JOHN LEWIS CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN - "There is a unifying theme. If you want to find a gift for someone you love that they would love then come to John Lewis."

I was absolutely BURSTING with excitement when I saw the John Lewis Christmas Campaign.
For me, as a brand they really have injected a sense of warmth and experience of christmas in the advert and the song that Lily Allen sings, covering Keane's work of 'somewhere only we know' just sent shivers all down my spine - it completely created a surreal atmosphere and made me so much more aware as a young consumer of this brand; as commonly, it's more for the mature consumer.
The hand-made animated creation really pulls at the heartstrings and made me think of my child-hood memories watching animations and seeing a story that always ends well.

What INSIGHT did John Lewis have?

They did not want it to be too rational - based on their products. They felt John Lewis was there for the BIG moments in life (new baby, marriage etc) so it was more of an emotional investment.

What's their TARGET MARKET?

Middle class families, looking for an expensive investment.

How do John Lewis want to be POSITIONED? 

John Lewis want to be upper - luxury, not completely exclusive as a brand but still have the ability to hold a technological infrastructure.

What is their PROMISE? SLOGAN?

John Lewis will always be 'there for us' - an emotional attachment. In terms of the product, they assure us the items wont break.

'Never knowingly undersold'

'The authoritative voice of Christmas'

What are their CORE VALUES?

Employee ownership, Shop is selling an idea, British, unthreatening.
In terms of the advert, it is reminding us of childhood classic stories.

What was their OBJECTIVE?

Bringing in 1/3 of John Lewis' entire annual sales within the next six weeks.

Why didn't they use COI?

More traditional, feel story-like with a hand-made aesthetic.

What was their BUDGET?

£7 million

£4.2 million - buying airtime

£2.8 million - production

= £14 million

Explain how they have demonstrated an INTEGRATED MARKET?

'This advert will be teased on social media, on youtube, metamorphosed in books. Stuffed bear and hares: stocking fillers, window displays - They have used products in their christmas window displays made from animals which were displayed on the TV adverts, using every kind of product from cutlery to nintendo products to a hoover. YES John Lewis, you really have done us proud!


Some of the key words used in the questions above, I will research upon with my own brand - Gareth Pugh to help me create a better awareness of the brand analysis element to the task.

FASHION LOVES ART. "buy less, choose well and do it yourself!" - Vivienne Westwood

19th Century - JAPONISM in Fashion, where goods were made in the east and solely for the European market.
The oriental kimono was a major trend during the end of the century with the shape remaining the same however it adapted to the consumers in the European market.

The 'beer' evening dress - created by German Fashion Designer Gustav Beer has similar elements to that of the Japanese traditional aesthetics. However, it started to show a slight shift of moving into the art deco era of the 20s and 30s because of the slightly elongated, narrow appearance.

1920s - 30s ART DECO

A relationship between art and fashion was formed - an opulent and decadent style which influenced not only by fashion but also film, photography and also product design. It was a very naturalistic style that sought inspiration from historical european references as well as pictorial inventions of contemporary Avant Garde art.

MARIANO FORTUNY.
Fortuny was a versatile designer who photographed, created stage design and being most famous for his greek inspired pleated dress he made in the very beginning of the 20th century, 1906. His radiant silk was hand-dyed using natural vegetable extracts and pleated the fabric using a secret process he dominated in 1909.

AVANT GARDE
pushing the boundary to what is 'normality'

FUTURISM - BALLA.
Balla's work was associated with light, movement and speed, particularly movement where his working method was repeating forms of sequences.

Speed of a Motorcycle, 1913

 The hand of the Violinist, 1912

I admire the repetition he uses within his work, I think it really emphasises the atmosphere within the photograph and captures the idea of speed, movement and light with this method of repeating sequences. 

DADAISM - MARCEL DUCHAMP.

Takes existing art and reinvents it

SONIA DELAUNY. 

co-founded the Orphism art movement, known for its geometric patterns and strong colours

ELSA SCHIAPARELLI. 

Schiaparelli led Fashion in the 1930s, inspiring consumers with new developments and technology in her work. She worked closely with a Dadaist/Surrealist artist and was well-known for creating the 'lobster dress'. Schiaparelli was a lady of many talents, creating fashion styles that are worn today such as jackets to wear with evening gowns, square shoulders with the waist-lines nipped in and graphic patterned sweaters. 

1960s - YVES SAINT LAURENT.

created the 'mondrian look' which was inspired by artist Piet Mondrain, with only primary colours and blocks, it is one of the most famous contemporary works for an artist of all time. The technique of the blocking is also credited to YSL as it compliments the body proportions perfectly. 

After this, the 'pop art look' was introduced and the highlight of fashion following art was at it's peak through this current and next eras. 

YSL were also the first to create the ethnic 'back to nature' look, which followed into the 70s fashion, as we commonly know the hippy years. 

POP ART.

It presented a challenge to fine art by introducing mass popular culture such as advertising, news, politics etc. 

RICHARD HAMILTON. 

There is something I really adore about images from different medias being collated together in a collage - the aimless, quirkiness of the work makes it light-hearted and in some respect taken less seriously that you have more admiration for it as you are able to personally relate to the image in any way.

PETER BLAKE. 

ANDY WARHOL.

Warhol popularised art with re-creating images of mass production, symbolizing the 60s culture of consumption. Warhol himself made the following dresses below, as well as recreating iconic images of Marilyn Monroe.

OP ART.

Bridget Riley
An english painter who in the 60s evolved a style which explored optical phenomena of which many of her works was visually disorientating to the eye but has a strong attentiveness to it.

PATRICK CAULFIELD.

Printmaker and English painter, Caulfield presented his work by simplifying the objects he painted with a simple black outline to display ordinary images as emblems of an obscure reality.

70s/80s

YOHJI YAMAMOTO. - structural, sculptural, architectural
A Japanese Fashion Designer who challenges traditional norms with his avant-garde style. His work is always playing with gender, oversized and characterised by a high use of black which he describes the colour as being both 'modest and arrogant at the same time'

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD.

70s 'Mother of Punk' - influenced by Rococo Fashion, military style, very old.
Westwood really does modernise punk and for her seventy-one year old self with bright orange hair and quirky style, she is nothing short of a style muse.
Opening her first shop called 'Let It Rock' which was later known as 'Sex' and then 'Too fast to live, too young to die', she sought inspiration from unusual places. She began a close collaboration with Matthew McLaren introducing designs influenced by prostitutes, razor blades and of course spiked dog collars. She was everything Punk had to offer - shock, leather and outrageous behaviour.

The following three brands all used a god-like reference within their advertising, showing how the artwork still influences the fashion industry today.

ADIDAS, DOLCE AND GABBANA & LEVIS.

Laocoon and His sons 

Michelangelo - David 

BARBARA KRUGER.

In the last decade Kruger has created all kinds of different medias from film, video to audio, using bold white and red text with classical aesthetics she encapsulates the consumer with direct messages about the kindness and brutalities of social life and how we react and connect with one another.

I love the use of simple colours and simple black and white images that thread through her work, it makes the message powerful and strong which in turn draws your attention to it and makes you reflect. 

THE MODERN CONSUMER.

Pre Digital Consumer
There was not much dialogue between the consumer and brand, in general the consumer was powerless.

Limited in choice, supply, information, price, negotiation, dialogue and the ability to redress.

OLD MARKETING

ONE WAY MESSAGE. Interruptive mass appeal, expensive, hard to measure, low return of investment.

Modern Consumer
Developed over the last decade, the modern consumer is connected, active, mobile, engaged, open, impatient, demanding, powerful.

Brands would appear out of nowhere, you can know what people think about it and instantly start to engage with it.

Greater choice, supply.
GLOBAL MARKET...faster manufacturing, improved logistics.

NEW MARKETING

TWO WAY MESSAGE. Interactive, targeted, mobile, efficient, fluid, reactive, effective.

Methods which justify this - creating a dialogue, informing NOT selling, informed by consumer, led by consumer research, time sensitive, location based, price.

SHARED VALUES - trust, authenticity, community, integrity, respect, involvement.


CONSUMERCENTRIC MARKETING

'Art of the Trench' - you can only be part of this social network if you have a Burberry Trench Coat.

Mass customisation allows you the opportunity to have the brand you want.

PRINCIPLES.

• Facilitate conversations
• Provides a platform
• Offer access
• Encourages participation
• Enable story-telling
• Provides information
• Shared learning
• Reward involvement

5 key current trends - mobile, image, video, social, upgrade.

Consumer profiles allow you to get BIG DATA to get to know the consumer and there for have an understanding of their wants and needs. e.g. their profile, history, location, needs, connections, incentives, privacy. 

Future Consumer

Technology - 3D printing, Nano.

Immediacy, authenticity, customisation, resources, sustainability, sharing, ethics. 

Talking THROUGH the consumer not TO the consumer.

INNOVATIVE CAMPAIGNS

Looking through campaigns from past to present was a really interesting experience and how they have developed with the consumer. It was also a learning curve for me as a consumer myself to see, specifically the adverts separately as individual rather than a number of them running in between our programmes on TV Screens. Let's face it, the majority of the time I know I subconsciously slip through them or end up in the kitchen making a cup of tea.

THE PAST. - 'always being positive'

VW Beetle, the 1959 Think Small series of adverts were voted the number 1 campaign of all time. 

They understood that simply showing adverts of the products on the TV wasn't going to make them jump from their seat and go and buy one so they devised a strategy to keep customers by creating a nurturing them as brand embassadors rather than wasting their time with people who may be uninterested by the product.

Levi's Launderette - created in the 1950s, it was exactly niche to what the decade was about - sex and rock 'n roll. I love the fact that it threads in the 1950s vibe, it's showing how a brand can influence that 'trend' and create it in their own, unique way. 

Skipping ahead a few decades to 2005 and my, is this an advert that defiantly puts creativity to it's potential. Sony advertising the new 'Bravia' TV combines film and cinematography in this encapsulating advert which captures an evoking message through emotion, colour and brand but NOT through display of their product. (excuse the beginning)

Honda Cog 2010 - 'The power of dreams' this advert was created in a six month period and went live after ONLY two single takes!!! This advert is very whimsical and effective in the way that they've given you the opportunity to look at the structure and mechanics behind the car. It is obviously very creative in how they've made it like a 'mouse trap' adventure and kept you attentive throughout the whole of the advert, right up until the final product is displayed.

THE PRESENT. 

Skittles, Sweet company - An interactive advert for youtube only which allows you to 'touch the rainbow'. It follows on from TV commercial about a boy touching all of his Grandmother's items in her house and them simply turning into thousands of skittles spilling everywhere. This advert is allowing the consumer to have a physical awareness of the product and creating an experience they wont forget which in turn may allow them to remember this and therefore buy skittles.

Venables Bell & Partner paired up with eBay, allowing people to donate toys from Toys-For-Tots by installing the eBay app on your smartphone and then going to an interactive storefront and scanning the item in your phone to pay for it. The display in the window is touch-able, allowing you to create your own atmosphere within the store front. It is also animated, giving a child-hood feel for the mature consumer.

THE FUTURE.

What is there in the future for campaigns.... will it be even more interactive, with a 3D display projecting outside the screen? or will it go back to the past of being about informing the customer and not necessarily finding ways of getting the consumer to buy it through the advert?

Brand Handwriting.... 'Most women are colour-blind, they should ask for suggestions' - Elsa Schiaparelli

'Text and pictures create a stimulating and attractive entity, which takes the receiver forward with the help of exciting change and variation.' 

I think as a brand it is important to have a common thread running through the whole production, whether that's through a selection of the 7Ps or one individually - Promotion, Product, People, Physical Evidence.
What's so powerful about a brand as well is their timing - pauses especially in promotion, are paramount because they can be used to really emphasis a focal point of a NEW, FRESH, concept for their production and processes. A sudden, surprising moment not only captivates an ever-lasting visual image in your head but its the reinforcement in your memory - it's a lot easier for a brand to fix a specific detail in their head niche to them so then that is fixed in their memory, whether that's a shape, colour or perhaps a form of advertisement.
However, what is key is to make sure that the consumer is taking in the information in the most beneficial way, rather than it being a 'one hit wonder'.

Some design elements to aid a consumer for a brand: Colour, Pattern, Monogram, Signature, Letter Form/Font, Media/Material, Product.

The design elements stated above can alter, the 'wheel turns as a brand decides to change their elements'

HOW DO YOU KEEP A RELATIONSHIP WITH A NAME?

The following brands are some we recently looked at in our lecture, investigating HOW they manage to keep the consumer's attentiveness yet still keeps them guessing what they'll do next.

Elsa Schiaparelli 

Shocking, Vibrant, Bold, Feminine

Individual, Unique, Flamboyant

Surreal, Inventive, Quirky, Playful

Parisian, Whimsical, Controversial

Schiaparelli brings us the ultimate femininity to her brand - making pink her signature colour and as our guilty pleasure colour, we wouldn't have it any other way. The whimsical and shockingly bright colour creates such a flamboyant, 'anything goes' attitude and truly, only a women of great substance and style could pull it off.

Tiffany & Co.

Cool Crisp, Classic, Luxury

Prestige, Confidence, Exclusivity, Status

Romance, Desire, Youth, Taste

Glamour, Heritage, Sophistication

Contemporary, Urban, Retro

Magical, Manhattan, Elegance


I don't think ANY woman can deny it, we all know that colour and shaped box that comes with every fine piece of jewellery from Tiffany & Co. The iconic blue colour is not just any kind of blue - it's 'Tiffany Blue' and has been registered as a trademark. It speaks throughout the whole of the brand - the box, shopping bag, advertising, store layout etc. Due to their brand recognition, they've also received free publicity through pop culture such as referencing made by Marilyn Monroe in the emblematic song 'Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend' and also the film 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' starring the classic Audrey Hepburn, saying in it how Tiffany's is 'the best place in the world, where nothing bad can take place'. However, the brand identity is now not only recognised by colour but as mentionned, by their Tiffany Blue Box signifying the excellence of their brand handwriting.

Paul Smith

Eccentric, Sartorial, Witty, Confident

Late 90s - Push a softer, more human and decorative way than the Brand name

Vibrant, Playful, Twist on Tradition, Visual, Surprise


Paul Smith signature's Stripe and Swirl has become an instantly recognisable form of creative genius. The pattern has attached itself to very diverse products which makes the brand that much more dynamic and confident, from Umbrellas, Shirts, Christmas Baubles to even being displayed on the BMW Mini.
Beginning his creation of the 'classic with a twist' approach for Menswear, he was moving himself in a direction, other designers would shadow at the thought.

'well-made, good quality, simple cut, interesting fabric, easy to wear'

BURBERRY

British, Heritage, Young, Aristocracy

Hip London, New Modern Generation, Sloane Style

Street Attitude, Traditional Tartan, Graphic Check


The Burberry check is another iconic pattern which has become so much so that Scotland now considers it as 'corporate tartan'. During the late 90s however, it started to become negatively associated in the media for being consumed by football hooligans and 'chav-like' people so it was quite a challenge to try and re-inform and assure the consumers of their strategies and how they were going to re-invent this. They decided to remove the check pattern completely from all but 10% of their products and then starting to turn the wheel in terms of the design element by re-branding itself in advertisements with magazines like GQ, VOGUE as well as having industry and out of industry people within them such as  model Kate Moss and actress Emma Watson.  They are now slipping the pattern back in subtly into their products, including their infamous trench coats. Ultimately, the brand has stayed true to it's British Heritage and remains full of style and attitude.