My name is Antonello Spinetti, I'm 41 years old, and I'm an entrepreneur from Naples (Italy). When I started my business in 1996, I had a dream in my mind: to create a computer training center of excellence where young graduates could gain experience. My reasoning was simple and functional: if I would have trained these young people to a good preparation, they could have result attractive for IT companies and would therefore have easily found employment.
I was right! And the positivity of the results led me to create another company focused on recruitment, body rental and outsourcing for IT companies.
Now it is time to merge the two companies in a single one, under a name and brand that enclose the two entities.
So the new company you'll be working for will present the characteristics of the first two:
1) Jacson school - computer training - www.jacson.it:
VUE and Prometric testing centers are issuing international certificates Oracle, Microsoft, Sun, CISCO, ADOBE partners Microsoft (Certified Partner Learning solutions), agreement with Santander to the deferred payment is credited to the Campania Region for approved courses.
2) BSP - consulting company/body rental - www.bps.na.it:
official and direct Accenture's supplier (www.accenture.com)
WHAT IS IT ?
In this step you will find information about the Brand Builder, who is asking you to propose a Solution for the challenge. He introduces himself (as a Brand of course :) The more you understand about the Brand, the more chances you have to create what is wanted.
IMPORTANT: There is a possibility that the Brand Builder prefers not to disclose who he is, usually for confidentiality reasons. Such Briefs will be published in an anonymous way. In this case the Brand Builder will say as much as he feels comfortable saying.
Here are two EXAMPLES
In case there is no problem with disclosing the identity (VISIBLE):
“NMN -No More Nicotine- is a Brand that promises to counteract the damages to the skin that can be caused by smoking. NMN is distributed in pharmacies and drugstores and its price positioning is middle-high; it is mainly promoted through professional endorsement and is not massively advertised.”
In case the Brand doesn’t want to disclose his identity (ANONYMOUS):
“Brand counteracting the damages to skin caused by smoking. Its products are distributed in pharmacies and drugstores with a middle-high price positioning; they are mainly promoted through professional endorsement and are not massively advertised.”
In summary: Who is your client (in a visible or “anonymous” way :)
Creators will be asked to create a name and a logo for the new company, in order express its two souls:
- Specific IT formation for people.
- Consultancy services and qualified employers offering for IT companies.
Name and logo will have to put their emphasis on the professional formative point of view, and that those attending our courses may easily find a job in the IT sector.
WHAT IS IT ?
This is the task the Brand Builder asks you to accomplish. If you don’t understand it, you are completely out of luck !
EXAMPLE
“We ask the Creators to develop a print advertising campaign in order to increase Brand’s visibility. It will be used in national magazines this spring.”
In summary: It’s the objective of the client, therefore your objective too !
Target people:
- young graduates who like IT and want to work in the IT sector
Target companies:
- IT companies that need skilled and prepared workers.
WHAT IS IT?
People that the Brand Builder wants you to entertain and persuade to think, feel or do something using your creation. Usually you will read about their age, sex, social level and behaviors. You should always keep that information in mind while creating, as the target audience is the final recipient of what you create.
EXAMPLE
“Smoking girls and women who would like to quit smoking but can’t. Usually health-conscious adults who care about their looks. They feel guilty about smoking because they know it is harmful. They read books about it. This is a real problem for them: it’s like “My brain wants something, but my body acts of its own accord”. They don’t relate to my brand, they are just waiting for a trustworthy “helping hand”.
In summary: Get under their skin !
Target people:
- people must understand that if they attend a course may easily find a job in the IT sector.
Target Companies:
- IT organizations must understand that we have a large number of skilled human resources ready to be hired.
WHAT IS IT?
The thing that the Brand Builder wants to make the target audience think/feel/do because of your creation.
Here are some very concrete examples:
∞ Some things people can think/feel:
- There is a new Brand (or product or idea or...) out there
- This Brand is better than the alternatives or than it used to be
- This Brand is worth paying more for
∞ Some things people can do:
- Start buying the Brand’s products
- Buy the Brand more often
- Stock more products of the Brand in their outlets
The above written examples are very concrete whilst often the proposition of the Brief is emotional. That’s even better as it can be more inspiring!
EXAMPLE
“We’d like to encourage smokers to use NMN in order to minimize the damage to their health while they are keeping giving up smoking (especially if they’ve already tried and failed before).”
In summary: Get inside their brain !
We believe in our proposal since we do this job with enthusiasm, passion and fun. We are a united team, and every time one of our attendant enters in the world of work thanks to our formation, we feel proud and personally satisfacted by doing our job in the best way.
WHAT IS IT?
This is the key to achieving the objective. It is what supports the proposition and makes it believable. Usually it is a rational statement.
EXAMPLE
“Every cigarette you smoke is causing damage to your appearance. A recent study took several pairs of identical twins where one twin was a lifelong smoker and the other had never smoked. The smokers’ skin was a quarter thinner than that of non-smokers, and in some cases there were differences of up to 40%. NMN contains thinning-blocking anti-oxidants which counteract the effect of nicotine on the skin.”
In summary: You are looking for arguments? You’ll find them here!
- expertise, with particular reference in the IT market
- a highly prepared team team of teachers coming directly from business realities
- a dynamic environment
- punctuality
- consistency and speed of response
- high degree of assistance and continued support provided by specialized emplyees
- guaranteed results
- care for the attendant
WHAT IS IT?
It’s who the Brand is. Yes... who!
Treat the Brand as a human being, as it has its own personality. To know the personality of the “client” is fundamental in order to provide a tailor-made job. So, read carefully the listed adjectives...
EXAMPLE
“Scientific, trustworthy, result-oriented, ‘a party’ to achieve your goals.”
In summary: Imagine the live person !
Name and logo will represent the identity of our company.
So they will appear on: letterhead, business cards, any kind of advertising, website, etc.
WHAT IS IT?
A list of places (or media, or things) where the target audience will see the outcome of your creation. In this step sometimes the Brand will also acknowledge you how much he plans to invest into production. This information will give you an insight whether to create a BIG project or make it small... :)
EXAMPLE
“This campaign is going to appear in lifestyle- and health-focused women magazines of New Zealand, during the spring of 2009. We plan to invest 500,000 USD, which means approximately buying 100 single pages.”
In summary: Consider the medium !
For the presentation we will accept JPG and PDF formats.
The winner will be requested to provide the artwork.
If the Brand has preferences or technical requirements that your Solution has to match, you will find them here.
Here are some items that you may find in this section:
∞ Guidelines or mandatory inclusions (do’s and/or don’ts)
∞ Business objectives
∞ Market and competitors overview
∞ Good and bad samples
Depending on the Brief, you may also find some files attached with a logo, pictures of product(s), a template that you should use in order to submit your ideas, or any other file that the Brand wants to share with you. So, study the attachments before starting creating.
In summary: Anything else you need to know (not written in the 7 steps before) !
