communications Technology system for farmers who want to monitor and improve their farm’s performance.

The Onto-it Farm system provides key info about your farm, at your finger tips, whenever you want it, wherever you are. The Whisper Shop have worked with Onto-it to develop a range of corporate videos, designed and built their website, developed their print collateral, created a PR strategy, and if you are popping down the Fieldays next week, check out their stand that we helped design.

User Generated Content: "Taka Throw Down"

Working with our clients Action Sports Marketing and their leading brand DC Shoes, The Whisper Shop developed a promotional campaign and a public relations package to surround the "Taka Throw Down" a snowboard event at Takapuna Beach on the North Shore.

Only a couple of days later, and it's already evident the way that PR coverage is measured is ever-changing. In addition to traditional coverage such as this piece from TV3, we're measuring user generated content such as the YouTube videos below. Undoubtedly more video and photos will emerge in the coming days.

A belated welcome to Ange!

It's a crime that we haven't announced it here already, but we are delighted to welcome Angela Bonfiglio as Creative Director and Managing Partner of The Whisper Shop.

As an Art Director for DDB and Saatchi & Saatchi Angela worked on many of New Zealand’s favourite brands including Toyota, DB Breweries, TVNZ, Watties, Tegal, Westpac and Telecom. After working as Creative Director for Revolution Advertising and winning an array of international advertising awards including a Cannes Silver Lion and a D&Ad nomination, Angela also created the branding and award winning ranges of gift products for New Zealand’s fastest growing gift brand Hello Dolly Tools for Women. She’s left the large agency environment to pursue something greater, albeit smaller.

Glad to have you Ange.