Communication is a Virus!

We've been given a new exciting brief that requires us to work in teams of 5, in order to design a campaign around a chosen theme. We were given the ideal of 'using public transport more', so to begin with we brainstormed together what the message of the campaign would be. That should really be the basis for any kind of campaign, if there's no concept or message, then it's only abstract visual matter with no content.

The main arguments that we decided were strongest are as follows:

- Public transport is generally agreed to be more environmentally friendly than the alternative of using a car through the ideology the CO2 emissions per head are a lot less.

- Public transport can be more relaxing, there's more opportunity to pursue activities that would not be possible while driving, like reading, using mobile phone, socialising with friends etc.

Because of the nature of these arguments, it's gave us a target market/audience, which happens to be quite big. We're going for everyone who doesn't already use public transport, so people who drive, regularly walk etc. Our initial concepts and ideas are as follows:

- We'd like to explore the potential of CO2 emissions, by exploiting a seriously exaggerated hypothetical scenario where polar bears have no homes. It's pretty straight to the point, and I personally believe that if it were done in the right way could work well. I also think that the key to solidifying a project like this is through social interaction, we're going to need to get out the into the public and interact to express our message.

- One specific we considered was by considering the effects of depicting a polar bear who's wandering the streets of Britain because he's homeless.

- We also think there is potential within this briefs to capture attention through flash mobbing.

- Another alternative direction we've considered is to play on the argument that there is the opportunity on public transport to utilise the space you have as well as the freedom to do more; but again we plan on massively exaggerating this fact.

- One idea that came up was just an example, which was playing table tennis on board a train or bus. I really like this imagery, and it brings a whole load of other unusual pieces of potential.

We're focusing our efforts into individual research for the time being, and then we'll pool what we've found afterwards. I've personally taken out a book from the library, "The Advertising Concept Book" by Pete Barry, which includes a rather good section on campaigns. Here are some of the things we discussed as a group that have influenced our responses so far:

Dumb ways to Die: The viral campaign that swooped through the internet carrying an important message with it, by applying visual humour.

Panda Cheese Commercials: This isn't a viral campaign, it's a series of adverts, but it reminds me of the potential we may be able to exploit through personifying a polar bear, plus they're great adverts.