Graphic Design Process, Part Four:
"The Commercial and the Magazine Advertisement
"

BACKGROUND: You are a big hit with your client. Your company logo was well received. Your business cards were perfect and your website design in bringing in tons of customers. As business is now booming, your customer has decided to begin a commercial campaign to advertise his business on the local cable channel. He would like you to come up with the ideas for this commercial, THEN he would like you to design a MAGAZINE ADVERTISEMENT that goes along with your idea for your commercial:

THE COMMERCIAL: Your client would like to run a 30 second commercial spot on local cable TV. He has some ideas about what he would like to see in his commercial, but nothing definite.

  • IDEA ONE: A real-life scene, with actors, in which the products of the company are discussed like an important topic of conversation, preferably without letting the audience know what is being talked about until the end of the commercial.
  • IDEA TWO: A scene in which animals are in the roles of people for the commercial. This one should have an ironic twist of some sort to it.
  • IDEA THREE: A “Mockumentary” style commercial which looks like a film clip from a documentary, but eventually leads the viewer to “discover” the business and its products.
  • IDEA FOUR: Any idea which you have that might work for your client. You will need to sell other ideas pretty hard to get them through your stubborn client.

FOR EXAMPLE: Scene: A darkened alleyway. Scuffling noises, trash cans being knocked over. Pan to the front door of a store, locked. More scuffling, shattering glass. Alarms going off. Shots of two bears prowling around store, knocking over jars and boxes. Sirens, Police Cars, Floodlights. Bullhorn: "Come out with your hands up!" The bears slowly come out of the store, chewing and growling, trailing bits of paper and boxes behind them. Scene: inside police car. Two bears handcuffed and being driven away from "The Big Sweet" Candy Store. One bear turns to the other and says "That was SO worth it!" and shoves another pawful of candy into his mouth.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE: Two guys talking at a park. Closeups of faces. One is talking about how bad he screwed up and how mad she is. Wishes there was something he could do. The guys look puzzled. One guy says: "Maybe...." and a thought bubble shows the guy handing a girl a bouquet of golf clubs. Then he shakes his head and says "Naw..." Then the other guy says "How about....", then a thought bubbles shows the guy handing the girl a bouquet of wrenches and screwdrivers. "Nope..." Then the other says "You could...." and the thought bubble shows the guy handing the girl a bouquet of beer bottles." Both guys shake their heads and mutter that "There has to be something..." Product flash of April Flowers logo and a large bouquet of roses, with a voiceover that says: "April Flowers, when there has to be something!"

STEP ONE: Spend some time thinking about your small business, the products that your business sells and some possible ideas for your commercials. When you have two solid ideas, write out or sketch out the progress of your commercials to the best of your ability on paper.

STEP TWO: Meet with your client (Mr. B.) and pitch your two commercial ideas. He will make some suggestions for your final commercial product and will help you choose one idea from the two presented. You do NOT have to actually create the commercial. However, the ideas of your commercial will be used in the second part of this assignment: The Magazine Advertisement.

THE ADVERTISEMENT: Your commercial campaign is deemed a success in the marketplace and your catchy commercial is on everyone’s lips.

Now, your client would like to follow up the commercial campaign with some magazine advertisements that capitalize on the well-known theme and catch phrases of your commercial spot. Complete the following for your client:

  • Design a full page (8 ½ x 11 inch) layout for a full color magazine ad. This advertisement should incorporate the theme and catch phrases of the commercial, but in a still form.
  • Make sure to include company logo, picture of product as necessary, and company information on the page. REMEMBER: This is not a “Sale Ad,” but a product recognition ad.

SAVING AND SUBMITTING: When your advertisement is completely finished, JPEG your canvas and turn it in. Proper labelling for your JPEG will be:

"lastname_magazine_ad.jpg"

GRADING: This project will be graded in two parts, 100 points for each.

  • Part One: Proper completion of the COMIC STRIP sketchwork or thorough written treatment for the commercials, with two well-thought out ideas for commercials that would sell products.
  • Part Two: Graphic Design appeal. This will be completely subjective grading on Mr. B.'s part. How GOOD DOES YOUR ADVERTISEMENT LOOK and HOW WELL WOULD IT GENERATE RECOGNITION FOR THE PRODUCT?