To most of us the idea of flipping a car, let alone rolling one a full 180 degrees, sounds like an idea to avoid. For Mercedes, shooting a two-minute spot to do just that, in the Canadian China Bar Tunnel, was the main component of their creative brief.
Despite the valiant efforts of the throes of car advertisers out there, few have ever achieved the level of audience intensity and viral attention that the Mercedes group has with their latest piece shot to promote their new AMG sports car; the SLS.
It is shot in quick cut, behind-the-scenes style marrying action movie chase music with slow motion frames to keep its audience squirming in their seats while attempting to slow their ever racing pulse. The quiet, yet breathtaking, British Columbian landscape is used as juxtaposition as the roar of the 5.5 litre, V8 biturbo engine chainsaws through the silent backdrop.
Employed to take down this ever-impossible stunt, while making this mad machine look as sleek and sexy as possible, is the seven time F1 Driver Champion, Michael Schumacher. The sheer impossibility of him actually making it will have you watching it repeatedly. AND for the true car buffs, you are doing just as Mercedes planned; chatting about it on blogs, emailing it to friends but best of all you are trying to sort out just how you are going to finance this beast.
(Thanks to the car buff in my family who sent me this!)
Olympic Podium & Medal Tray Design:
To design an Olympic podium is to develop a platform from which a spirit can soar. Any Olympian graced with the opportunity to stand on the top of one will undoubtedly concur. Trust me. I watched it, night after night, in person and even had the good fortune to put my own footprint atop of one. Olympic medal or not, my heart was racing!
So, if one were to picture the highest point in which to stand in order to match pride of a medal winning athlete’s it would seem almost natural to replicate the Canadian mountain ranges – snow and all. That is exactly the vision of late design director Leo Obstbaum as well as industrial designer James Lee. Built from wood donated from across the region over 200 precision cut pieces were assembled by a newly trained team from Vancouver’s inner city.
In addition to the vision for the podium the design of the trays in which the medals were to be placed also replicate the movement and structure of our rugged mountains. Crafted again out of donated wood the trays were built to be both ergonomic and slip proof which is key when holding medals as large, as heavy and as uneven as they are.
Developed as a smaller piece built from a larger image, representing the value of interaction with community and importance on individuality, the medal design for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics has definitely set a precedence; or raised the bar if you will for medal designers going further.
These large, organic and undulating shapes arose not only to pay homage to those that would receive one but also took into great consideration those whose backyards they came from. In fact the Canadian Mint and TEK Metals used over 6 and a half metric tonnes of recycled electric circuit boards that had been saved the fate of decomposing in landfills.
Have a look at the video below detailing this Canadian a one-of-a kind creation.
Moving past the stunning visuals and artistic presentations Canadians have already proven to showcase for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic games one cannot help to be taken aback with the detail of the other pieces of design Olympians, their families and spectators will interact while within our country.
My three part blog is based on the brilliant design that not only made our games memorable but highlighted the artistry and imagination that spanning the boarders of this nation!
Olympic Torch Design:
First things first. With out a flame it would have been impossible to ignite the passion and persistence that is the games. But, when you are a country such as Canada, diverse in geography, variant in weather and stretched out as far as the eye to see there are some challenges to overcome in building a torch. First challenge: Make it work in the aforementioned elements all across the country. Second challenge: Make it look good.
Here is a video discussing just that with an in-depth look at their functional and aesthetic pleasing solutions.
One of the latest controversies to spin its web around the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver deals with sponsorship or better yet the lack their of. Many large corporations have been selected to play and pay the part to be the financial back bone of these winter games; altogether forking over $750 million that goes directly towards the VANOC budget. The issue lies with the “me too” businesses who want to capitalize on the patriotism, tourism and increased spending that comes with hosting a sporting event such as this.
What Exactly is Ambush Marketing?
According to Wikipedia the definition sits as such:
Ambush marketing is a marketing campaign that takes place around an event but does not involve payment of a sponsorship fee to the event. For most events of any significance, one brand will pay to become the exclusive and official sponsor of the event in a particular category or categories, and this exclusivity creates a problem for one or more other brands. Those other brands then find ways to promote themselves in connection with the same event, without paying the sponsorship fee and without breaking any laws.
The Rules of the Game
After reading what it felt like volumes of what not to do I have summarized it all with one list. If you are not considered a sponsor then legally one must steer clear from depicting anything that resembles winter sport, competition or mentions any of the following terms (on their own as well as combined) such as:
Olympic
Podium
Medal
2010
Vancouver
Winter Games
Rings
Inukshuks
The Chosen Team & Those Warming the Bench
At this point you might have to claim to be living under a rock if you did not know McDonalds, Coke and Hudson’s Bay Company had something to do with the Olympics. RBC or Royal Bank of Canada is also within the same league but it is truly those that were not picked to be with the “elite” that are the ones to watch for. These are the companies who don’t have a lot to loose if they can find a way around the tight restrictions set forth by VANOC; and they have. Roots, LuLu Lemon and Scotiabank are the three causing the most uproar with the two former launching their own clothing lines themed around a “certain” sporting competition that just so happens to be taking place in Bristish Columbia this winter. LuLu Lemon has even gone as far to name their line “Cool Sporting Event”; which cunningly omits all the terms (i.e. Vancouver, 2010, and Olympics) deemed unusable or treading on VANOC‘s turf. Scotiabank, in an effort to tag onto this new found love for Canada has also been tightrope walking VANOCs guidelines with their “Show Your Colours” campaign that conveniently runs the same dates as both the Olympic as well as Paralympic games. And despite the pleas from Vancouver’s governing Olympic body for these businesses to play “fair” it makes one wonder if is even fair to begin with.
Penalties (If Enforced)
At this stage in the game, almost halfway through the Olympics, both sides are pushing to see if one will make a move over the other. If found guilty of copyright infringement these businesses in question could be fined up to $1 million dollars and face a maximum 5 year prison term. The grey component with this is for VANOC to win the battle in court they must prove that the company (or individual charged) is creating a uncertainty among the public about who is an actual sponsor and who is not. And relying on the said public to agree one way or another is not something either party wants to bet on.
Player Backlash
Sponsors hate it because it creates confusion in the minds of consumers and worse yet choice.
Vanoc and the BC government see it as a direct hit to their profits.
The Own the Podium group considers it to be their main source of non-government funded income so any reductions to this directly affects our athletes.
Unchosen suppliers feel that it leaves the smaller businesses, who cannot afford to hand out $200 million to participate, left out in the cold.
Media have taken the stance that strict standards set early were too tightly governed and essentially created this clash.
Spectators and Commentator Reaction
And the consumers? Well that is up for you to decide… does it matter that the sponsors determine what you can eat, drink and bank with for 16 days? Does it bother you if the big players like McDonalds or unheard-ofs like Olympic Pizza are making profits during the games? If given a selection of items could you tell those that have been given official licensing and those who have not? Do you think it is fair that Own the Podium gains financial backing but Right to Play does not?
But most of all do you care? This is the real question that everyone is afraid to ask because… consumers if you don’t, it makes this issue irrelevant and the idea of asking millions of dollars from a handful of sponsors ludicrous. Not to mention puts the pressure to fund these games back on the government and back on us. Or would it? One might think it would change the strategy of the game, the make-up of the teams and possibly the result.
Stylized Graphics Set Tone (& Texture) for 2010 Games
Upon first glance I immediately thought “there is something different about the way Vancouver is presenting their Olympics”; it wasn’t until my second that I realized what it truly was. Vancouver 2010 was completely photography free. Free from the concern about rights usage and proper resolution. Free from formatting issues and Photoshop hours. And free from the limiting factors of depicting specific style, positioning, age, race as well as gender. Below are they ways they gained from their new found freedom as well as the journey through creative process that lead their team to this conclusion.
Multiple Elements Allow for Multiple Uses
These subtle yet impactful designs base their look on energy and movement however, an emphasis on form and flux can quickly become overpowering if not developed carefully. To do so successfully it is imperative that a foundational formula be built. Consistently inconsistent use of swoops and swirls piled with textures in hues of blue and green create the basis of this framework. Because of the organic, and almost random, nature of the layered background textures it allows for quick and easy application to all designed pieces. Here are is a listing of the variety of ways they I have seen them applied:
- Banners flanking presentation stages and along fences – Bus Passes – Commemorative programs – Detail on volunteer uniforms – Website banners: Vancouver2010 – Bookmarks – Flags
The Message
It is easy to convey a single emotion with a single image but to convey multiple emotions repeatedly in multiple images involves true mastery of the art of design. These illustrations for me do just that. In fact the depiction of each of the athletes constantly convey a strong feeling of perseverance, focus and drive regardless of the sport. Added to that are the elements of nature that speak to what Canada, physically, really is. The environment is woven into these icons through their developed colour pallet and natural references whether it be dragonfly wings on a float plane or the presence of stylized clouds subtly placed onto the background. Overall, I feel that through these designs we as Canadians are better able to tell the story of what makes us who we are.
How they got there
Hours of brainstorming and inspiration collecting was the platform in which Vancouver 2010’s Creative team used as their jumping point. Check out the video outlining their process!
When one thinks of branding it is not uncommon to have logos and punchy tag lines pop into one’s head. In fact just mention the word Nike and it is almost impossible to avoid thinking of the infamous “Swoosh” and “Just Do It” tag line. However, the brand and how people associate with it truly transcends much farther; think experience. The full experience.
VANOC thinks (and intends to deliver) “the experience”...
…And that is the message we have been given by John A. Furlong himself. Be an “ambassador for the 2010 Winter Games,” be mindful of other cultures, be courteous, and smiling. Point with full hands so as not to offend. Replace Canadian jargon such as “toque”, “washroom” and “loonies” with “hat”, “toilet” and “one dollar coin”. Rephrase your communication, descriptions or directions to contain fewer words if you feel you are not being understood. But, most of all be consistent. Be the exact same brand as your other volunteer partners so all visitors know what to expect.
Where do brand expectations start?
It starts with the most identifiable tool we are given. Our look. The design and colour choice of all volunteer clothing was chosen specifically to POP. To be the most identifiable person in a crowd…and it works! I, myself, would not have made it out of the airport if not for my colleagues in blue.
We as volunteers are branded from top to toes. Touque to boots. And in a winter venue, why not? They are both functional and fashionable and unavailable to those outside our group (I’ve already been offered cash for my jacket from a German tourist). It has created instant friendship and understanding with those you pass on the street sporting the same threads. An opening for those who recognize you as new to the town. And a way for tourists to find what they are looking for instantly without worry they are getting information from someone unqualified.
Living the brand has its downfalls too.
It has placed a spot light on myself and fellow turquoise troops. With the spotlight comes a list of absolutes. A list of “must nots”... things you might forget about when you are used to living anonymously. Here are just a few:
1. The uniform must not be altered or added to unless acting as an insulation layer underneath. No other colours, styles or looks. (The main long sleeve pieces, jacket and dark colour pants must be prevalent and on the outside no matter what)
2. No other brands must be visible while wearing uniform. (It even goes as far as backpacks, gloves, and logos on shoes) Prepare to have those items covered up with tape to make them blend in.
3. Be mindful of what you say and how you react at all times. Eliminate talk about negative working experiences during ones day, frustration when someone cuts you off in line, or even meeting up with colleagues for a quick drink after shift.
It’s about being consistently consistent.
With consistency as the base of all branding goals, the above descriptions are not without warrant….just, for most of us, is without consistent practice. Well, that is as of yet. A few more days suited up in our outdoor armour and the persona of volunteer is sure to take-over. After all it is only February 5th. The games start in exactly a week. We have 16 days to shine AND 16 days to get this volunteer brand down pat!
Edmonton City Council - Please Approve the EAD
Edmonton Loses the Indy! (Part 2 of 2)
Edmonton Loses the Indy! (Part 1 of 2)
Mercedes Attempts the Impossible
Lovemarks
RSS feed.