December 6, 2023
Matthew Garrett, Design Director
We are thrilled to unveil our collaboration with Newark Sherwood District Council, showcasing our diverse expertise in style-setting, graphic design, videography, and animation. Our multifaceted approach played a pivotal role in delivering the Winter Wishes campaign message with maximum impact.
The task at hand was to create a campaign with broad appeal while adhering to specific criteria. Within these confines, the theme and collateral had to resonate locally and encourage community participation. The challenges included establishing a visual style, connecting with a diverse audience, engaging the community in activities like sending anonymous postcards, ensuring accessibility for all, and maintaining a non-denominational approach.
Undaunted by the challenge, we crafted a warm, festive campaign that extended across various platforms. Our goal was to unite the community through an emotionally resonant experience, addressing winter loneliness by inspiring residents to share warm messages.
To convey the council's campaign effectively to a wide demographic, we had to define a consistent tone and feel. This was a nuanced task, requiring a delicate balance between the campaign identity and the existing brand language of the council. Our solution was to conceptualise a non-denominational, warm winter festive campaign that bridged generational gaps and infused the brand with a seasonal spirit.
Our journey begins with Project Discovery, where we identify our audience, align with campaign goals, and outline the function of our visual theme. This phase not only lays the groundwork but also establishes a clear direction for the creative that follow.
In the Ideation phase, brainstorming sessions and mind mapping breathe life into our ideas. We explore key tropes, dispel misconceptions, and generate innovative concepts, setting the stage for a rich and varied pool of creative possibilities.
The Style Setting stage sees the convergence of creativity and strategy. We carefully curate imagery, find the sweet spot between literal and subtle representation, and blend different styles to create a cohesive visual language. The result? Three moodboards that serve as a visual compass for the next steps.
Translating style elements into tangible designs, we create drafts that pair client text content seamlessly with imagery. This stage marks the transition from ideation to practical design application, ensuring our visual theme resonates with both impact and clarity.
Presenting designs to our clients and incorporating their feedback is a collaborative process that refines our visual direction. Adjusting graphic treatments and redefining our creative brief based on client insights ensure a harmonious alignment with evolving goals. At this stage the level of 'festiveness' was quite subtle and the client wanted to increase this, as well as using beige as the key warm colour, reducing the usage of the dark green and keeping a certain amount of freshness too.
To increase the festive feel we added snowflake and wreath elements and to reduce the dark green and reintroduce freshness we added layered paper elements one with the beige warmth and the second with the snow-like frosty white. This both tackled the tricky balance between both being warm and winter festive at the same time.
As we enter the final stage, Design & Production, our creative concepts come to life. Meticulous attention to detail and the creation of digital and print-ready files guarantee a polished and professional final product.
Our creative journey is more than a process – it's a commitment to excellence. The integration of client collaboration, iterative refinement, and a client-centric approach ensures that our visual theme not only meets expectations but exceeds them. At De·fine Creative, we don't just craft campaigns; we create experiences that resonate.
