Creative Content

The creative content I created for this project is in the form of a 30 second commercial suitable for television or web based advertising purposes and a print ad that could also be used as a billboard or taxi cab topper. The commercial and print advertisements are cohesive in the content and congruent in the ideas they convey to the audience. “Television and web commercials have to do the following and do it all in fifteen or thirty seconds: Get someone’s attention before he or she zaps, skips ahead, or leaves the room. Look or feel fresh. Entertain. Work in the context of television programming. Endear the brand or group to the consumer. Call to action, create awareness, or drive people to the web.” (Advertising by Design, Landa, p. 218-219) This commercial completes all of these objectives. It pulls the audience in from the very beginning with the beautiful, unique setting and compelling story. “In marketing, we use storytelling about a brand or group to communicate related messages that, over a period of time, will distinguish, differentiate, reflect positively, construct or contribute to its brand personality, be memorable, resonate, and influence people. That is a really long list of tasks for a story to perform, which is why the storytelling has to be strategic and its premise sound, beneficial, and flexible.” (Advertising by Design, Landa, p. 192) The story in the commercial is a fresh, linear approach to advertising. A girl is walking through the mall at the Cosmopolitan and spots the swimsuit she’s been looking for in the window of Molly Brown’s She walks in, immediately sees the suit, and picks it up to try it on. She walks into the fitting room as a normal, 20 something and walks out looking and feeling like a supermodel. “Your story should illuminate something about the nature of a person, subject, or situation. The story starts with a problem or conflict and should demonstrate the ability to understand and find a solution to a problem. To look for the insight, we start by mining for something common to us all in human nature: our needs, hopes, aspirations, and desires.” (Advertising by Design, Landa, p.193) This commercial is capable of being identifiable with the target audience because the actress looks and acts very naturally. She is a member of the target market and will immediately be recognized by fans of the store as a model that has participated in all of the events that the store has held and will hold during the summer months to come. She is essentially becoming the face of the brand. Consumers will see her as the sweet, fun, Las Vegas girl next door that they all want to know or be. “Of course, you can think of a commercial as storytelling, as containing characters, goals, conflicts, scenes, and a plot line. When telling a story, one must consider the element of time.” (Advertising by Design, Landa, p. 221) In this commercial, time is an important element. The idea is that by shopping at Molly Brown’s, a girl can become a supermodel in no time flat. She just has to own a suit from the store. “There are as many structures for television commercials and commercial videos as there are for film, prose, poetry, or music. The structure should flow out of the brand strategy, the creative brief, the idea, the tone you want to set, the feeling, and an insight into the audience.” (Advertising by design, Landa, p. 220-221) The linear structure of the story of the commercial is very in tune with the brand and company itself. They strive to make things easy for the customer. Customer service, store layout and merchandising, and website accessibility are all important elements of the company’s mission. “We have all heard advertising jingles that we can hum or that stay with us, provoking endearment to brands or nostalgic feelings. Audio provides a strong component in screen-based media, lending to the audience enthusiasm, engagement, and a way to make the piece memorable, to make it stick.” (Advertising by Design, Landa, p. 220) The song “Long Vacation” is an important element in creating the feel and tone of the commercial. The company is based out of Newport Beach, California and it was important to communicate the feeling that the store, the employees, the company, and the brand are trying to get the consumer to have. This song is catching and gives off a distinctive beach feel to the commercial that it wouldn’t have had in a setting like a Las Vegas casino resort. This will convey a message that the company strives to send to its’ customers.