GRAZIA is a women’s magazine that is in fashion and loves fashion. It closely follows what is happening and tells everyone about life through celebrities, stories and current affairs. It has a woman’s name, which in Italian is the synonym of innate elegance. Born of an Italian mother, it has many sisters who it is close to and with which it shares countless passions: apparel, accessories, cosmetics, exhibitions, books, trips, recipes, music and men! As a metaphor, it is the girlfriend who is a few years older than you, who has lived in Italy and has lots of things to tell about the world and about style. Obviously in the setting of a trendy “lounge bar". On a Thursday afternoon. Elegant, but not in an evening dress.
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 :)
To create a launch campaign to win over the Chinese market through the modern and style-rich image that distinguishes Grazia magazine. By launch campaign, we are referring to the concept of an out-of-the-box PR event as well as the advertising materials that precede and accompany the launch (teaser campaign + launch campaign + maintenance campaign). The goal is to obtain a high level of brand awareness. Moreover, the campaign must arouse curiosity and encourage people to try the magazine.
(Attract the target – generate product trial – create a “buzz” around the product)
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 !
Young Chinese women, 20-35 years of age (never call them girls!), obsessive consumers (but “I don’t always have the money for Gucci!”). A few years ago they started to earn a good salary. They normally live in the center of large or medium-large cities. They are positive, curious, and have strong values, the latest generation Motorola, perhaps pink, and a teddy bear, also happily colored, hanging from it. They don’t own a car, but do have enough money for taxi. Independent, up-to-date, avid visitors of trendy establishments and new restaurants. Highly attentive to fashion, or rather, what is considered fashion in China.
They mix Americanness – and the Western world in general – with what they consider "cool" about being Chinese. They want to understand the cosmopolitan context in which they are placed and be the protagonists of it. They want to be and appear informed and they are searching for an original personal identity and style in a world that is changing around them everyday.
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 !
Grazia is a magazine that talks to women and listens to their needs. First and foremost the need to be informed about what is truly important to them: from fashion to beauty, from current events to entertainment. Grazia has a warm interactive rapport with its readers and it is the most qualified interpreter of the “Made in Italy” style, though its character is international. Without a doubt fashion is its strong point: positive, trendy, easy chic, never vulgar or banal, photographed in a way that makes the image evoke situations with a dream element to make readers want to dress in that way.
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 !
Grazia is the first bi-weekly glossy magazine on the Chinese market. It is different from the upmarket fashion monthlies that have become slow and incapable of keeping up with the frenetic lives of young Chinese women, who are hungry for fashion, news and trends, interested in political issues and at the same time the latest popular reality shows. It is also different from the weekly gossip magazines that are simply preoccupied with publishing scandalous photographs of celebrities. Grazia is the bi-weekly magazine that is really cool and talks about things that happen (current events and happenings) and personalities that do things (extraordinary lives of ordinary people in the ordinary lives of extraordinary people) during those two weeks. It is so inquisitive and indiscreet that it is addictive.
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!
Tongue-in-cheek, chic, feminine and international, authoritative and positive, surprising and slightly irreverent.
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 !
Since we are talking about curious women who are constantly on the move, the launch will be supported mainly by outdoor advertisements. In this case, this means any advertisement that reaches its target audience once they are outside the door of their homes. While they are walking around the streets, curious and enthusiastic, looking out for anything that can make their life more sparkling.
REQUIREMENTS
1) ABOVE THE LINE
Outdoor advertising idea, periodicals (journals) paper press, daily newspapers, Radio, TV
2) BELOW THE LINE
Advertisers, point-of-sale (malls and large hotels) viral marketing tools (shop windows signs, display stands, event types, 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 !
LIST OF COMPETITORS
Fashion monthlies: Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmo, Rayli Her Style, Rayli Fashion Pioneer, Mar
Average Price: 20 rmb
Weeklies: OK, Modern Weekly, Fashion Weekly
Average price: 5 rmb
PRICE OF GRAZIA
10 rmb
DISTRIBUTION
Major cities, starting with Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou (23 cities total)
ADVERTISING BUDGET
1.700.000€
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) !
