Founded in 1933, api is considered a historical brand for the distribution of petroleum products in Italy and has consolidated its leading position among the main Italian players in the reference market.
2005, the year in which api acquired IP, marked an important milestone in the company’s history. The acquisition signified an important change that allowed api to affirm its leadership position in Italy, increasing to over 4,200 sales points, with a market share of around 10%.
One consequence of this acquisition was the merging of two business realities with different cultures and identities:
∞ api, a brand with a noble past, is small, close and reassuring.
∞ IPis the stronger, more dynamic brand.
For more than 12 months, the merger has been undergoing physical implementation throughout the network as a single new commercial brand, “IP Gruppo api”. This trademark originates from the union of the two existing brands and from the need to give equal value to each one, with the api group ensured the rank of corporate company and IP becoming the commercial brand.
The process of rebranding the entire network will continue throughout 2010 and conclude in 2011. The new IP will be officially presented to the general public in May 2010, for the occasion of the World Cup in South Africa.
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 :)
This present tender offer is aimed at the creation of two short TV adverts (known as “billboards” in technical jargon), whose primary objective is to increase awareness of the new brand (currently the api IP brand is acknowledged as holding 3rd place in the petroleum market) and secondarily, the official partnership with the FIGC (Italian Football Federation). For years IP has viewed this partnership as strategically importance, and it also provides benefits that can be used to increase consumer's; desire to choose the new brand.
The focus of the communication will be the new IP brand and its Italianness. Italianness is a cardinal value deeply linked to the origins of the two Italian companies (api and IP) and is today expressed in the new "IP Gruppo api" trademark, whose colours are the blue background of IP and the green, white and red on the api group's spark.
The main message that should emerge from all the formats is the brand, through the use of the new IP logo.
The Italianness should emerge through a characteristic look and feel, which can be combined with images and/or musical accompaniment. Here is the detailed information required for the development of the various formats:
Two different adverts are to be created, each with double versions and mutually coherent:
5 SECOND ADVERT
A. Brand TV Advert - this will be centred on the communication of the new IP brand (followed in a second frame by GRUPPO API), animated by graphic effects (e.g. animated/moving balls);
B. Brand and FIGC Partnership TV Advert - this will repeat the look and feel of the previously-mentioned brand TV advert, with the addition of the FIGC logo together with the copy: “IP PARTNER UFFICIALE DELLA NAZIONALE ITALIANA DI CALCIO” (IP OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE ITALIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM).
10 SECOND ADVERT
A. Brand TV Advert - also here the main aspect will be the centrality and recognition of the new IP brand (followed in a second frame by GRUPPO API). The communication will feature photographic images or graphic effects (e.g. animated/moving balls) or video (by choice);
B. Brand and FIGC Partnership Advert - this will feature the same graphics as the brand TV Advert mentioned previously, with graphic integration of football through associated images, for example: cheering fans; celebration; power; footballs, etc.
The video should highlight the official sponsorship between IP and the Italian Football Federation and show the FIGC logo together with the words: “IP PARTNER UFFICIALE DELLA NAZIONALE ITALIANA DI CALCIO” (IP OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE ITALIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM).
The creative work in all the proposals, for each format, should be supported by an audio/musical accompaniment. The choice of audio and musical (not vocal) accompaniment should coherently accompany the animated graphics.
In the adverts where space permits, the new IP trademark should be combined with the pay off “L’ENERGIA DELL’ITALIA” (THE ENERGY OF ITALY), which is currently used in the company's institutional campaign. The creative work and graphics kit for this are attached to the brief.
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 !
The target audience includes all motorists/motorcyclists from 18 to 60 years of age.
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 !
The message that the adverts should manage to communicate is that IP is a great, all-Italian company.
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 !
For both subjects:
“IP is a great, all-Italian company” because it unites that which makes Italy great and unique, namely Passion and Energy.
Addition for subject B only:
“The desire to be together”, confirming the partnership that binds the company to the FIGC, to Italy and therefore to the national team that represents it on the field.
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!
Here below is a list of adjectives and values that could best describe the new brand:
∞ Italianness: a fundamental value, since, as recent research has shown, both api and IP are “felt” to be Italian companies and it is fundamentally important to preserve this value and adapt it to the changed situation so that it remains a fixed point of the new defined image;
∞ Trust and closeness: the reasearch carried out indicated these as pillars on which to base the company-customer relationship and therefore an axis on which to establish and develop the communication of the new brand, with a more direct tone ("I'm close to you", "I understand you", "I offer you what you need");
∞ Renewed Tradition: the expression of tradition as a value that has been renewed arises from the need to preserve the historical experience of the two brands (customers of both appear quite attached to the past) and adapt it to the developments of the present time, combining innovation with respect for tradition;
∞ Leadership: this is the challenge that the new brand can bring: “being big once more”, as the IP brand managed to be during the 1980s and 1990s, in terms of sponsorships, promotions and communication.
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 two adverts can be aired during football breaks (e.g. during the 2010 World Cup) and other types of break, i.e. within any TV schedule and break (e.g. during weather programmes, news, current affairs, soaps and TV films). The adverts can be at the start, during the interval, or at the end of the programme, either in full-screen or as on-screen animation within the programme (a strip across the bottom of the screen).
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 !
Operational attachments to the brief:
∞ New company communication format with spark and pantones (attachments: Sagomato75X180 – MKCover – STAR);
∞ New "IP e Gruppo Api" Trademark (attachments: Gruppo api_CMYK – IP_3D_sfumato);
∞ Graphic kit for the new "IP e Gruppo Api" Trademark (attachments: Linee Guida GRUPPO api – Linee Guida IP);
∞ FIGC Trademark in jpeg format, together with the copy “IP PARTNER UFFICIALE DELLA NAZIONALE ITALIANA DI CALCIO” and the respective font to be used (attachments: figc_ip);
∞ Printed page with the pay off "L’ENERGIA DELL’ITALIA" (attachments: ENERGIAITALIA_PAYOFF);
Useful and informative attachments:
∞ An example of a reference TV advert to be followed for the creation of the video in regard to format and length (attachments: ferroviestato2wmv);
Together with the creative proposal you should also specify:
∞ any references and images that will have to be purchased by api;
∞ musical references (preferably library and royalty-free music).
The creative proposals should be presented in a format that can be viewed with Windows Media Player on any PC and take possible creative limitations into account, i.e. seeking to use images in the advert that are suitable for all the various TV channels.
The winner of the tender offer will also be requested to adapt the formats of both creative proposals from 5” to 4” and from 10” to 7”.
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) !
