RESEARCH
Sketchbook research, analysis ideas for Week 12.
Creative studios with a global business reach.
In a fast-paced, digital era, brands with international reach need design expertise in multi-faceted services and consumer trends. Agencies now need to service the output, creative communications and consumer insight for clients globally.
Larger agencies have evolved to meet these global trends by amalgamating various creative industries. This process brings multiple services under one roof to simplify and streamline compelling offerings to clients that are more holistic and simple to navigate (Tolley, 2021).
These multi-disciplinary agencies include:
· Wunderman Thompson, combines award-winning creativity alongside expertise in technology, data and commerce for a broader offering to clients.
· Superunion brings different teams and skills together from the start, allows for various cultural perspectives.
· Pentagram's work encompasses graphics and identity, products and packaging, exhibitions and installations, websites and digital experiences, advertising and communications, sound and motion (The top 20 US design studios of 2018 | Creative Bloq, 2021). The 24 partners from as far afield as London, New York, Berlin, and Austin work independently or collaboratively to service clients worldwide with a global mindset (News, 2021).
· Landor is the world's largest specialist brand and design group, with more than 1,200 creative minds spanning upwards of twenty countries. Brand consulting, strategic design capability, experience, retail and workplace design, and leading motion design drive transformation and help market brands like Nestle, Nike, Eurosport, Apple to a global audience (Browse our work | Landor, 2021).
Creative studios cannot get caught looking inward while trying to project a brand outwards. Forward-thinking and a united, creative, imaginative, global scale approach benefits both client and agency (Tolley, 2021).
ANALYSIS
Influential global graphic design studios that communicate to a local audience.
Brands now need to have a global presence and communicate efficiently and effectively to different markets when culturally perspectives differ. Singapore airlines are the best international airline because their culture is built around one of hierarchy and service. Scandinavian airlines less so because their culture is based on equality. India has no regard for traffic laws, whereas Scandinavians follow traffic laws precisely (Riccardi, 2014). Culturally we all have different ideas of what is accepted and familiar; design and marketing communication needs to transcend these barriers.
Adidas was struggling to enter the football market without the swagger that would appeal to a youthful market. Iris World Wide created the 'There will be Haters' campaign, which played on the opposition fans hatred of the best player on the opposition team, with a London-centric attitude that gave Adidas a voice and a point of view (Tolley, 2021).
Fig. 1: There will be haters, 2015.
Fig. 2: There will be haters, 2015.
Fig. 3: There will be haters, 2015.
One of the most influential global campaigns communicated to a local audience is John Mescalls 'Dumb Ways to Die'. The humorous, simple animations that combine story-telling and a catchy song created awareness of rail safety. The animations show ridiculous ways of dying in an attempt to make people respond to public safety. The humanistic design is essential for tech promotion (Brand news, 2013).
The campaign used various platforms for communication; Tumblr created a viral effect; Sound-Cloud made it easier for people to spread; karaoke versions played in train stations with posters re-invoice the message; the song played on the radio. The video recorded 24 million views on YouTube in the first week, making it the most shared and effective public service campaign in history that resulted in a 21% reduction in accidents and deaths (London International Awards, 2013).
Fig. 4: Mescalls, 2018.
Fig. 5: Dumb ways to die, 2020.
Fig. 6: Brown, 2013.
Fig. 7: How to Approach and Avoid Death by Using a Silly Dose of Humor, 2017.
Fig. 8: Dumb Ways to Die Campaign, 2018.
Work like this has a real-world creative impact that inspires people to change their behaviour.
WORKSHOP CHALLENGE
Sketchbook Workshop Challenge ideas for Week 12 - Storyboarding my YouTube video.
REFLECTION
I drew similarities this week between larger creative studios merging to accommodate a multi-disciplinary offering for clients and freelancers and smaller agencies collaborating to do the same.
Brands now need to communicate across multiple channels: design, marketing, data, digital, social, mobile, viral, AI, video, etc. Freelancers or smaller agencies do not have the capabilities to be everything to everyone. The task for the client is now infinitely more complicated if they cannot afford the costs of a global agency as they would need to source ten different companies to market their brand.
I have found freelancers and smaller agencies collaborating with professionals in multiple industries to counter this. My company is a one-person show with freelance partnerships with copywriters, art directors, illustrators, photographers, videographers, 3D animators and food stylist. We all work separately but can call upon each other when needed.
The creative industry seems to have split in two and done away with any middle ground or mid-sized agency leaving only freelancers and smaller agencies or prominent, global scale agency players.
Reference: Creativebloq.com. 2021. The top 20 US design studios of 2018 | Creative Bloq. [online] Available at: <https://www.creativebloq.com/features/best-us-design-studios> [Accessed 2 May 2021].
Reference: Pentagram. 2021. News. [online] Available at: <https://www.pentagram.com/news> [Accessed 2 May 2021].
Reference: Tolley, S, J "Promote and test: presenting, launching and evaluate." GDE720. Week 12, Lecture. [Accessed 27 April 2021].
Reference: Landor. 2021. Browse our work | Landor. [online] Available at: <https://landor.com/work> [Accessed 2 May 2021].
Reference: Riccardi, P., 2014. Before you continue to YouTube. [online] Youtube.com. Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMyofREc5Jk> [Accessed 27 April 2021].
Reference: Brand News, (2013) Dumb Ways to Die. [online video]. Accessed on 15 March 2019. Available at: DUMB WAYS TO DIE - case study (Links to an external site.)
Reference: London International Awards, (2013) John Mescall McCann Melbourne talks about "Dumb Ways to Die" the 2013 Grand LIA. [online video]. Accessed on 15 March 2019. Available at: John Mescall McCann Melbourne talks about " Dumb Ways to Die" the 2013 Grand LIA
Image 1, 2, 3: 2015. there will be haters. [image] Available at: <https://www.adsoftheworld.com/media/digital/adidas_there_will_be_haters> [Accessed 2 May 2021].
Image 4: Mescalls, J., 2018. Campaign of the Week: Dumb ways to die. [image] Available at: <https://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/campaign-of-the-week-dumb-ways-to-die/> [Accessed 2 May 2021].
Image 5: 2020. Dumb ways to die. [image] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUOCtyyD19o> [Accessed 2 May 2021].
Image 6: VESEY-BROWN, B., 2013. DUMB WAYS TO DIE – STARTED AS A VIRAL CAMPAIGN, BUT IS SO MUCH MORE.. [image] Available at: <https://www.briogroup.com.au/dumb-ways-to-die-started-as-a-viral-campaign-but-is-so-much-more/> [Accessed 2 May 2021].
Image 7: 2017. How to Approach and Avoid Death by Using a Silly Dose of Humor. [image] Available at: <https://www.branding.news/2017/04/27/tbt-how-to-approach-death-using-a-silly-dose-of-humor/> [Accessed 2 May 2021].
Image 8: 2018. Dumb Ways to Die Campaign. [image] Available at: <https://medium.com/@dicksonheather90/dumb-ways-to-die-campaign-c0a91d9051b> [Accessed 2 May 2021].