Whilst at an event at the NEC in Birmingham, I came across the below banner in the bar area:
As mentioned previously, the YCN Bacardi brief is all about reconnecting with 18-24 year old males in the bar environment, and seeing the above made me think about how I will apply my concept to this situation. As I am coming up with a more general advertising/branding concept which could be used across various mediums (such as TV advertising and magazines) - rather than a purely bar-orientated solution - there will be a number of ways it can work in a bar.
I carried out some research on in-bar advertising methods, some of which are shown below:
TV screens around bar - digital ads, digital signage
Posters - in bathrooms (also window wraps, mirror sticks)
Table wraps (also bar wraps)
Posters with digital element (e.g. augmented reality)
On-bar displays/dispensers
Printed material on bars/tables (e.g. table tents)
There are also many other options, such as branded glassware, coasters and bar runners. Once I have the finer details of my design worked out, I will consider which medium it will best suit, as well as which will be most appealing and effective to the target audience.
Whilst researching how products are advertised or portrayed to appeal to men, I came across the campaign for WKD. I thought this was a particularly interesting example as in my opinion WKD has a reputation as a low-strength, girly alcopop. However the adverts - as below - try to overcome this image by being definitely and purposely aimed at men:
The ad takes a situation all men can identify with (a nagging female) and then gives it a humorous slant - the situation in the ad is what all men would probably love to be able to do. It also makes men appear to be cunning and secretly having the upper hand - in an article I read entitled "6 Ways Advertising Attracts Men" (Suggett, P. About.com Guide), number 5 is "Men are suckers for flattery" which I feel is definitely in play here.
A lot of ads with a male focus that I've looked at have been comedy orientated (particularly beers in terms of the alcohol sector), however I feel this could potentially cheapen the product if done incorrectly. Below is an ad for pot noodle, not a particularly prestigious brand:
I'm also unsure as to how this type of thing would fit in with the heritage element of the Bacardi brand that I wish to portray. I feel something more along the lines of the Stella advert below might be more suitable:
There is much more of a cool, suave feel yet it is still quite light-hearted and not too serious or boring.
Out of interest, I have looked into how Havana Club rum is marketed as I feel this is a well known rum with a cooler, more contemporary image than Bacardi:
I feel this ad combines the heritage of the product (imagery of Havana, music, etc) with a vibrant, fun advert which might appeal to a younger audience (although perhaps not specifically males). It does, however, have a party or festival feel, similar to how Bacardi has been marketed previously but seemingly hasn't attracted the target audience for this brief, so this needs to be taken into consideration.
An advert which to me signifies how a brand can be cool and not particularly funny, but still appeal to young males is the latest Carling ad:
Carling previously used humorous ad's however have now had a turn-around in line with "the brands new, stylish and sophisticated identity"(Carling, 2012). I feel this ad is very modern, sleek and importantly masculine (the colours, the imagery, the subject) without particularly using stereotypical matter. It also has a focus on the brands British heritage whilst not being stuffy or old-fashioned, and gives the product in question a quality image.
This has all given me a great deal to think about in terms of how I could approach the solution. I feel I now need to combine all of my research so far (about the Bacardi brand, the target audience and male advertising strategies) and see how they connect.
Although this research has given me inspiration and an insight into how to successfully appeal to a male audience, I am also aware that part of solving the Bacardi brief is to do something different and unique. In The Advertising Concept Book (2008), Barry states that "Too often we are influenced by what's already out there" (p.35) - I don't want to fall into the trap of just copying what's already been done.
As per my previous post, my plan was to research the interests and lifestyles of the target audience for the brief (18-24 year old males) via magazines aimed at them. I chose four magazines, all aimed at this demographic but with slightly different styles and calibres: Nuts (a typical lads mag), GQ (a more classy publication), FHM (in my opinion, middle ground) and Mens Fitness (focusing on health and fitness, as per the title).
Despite their differences, there were definite and distinct overlaps between the content of the various magazines, even the more specialist Mens Fitness. I feel even the way each magazine describes itself in it's Google Search results gives a good indication as to what this common ground is:
FHM Men's Magazine | Sexy Girls, News& Men's Fashion | FHM.com
Check out sexy girl galleries and funny videos from around the web brought to you by FHM.com, the men's entertainment magazine online.
Men's Fashion & Style | Entertainment & Sports News | Girls | GQ
Men's fashion & style brought to you by industry experts at GQ.com (UK). GQ magazine provides entertainment, sport and culture news, reviews and comment.
Nuts | Topless Girls, Web Games, Funny Videos, Glamour Models ...
Welcome to man paradise where girls, games, gadgets, laughs, footy and fun abound!
Men's Fitness - Sports, Fitness, Health, Nutrition, Style and Sex
Improve your strength, muscle growth, endurance, health and style with expert fitness and lifestyle tips from mensfitness.com
Topics covered by all the magazines included sex/females, fashion/grooming, cars, humour, technology/gadgets and health/exercise. This alone gave a good indication that these are the types of things that attract or interest the majority of men. However more than that, looking at the magazines enabled me to identify underlying messages to men about what is perceived as being "socially acceptable" for a male:
- The magazines encouraged men to be the best - have the best, wear the best, drive the best, know everything, be up-to-date, and so on. It struck me that there was a lot of aspirational focus - interviews with "successful" people; articles on new, expensive sports cars, etc.
- There was also a very strong emphasis on being manly and masculine, and what makes you manly and masculine. For instance, fast cars, action films and extreme sports - men may like these things (perhaps due to the danger/risk/thrill element) but men are also expected to like these things, as typically/historically society expects men to be tough and brave and fearless. I feel being accepted and perceived as a "real man" is very important to males.
The above is a promo clip for the new Die Hard (action) film from www.FHM.com. Although humorous and self-deprecating, it is an example of the way in which being a "real man" is portrayed.
My findings from this research will play a big part in both the concept and aesthetics of my solution to the brief. I feel it will be important to portray Bacardi as a high-quality brand (in-line with the idea of aspiration and being/having the best), and I now also have a better idea as to how a masculine edge could be sought (for instance, in terms of imagery that would attract a male audience, or language that would validate Bacardi as an acceptable man's drink) which is essential.
On the other hand, the magazines have also confirmed that humour appeals to males - all had jokes, funny stories, interviews with comedians/comedy actors - so perhaps this is another angle to approach a solution from. Whether humour is used to impress friends, be in on a joke (acceptance/part of the gang?) or just because men like to laugh, it seems to be something that gets their attention.
My next step is to look at existing products and campaigns aimed at men (both related to the alcohol industry and otherwise) and see what strategies have been employed (for instance, the cool, slick approach or the comedy element).
Not being an 18-24 year old male myself has been a disadvantage to some extent in this brief (!). It's quite hard not to be swayed towards what I like and what would make me drink Bacardi, and instead put myself if the shoes of a young male. However completing this research has definitely opened my eyes to what might make the target audience tick.
Today I had a discussion with my tutor about where to go next in terms of reaching a solution for the Bacardi brief. As per my last post, I've carried out extensive research around the Bacardi brand to gain an insight of its heritage, products and current visual identity (mainly using information from http://www.bacardilimited.com/ and http://www.bacardi.com/uk/) and generated ideas for concepts following this (mind-map shown below):
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.
Below are some points and ideas following research I have carried out around the Bacardi brand/company, which may be angles to approach the brief from:
- Bacardi was the original rum; it's authenticity and history are not known widely known but could distinguish it as a quality product and not a cheap spirit.
- Bacardi's founder (a man) pioneered a lot of rum-making processes and revolutionised the drink.
- It goes through a very specialised and bespoke process: they use the best ingredients and hand-picked oak barrels; the rum blenders have years of training, all to give Bacardi it's unique taste. Again, this emphasises it is a premium product.
- Even the bat logo has meaning (the tin-roof distillery in Cuba where Bacardi started out has bats in the rafters and the founders wife persuaded him to use it as a symbol for the brand as it was so easily recognisable and was said to signify wealth and good fortune).
- Bacardi has quite a male-orientated background; not only did a man invent it, but soldiers drank it and invented the Cuba Libre cocktail (rum and coke) during the American-Spanish War.
- Bacardi survived earthquakes, prohibition in America and unrightful seizure of its assets by the government.
- Bacardi is the world's favourite, most awarded and top selling spirit. It's previously been portrayed as a "social" drink with a party-feel about it.
- It's mainly known for it's versatility and suitability to cocktails (some cocktails can only contain Bacardi, not other types of rum) - however this might not be an ideal selling point for men as cocktails could be seen as too feminine and fussy.
Concept ideas:
- "The king of rum, the rum of kings" (a slogan previously used with reference to Bacardi being given Royal approval - a king is obviously a male role and signifies power)
- "Made by men, for men" (links to origins/history of Bacardi plus target audience)
- "The rum of the bat" (how Bacardi originally became known; quite a masculine symbol - dark side)
- "You're missing out" / "Don't miss out" (connotations of Bacardi being the world's favourite rum; could link to statistics of how many rum and cokes are drunk per second to show its popularity)
- "If Bacardi hadn't revolutionised rum, we might still be acting like pirates" (again, a link to heritage/roots of Bacardi - could provide interesting imagery with a humourous side)
- "Do you think soldiers would drink a cocktail/girls drink?" (link to history plus perception of Bacardi being a feminine drink - shows it has a masculine side/story)
Images from Bacardi Archive (online); video of 2012 Bacardi ad from YouTube
As part of my research for the YCN Bacardi brief, I was tasked by my tutor with going to Staffs Uni library to get books and material that will help with background work around the brief.
I was a little uneasy about going to the library on my own for the first time (I've only been once before for a group tour in the first term), and without being set the task of going I have to admit I probably would have just used the colleges own library as it's more convenient and familiar ground. However once at the Uni library it was quite easy to find the books I'd earmarked using the online "Summon" search tool, especially as I'd made sure to note down the collection that those I was looking for were kept in.
Visiting Staffs library made me realise it has a much wider range of books than the college library, especially around graphic design-related subjects, and so I'm confident that I'll utilise the facilities again for future projects and briefs now I know how easy and beneficial it is. I feel having a broader range of information and material at hand leads to more informed work, and can also expose avenues that may otherwise have never been considered. I'd picked several books to get before going to the library, however once there I found others that might also be of use to me and so came away with extra which, as above, can only be a good thing.
When checking which books were available at the library, searching for obvious terms related to the brief like "alcohol advertising" and "alcohol" didn't yield many results, and so I found myself getting books on more general topics like advertising and marketing (examples shown below). Although I'm sure they will come in handy, seeing the material my classmates had gathered for their briefs made me realise that if I broaden my search terms (for instance, "food and drink" rather than just "alcohol") I'll have more information to go at which will still be of use.
In summary, the visit was very useful as an introduction to the library, and I plan to return in the near future to look for more, broader research material.
Books from left to right: - Social Communication in Advertising (2005, Leiss, W. et al, Third Edition) - The Advertising Concept Book (2008, Barry, P.) - Packaging Design (2006, Klimchuk, M. & Krasovec, S.)
Task: Make 18-24 year old males want to order Bacardi at the bar
Plan:
1) Make them aware of product (younger audience may never have considered drinking it)
2) Make them want to drink it - make it cool, current, masculine, etc (new image)
What I know so far:
There is more to Bacardi than people are aware of
- Genuine Cuban rum, not a cheap spirit
- 150 year heritage & still run by Bacardi family today
- V. skilled manufacturing process ("Maestros de ron")
Idea needs to be simple & translate across different channels
Alcohol advertising rules must be followed
Research areas:
- More about Bacardi's history/products/current branding
- What constitutes maculinity?
- How other products attract males
- Competitors
- Other products "brought up to date"
- Target audience
- Methods to promote/advertise Bacardi in bars
Initial thoughts:
- Design drinking vessel?
- Create new drink? (poss. issues about it becoming an alcopop/cocktail and therefore not masculine)
- In-bar promotion (e.g. posters, pop-up bar) - would raise awareness
- Redesign packaging (current is quite dated, indistinct)
- Bat logo is quite masculine, focus on this?
- The "Don of rum/Cuba" (play on words re Don Facundo Bacardi inventing Bacardi)
- "Before Havana, there was Bacardi" (refers to place and Havana rum)
- "The original" / "The original Cuban rum" (refers to heritage - people may not know it's from Cuba)
Although this is just a starting point for the brief, I have no doubt that these initial ideas will change, develop and even be replaced the more I learn and discover. I've found it difficult to avoid trying to come up with the solution straightaway, before I've even really started to look into the "problem" properly. So I must remember to approach the brief in a step-by-step manner and hopefully the solution should become much more obvious.
