welcome to the guide This guide is to help insure you obtain the optimal amount of freshness necessary everyday. Use this not as a step-by-step, but more as a guideline to help fulfill your own needs. Irish Spring values true freshness above all else. This book is to cater to those who share its values and believe in its work. Now, carry on, and never forget that Irish Spring freshness will always be one of a kind.
this is a story
about a man
on a journey
to find that
raw
rugged
unrefined
fresh
ness
but there’s
a problem
what is freshness?
Is it the amount of ladies you can attract with your man smells? Is it the amount of muscle found on various parts of your body? Or is it your gentle yet strict nature for protecting others? It could be any of those, or even all of those combined. The modern day definition of freshness has dissolved into these niche categories that pick on the weak-willed. Irish Spring believes freshness to be born from integrity and resolve. Freshness lies in a man that has nothing to prove, he already says it all. Freshness lies not in being suave or smelling like others. Freshness lies in believing in yourself. Irish Spring will help you rediscover that freshness and let everybody know of it.
meet the
man
Blue-collar workers are like any other people. They work hard, they have debts to pay and they have families to take care of. The defining difference is through the way they work. These workers use their hands to make a daily living. They work outdoors, feel the wind on their face and they rely on each other to get the job done. Getting physical is nothing new to bluecollar workers. It gets tough, no doubt about it. No air conditioned, or heated room for them—their office space is the outdoor. Waking up to beat the early rush is a daily routine. These guys work hard. They need consistency in their lives and they need reliable tools.
There is often a negative stigma when talking about blue-collar workers. The general public believes that blue-collar workers are uneducated and don’t have long-term career goals. The public thinks that blue-collar workers don’t require any form of post-secondary education to get the job. This is an unfair assumption; blue-collar workers go through rigorous training and their occupations are seeing an increase in a need for higher technical skills, translating into higher salaries. Some may look down on these physical workers, but the workers know their true value. They understand their part and they do it well. No need to prove to others they are reliable and demand respect. They respect themselves and that’s all that matters.
the brief
We need to
Give consumers a reason to choose and value Irish Spring over its competitors.
what our target believes now
“Body wash is kind of necessary for taking showers nowadays. It keeps me smelling nice and ‘manly’ and the ladies love it. Or so I’ve been told. I can’t really tell the difference. I buy the stuff because others like it. I don’t know much about Irish Spring. My dad uses it, I think.”
what we want our target to believe
“I believe that Irish Spring is the soap brand for real, honest-working men. I come out of the shower knowing I am clean, and others can smell the cleanliness. I’m proud to use something I believe in and works, not what something others want me to use.”
what our target does now
“I buy various body wash products in hopes of finding the one that ‘works’ (smells goo and gets the compliments), in order to reinforce my masculinity”
what we want our target to do
“I want to confidently pick up that Irish Spring products and understand that it is the product that gets the job done.�
what do
we know?
from the research
Irish Spring is old, Irish Spring is dying. Through a combination of primary and secondary research, Irish Spring is found to be an unfavourable choice among millenial males. It is unfortunate, but a certain percentage of these males have never even heard of Irish Spring. As influential as this target market could be, it seems much more appropriate for Irish Spring to talk to their already loyal consumers. The real men, hard-working blue-collar workers. An older demographic for sure, but a much more loyal one at that. These men care not for the new values that millenials seem to treasure. Real men gain resolve through experience, something millenials have yet to achieve. Blue-collar workers have real values that stay true to Irish Spring’s message. Irish Spring’s focus is the raw integrity that each of these men carry in their hearts.
an insight
“Irish Spring smells piney” Online Reviewer The smell, oh, the smell. The reason why Irish Spring was so successful in the past, but also the reason why it lost itself in todays cluttered category. Irish Spring was most popular for its strong, noticeable smell. Over time, that’s all they were known for, a “strong, masculine smell”, but what exactly does that smell like? Musky? Fruity? Piney? The definition of what made Irish Spring good became lost.
Enter the rise of body wash competitors like Old Spice and Axe, taking the stance that masculinity belongs in bottled soap. People wanted them for their perceived benefits, but not any actual tangible benefit. Not like how Irish Spring does. Irish Spring never promised masculinity, it was just implied through the smell. That forest-like, piney scent that could only belong to either an outdoorsy Irishmen or a hard-working lumberjack. Everyone needs to be reminded of this smell. Irish Spring needs to do its own real advertising and rely on its already existing customer base.
so what’s
the plan?
simple.
Irish Spring will need to revamp and reinforce its brand message. It needs to let everyone know that there is a reason why Irish Spring used to be the leading soap brand. Irish Spring’s lack of any affective form of advertising has lead to its downfall. The disregard for taking care of itself and its loyal consumers has allowed other brands the optimal chance to swoop in for the throne. Irish Spring needs to get back out there.
here’s what
we do
the campaign
wild postings
As this campaign will be targeting bluecollar workers in city settings, wild postings on construction site fences would be highly effective. Construction workers would mainly be in contact with these posters. The series is an introduction to the Family through faux family portraits, with trees as members.
The last poster in the series contains a reflective mylar, mirror-like, sheet instead of a tree. That way, the viewer can participate and see what their portrait would look like alongside the rest of the family.
transit shelters
An extension of the family portraits, but this time the viewer can participate a lot more. Upon entering the stop, the viewer is prompted to interact with the ad from the digital screen and installed camera. Quite simply, the viewer only has to repeatedly tap on the glass screen to progress. With more taps comes more visual effects, until the final screen where a family tree is shown. The tree will contain portraits of everyone else who participated at that stop.
Subway banners
This simple banner and poster combination is to link together the notion of trees and men. In the previous ads, the two were somewhat separate. In this ad, the two are literally put together.
the website
The new website is a complete revamp of the current site. Taking advantage of HTML5 is crucial in its design. Aside from the obvious visual differences, the campaign also flows into this site as a final destination. The Family Challenge is introduced. The members section contains a gallery of fellow family participants and also registration into the event.
Facebook page
The Facebook Page is a direct connection from Facebook fans to the new website. The App is also a replicate of the registration process found on the original site. The App is only meant to easily streamline currently existing fans to participate in the event without too much hassle. Users are also encourage to promote their own accomplishments, in order to gain more votes, to try and become the freshest of them all.
about the author
Sammie Phung Your Future Art Director
Who’s this guy? He calls himself Sammie. That’s apparently his real name and not a nickname. Seems he’s had quite a simple straightforward life up until this point. Born in Scarborough, he found interest in art and design at an early age. As he attended high school, he worked parttime at a wedding photography studio. That was an interesting run for him; we can all agree that bridezillas are crazy. As a person, Sammie seems to be an introvert. You don’t really get to know him unless he gets to know you first. Comfort is a two-way street. He may seem shy at first, but he really opens up once he feels comfortable around you. Don’t let that dissuade you from approaching him; be the first to say hi and he’ll always be happy to talk. He’s a fun guy to have around in any situation.