Big Stick
Case Histories
John Dickinson
Brand re-positioning campaign
Problem:
John Dickinson Stationery was deciding which brands in the portfolio to axe. Black n’ Red (books and pads) was under critical review. Its positioning was not achieving recognition or sufficient sales. Big Stick was asked to create a concept for Black n’ Red to re-launch the product onto the market place.
Solution:
Big Stick positioned the brand as the ‘style accessory for the office’ and aimed it at creative offices who appreciate that form can stylishly follow function. Black and Red colours pervaded all the literature to emphasise branding and a minimalist style was adopted for all marketing material to reinforce the style and quality virtues of the Black n’ Red brand.
The featured image of a naked, black-painted couple on a black background, bound in red, won the Stationery Trade News readers’ advertising award. A book mark magazine insert, complete with red ribbon was designed and featured promotions themed to align the brand with other fashionable style accessories. Prizes included a Tag Heuer black and red watch, a Calvin Klein black and red suit and 1000s of Paul Smith black and red toothbrushes. In a PR event at the Crème de la Crème Show the theme was perpetuated using the Black n’ Red naked couple as moving statues.
Results:
Big Stick’s creative approach helped drive sales up by 30% over the next year.
Learning & Skills Council London East
E2E launch
Problem:
To create an impactful campaign of messages for the E2E brand (entry to employment) that persuades unemployed, untrained and unqualified young people to participate.
Also to launch E2E successfully, ensuring all referrers, Connexions advisors and providers are fully briefed and on-board.
Solution:
The creative strategy was to identify with, but not patronise these urban youngsters. The copy was minimal, the imagery an edgy, urban style illustration and the messages aimed to jolt the young people out of their apparent lethargy. The copy challenged and encouraged them to channel their rebellious attitude positively. The tone was “prove your detractors wrong”, “don’t give up or miss out because you had a bad experience at school, you are stronger than that”.
All images offered E2E visualized as the key to their opportunity to gain employment and linked the phrase “your key to landing a job” to the E2E logo.
The most popular poster message during research was aimed at bursting the bubble of the unemployed deluding themselves that something will turn up. An image was used of an apathetic youngster sprawled on a couch with a headline; “Hang out, watch TV, a job will come along... Yeah right!”
Results:
The campaign included posters, promotional items and Direct Mail aimed at parents and individuals. All material was well received by stakeholders and all places on the scheme have been filled.
3M Post-it® Z notes
An integrated campaign including advertising, direct-mail and trade support
3M discovered if secretaries and office managers used Post-it® Z notes in a dispenser, they increased their consumption of Post-it® Z notes by circa 35%. So they offered a free dispenser with every pack of six coloured Z notes purchased.
Problem:
In a crowded me too market place we needed to create awareness of the offer and engage specifically female purchasers to take note of a relatively inconsequential office purchase and give it priority. Advertising was placed in secretarial media and women’s magazines such as Marie Claire.
Solution:
Big Stick created a series of ads featuring photographic images of smart secretaries/office managers gaining light hearted revenge on male colleagues by trapping their heads in a filing cabinet or writing on an unfortunate bald man’s head, instead of the missing Post-it® notes. The launch ad featured a sexy image of a muscled male torso with the dispenser on his navel and female hands wandering towards the dispenser with the line: “Free Post-it® dispenser with every six pack.” The focus and humour of the ads gave the secretaries ownership of the product and implied status and power. The offer was communicated to the stationery trade as a mailing leaflet to illustrate the potential additional sales of Z notes.
Results:
3M sold more Z Notes in the one month of the promotion than in the previous 11 months. The ideas amused the sales team and resulted in enthusiastic internal feedback.
The whole campaign cost 33% less than the cost of the same campaign run the previous year by a London agency and exceeded previous response figures.
Polaroid (UK) Limited
Pan American Advertising Campaign
Problem:
The exclusive copyright of Polaroid’s instant proofing film technology was coming to an end, consequently Polaroid initiated a campaign brief aimed at reminding and reinforcing the message with professional photographers that Polaroid film was the best. At the same time Fuji were advertising a competitive product which appeared warmer on a proof with more saturated colours.
Solution:
An ad for Polaroid featured startling photographic images and encouraged the professional photographers to ‘show their true colours’. This statement helped to communicate the biggest benefit of Polaroid film as opposed to competitors. This was that Polaroid proof colouring was more true to life and enabled the photographer reliably to match his camera settings to the Polaroid knowing he would get ‘true colours’ on his film and that they wouldn’t be too warm. The ads delivered this message using photographs and Polaroid creative techniques which reflected ‘true colours’ hidden slightly under the surface, only to be spotted by those in the know.
Results:
The campaign was extended to run globally.
“The appeal of the Big Stick campaign is reflected in the positive feedback which I’ve received from our representatives in the field, right up to international management”
Charlie Yianoullou - Polaroid UK Ltd
West Herts College
Integrated Branding campaign
Problem:
To recruit 16-24 year old students for further and higher education courses.
The marketing strategy was to transform the college literature from a traditional ‘prospectus style’ to a supportive and ‘youth focused’ higher education guide. Then to create a series of advertising and direct-mail messages to recruit appropriate young people by selling the benefits of the College.
Solution:
To achieve this Big Stick used fashionable magazine style illustrations and impactful support messages being careful not to alienate parents and other influencers. The resultant corporate messages and creative treatments were used consistently throughout the advertising and mail out activity for the college. The result is a number of functional and easy to use guides which position the college as a vibrant and relevant place to study. The advertising campaign works cumulatively with other marketing vehicles to perpetuate this positioning, reinforce brand values and stimulate response.
Results:
10% increase in response to advertising in the first year followed by a 25% increase the following year. We are now in the fifth year of working with West Herts College.
Pearl & Dean
Direct mail project
Problem:
To persuade a cynical market (Marketing Managers!) to buy cinema advertising space on behalf of their clients, using the strong appeal of specific upcoming movies. The aim was to build the Pearl & Dean brand, not just for the duration of the campaign, but beyond, so it needed to appeal and remain interesting to marketing managers.
The aim was to create unusual and stimulating reminders of the cachet of the up coming blockbuster in a clearly defined Pearl & Dean corporate package, so that the mailings would work cumulatively.
Solution:
Customised boxes were used as 3D mailing items, containing a surprising, impactful and interactive movie-themed gift.
For example:
- Union Jack painted friction-powered Mini (Austin Powers)
- Gold water pistol (Bond)
- Travelling wall-spiders (Spiderman)
- Green contact lenses (The Hulk)
The challenge was to keep the mailings edgy, but still clearly Pearl and Dean branded, to avoid losing the message within the heavy film branding. The gifts were sourced to be newsworthy and of high perceived value - stylish collectables rather than cheap novelties.
The illustrations were done in-house and re-originated to follow the style of the film’s theme, whilst not faithfully copying it - thus avoiding the wrath of the movie moguls!
Copywriting:
- “Do I make you feel horny baby?” (Austin Powers)
- “I like a girl in a bikini - no concealed weapons” (Bond)
- “Certain species of female arachnid eat their mates after sex... certain other spiders wreak revenge in more ruthless ways” (Spiderman)
Results:
New business was generated - one order exceeded £250,000 in value.
Primesight (part of SMG group)
Selling Summer Ad Space outside CTNs
Problem:
Primesight own advertising boards throughout the country. Many of the smaller (six-sheet) boards are outside newsagents and other convenience stores, ideal for soft drinks firms, ice cream manufacturers.
Last summer, take-up of this advertising space was low and as the summer was already upon us, Big Stick was asked to formulate a campaign to encourage these companies to take up the scheme quickly.
Solution:
Big Stick created a direct mail piece and a press ad for this campaign. Our creative idea was to tie in with a poster message that was encouraging drinks and ice cream companies to capitalise on a thirsty target audience in the middle of a hot summer.
For the ad we used the idea of members of the French Foreign Legion crawling towards a poster with a female Legionnaire drinking a cool refreshing drink. Of course the poster was in a Primesight poster site and the desert was a street in Croydon! (Our photo shoot created quite a stir.) From conception to completion the ad and mailer took one week to complete - including locating a number of Legionnaires’ outfits, hiring the models, getting the required permissions from Croydon Council, doing the shoot and completing the artwork for both the ad and direct mail.
Results:
The campaign was a great success - stimulating sales from clients including Coca Cola.
Marlowes Shopping Centre launch
Problem:
To launch a new shopping Centre in Hemel Hempstead as an oasis of style and fashion for quality retailers.
Solution:
To sell the idea of a huge percentage of ABC1s in the Hemel Hempstead area with a huge amount of disposable income they are just itching to spend! This message was communicated to niche markets including fashion and food retailers and persuaded them to take space in the centre. The campaign was later extended to the end-user.
Results:
The Marlowes Centre was over 80% let on opening despite being launched in a recessionary period.
edding pens
First European Campaign
Problem:
To launch the new edding Control range of pens across Europe with one centralised campaign and to a diversity of users from students to corporate volume purchasers.
Solution:
To produce a total campaign message, visually focussed to instruct users to ‘take edding control’. The images were strange and eye catching using Photoshop technology and featuring the product. The text explained the ‘liquid ink’ technology and the benefits of the edding Control range of fibre tip pens.
Results:
“The most successful campaign in our history”
Douglas Hogg - edding Pens (UK).
JZ Machtech Porsche Servicing
Integrated brand launch campaign
Problem:
To compete with the might of Porsche main dealers in servicing Porsche cars and to increase the awareness of this alternative amongst Porsche owners.
Solution:
JZ Machtech has excellent engineering credentials and a passion for cars. By contrast Porsche main dealer advertising (largely generated in Germany) reflected a professional but dispassionate approach. Big Stick’s strategy was that Porsche owners were deeply emotional about their cars and felt more comfortable having their car serviced by someone equally passionate.
So, in contrast to the rather prescriptive main dealer ads, Machtech produced exciting and creative ads with a message that suggested that Machtech were not just as good as a main dealer service, but better!
It did so whilst reflecting a personality. The ads were intelligent and humorous and Porsche owners were entertained and followed the ads, often feeding back via the website or response mechanisms in the car mags.
Results:
Turnover increased by over 30% in the first year.
Avanta Business Centres
Building brand collateral
Problem:
The launch of Avanta Business Centres masterminded by David Alberto, Avanta’s MD focused on innovation. Avanta re-evaluated the way business centres work, to create a more futuristic, more technology orientated, more controllable service. Customers would be able to acquire an office and then add space in a modular way by simply bolting on more space, accessing more facilities as and when they needed them, all controlled on-line. Meeting rooms could be booked on-line, costs viewed and analysed on-line. Furniture, customised office design, advanced technology solutions could all be sourced and dealt with on-line.
Solution:
The branding had to reflect this modular and technological approach without seeming unapproachable or unappealing. Big Stick produced an umbrella brand for Avanta Management Services in conjunction with the positioning copy line: ‘MAKING SPACE WORK’. The creative imagery which extended faithfully from brochure literature to website, reflected relaxed professional within a cubist grid, implying the infinite flexibility of the environment, which metamorphosed according to your needs and requirements.
The Avanta Business Centre brochure was presented in an innovative folding format demonstrating the modular nature of Avanta’s approach to ‘making space work’. Since the website was crucial to the functionality of Avanta Offices it was designed with an emphasis on clarity and simplicity whilst reflecting the open, transparent and spacious nature of Avanta imagery.
Results:
Avanta has now doubled its number of business centres, has a thriving telecoms division and has even created its own Business Bar and Restaurant concept located within Avanta’s Business Centre on Great Titchfield Street.