Merchandisingplaza.com is a multilingual store dealing with the official merchandising of sports, music, film's and tv's items.
More than 30.000 different items of more than 300 brands are currently online: from Ferrari to Hello Kitty, from AC/DC to The Simpsons, from Chelsea to Los Angeles Lakers.
That's why it is probably the most assorted website in the world for the fans of Brand licensed official products.
www.merchandisingplaza.co.uk
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 :)
We are looking for a creative idea working as a guide for the next web campaign, online during the christmas time
The output we expect is a document with graphic guidelines of the campaign divided in (required):
1) banners in all formats, disappearing animated DIV, disappearing/on mouse over flash animation
Banner formats:
120 x 600 Pixels - Skyscraper 160 x 600 Pixels - Wide Skyscraper 300 x 250 Pixels - Medium Rectangle 336 x 280 Pixels - Large Rectangle
250 x 250 Pixels - Square Pop-up 728 x 90 Pixels - Super Banner 468 x 60 Pixels - Traditional Banner
In addition, we indicate a number of possible alternatives, listed in order of importance ( we would appreciate the realization of either one or both options)
2) Ideas and guidelines for an online contest/prize competition: we would like, given the “busy” christmas time, our campaign to stand out for originality catching sufers' attention
You're free to choose channels and conditions for the contest/prize competition – projects will be judged mainly according to their “out of the box” creative contribution.
3) video storyboard to be used on youtube or video installation (in this case we recommend to focus on low cost video production, without testimonials or hard to produce).
We want surfers to navigate our website and to understand that Merchandisingplaza is the most beautiful website in the world where they can:
- buy a “piece of their idols”
- find a reach selection of special and “official” gifts
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 !
Our customers are mainly from Europe, North America and Australia, but we're aiming to a growing interest from Brazil and Argentina.
They are men and women, from 16-17 y.o. To 40-45 years old. The youngest are the most curious ( 9 years old fan), but we noticed that the highest disposable income comes from customers between 25-35 years old (core target).
The main reasons are the passion for some brand or their desire of imitation (they wanna be like Rocky or Schumacher)
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 !
We have a double goal
- Carrying high traffic during the christmas time just underlining the specificity of our online store.
- Defining our website as the greatest store of official merchandising in the world
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 probably are the most assorted website in the world for fans of Brand licensed official products.
Seeing is believing!
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!
The name of our Brand on its own evokes the idea of market
A marketplace to visit as an old-fashioned market where to find exactly what you where looking for.
The stylized shopping bag in our logo is meant to give the idea of the action following the visit: the purchase!
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 !
The campaign will be a wide-ranging project.
The project will appear in every online channel through:
- Adwords
- Tradedoubler
- Affiliation programme
- Youtube
- Online Quiz
- SEM
- Online Press
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 !
We want to define the visit to our amazing marketplace as an “unique experience that you cannot afford to miss”. Documents required: Presentation Format Required: JPG – PDF – PPS
Winner Format Required: EPS – AI – PDF – PSD (pictorial with level's transparency)
Data Sheet with chromatic details and font chosen
Description of attached file in “merchandisingplaza brief.rar” folder:
- high definition logo
- Banner graphic projected for specific product's
- Newsletter
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) !
