OUGD503 - D&AD - Creative Review

Managed to get my hands on the New Blood 2015/2016 magazine produced by Creative Review.

2015:

'Celebrating 35 years of nurturing students into successful careers, however they are still always looking forward not back.' - This suggests that there is no need to dwell on previous styles, they're looking for originality and forward thinking ideas.

• Tim Lindsay (CEO) - 'D&AD exists to celebrate, inspire and enable creative excellence in design and advertising.'
• Mark Bonner (D&AD President) - 'I reckon that the creatives of the future will work across disciplines, fusing them together in order to cut through.'

Picked the previous quotes from the 2015 edition because Lindsay and Bonner play a key role in how D&AD is run so considering what they say will help to give me an advantage. Bonner's quote is encouraging because designers are building more skills which provides more opportunity for creating groundbreaking and forward thinking concepts and outcomes. 

WPP is the world leader in communications services. It comprises leading companies in disciplines such as:

Advertising
Media Investment Management
Data Investment Management
Public Relations & Public Affairs
Branding & Identity
Healthcare Communications
Direct, Digital, Promotion & Relationship Marketing
Specialist Communications

WPP partner with D&AD offering support specifically with the New Blood scheme - This is evidence to suggest why the briefs are so detailed as they are trying to introduce young creatives into the real world of design briefs. 

Creative Review picked there own favourites from 2015 and I identified some clients that are being used in this years briefs, analysing the outcomes and feedback will help to inform my development. 

Monotype

Identified Monotype's brief as a possible project to take forward in Responsive because I have an increased understanding and experience with typography and I am interested in the shape and negative space it creates.

The brief required the students to create a new visual language for film advertising. The brief didn't specify the medium or film that the designers could use, leaving it completely up to their own interpretation. 

The solution has taken inspiration from Hitchcock's productions, using the 'skilfully crafted tension' in order to inspire the outcome. Hitchcock's films use the power of storytelling and strong visuals in order to create excitement, anxiety and suspense and the creatives identified that light and shadow play a significant role in creating this uncertainty. Creative Review were impressed by the typographic posters but more praise was aimed at the on-street executions. Again, this highlights the importance of being original and conceptual in order to stand out. 'It's all there.'

John Lewis

Again, John Lewis is a client from one of this years briefs. The brief required the designers to reinvent home delivery packaging in order to excite and engage online shoppers.

Jon Quinnell named his solution 'Wrapa' as an 'innovative and unique form of packaging' which engages the audience whilst helping to improve the environment. Creative Review liked the fact that Quinnell had considered making the product environmentally friendly yet still practical and good-looking. - Think about how the solution can benefit as many people as possible yet still solve the primary problem.

Airbnb 

Create a campaign that encourages Airbnb's community to grow and communicate the idea of 'belonging'.

Joel Buckley's solution was recognised by Creative Review because his solution 'solves a real problem' and expands Airbnb's community outside of the familiar tourist destinations. Buckley has thought outside the box by researching thoroughly into how other people use Airbnb to gain a better understanding of the problem. Questionnaires and survey's clearly benefit the outcome as the informed research is appropriate and relevant.

BBC

Again, the BBC are a client for this years awards. The brief is aimed at a young target audience (15-24) and requires the designer to create a UX which can 'tailor content delivery to fit within and enhance their lives'. This brief is subtly similar to the current brief as they both require the designer to produce a solution that engages a wide range of creatives. UX can be transferred into this brief.

Choosing the iPhone may seem like the most obvious solution, however it is informed as young people are constantly 'always on' there mobile device. By combining all media that the BBC offers in an easily accessible app solves the problem and Creative Review were impressed by the eye catching visual language:

2016:

A really beneficial section of the most recent magazine is the 'If I Remember Three Things' because it provides advice from successful creatives as to how they approach briefs. 

Josh

• Pause, breathe and step briefly away from the task - Gain perspective 
• Do not panic - Doesn't help anyone
• Do what you love, for the right reasons

Ross

• Be genuine
• Enjoy
• Be fearless and brave
• Don't be afraid to hold back. Ever.

Thais

• Find joy in what you're doing - Creativity will flow better
• Connect to creative people from other creative backgrounds - Best way to get inspired.

Tiffany

• Tackling the problem with the right solution
• 'Figure out what you really want in life/how to be a good person'
• Benefit the community

Jason

• Panic is okay - 'shows you're not numb'
• 'You'll realise you aren't cut out for this industry' 
• Breath. Slow down. 
• 'Leave yourself space to create your own picture'

Sania

• Empathy at the core of work - Meaningful and strong
• Execute curiosity in brave ways 
• 'Look after yourself'