Hasta La Creative!

Chester Zoo is launching a personalised online campaign to coincide with a BBC TV drama ‘Our Zoo’, which airs this autumn.

TD Bank’s emotive ad and Samsung Galaxy’s comical Ice Bucket Challenge ad sit in first and second place in this week’s Campaign Viral Chart.

De jolis clichés réalisés par Shawn Heinrichs avec Roberta Mancino, une mannequin de 33 ans passionnée de sensations fortes. Alors qu’elle est habituée du skydiving et des sauts en wing-suit, celle-ci a récemment plongé au milieu de requins baleines, de raies manta ou encore d’autres animaux aquatiques.

Dyson is expected to launch its first robotic vacuum cleaner later this week, following the launch of a cryptic YouTube video.

Rona Fairhead, the former chairman and chief executive of the Financial Times Group, is set to become the next BBC Trust chairman.

Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s kicks off its 2014 ‘Join Our Core’ global contest today, calling on social enterprise start-ups to compete for a $10,000 (£6,000) cash prize.

Amid ongoing debates about Britain’s role in the world and position within Europe, David Benady asks what Brand Britain really stands for today
Britain is a brand almost constantly in flux, from the picture-perfect moments of the London 2012 Olympics via the hangover of the much-maligned “Cool Britannia” of the 90s to an ongoing fascination with the royal family. Efforts to boost Brand Britain are coming thick and fast as the government and industry seek to make the most of our national identity. The 100m “GREAT Britain” campaign, a cross-government initiative promoting the UK as a place to visit, study and do business, is into its fourth year.
Britishness is playing a declining role in the identity of people on these islands
But beyond attracting tourists, investors and students from abroad, how does Brand Britain resonate for those who live here? VisitBritain asked its Twitter followers for one word that sums up Britain: responses included “inspiring”, “cosy”, “addicting” (sic) and “ancestral”. As the body s marketing director, Joss Croft, says: “Everyone has a view about what they consider British.”
For some, though, Britishness is playing a declining role in the identity of people on these islands, and could take a further dip as the Scots consider independence this month.
People tend to define themselves as English, Welsh, Scottish or from abroad, while their sense of belonging is increasingly defined through localism, ethnic background, social media and urban tribes. Images of Britishness seem to be promoted mainly by tourism marketers, the BBC, royalty and industry, all pursuing separate agendas.
British revival
Britain appears to have enjoyed a renaissance in recent years with an outpouring of public spirit mostly linked to the royal family for the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Queen s diamond jubilee and the birth of Prince George. Moreover, many saw an inspiring picture of what it means to be British in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics.
However, there are those who wonder whether the Games, far from being the spark of a glorious new era in British identity, was actually its high water mark and that the significance of Britain as an ideal is now ebbing away.
This is the view of academic Ben Carrington, author of Race, Sport and Politics, who writes: “Maybe the London Olympics was Great Britain s last hurrah.
There was such a rallying-round that maybe we thought Britishness was back. And imagine the opposite: that the final firework that went up was the most spectacular one: goodnight Britain.”
Croft disputes this view, saying the Games gave the nation a huge boost. “The Olympics changed perceptions of Britain. In the 2013 Nations Brand Index, Britain was ranked higher for culture and especially for sport than it had been pre-Games.
There were also improvements for welcome and natural scenic beauty , indicating that Games coverage improved perceptions of Britain and British people more widely,” he says. Nonetheless, marketers sense that, as a way of exciting people s interest in brands, an appeal to British identity has limited uses
Variable relevance
Post Office chief marketing officer Pete Markey claims nationality is low down on people s hierarchies of identity. Instead, recent research for the business showed that we tend to rate relations with our immediate neighbourhoods as very important which is good for the Post Office, as it positions itself as being at the heart of local communities.
The idea of being British, though, has declining resonance, Markey. “If you put it on a list of important things about a brand, it is there, but not at the top I don t see people choosing a brand on a patriotic level,” he says.
He adds that Brand Britain works only in the context of relevant events, such as the royal wedding, jubilee or the Olympics, rather than as a standalone concept. “Brand Britain is at its best when it has something to hook on to. At the moment, I can t see what that is.”
Losing appeal
There is a feeling that “Britishness” is a vague and mobile concept. This may be a strength even if the Scots extract themselves from the Union, the sense of being British seems unlikely to be decisively ruptured, with a gradual evolution occurring instead.
As Jane Asscher, founding partner of 23Red, says: “Brand Britain just evolves quite slowly as new imagery tends to get absorbed alongside the traditional associations. The importance of music, culture and sport is that new people come along and add to it whether that s Damien Hirst, One Direction or Bradley Wiggins.”
BA sought to escape narrow national associations
Asscher contends that these new influences sit comfortably alongside the Royals and traditional values, but wonders: “Does it need brand management? People have tried it in the past and it has backfired.” She points to the “Cool Britannia” tag that became associated with Brit Pop and New Labour in the 90s, but eventually came to look rather ludicrous and manufactured.
So where do these changing ideas of Britishness leave the former state monopolies such as British Airways, British Gas and BT?
These businesses have had an on/off relationship with Britishness since privatisation. BA sought to escape narrow national associations in the 90s by introducing ethnic designs on its tailfins, though it reverted to the national flag.
Its most recent “To fly.To serve” campaign has sought to revive its British identity, but the ongoing challenge from low-cost airlines suggests that appeals to heritage are no match for cheap prices in air travel.
Meanwhile, Markey points out that the British aspect of British Gas struggles for relevance outside England; in Scotland it operates as Scottish Gas and in Wales it uses a Welsh translation.
For Zaid Al-Zaidy, chief executive of McCann London, simply attaching British values to a brand is no longer enough. Research carried out within the agency and among its clients shows few would buy goods solely because they are British.
People want a sense of belonging, participation and shared hopes
“Today we live in an experience society the only products that survive are the ones that fulfil a need and deliver a service really well,” he says. “We judge brands by what they do for me, rather than what they say they do.”
So, promotion of Brand Britain needs to avoid the simplistic stereotypes of Big Ben and red buses and instead look more at the experience people have of Britain.
Al-Zaidy suggests looking at Brand Britain as a source of inspiration for world events. “Britain is like a petri dish for innovation such as Framestore s special-effects work in the film Gravity.
There s a real sense that the UK is the incubator for great things that happen globally you can pass through Britain and see history in the making,” he says.
Although the relevance of being British may be in decline, we cannot easily escape the boundaries of our national provenance, according to Jim Prior, chief executive of design companies The Partners and Lambie-Nairn.
The Partners designed a marque for the Made in Britain brand, unveiled earlier this year, which British companies can display on their products to highlight their provenance. Brands from Stoves cookers to Marshall amplifiers have adopted it.
Transforming perceptions
“People want a sense of belonging, participation and shared hopes; that is what national identity allows them to have,” says Prior. He says these values can find expression through brands, and adds: “People are looking for reasons to engage with British products because of the value they give to the British economy, and there is a growing sense that the craft and design values are far superior to others.”
However, Vicky Bullen, chief executive of branding agency Coley Porter Bell, points out that foreigners often do a better job of promoting Brand Britain than locals. “Ralph Lauren does British better than the British,” she says. The same could be said of BMW, which owns the quintessentially British Mini, and Jaguar, owned by Tata of India.
Bullen believes the concept of Britishness is in a process of transformation. “It has gone from being all about royalty, heritage and the class system to being about a dynamic, multicultural society as much as those things, a society that is free and liberal where people express themselves as they wish,” she says.
There are widely differing views on the power of Britishness in branding. The provenance has some resonance, especially for upmarket brands such as BA, Paul Smith and Jaguar. But while this may play well in overseas markets, it seems the people least likely to buy into the British ideal are the British themselves.

Vishal started out to become an engineer but destiny had another career option in the offing. Astrange love for the visual art introduced him to the cameraand a ray of light appeared in an otherwise dark room. Ridden by this passion, he decided to save his dad some money and a lot of embarrassment by dropping out of college to chase his dream of becoming a photographer. His formal journey began with astopover at a Canadian graphic design college.He cut his teeth with reputed design houses and not-so-reputed ad agencies. Soon he shifted his focus back tothe viewfinder. He started off by assisting a top-notch photographer in India for over 2 years. Soon after, he caught a flight to Paris and then Hamburg for a honeymoon with his first love. Photography, that is, just in case some other thoughts are flirting your mind.

Vishal returned to India and went solo with his very own fashion and advertising studio. With a unique eye that smoothly blends the occident with the orient, he quickly shot to fame and carved a niche in the photography industry. Equally at ease in fashion, advertising and editorial work, Vishal describes his work as a result of wanderlust and evolution.These characteristics of the constantly changing fashion world reflect on his photographs as well.

Anardent aficionado of Richard Avedon – the genius top celebrity photographer- Vishal respects (not worships, mind you) his mentor by preferring to eschew the ‘pretty’ and bring out the stark underlying ‘reality’ of the subject.

Considered provocative yet soulful, his client and publication credits currently includes a rich repertoire of international& Indian magazines such as ELLE, GQ, Cosmopolitan, Grazia, Chew&Swank Glossy, to name a few. He has also collaborated with leading ad agencies such as Ogilvy, Leo Burnett, BMB Madisson, BBH, Percept H and many more. Current international work includes – Poland’s Next Top Model, Lux, Formula 1 Team Force One India, etc.

An alchemist behind the lens, offering his most comprehensive art featuring top models, designers, advertising campaigns, fashion editorials, catalogs, etc. Also familiar with the commercial work that includes the Team ForceIndia project in his credit. He has exhibited his work in the prestigious D & AD awards (London), The World Press Photo, the Dubai Media City (IBDA), Lalit Kala Academy etc. Ventured out on his own seven years ago in the ever-demanding modern fashion world, Vishals passion for visual beauty and perfection continues to impress many today.

Why are you a photographer?
I always had a strong affinity to the visual medium since my childhood be it moving pictures or still.It became stronger post my Design School and more so when I started working or doing my short stints with an ad agency and a design firm. This heightened my visual sensibility.
Do you remember any decisive moment when you felt ‘I want to be a photographer’?
In my design school, I got my hands on books of International Photographers such as Helmut Newton, Herb Ritts and Richard Avedon. The work they did and the style they adopted made me more curious and I wanted to pursue it.

Were there any particular role models for you when you grew up?
This is silly though but I was a kid then! So,when I was in school and till Engineering College the only direction I was looking at was to be a Pilot. I had seen Top Gun when I was in school, and Tom Cruise’s role as “Maverick” was always on my mind and I was wanted to be the one sporting Aviators, having a crew cut and flying a fighter jet. However, my role model was never Tom Cruise but his character “Maverick”. Now at the back of mind, I would love to do this once!

Who was the most influential personality on your career in photography?
There are many photographers in the past who have made a mark but Henri-Carteir Bresson, Helmut Newton and Richard Avedon are the ones who have influenced me a lot. These three have given a different perspective of photography – The Shots, The Thought and the Moment. Each of them has their own unique style. Seeing their work motivates me and inspires me to do work or take a path less travelled.

How has photography changed over the course of the last couple of decades? Is execution/ Art Direction more important than it used to be?
It’s drastically changed over the last 10 years. With the entry of Digital Photography, things have become very “convenient” for anyone to wake to be a photographer. With Cameras becoming more user-friendly, it’s an ever growing industry. There was a time when the number of photographers in our country was in two figures. But today, I feel the number of photographers would go up to 5 figures. The ‘convenience’ factor is playing a major role. The business module also has changed and with the digital age and the “instant result” has made it a quick buck industry.
Initially, we had Masters or Light Craftsmen doing the job but today it’s just craftsmen. I guess this will answer the need for Art Direction. Today, a job can be executed from a starter photographer with minimal experience and get the rest can be executed in Post Production. Bottom line – Save the moolah!

Given a choice, no other constraints, Film or Digital?
My coming into the industry was the time when film was moving out and Digital was coming in. So luckily I got the best of worlds when I was assisting. Right from 35mm, 120mm, 4X5 to Hi-End digital Backs. Unfortunately, the new generation won’t get a hands-on experience on Film. Both have their pros and cons when it comes to practical usage.

What do you think of the current state of Print Advertising Photography in India? Is it at par with the work done worldwide?
Considering our country, we have a lot of limitations in terms of execution, finance, etc. Hence there is suppression for ideas considering the market and target audience. We have enough talent to match up to the International Advertising Scenario but the client doesn’t want to take the steps nor spend the money.
At par? No not yet.

Where do you get your inspiration?
I cannot say it comes from one source. Everything that I see or feel is inspiration for me. Nature, Movies, Books, People, etc they all add some value to the work I do.

Was there any time when you wanted to quit photography?
Its very ironic, that there were times when things were not working in my favour and it was an extremely difficult period for me. Those were the times when I aggressively pushed myself to work in a different way instead of pulling myself back.

Whats your dream project?
I won’t say “a Project’ but here are a few I would like to bag them some day or soon. Shooting the Airbus / Boeing Calendar across Continents, AdCampaign for Lavazza Coffee and the Cover for Italian or French Vogue.

Who would you want to spend a dinner with?
My muse!

What’s on your iPod?
Piracy! A massive music collection.

Mac or PC?
Mac! Simple, Efficient and works like a charm!

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