assignment 10 - back to basics

I've been thinking about the school of the web a bit. I'm concerned that we're trying to run before we can walk. It's all very well me banging on about complexity and compression and polyphony but it's no good if we've not learned how to write a simple proposition. And I know we can all have a go at propositions and dismiss them as irrelevant and old-fashioned, but they're basic tools. They're like scales for jazz musicians, you can't start to improvise until you're intimate with how scales and chord progressions work. And for all of us doing clever strategies for fancy brands, there's some planner on their own in an office somewhere, who's never had any training, who's just trying to work out where to start. And they're really who this is for.

So my plan is to go back to some of the basic tools of planning. Once we've mastered them we'll move on to fancier stuff. And we're going to start with propositions.

Simon McCrudden has agreed to be the guest judge and set the question (and he's the planner who works with Paul, so he must be used to some rigour). Here's the task:

"The English Apple Advisory Board are coming in to see me next week to discuss how they might be able to promote apples and as a result increase sales in the UK. Not just a short-term hike, but for the forseeable future. So what I would like is for people to write ten propositions/ideas that will help the apple people achieve their objective.

Each proposition/idea can be no longer than 20 words. No supporting material is needed or allowed for the propositions. Nor any images. And it would be good to have all 10 on a single page of a word document."

Please email your entries to the address on the right and do it by November 1st. I'm trying to get back on the monthly schdule.

It seems simple, but it's tough. You can't hide behind pictures or design, you've just got to have 10 original, useful, non-obvious ideas about how to sell, re-position or re-excite people about apples.

And, since we're going back to basics I've decided to make this the beginning of a more structured programme (slightly). If you complete every school of the web assignment for the next year. (Which I imagine will be about 10 assignments). You'll get a fancy certificate for your wall and a letter of praise and enthusiasm from me (for what that's worth).

Comments

[Guscasas]

This all worth, believe me!
Thanks for your initiative, time and dedication.
Gambarimasu!!

[Kajal]

Hi Russell, this is a really good idea and I'm defi going to give it a shot. I'm in the latter category - the young enthusiastic planner, thrown in the deep end- so working on positioning and learning to uncomplicate my thinking will hopefully help! =) PS: Thanks

[Apple Thinker]

This may sound like a silly question, but are we only promoting english apples, or all apples?

[Kajal]

sounds like English Apples to me?!

[Seb]

guess it doesn't matter where this apples are from unless you plan to do some english apples vs. all other fruits from whereever-thing.
anyway this back to basic stuff sounds nice but difficult. hope this will go well and by the end of next year we all have a nice certificate to answer our parents "what the hell are you doing all day"-questions.

[Lebowski]

In a bizarrely unintended coincidence, the Guardian's wallchart today is on apples.

It makes you appreciate how small the range of apples we're exposed to in supermarkets is.

This isn't a directional clue by the way. Just thought anyone who's getting in to apples might be interested.

[noisecake]

"there's some planner on their own in an office somewhere, who's never had any training, who's just trying to work out where to start." - that's me! it's wonderful that i'm all the way in thailand and still have the opportunity to particiapte! thank you for going back to basics.

[John Grant]

Why is it limited to propositions?

There are lots of ways to say things about why you should eat apples, but does that really reflect how people get their ideas about what to eat? I preferred the broader thing which said 'how to re-excite people'.

Even within advertising I'm thinking about examples like 'got milk?', 'go to work on an egg', the Australian meat & livestock commission's 'eat more beef you bastards' or the classic Broman 'eat porridge' t-shirt campaign. The proposition if any behind these campaigns if any was that 'it's popular these days'. Then there is non traditional media. Would taking people apple picking like we used to do when I was a kid be a 'proposition'...? Or is 'buy a juicer' a proposition?

Sorry to be difficult, I was originally going to post something about the Guardian wallchart, but Lebowski beat me to it.

Maybe put this to one side and come back to it?

[adleinad]

Hey Russell, excellent idea all this... I´m kind of new in this blogging thing, but I´m excited of participate in this assignment, since I´m also a young enthusiastic planner wannabe here in Colombia. Thanks for the chance you give us all!!!

[Lauren]

For those of us not from England, could we write propositions that would increase sales in our own country? There is a certain level of inherent understanding about current consumer feelings about/consumption of apples in the UK that we don't have. Or is that just part of the deal for this assignment?

[Lebowski]

I think John's raised an interesting point. And it's why it was maybe a litle fudged in the original proposal when I talked about propositions / ideas, rather than necessarily just comms propositions.

Think we need Russell to step in and provide the definitive answer.

[russell]

Yes John's raised an interesting point but it doesn't help does it? That's the problem with planners, they're always raising interesting points.

That's why I like the proposition/idea fudge. I don't want to spend the whole time defining terms or it's all just endless debate. We're supposed to be practising stuff here not reinventing marketing.

But, since it's come up - let's make it clearer by making it small.

We're looking for propositions/ideas for something that the apple people can say on a poster outside the supermarket. Yes I know it's not very marketing 2.0 but that's the game we're playing. Posters outside supermarkets. They're still useful.

And it can be any apples from any country in any country.

[Colman]

Is there a 'how many planners does it take to change a light bulb' joke?

[Marcus Brown]

Paul, it's a very long, complex joke, involving 20 blogs, powerpoint, a conference and a cafe. In the end, the client changes the lightbulb.

[Alex]

Without spilling any beans, I think the solution might be found by first engaging with a broad range of users and non-users of said apples (I'm thinking home interviews and shoppalongs) to see what inspirational insights can be gained.

So back to basics is back to the consumer.

[John Grant]

Yes Paul I think the traditional version was 'it depends what you mean by a lightbulb' :J
(vs for creatives it was 'we're not changing it!')

[cam]

being new to this thing, I'm not sure where to send my work. So, I'm just going to post it here so everyone can slate it!
These are more creative props than brand props, but they shold hopefully spark some debate.

Apples – better than Eden!

The first humans were expelled from Eden (paradise) for succumbing to temptation. Adam and Eve tasted from the succulent apple (the epitome of all human temptation) and were punished by being thrust into the real world; cast out of the heavens.

The sentiment here is that it was worth it! Apples are the original and a divine temptation, providing pleasures that surpass those of Eden.

Apples – natures healthcare plan

Plays to the age-old adage ‘an apple a day’ (say no more). Apples are a source of both soluble and insoluble fibre. Apples are also a great source of vitamin C, are low in calories and a natural mouth freshener…..etc etc

Apples – Natures’ toothbrush

More of a specific functional health angle, but again plays to commonly held beliefs of apples inherent health attributes.

Life would be bland without apples!

[A little cliché in a post Got Milk? world, but hey, there’s still mileage in the idea I reckon]

The world of pies would be changed forever, not to mention the world of crumbles! Pork would be awfully dry and tasteless. And where would cider be without apple?!

Apples – natures artwork

Aside from being healthy and tasty, apples, well, are just beautiful, when you think about it. They are perfectly round, coming in various shades of red, green, gold, yellow. They have featured in many a masterpiece throughout the ages, not to mention symbolising one the greatest companies of all time!

[jeff]

Ok...i'm really new to all this stuff, and have a very basic sort of question. What exactly is a proposition? What makes a good one? Russell from my point of view it would be really helpful for the younger student types (like myself) if you'd define and give examples for us all.

[Lebowski]

Hello everyone.

Russell's asked me to drop a note clarifying what we mean by 'proposition' in response to Jeff's question.

Now, knowing what planners can be like, I appreciate this could kick start an entirely new set of posts on what the accurate definition is. But for the purposes of the PSOTW apple task, hopefully the following will suffice.

A proposition, when talking in terms of a creative brief, is the single-minded thought about the brand/issue which will inspire a creative team to produce work which helps meet the client's objective. It should be a summation of what we want the ad to communicate and be motivating to consumers, distinctive from the competition, and credible. And it should ideally be a single line (and for the purposes of this task less than 20 words long). In this case, for a poster about apples.

Hope that everyone's OK with that as a definition. If it's confused you more, you're probably best speaking to Russell.

[dilys]

Not enrolled particularly. Can I play?

1. An apple can always be made to taste really good (pie, baked, garnish meat, munch/crunch). Many, many different ways to prepare. Never have to get bored.

Almost impossible not to be delicious.

2. Apples were already there when we grew up, and will be there for generations to come. Not a flash in the pan. Unlike kiwi, mangos, even cherries not available in the US when I was a child.

3. Apples are beautiful. Whole, sliced and arranged, come in many colors.

4. Challenge: eat an entire apple and remain [as] miserable. Can't be done.

5. It's food (a raw whole apple) you can toss :-), carry, sit on with impunity. Sturdily gift-wrapped.

6. Pretty much nobody doesn't like them, is allergic to them, or subject to anti-apple religious or customary taboos.

7. Your Mother won't look at you funny when you eat an apple. She'll approve.

[pooR]

Apple - The Love Fruit.

Apple - Give in to the temptation.

Apple - Imagine a day without it.

Apple - Wholesome Fruit

Apple - Meant for Biting

Apple - Ask Mom to give you one everyday

Apple - You don't need a doctor to tell you

Apple - Have it raw

Apple - For tasty recipes

Apple - Sinful naturally

Hi Rusell, new to your web school, young planner from India. learning the tricks. A list of 10 proposition on how to excite the apple eaters & non-eaters. Don't know how to send you the answers, so posted it here. Be critical, eager to learn more.

pooR

[mentalmasturbater]

Actually, the apple wasn't the forbidden fruit in the garden of eden, the fig was. One just needs to take a closer look at the loin leaves donned by Adam and Eve to see they're from a fig not an apple.