Citibank Creative Getaways – Citibank customers were encouraged to take out a gold credit card and get great savings on fabulous holiday packages. One of my major projects for J Walter Thompson in Singapore, this campaign was 9 months in the making. But the labour was well worth it – we won ADMA and New York Festivals Awards.
Ahhh...chocolate. A subject close to my heart, so it’s easy to write about. Haigh’s Happenings is a regular newsletter I’ve been writing since the first edition back in 2001. Chatty stories, news and updates, yummy recipes plus staff profiles that I really enjoy writing coz it gives me a chance to chat to someone new. www.haighschocolates.com.au
This ad did its job well – I don’t have exact response figures but there were grumblings about the amount of work it created. Creating the ad itself involved sitting in front of the computer with the fussy art director, getting rid of widows and orphans, or adding a bit of blurb on the fly, so every line was perfect.
This fun campaign for a real estate auctioneer came about after I had been asked to write a brochure. Two mornings later, I woke up with this idea in my head. ‘On bad days, take contents and bash repeatedly...For good days, call me.’ Sent to real estate agents, it was a big hit, with about a 30% response rate.
This brochure copy job came to me as a result of the graphic designer saying “No, we don’t do copy. Here, call Karen at Copy with Cream, she’ll help you out. Once you’ve got the copy organised, come back and see us.” Clean design and crisp copy make a great duo. Breaking it into sections makes for much easier reading.
A hot invitation for breakfast at the Hyatt. They’d hoped for 80 bums on seats, we got them 120! The topic – ‘How direct marketing can burn your brand into your customers’ minds.’ Guest speaker Malcolm Bristow’s photo happened to have exactly the same lighting angle as the stock photo sourced by the designer, so it all came together brilliantly.
I happened to hear a radio report talking about the consequences of smoking for men. Then this idea came to me as I was walking down the street. It was 1993. Too early for its time? Pity. If I was a guy, it’d make me stop... Years later, a US TV commercial using the same idea made world headlines.
Writing about healthy products comes naturally, specially when it’s a great range like SkinThings. Caroline Bugg created her range of 100% natural skincare, bath and body products right here in Adelaide and now has customers across Australia and as far away as London and Singapore. Products are available through party plan, salons and her website at www.skinthings.com.au
Creatives have something we call a ‘bottom drawer’ where great ideas go to die. Why? Maybe the client didn’t like it. But you still love it. Sometimes you get to pick it up, dust it off and resurrect it at a later date. To great fanfare. Or... you get to see it in an awards book, done by someone else. Bummer.
