| Title | THE GOLDEN PENCIL 2017 |
| Brand | KREATIVT FORUM |
| Product/Service | PROFILE CONCEPT FOR NORWEGIAN ADVERTISING AWARD |
| Category |
A02. Rebrand / Refresh of an existing Brand |
|
Entrant
|
SMFB Oslo, NORWAY
|
|
Idea Creation
|
SMFB Oslo, NORWAY
|
|
Production
|
ANIMASJONS DEPARTEMENTET Oslo, NORWAY
|
|
Production 2
|
VERDENS STERKESTE MANN Oslo, NORWAY
|
Credits
| FRANCESCA MIANI |
SMFB |
DESIGNER |
| HANS MARTIN RØNNESETH |
SMFB |
CREATIVE DIRECTOR |
| EIRIK STENSRUD |
SMFB |
CREATIVE DIRECTOR |
| VIBEKE WIEDSWANG |
SMFB |
PROJECT MANAGER |
| James Martin |
ANIMASJONSDEPARTEMENTET |
ANIMATOR |
| VERDENS STERKESTE MANN |
VERDENS STERKESTE MANN |
SOUND AGENT |
Background
Gullblyanten (“the Golden Pencil”) is the most highly-regarded competition within the Norwegian advertising industry. The purpose of the award is to pick the best creative campaigns produced in the country each year on the basis of their strategy, concept and execution.
The task was to re-brand their visual profile for 2017 and create an online campaign in order to attract more participants and increase submissions. The new look would be displayed across all online communications, diplomas for the winners and introduction films for the award ceremony. No budget was allocated for the profile, beside production costs.
Describe the creative idea
Anyone who works in advertising knows how hard it is to transform a good idea into a great campaign. And even when the concept is approved, there are still very low chances for it to please a demanding jury like Gullblyanten’s.
The 2017 Gullblyanten visual profile shows the journey of a creative concept through the challenges and obstacles it meets on the way to becoming a finished campaign.
By illustrating and animating a series of characters inspired by our industry, we created an irreverent depiction of the advertising world, that everyone in the Gullblyanten audience would be familiar with.
Describe the execution
Our visual profile consists in a series of illustrated and animated executions, such as web banners, social media posts, diplomas for the winners and 19 short animated films introducing each category during the award ceremony.
We wanted our illustrations to highlight the hostility of the environment that surrounds a newborn idea. Our universe consists in fact of a series of evil-looking creatures, waiting for their chance to spoil the creative process, and an unwelcoming setting, distinguished by bright clashing colours and chaotic scenes.
The characters were inspired by common advertising figures, like the Marketing Manager, the Client or the Creative Director. In the animated films they were used to recreate some familiar scenarios based on everyday office life in advertising agencies, where they inevitably kill the idea.
All the illustrations were created digitally, while the short films were animated frame by frame.
List the results
The new profile created a buzz in the Norwegian ad business before and during this year's awards, an all time low in complaints about the award profile and pressure to continue the profile for next year's awards. It added needed refreshment and value to the organiser and award show itself. It signalled a focus on the essence of the award — outstanding creativity. To increase the common belief that creativity makes a difference is vital in a time when media planning and formatting has become talk of the town. The profile also picked up attention from creative publications in Norway and abroad and has been awarded in various creative awards in Norway so far.