research methods for the print ads (class project)

Sony's Bravia, Jeep Wranglers, broccoli and Sports Illustrated:

The project was for Spring 2009's Advertising Copy and Communications class at The University of North Carolina. For each of the four products, the requirement was to come up with a creative concept that could translate across three different print ads. Before the final portfolio review, I had different concepts for each product; some of the extra ones will be posted.

In order to get a sense of why consumers love these products, I immersed myself in consumer reviews. I started my research with no predetermined answers; I always found the insight while scouring the web for reviews (both good and bad) and comments.

For Sony's Bravia:
-This product received a lot of positive review, especially for the strong colors that enlivened the screen. But Bravia itself already ran a campaign emphasizing that quality (Colors become alive: http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2007/sony-bravia-visual-effect/) and I did not want to do anything that stressed another technicality of the TV experience. Instead, I chose to aim the campaign at females (wives, to be specific) because they do have the purchasing power of the home and many reviews were by men (husbands) who enjoyed their Sony Bravia.

For Jeep Wranglers:
-Jeep already came out with a fun campaign for their Wranglers, which was about new species of bugs (http://www.coloribus.com/adsarchive/prints/jeep-wrangler-light-green-bug-8404455/). It was hard to find reviews for the Wranglers but among the comments that I did find, there was a common thread about the heroism that surrounds the Jeep brand. It was less about owning the vehicles and more about what experiences consumers (mainly men) could have by driving a Jeep.

For broccoli:
-For this project, I had to turn to the goodness of broccoli as told by science. Simple fact: eating broccoli improves the health of your skin. And women like having smooth, youthful skin.

For Sports Illustrated:
-For many men, Sports Illustrated is an iconic magazine. From the great pictures to the annual swimsuit edition, SI is a reliable source for sports because it fills in the gap to make you feel like you were at the game (instead of just reading about it). I chose to do the drug theme because from all the reviews, consumers seemed addicted to the weekly publication that kept them up to date with all the games and players.

Note: Most of the images I used were stock photos. Of the ones that were not, I have given due credit. I just did some caveman photoshopping to help work the words into the image so I could have a complete concept for class.