Internship Report by giulia barra

INTERNSHIP FINAL REPORT Giulia Barra

introducing the internship

Internâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name and surname

Giulia Barra

INTERNSHIP FINAL REPORT

Oct-Feb 2012

HOSTING STRUCTURE

751918

Product Service Systems Design ACADEMIC TUTOR

COMPANY TUTOR

Arobase Communication

DEGREE COURSE

MATR. NUMBER

Laurent Simonet

Davide Fassi

introducing the internship

INTRODUCTION

The internship was carried out during a period of almost 5 months inside Arobase Communication, a french communication agency based in Shanghai. I started my experience in October 2011 and I gradually got more responsibilities along with the competencies that I gained inside the agency. Although my experience officially ended in February 2012 I kept on doing some freelance jobs for Arobase and helped them for the designers turnover (three designers had to leave, me included, for different reasons). The commitment was mostly related to graphic production, but also packaging, presentations, ibooks and events, making it a little more multicoloured and interesting.

arobase communication

the company

AROBASE COMMUNICATION is a Shanghai based creative agency. We provide tailor made solutions to fit all your communication needs. All our products are crafted to match perfectly your target audience because uncertainty cannot be an option in a fast growing and competitive market like China. Our team is multicultural, polymorphic, we adapt to our client. Customer oriented, we can help you with every step of successful communication. We follow a project from the beginning to the end, providing a full service. Web Marketing, Graphic Design, Web Design and Development, Mobile Web Development are our core competencies, our team will give you satisfaction in both technical and creative aspects of communication and will also provide you reliable printing solutions for your promotional tools.

graphic design

the OFFER

web marketing

Corporate Identity & Logo Packaging Stationary Catalogues Flyers Posters Window Decals Menus, Outdoor Vinyl Banners

web design & development

Social Media Marketing Tailor Made Websites Search Engine Marketing and Optimization E-mail Marketing Content Consulting Display Advertising E-sampling E-couponing Affiliate Marketing Mobile Advertising

mobile web development

Crafted Websites E-Commerce Platforms E-Learnings Ready-to-Use Blogs Newsletters Content management System PhP Development Copy writing HTML/CSS Coding and Support

iPhone/ iPad/ Android Apps Mobile Strategy Cross Platform Development Mobile Advergames QR Codes

arobase communication

FRENCH

the IDENTITY

faithful to your identity

tempting solutions

creative ideas

quality service

innovative tools

hard work commitment

familiar relationship

alternative point of view

Our multicultural team will give you a perfect match of features to meet your expectations and needs.

CHINESE

arobase communication

create

research

the method

For every project the first step is research, trying to understand the client, its customers and similar solutions on the market. The research is usually digital and analogic (collecting physical samples to analyse graphic, material and shape).

Once an idea is well formed I start creating a first proposal to show the client. Usually we provide around two or three different solutions to show the possibilities around a product while meeting the client expectations. develop

think

After evaluating the previous aspects I usually start thinking about the solution, making sketches and discussing with the other designers and the creative director who maybe have broader knowledge or interesting alternatives.

the clients

Once a decision has been taken I proceed with the full development of the solution and the final presentation for the client.

arobase communication

the structure

AROBASE COMMUNICATION is a relatively small business sharing the same office with FACE2FACE, a training agency for luxury brands. The internal organization is pretty simple due to the small number of employees, but the competencies covered were already a lot, thanks to the broad preparation and work commitment of all the people inside. This 2-year-old agency was started by Laurent Simonet (CEO) who eventually asked David Teixeira to join him as Creative Director. Two different Project Manager are in charge of networking, public relations, follow the designers’ work and make contact with the clients for any problem, material needed or final output presentations. A staff of four designers (graphic and product background) create the proposals and final outputs for a 360° service to the clients (logos, business cards, packaging, presentations, websites, newsletters, invitations, posters, events, ibooks, etc.). Finally one web master together with other two developers, take care of the digital realization of the web solutions following the design they’ve been provided with (whereas printed solutions are developed from beginning to end by the graphic designers).

laurent simonet

david teixeira

was born in Paris and has a passion for advertising, technology, and pop culture. He is an avid traveller who has been all over the world. After 10 years working at France Telecom where Laurent lived from the inside the re-branding and remodelling of France Telecom’s old administration based on Orange’s dynamic “start-up” culture, he decided to become an entrepreneur and looked east, to China. True to his dream, he opened AROBASE COMMUNICATION in downtown Shanghai and quickly created several successful campaigns for clients such as Avene China, the Saudi Pavilion at the World Expo, Esthederm, Dormeuil, Chinallia, JML, Elizabeth De Brabant, Platane, Mei Zhong Jie...

was born in France to Portuguese parents. He began his career in Paris with major advertising agencies (Euro RSCG, Publicis, Young&Rubicam). David was then appointed Art Director for venteprivees.com and worked on collaborations with major brands such as Ralph Lauren, Sonia Rykiel, Diesel, Adidas, Cacharel and Mauboussin. In 2009 David moved to Shanghai to take up a post as Creative Director for furniture design company myfab.com. David recently joined AROBASE COMMUNICATION as Creative Director and Associate. Always looking for concepts that are both creative and efficient, he wants to help bring the company to new heights.

my web solutions

devernois

the project

Led by the third DEVERNOIS generation, the brand, whose headquarters are historically based in Roanne, designs and realizes high quality ready-to-wear clothes. The creation, styling, designing and pattern making team build the brand’s collection for each season. Séverine Brun, the founder’s granddaughter, and Thierry Brun ensure the future of the family business, by maintaining the incontrovertible, well-known quality of DEVERNOIS. Is DEVERNOIS interest broaden its market to Asia and with AROBASE COMMUNICATION as a trustable partner to develop a new web communication that can meet the new market expectations and convey the brand’s values.

After studying the brand’s identity, the client goals and researching on the existing solutions, I developed two different design proposals. The first one graphically lighter and with a younger identity, the second one more classic and elegant. The client preferred the latter which I developed as much as possible before leaving. Tools: Photoshop

my ibooks

Elisabeth De Brabant

the project

Elisabeth de Brabant is a contemporary art curator and consultant, based in Shanghai. She represents recognized contemporary artists throughout China and Asia and works closely with an international network of museums and collectors to create culturally relevant art programs in Shanghai. AROBASE has since long taken care of the Art Center communication such as website, newsletter, invitations and flyers. Considering the new devices available on the market, we have proposed the client to create a virtual catalogue to welcome and guide the visitors during the exhibition. Leslie Thornton is the first artist for which AROBASE developed a complete iBook, including videos and dynamic content.

Create an iBook is quite different from developing a printed solution, the content must be presented in a more dynamic way and using a completely different range of tools. During my experience inside AROBASE I learned by myself (being a new competence no one had in the agency) how to create these new digital outputs and in the case of Leslie Thornton I took care of the whole iBook, starting from the editing of the images and videos, until the last graphic details. Tools: iBook Author, Photoshop, After Effects

my graphic solutions

LE MARAIS

the project

Le Marais is a concept store hidden in the French Concession of Shanghai, designed by Paul Andreu and proposing an accurate selection of different fashion products for a niche market of selected people. The necessity of this small reality to communicate better their concept and identity together with the need to attract new designers in line with their taste led to the creation of a Concept Book to present and promote the space and the people inside Le Marais.

Under the supervising of the Creative Director two proposal has been made, one portrait and another landscape, the last was chosen. The content of the book was edited inside the agency and the pictures provided by the client were integrated with a shooting that I personally did inside the store. Tools: InDesign, Photoshop

my packaging

piara

Elaine J is a Chinese designer whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been making jewels for a long time and wanted to start her own brand. AROBASE started from scratches, positioning the product, finding a name and a identity in syntony with Elaine and the origin of her creations, designing the final logo and the whole coordinate image. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how Piara was born. Once the brand was well-defined AROBASE started taking care of all the most practical aspects of communication: website, brochure, packaging, etc.

the project

The project was already well developed when I came in. My competence was just related to the packaging creation, including a first package (fabric bag), a second package (cardboard box) and a shopping bag, each of them in three different sizes in order to meet the different products sold by Piara. It was more a technical project rather than creative, but very interesting for the different challenges we had to face, starting from the field research until the smallest details related to the final solution. This part of the project I took care of was side by side with another designer developing the brochure and the website for the launching event. Tools: Illustrator

my arobase communication

*ARO EC BAS OM MU NI CA ON

is n a ot li

* turn the paper around and

ble

MAKE YOUR BUSINESS FLY

im any for per

a of p plan

(05)

the

(06)

es in k wor e. plac

(04)

the project

(02)

FAITHFUL to your identity

TEMPTING solutions

CREATIVE ideas

QUALITY service

FRENCH IDENTITY CHINESE

INNOVATIVE tools

Our multicultural team will give you a perfect match of features to meet your expectations and needs.

FAMILIAR relationship

HARD WORK commitment

ALTERNATIVE point of view

PhP Development Copywriting HTML/CSS Coding and Support

THINK CREATE DEVELOP ADAPT DEPLOY

(01)

#1508, 218 SOUTH XIANG YANG ROAD 200031 SHANGHAI CONTACT@AROBASE-COMMUNICATION.COM WWW.AROBASE-COMMUNICATION.COM +86 (0) 21 6431 7030

AROBASE C O M M U N I C A T I O N

(03)

Crafted Websites E-Commerce Platforms E-Learnings Ready-to-Use Blogs Newsletters Content management System

use

(07)

WEB DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

Corporate Identity & Logo Packaging Stationary Catalogues Flyers Posters Window Decals Menus, Outdoor Vinyl Banners

per pro

with us!

(08)

GRAPHIC DESIGN

(09)

We are a Shanghai based creative agency providing tailor made solutions to fit all your communication needs. Every product is crafted to match perfectly your target audience.

MOBILE WEB DEVELOPMENT

WEB MARKETING

iPhone/ iPad/ Android Apps Mobile Strategy Cross Platform Development Mobile Advergames QR Codes

Social Media Marketing Tailor Made Websites Search Engine Marketing and Optimization E-mail Marketing Content Consulting Translation

We follow a project from the beginning to the end, providing a full service.

Display Advertising E-sampling E-couponing Affiliate Marketing Mobile Advertising

While my experience inside the agency was coming to an end, Laurent asked me to work on some new communication for AROBASE itself, to sponsor ourselves among new clients. The initial idea was to create a little pocket flyer to explain briefly the identity and the services provided. After a few attempts I had the idea of creating a simple squared folded paper which, thanks to the graphic and the instructions, could turn into a paper-plane with the claim: make your business fly with us! The whole layout was thought to fit both shapes, the squared and the plane one. Tools: Illustrator

conclusions

acquired competencies

During my experience inside AROBASE I got the chance to understand better the dynamics of a real agency, adapting to a new timetable, dealing with clients and managing multiple projects at the same time. I learned to use a new software (iBook Authors) and to go for one-day missions inside our clients companies for urgent works (Albatross Global Solutions). Most of all I acquired a better knowledge of the business here, how things work in the Chinese market and how to co-operate with Chinese people.

personal considerations

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; was an interesting experience that gave me the chance to see the real gap between the competencies that we get during our studies and the ones required in a real job. I sometimes lacked the more practical and technical knowledge (material, size, feasibility), but on the other hand I was very helpful for more conceptual and theoric parts, especially when it came to express and properly present brands and concepts, thanks to my long experience presenting projects inside the university, I became the one in charge of such things. During my stay I acquired more and more autonomy in the creation and development of the graphic solutions, until Laurent trusted me to go and work directly inside our clients offices in case of urgent jobs. It was nice to see that actually the competencies that we get inside PSSD are the ones usually lacking inside a traditional agency and I could easily fill these gaps. Nevertheless when the job market doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know such competencies are available itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to make people adjust and learn how to use them, sometimes becoming a little frustrating. On the overall I evaluate my experience well, I kept doing some freelance jobs after my internship which I guess is a good sign of the relationship built during different months and the trust developed. Some works were more pleasant than others, but we cannot always choose the perfect client or change its taste, so that flexibility is the best tool to make something creative while meeting the expectations of the most traditional people. As for the clients willing to try...we could definitely pour out our imagination.

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