bleach Started in 2003, we are a design company that is driven by the challenge of producing unique solutions for and in collaboration with our clients. We scribble, discuss, laugh, cry, question and scribble again, its all part of the creative process. The bottom line is we love coming up with great ideas, whether we are working in print, digital or getting our teeth into an integrated campaign. We don’t only enjoy working with big named companies, but relish the creative challenges that smaller projects can present. However big or small our clients are, they share the same desire to produce creative work that achieves its goals and reaches its target audience.
The Big Chill 2009 marketing campaign A case study
Fight for the right to party Fifteen years ago the Big Chill was one of a handful of festivals. Today the competition is much greater, with boutique and niche festivals popping up throughout the summer. Even the big brands have got in on the act, as brand managers realize the marketing potential of running their own events. Peoples perceptions and demands have also evolved. Festivals, like any other product have had to up their game, not just in what they offer, but it the way they market themselves to their audience. As the old saying goes...
“If you keep doing what you’re doing you just keep getting what you’re getting.” After 15 years this was exactly what was happening to the Big Chill. Their core demographic was getting older and young festival goers were being tempted by the fresher boutique festivals.
The public speak When the Big Chill approached us to develop a marketing campaign for 2009, we observed that they assumed that people saw the Big Chill the same way they did. We also noticed that the images used to promote the festival, contradicted the stakeholders perception of the festival.
Listen, learn, evolve We needed to hear this from the public, especially festival goers who shunned The Big Chill. Qualatitive research was proposed and our research company Ask Joe Public ran the groups.
Tough love The research showed that in the eyes of the public that the festival was perceived as:
A festival with no attitude A pipe and slippers festival A chill out festival A festival for alternative music acts A sanitised festival The findings gave us a solid platform on which to base the creative. We felt that a campaign that created an emotional response was the key to attracting a new audience and re invigorate the existing Big Chillers, while at the same time giving the festival a personality with attitude.
The big idea The Big Chill festival is forever evolving, offering a multitude of experiences. We asked 40,000 subscribers of the Big Chill website,
‘What is the Big Chill to you?’ 26 responses were picked that illustrated the many facets of the festival and 26 illustrators were picked to put the words into pictures. Illustrators with different styles were selected so that we could target specific groups.
United we stand The Big Chill had also expanded into 3 bars and a record label, so it was imperative that an identity was created to unite them.
The identity
Visually united the festival, house, bar (London and Bristol) and label Built awareness of the connection between all five parts of the group
The advertising campaign
Engaged the public Illustrated the different aspects of the festival Targeted different social sets Emphasised the creative aspect of the festival Created PR through a countrywide art exhibition
Putting it all together Over the period of 10 months the multi media campaign was rolled out throughout the UK.
Press advertising Ambient advertising On line advertising PR packs Promotional flyers Art exhibition Packaging Festival collateral Interior and exterior design
Previous page Panic poster This page Bar and House monthly flyers and Dont Panic poster
Previous page: Bar and House monthly flyers, Don’t Panic poster Left: Festival flyer, Don’t Panic poster Right from top: Time Out ad, Observer music magazine ad, Last FM web banner
Left from top: Clean advertising, cling poster Right: Hoarding
Left: Festival programme Right from top: Festival lanyard, festival wrist band Over page left: Festival tickets Over page right: 15 x 15 cd packaging
Left: T-shirt
Left: Festival stage idents Right: Festival stage ident sequence Over page left: Exhibition Over page right: Limited edition prints
Left: T-shirt Right: T-shirts Over: Bristol bar exterior and interior plans
Left: Mens T-shirt Right: Womens T-shirts
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Left: Bristol bar exterior and interior plans Right: Exterior and interior shots
bleach would like to thank all of the illustrators who contributed to the campaign. Chrissie Abbott Alex Chappell Simon Cory Joe Crocker Ria Dastidar Matt Dent Jason Divine Sam Green Jean Julien Sarah King Jirayu Koo Rachel Lattimore Hello Marine
Ryan Miglinczy Andy Miller Matt Needle Lee Owens Si Scott Rosie Stallard Supermundane Ryan Todd Toby Triumph Hannah Waldron Brett Wilkinson Joe Wilson Steve Wilson
bleach 5 Hoxton Square London N1 6NU wearebleach.co.uk
If you would like to know more about us or our work please contact: Jane Chattenton +44 (0) 20 7012 1211 jane@wearebleach.co.uk