Mind-mapping is a method that I've used at several points in the brief so far, as I find it an easy way of noting down ideas quickly and concisely and then expanding on them. In this particular brief, I have tried to start off with an "obvious" idea and then develop it into something more interesting or unexpected. Mind Tools, a website which aims to provide practical career skills, states that "Mind mapping helps you break large projects or topics down into manageable chunks" (http://www.mindtools.com/), which is something else I've found they assist with.
My tutor and I surmised that I now need to concentrate on the target audience (18-24 year old males) and research their interests and lifestyles (as I've touched on previously) to understand how Bacardi could be adapted and made more appealing to them. We discussed that a good starting point for this would be looking at magazines aimed at males (such as FHM, Mens Health and Loaded) in order to see what types of things they're interested in and attracted by. I am aware that most magazines also have an associated website, so I'll be able to obtain both printed and online information.
Reading the actual YCN Bacardi brief - and having discussed the brief casually with classmates, friends and family - the issue seems to be that the target audience either don't feel Bacardi is a drink relevant to them - their age, their gender, their generation - or they've just never even considered drinking it. The Bacardi brief states that their research has shown some people think Bacardi is "a bit dated" and "not cool" or "or something their Mum likes to drink on a Friday night, or that it "just doesn't mean anything to them". Therefore by researching the things they do like and the things they are into, via the magazines, I will hopefully be able to understand how Bacardi can be portrayed to them in a way that they will both get and like.
I have also considered putting together a questionnaire or survey designed to obtain the target audience's views of Bacardi. However I am slightly concerned about the reliability of the responses I might get from an open, online survey (via Yahoo Answers, for instance - would the answers actually be from 18-24 year old males? Would it be taken seriously?) and the practicality of carrying out a survey in person, so this is something I will need to revisit and reconsider at a later date.
The discussion with my tutor was also very helpful in terms of re-evaluating initial ideas I'd had and, as I uncover more information about the brief, whether they are still viable options or may not actually solve the problem. For instance, my initial thoughts were that the appearance of the Bacardi bottle may be part of the reason why young males are put off drinking it and so I thought to change this; however I now feel that they already have a pre-conception about the product and have made the decision that they wouldn't drink it before they've even seen the bottle, and so changing this element may not necessarily resolve the issue. I feel the main requirement is making the target audience aware of the brand and the product via advertising which appeals to them, and so changing the bottle or label alone would not have enough impact.
This has made me realise that my responses to briefs such as this will always change and evolve, especially in the earlier stages as more information is uncovered, and that this is natural progression through a project and eventually results in better, more informed decisions and solutions.
No comments:
Post a Comment