BRANDING

Getting creative AF with some personal branding.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) have been providing care and medical assistance to those who need it most across the globe for the past 50 years. Doctors give their time and knowledge to the cause and often find themselves in difficult and dangerous circumstances. MSF are the organisation that get to the frontlines first; an independent and professional charity that stand apart and go to the places that others flee and avoid. For their 50th anniversary MSF wanted to mark the milestone with something special.

THE APPROACH:

Rather than simply celebrate their 50th year, we wanted to to acknowledge the hard work that MSF teams continue to do, recognise the effort, and to inspire people to support their work. For the visual approach I created three distinctive images that were based on MSF’s three main pillars -Providing Care, Bearing Witness and Speaking Out, and incorporated the all important ‘50’ into each one. I wanted to create clean and stripped back visuals to let the brand colour stand out from the image as well as creating a 'look again’ moment' The use of white gives a medical feel as well as a feeling of hope. These visuals were supported by copy explaining MSF’s work.

Alongside these we also created a bespoke crossword for the Irish Times ad mimicking their house style. The crossword consisted of 50 clues and answers that related to MSF’s work over the past 50 years.

The overall campaign ran in press and on social and digital media.

Copywriter: Luke Wright

Photography: Mike O’Toole

Design: Cian Pawle-Bates

THE CHALLENGE :

The Residential Tenancies Board’s main role is to regulate the rental sector. With changes in legislation introduced in 2021 for both tenants and landlords, the RTB wanted a campaign that brought these changes to light in a clear and eye-catching manner. Rent changes are a very emotive issue in Ireland and shifting the awareness of Irish people to focus on the new Rent Pressure Zone calculator on the RTB website was of paramount importance. Getting the tone and message across to both tenants and landlords can sometimes prove difficult. RTB are a mediator and a provider of information for both parties, so our ideas and campaign had to speak to both sides.

THE SOLUTION :

The idea was to link the everyday things we do with the new legislation, so when it comes to our homes, things run smoothly. The campaign tagline became ‘Keep your house in order' and the main visual was inspired by the tile puzzle games where you need to put them back in order. I worked with One Mile to create an engaging and informative video using 3D animation.

The campaign ran across social, digital, press and OOH.

Copywriter: Luke Wright

Production House: One Mile Studio

RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN

THE CHALLENGE:

Dublin City Council had been under a hiring moratorium for several years, so when they tasked us with refreshing their new staff induction experience, we knew we wanted it to be something a little bit different to excite new employees about the possibilities of working for DCC.

THE SOLUTION:

We wanted to capture the breadth of the council’s work and show new recruits how the council keeps the city moving, living, working and playing. With our production company CLTV, we undertook an epic video and photography shoot capturing 13 locations over four days all across Dublin City. We met staff in all areas of the council, from the fire brigade, parks and street cleaners to water treatment and galleries, and produced an inspiring film to show to recruits on their first day. Accessibility was key, so bold integrated text was used to convey our message throughout the film. CLTV also produced a bespoke soundtrack using the sounds of Dublin recorded while filming around the city. The film and suite of photography were adapted into a printed induction book and presentation template to use across DCC’s various department inductions.

Copywriter: Amy Sergison

Video: CLTV Dublin

Photography: Greg Purcell

Print Design: Kieron Farrell

TTL CAMPAIGN

In 2017 safefood needed to raise awareness around the dangers of E. coli infections in children and promote good handwashing habits. Their studies had shown that E. coli bacteria infections mostly happen at home and can make young kids very sick. Problem was, how do you get a four year old wash their hands properly?

Enter Rufus the Messy Monster. I used my illustration skills to create our hero and his messy world, placing Rufus in all the scenarios where kids need to wash their hands and the fun rhyming copy gave kids a legit reason to say the word ‘poo’. The animation, developed by Piranha Bar, was screened in cinemas and online and to date has nearly 900K views on YouTube.

We also needed to teach parents about the dangers of E. coli, so the animation was complemented by a suite of radio ads, OOH, digital and social content.

Copywriter: Amy Sergison

Animation: Piranha Bar

VIDEO

As Chile’s first and oldest winery, Carmen is known for constantly seeking new ways of doings things, ways to reinvent. They challenged us to bring their spirit of reinvention to life and to make it engaging for an Irish audience.

To do this, we needed to tell Carmen’s brand story in an authentic and relatable way. We sought out two artisans who had transformed themselves, reinventing their lives in service of the craft they love, Daniel Woodsmith and Ellen Kenny.

We met Daniel on a freezing cold morning in December at his studio in the Wicklow mountains where he works making beautiful ceramics. He told us how he had worked for years as a chef but longed to do something different and so, Araucaria Ceramics was born.

On the day we met Ellen, we almost had to unearth her from beneath a huge floral sculpture she was creating at Johnstown Castle in Waterford. Ellen worked for many years in advertising but, like Daniel, she always thought she could do something more creative. So, she moved to Berlin and took up a friends suggestion that she become a florist. Now she runs her shop It’s all Pretty Wild in Bristol, a pretty apt name for the journey she’s been on.

These films were shown on social with cutdowns for Instagram stories.

Video: Jake Browne

BOOK DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION

Two years later, Rufus was a whole new monster. He got a makeover and a book deal - a dream come true for both of us to be honest. Written in rhyme by the super talented Amy Sergison and paired with my illustrations, the book was distributed to creches, schools and libraries across the island of Ireland.

For the campaign elements we refreshed the colour scheme and the focus moved towards crèche and school settings. We created an educational pack containing our storybook, character cut outs for story time, sink posters, stickers and staff leaflets alongside OOH, social and digital assets.

Rufus even went walkabout as a life-sized plush character, not bad for a little monster.

Copywriter: Amy Sergison​​

DIRECT MAIL

In 2019 IAPI teamed up with An Post to create a competition that promoted Direct Mail campaigns. Having worked with Médecins Sans Frontières for so many years and learning of the resurgence of Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, myself and copywriter extraordinaire Laurence Keogh put our heads together to see if we could bring attention to this crisis.

Such is the sense of horror about Ebola that any new communication about it tends to fall on already deafened ears. We knew that if our campaign was going to cut through, we had to come up with an idea that avoided the usual imagery – the doctors-in-hazmat- suits approach. We sought a way of engaging the attention of our audience by looking at other aspects of MSF’s work on the Ebola frontline.

What, we wondered, could we deliver into their hands that would bring a new dimension to their understanding of MSF’s Ebola response? Then we learned that before doctors can treat the disease, they often have to treat the superstitions and myths that surround it. The ‘Story of the Snake’ is one of those myths.

We also knew that we wanted the DM to feel like something that wouldn’t be thrown away but actually read and even kept. I designed the DM to unfold as the story does, using African style illustration and laser cutting. It was then placed in a hand painted box, just like the snake in the story and delivered to the judges.

It made an impression and we came runner up out of over 70 entries. Not quite enough to make it to Cannes but next time eh?

VIDEO AND SOCIAL CAMPAIGN

Microsoft are one of the biggest recruiters of technology-focused employees in Ireland but how can they stand out amongst competitors like Facebook and Google? Instead of doing the usual testimonials, we wanted to showcase everything Microsoft has to offer, the technology, connectivity, diverse workforce and modern workspace.

We wanted to shift the perceptions Microsoft has with a younger generation and show how they are at the forefront of changing technology around the world. To stand out against the usual recruitment videos we incorporated bold text and colour, and this look and feel was applied across all digital and social touchpoints. The message was clear - Come to the place where you can change the world.

Copywriter: Amy Sergison

VIDEO AND DIRECT MAIL

Over the last few years we have worked with Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders on multiple campaigns from emergencies to fundraising.

One recent campaign struck very close to home - their COVID 19 appeal. While we are able to shelter at home during the pandemic, many of MSF’s patients don’t have that luxury, most don’t even have running water to wash their hands. In 48 hours we pulled together an appeal that included a DM piece, radio and social ads, all while working remotely.

Emergency campaigns for ongoing conflict are a more difficult ask. In Syria the war has been going on for years so people are desensitised to hearing it on news. But the daily dangers are something that people in the region live with. I wanted to get across the message that in Syria simple acts can have devastating consequences, like flicking a light switch. The gate fold of the DM demonstrates the idea of an explosion, something being torn apart to reveal the arresting central image. This impactful direct mail piece was a departure for MSF who usually feature field photography in their communications.

Copywriter: Amy Sergison

VIDEO AND SOCIAL CAMPAIGN

Microsoft created DreamSpace to unlock the potential of the students of Ireland by teaching them 21st Century and STEM skills. They aim to bring 100,000 students to the space in the next five years.

We were tasked with creating an environment equal to that ambition. We dressed the space with bold, motivational graphics and created looped videos to play on the vertical screens.

We also created videos aimed at transition year and primary school teachers to invite them to visit the space with their class. This proved so successful that places booked up immediately with an ever-increasing demand each year since.

Copywriter: Amy Sergison

Design: Kieron Farrell

SOCIAL VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Truvia® - a stevia-based sweetener - wanted to create eye-catching digital content to stop foodies in their tracks as they scrolled through their social feeds. They also wanted to encourage their audience to try a range of recipes using this sugar-alternative in a new way.

We devised a variety of recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and shot them against bright block coloured backgrounds with quirky transitions to showcase both the versatility of Truvia® and the brands fun personality. We also created a series of cinemagraphs to add to their bank of social content.

​​Client: Truvia®

Agency: AV Browne

Video and Photography: EasyFoods/Zahra Media

ACTIVATIONS AND SOCIAL CAMPAIGNS

120 Santa Rita’s main goal is to get people together to share good times, good food and good wine. Over the past few years I have developed a number of activations with the brand to do just that – from working with Angela Scanlon at Bloom, throwing a rooftop party at the Marker Hotel, to a chilled out summer party at Eatyard.

Most recently we created The 120 Table, a bespoke dining experience where guests could share a special meal with friends and family. We worked with local food producers Grálinn and Nobó to develop the sharing menu where each course was inspired by and paired with wines from the 120 range. With the help of the wonderful H&G we transformed the space into immersive dining experience that helped to our guests connect with their friends and family and truly share a special evening.

Video: James McCaughan

Event Production: H&G Creations

EDITORIAL DESIGN

McCann’s new partnership with creative conference OFFSET, gave me the opportunity to develop the identity for the tenth edition of the festival alongside designer Kieron Farrell. We merged the chaotic energy of bitmaps with the serenity of colourful gradients to reflect the changing moods of the OFFSET experience. We were also influenced by the change of venue at the Point Village, with it’s tall thin windows and unfinished walls.

This treatment was applied to enormous wall graphics by Kieron, while I translated them into the editorial elements by designing and typesetting the OFFSET newspaper and daily schedule.

Client: OFFSET

Creative Direction: Bren Byrne

TVC AND OOH

When Deep River Rock tasked us with helping to promote their sustainability message while also giving back to the community, we jumped at the chance.

We scoured community groups from all over Ireland to find ones with great stories to tell in quirky TV ads and outdoor print. I oversaw both the TV and photo shoots, and I have a story about a giant carrot getting stuck in a lift that I’ll tell you if you ask.

VIDEO AND SOCIAL CONTENT

In 2018 McCann worked with Beck’s and six talented artists and designers to bring their famous art labels back to their bottles. Last year the designs were liberated from the confines of their paper labels and allowed to run free, 360 degrees around the bottle. In a world-first, direct-object printing technology was used to apply ink and varnish to Beck’s bottles and myself and the team documented it all first-hand at the TAP factory in Belgium.

Video: CLTV Film Dublin

To promote Beck’s art label bottles as the perfect Christmas present for your arty friends, I also created some social posts showing the bottles as collectible works of art in their own small gallery. On the shoot itself, the miniature cast was quite cooperative, if a little stiff.

BRANDING AND SOCIAL CAMPAIGN

Cheerios wanted to refresh the branding of their charity breakfast in aid of Childline and, in turn, Childline were trying to drive funding for donations to keep their lines open at night, often the time when the most vulnerable children use the service.

We wanted to shine a little light into those dark hours so came up with the tagline ‘Rise and Shine for Childline’ and I used the image of a sun rising over a breakfast bowl to make the connection between the charity and Cheerios. This logo and look and feel was applied across all the campaign collateral and used on social.

EDITORIAL

Document management probably isn’t the most exciting of subjects, but OKI were a client brave enough to let us do something a little different to bring their ads to life. This customer likes to be organised, so we added some organised fun - creating super-neat desks with quirky objects.

Photography: Sarah Doyle