Day of submission

I must ensure that everything is correctly working and submitted to a high standard.

Referencing

Today I went through the entire review, printed off, and ensured that the referencing was perfect. This meant that I must ensure all references which appear within the text also appeared in the reference list at the end of the document, and also that there were not unreferenced quotations etc.

With this in hand I went back to the formatting of my review. I went to a tutorial today where my course leader instructed me on how to create the links between pages. I then could format my pages as if this was an Illustrator document, as both software's had similar features and functions.

I began to consider how I would wisely use my time. From tomorrow I have about five days left to complete the formatting of my review. I consider this completely acceptable, as I have already created the CD packaging and the roundel sticker.

Therefore I can spend these days completely focussing on format. Within the next hour I should have completely finished perfecting my written content and should be able to transfer it into the In design file.

Comparison Chart Format 2

I have just finished creatively formatting the comparison chart. This worked well in the form of an abacus. The only difficult I have at present is that the writing is very small due to the condensed form, yet this is only because I have covered so many forms of promotion, therefore I should not worry about this too much, aslong as the writing is legible.

I will experiment with ways of incorporating this into my review format, ensuring that it is in keeping with the theme, whilst also ensuring that it is distinctive as part of the conclusion of the review.

Tomorrow I will update the blog with news on how exactly I intend to format the review (which creative package I will use). I also aim to have printed off all of the blog pages to date. I will experiment with creatively formatting a cover for this time blog.

Tomorrow I also wish to have created the CD roundel, and to have started considering ways in which I will format the CD cover.

Comparison Chart Format

Yesterday I completed the comparison chart which I produced using Microsoft Excel. Today I have been considering ways in which I can format this which relate to the subject of the report.

Once again I found it particularly difficult to think of a format which would be relevant and representative of all of the target audience categories, I therefore decided to focus on the ‘youth-orientated’ focus of animated characters. I considered that I could use an abacus to represent the ‘dos and don’ts’ of promotional tools. This is a great way of addressing the preschool aspect of the review, where the Bratz dolls successfully relate to the 'tween' category.

I must think of ways of incorporating colour into this in a way in which is not confusing for the viewer. I will update the blog once I have achieved the desired look.

Wiser Tutorial

Today I had organised my third wiser tutorial. This time I was presenting the entire review to Tania to read through. When I arrived and stated my word count to Tania it became apparent that she was not allowed to read through the whole document.

The maximum word count they are allowed to read is 3000. I therefore took out the sections I had previously submitted to her and left her with the ones she had not yet seen in order to get a fresh take on them.

Tania stated that she would read as much of the remaining document as possible and get it back to me on a fourth tutorial I have organised for Thursday. This is very convenient for me as it means I am able to continue with formatting my report whilst I am waiting for the written content to be looked over. It is important to note that Wiser do not make ‘changes’ to the document, instead they highlight areas which could be improved, using symbols and abbreviations. For example ‘pp’ refers to paragraph, ‘g’ refers to grammar.

I will update the blog after my tutorial on Thursday once I understand how I can further improve the report to read more ‘smoothly’.

Review Format

Within the tutorial today I also expressed my concern regarding how I was going to format my report. I have spent a lot of time watching YouTube tutorials and tutorials from other online sources, yet I am still none the wiser as to whether I would like to use Wix.com or to use In Design and create an interactive PDF document.

One idea brought up in the tutorial was that I could use Illustrator to format my report and then save this as a PDF – the only interactivity here would be the scroll down function of the website. For me this was a concern as I would really like to push my boundaries of learning and go outside of my comfort zone as this could open up potential for creating something really outstanding in a future project which I would be limited in if I did not experiment further now.

I therefore decided that I would like to use InDesign. I sent over print screens of my layout ideas to my course leader and stated exactly it was that I would like to achieve.

I have also arranged a second tutorial for tomorrow whereby I will learn how to make this interactive myself, having missed the previous tutorial session.
I will update the blog tomorrow with news of my progress in the aspect of formatting.

Written Content

Today has been a very productive day for me. I have a tutorial at 10am this morning. Within this tutorial I spoke to my course leader about the written aspect of my report, and also about how to communicate my report through format.

The conclusion drawn from this tutorial was that my written aspect was well considered and that the use of bullet points was successful in helping to convey short chunks of information, which were easy to digest.

This considered, I went through my report and turned more of the ‘chunks’ of text into bullet points – prior to the tutorial a concern of mine was that the information i.e. in the sentences was not ‘full’ enough, yet I soon understood that there was a lot of information to communicate and that this was an effective way of including as much of my research as possible in a very comprehendible way.

The next post will address issues related to formatting which I dealt with today

Comparison Chart

I have finished typing up my comparisoon chart. At present this is created in a generic format on Excel. In order to integrate this into my review I am required to creatively format this, in keeping with my chosen theme. This will be my task for tomorrow.

Tomorrow I also aim to have created my CD roundel, and have started considering ideas/working out dimensions for the CD cover. I will also take it upon myself to purchase the CD and CD case tomorrow. Tomorrow will be my organisational day, for example purchasing A4 paper to print off my time log, and workingo on a front cover for this time log.

Also by the end of the day tomorrow, my review should be within the word count, with the sections/figures numbered and with a conclusion set in mind to write the following day.

This will allow me the rest of this week and the following week to really move forwards with regards to formatting the report.

Review Comparison Chart

Today I will create a comparision chart to be placed within the conclusion of my review. This will show which brands use which promotional tools - this ensures that I cover all areas of promotion roughly, whilst providing much more depth to other areas of significance - e.g. Twitter could be acknowledged by a tally in a chart, and then Facebook, for example, could be elaborated on within the review discussion section.

I will refer back to the sheets provided with the brief ensuring that I have covered all areas of above the line and below the line marketing. Once I have typed out this chart, I will draw the report to a solid conclusion, pinpointing one brand as a market leader, and suggesting why other brands may fail to attract their desired audience, or even attract an alternative audience.

The post will be updated at the end of the day, stating whether I have suceeded or not.

End of Night Reflection

I have come to the end of the working day.
My word count is currently 6,200 - I will continue to work on this tomorrow, incorporating my conclusion into this, and seeing if there are any other ways in which I can reduce this word count.

By the end of tomorrow I would like to have finished the report (within the word count), typed up the comparison chart, and printed my essay to show to Wiser on Monday.

I will also work on my CD roundel in order to present my work effectively.

I will post tomorrow with progress updates!

Review Writing

Today I decided that I would look back at the report with a fresh mind. I needed to get the word count down by 3000 odd words. In order to achieve this I printed off the review and then went through it, initially taking out uneccesary words and statments. After I had done this, I went back to the typed up document and made these ammendments.

I then recalculated the word count and once again went through my document in printed off form. As it stands I am 1,500 words over the maximum word count and yet to conclude. I have now resorted to taking out sections which do not "tell" much about my understanding of the brand. I am also prioritising primary research over secondary research as this is a better indicator of the effort I have put into the project.

I aim to have the word count down to 6000 by the end of the night. I will update a blog post tomorrow stating whether I have achieved this or not.

Photoshoot

Yesterday I held the photoshoot with Emily, Yasamin, and Hayley. This ran very smoothly and there were few glitches. Unfortunately Emily had tutorial sessions throughout the shoot, yet this was easily overcome as we worked through the poses with the other models whilst she was away.

My job today is to see what I can do with these photographs with regards to editing and manipulation. I have experimented with the plastic wrap effect on photoshop and am wondering if I would make the models look very doll-like and artificial.

The above is just one idea at this stage. I will experiment with how to format my work, coming to conclusions as to how/where I can place text.

I have purchased a few children's magazines today, and will look at the games and competitions to see if there is any way I can incorporate these into my work.

Preparing for the shoot

Today I went to Newlook to collect the clothes I had put behind for the photoshoot (Thursday).
I brought with me images taken from the internet of the Bratz dolls.
The idea was that I created characters which would narrate the way around the report.
I looked at the images for inspiration regarding makeup and styling.
I noticed that the lips on the Bratz dolls were the focal feature of the face, and the hair is styled - usually crimped or curled.
I chose three models: Hayley, Yasamin and Emily - each of these related to one of the Bratz dolls, either through ethnicity/skin tone, hair colouration or facial features.

When looking for clothes I selected those which were most in line with clothes the Bratz dolls would wear - it should be noted that these were not necessarily 'in trend' clothes, therefore I should look at charity shops and other locations for clothing.

In order to transform these models in to doll form I will experiment with using 'plastic wrap' a filter effect from the gallery in Photoshop. It should be noted that there are different intensities of these and I will experiment with which one creates the most 'artificial' effect.

The blog will be updated tomorrow once I have sifted through the outfits and decided which model will wear which items. I will post photographs if at all possible.

Primary Research

I considered whether there were any ways in which I could incorporate more primary research into my review.
I looked at LIMA as they linked to a lot of the figures and facts I was stating.

I sent out an email containing the following questions:

1. How important to a licensed character brand is the website?


2. What obstacles did you have to overcome to ensure that the website was friendly for both children and their parent/guardian


3. There is the option to register on this site, for example to watch the video clips. How does this benefit you?

4. What is your option of social media marketing for children’s animated characters?

5. How important is it to find an appropriate charity to support for an animated character – does this boost the reputation of the company?

6. From your experience with licensed characters are there any key ‘special events’ which really stand out for you? For example theme park visits etc.

7. Regarding the brand mascot - How important is this for you in creating a bond between children and character – and what special measures/training are put in place to ensure that there is a likeness in personality /actions between the genuine TV character, and the suited version?

8. Most licensed characters have a secondary audience in the respect that teens sometimes buy into the merchandise – how do you feel this came about? Is this ever worrying for a brand, or always considered a plus?

9. What is your experience with licensed characters joining forces with another brand?

10. What do you believe is your strongest form of promotion? Please explain

11. What do you believe is your weakest form of promotion? Please explain.

12. Have you/did you consider any Guerrilla marketing tactics?

I awaited a reply in anticipation and will update the blog once I have received one

Progress

I have made good progress today. First of all I confirmed the availability of the studio, and now have this booked out for Thursday morning.

This is for my 'bratz' style shoot. Therefore I must start looking at images of Bratz dolls online, and then taking this into highstreet retailers looking at the outfit combinations etc.

I have also been reading through my review sections, attempting to get the word count down, or considering ways in which the word count can be reduced.
I have made significant progress with the Bratz entry, which is now under 800 words, and the Peppa Pig entry, which is also around this number of words.

It is important that I continue to get the word count down, yet remembering that I have 10% leniency either way.
I have a meeting on Monday (4-5pm) with Wiser for a tutorial in which I will be going through my Simpsons and Ben10 review sections.

Once I have received this feed back I will go through those essays on Monday night, ensuring that they are all correctly referenced and that the word count is correct.
I therefore aim to spend the rest of this weekend ensuring that my review is correct with regards to content.

I will then book a tutorial for tuesday where I will learn how to format my review.
I should have a strong idea of the orientation in which I would like to present my review and should have wire frames to discuss the possibilities with.

Next, I should look for possible outfits and props for the shoot on Thursday.
I understand that I must have a form of insurance in which to borrow clothes from university with. I must enquire about this.

Trends

I visited WGSN and looked at futuristic trends for kidswear. This included knowledge of colour trend analysis, materials trend analysis, and colour palettes. I will take my new-found knowledge of this and tranfer this to the use of colour and style within my boards. I aim to create continuity throughout each section of my review, despite having very distinctive sections with their own unique identities such as Bratz and The Simpsons, for example. As I am dealing with dual genders I must consider ways in which I can make the colour scheme suited to both.

The next blog entry will discuss how I intend to overcome this.

Model Progress

Today I discovered that you could purchase male Bratz dolls alongside the female ones. This further inspired me as to select a male model which would fit the bit. I found a model - Kevin Lee Essery, who was very willing to assist, and was physically well-suited to the role.

Inspiration regarding format

I looked at the image concoction on the link below and it inspired me as to how I could create interesting imagery using photographs of random images, close crops, and by teaming an object with a quirky background.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mexycan/376668942/

Key images which stood out for me as being particularly inspiring were the brightly coloured balls, the hand full of crayons, and the use of building blocks to build titles etc, the climbing frame in the park and such.

Finding an appropriate model

Today I went in search for people who I thought would be appropriate for modelling. In particular I considered the Bratz Doll shoot and finding females who I felt would suit this role particularly well.
I received an email response from Emily, whom I had worked with before. She said she would be willing to assist me with my project.

Considering Format Continued

I continued to investigate ways in which I could format my work. I invesigated areas such as child modelling, and looked into how I would then go on to manipulate these images. I looked for different sources around Preston as to where I could enquire for child models. I also considered whether I would be able to use any props etc to enhance the outcome.
I will update the blog tomorrow with news of any progress.

Considering Format

I consider ways in which I could create a 'child-like' feel.
I looked at different nurseries and playschools around Preston and considered the effects if I were to 'employ' children to make drawings of the characters, for example of Peppa Pig, Lisa Simpson etc.

This is a line of thought I am keen to follow up.

Inspiration

http://www2.shidonni.com/v2/LandingPage.aspx?af=cw1rubbit160*600&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=rubbit&referral=members.outpost10f.com&gclid=CJvM2cewr6UCFYUe4QodaxoQYQ

The above site inspired me with regards to form and layout. I found it whilst looking on the SpongeBob site. It is highly interactive and created from a child's perspective. I like the way that the border is a palette from which the child can create work and drawings.

I also took inspiration from the use of characters and the child-like art work and considered if I could create something similar.

Drawing My Findings Regarding Format to a Close

The contents page must set the tone of the whole publication and introduce the users to the document structure and methods of navigation.

It should draw the viewer in and build anticipation for the content to follow.

The overall look of the review should be uniform for the viewer.

Some of the most effective formats analysed were simple in their organisation and interaction.

Keep navigational options and cross-links between sections to a minimum ensuring that viewers get to information quickly and efficiently without getting lost.

The navigational bar should be treated as a landmark for the viewer, allowing them to reorient themselves as they move through the review.

Finally, it is important to strike the perfect balance between aesthetics and information access.

Discussing a Possible Format for My Report.

From the title page the viewer will move onto one of a number of subsections: Contents, Abbreviations, Executive Summary, Introduction and then the nine character pages.

A frame at the bottom of the page will offer navigational links within the current section, while the top frame supports navigation between the more distinct areas of the review, e.g. Contents page.

The main frame delivers content through a mixture of text and visuals in a non-scrolling template.

Reading should be the primary task and content should not be image-heavy: visuals will be used to support the text, and should not dominate.

There is a wise use of white space, ensuring that information can be perceived with ease. Despite being simple this format is successful as it includes those elements which are most important for communication.

My next task will be putting this into action, as well as constantly reviewing my progress with regards to the written aspect of the review.

Information Gained Regarding Formatting the Report Continued (2)

I visited The Simpson's website and learnt an effective way of communicating larger sections of text.

If was important that I understood the purpose of frames. These could be used to divide the review into separate regions.

I could continue to make use of tabs within each subsection of the review. Alternatively I could signpost the reader to sections manually e.g see section 5.2

Rather than using text on links I could use a coordinated set of colour-coded symbols. These colours should not be arbitrary, and should be intrinsically related to the site section. E.g. The Simpsons = yellow. Peppa Pig = pink. Ben10 = green etc.

Difficulties with this arise as both Spongebob and The Simpsons are yellow, likewise Peppa Pig and The Bratz both strongly use the colour pink. I was inspired by navigation on Postman Pat’s website which used icons of the characters to navigate the different areas.

Next - it is necessary for me to implement what I have learnt and to discuss a possible report structure - this will form the content of my next blog post.

Information Gained Regarding Formatting the Report Continued

I have learnt that I must demonstrate a thoughtful balance of site architecture, navigational design, and the layout of particular pages.

Aesthetically I must convey a sense of visual sophistication, despite targeting my work at a young audience.

Once the size and shape of text/imagery regions have been decided – this should be applied consistently throughout. This will ensure that information is conveyed in an efficient manner.

I should use a senisble font and background colour. For example, regarding Ben10 it is still possible to convey the theme through the use of green for headers/footers without dominating the page using green as the background colour.

Moreover, it is important to consider background transparency if using colour or background motifs as the text should be legible.

Once again, I will reflect on the above before contributing further.

Information Gained Regarding Formatting the Report

Today I presented my PowerPoint to the class.
It is necessary to consider what I learnt through doing so. Within the PowerPoint I discussed the following:
The subject of my review
How I will be segmenting my report
Inspiration and influences regarding format
Conclusion – determining key points for consideration

Below I have listed key points which I have learnt regarding formatting:

The navigational banner should be identifiable no matter which section of the review is being read, providing immediate access to all areas of the review.

I could use a clickable array of labelled icons which correspond to the major subdivisions of the review.

One key to the success is the limited number of links used to navigate.

Primary colours would do well to communicate the report subject.

Playful iconography and animation used whereby the images act as hyperlinks

After reflecting on the above I will post again, this time discussing the above details in more depth.

Newfound Understanding

Through creating the PowerPoint I was alerted to several areas of consideration:

It would be useful if the banner indicated which part of the review is currently in view.

In web design there is a structure called the hierarchal tree. In this structure the users has the clear sense of moving up, down and across some information space.

The most important content should be included in both text and pictorial form.

Imagery should literally illustrate the article’s content.

A few navigational options, visible at the first glance. These are visually distinct from the primary content of the website.

This is an example of successful user interface design.

With regards to readability, both the typography, symbolism and colour should be considered.

Scannable layout - the content can be perceived with clarity as headings/subheadings/bullet points help make key areas distinctive.

Use the principle of focus well - draw the eye to the focal point.

As a user I felt in full control throughout navigation - it would be appropriate for me to use speech bubbles and callouts throughout my report to elaborate on key points, or to instruct the reader to visit a different section etc.

Working on the PowerPoint Presentation

From speaking to my course leader today I now understand that the PowerPoint must focus on the brands and which market levels they fall into, yet that the main focus of the report is the report format.
I am aware that I have six slides in which I must discuss how each page will look, for example the contents page, product, etc etc. I must discuss how much text I will be using, and also how many images I will be using per page.
The purpose for this is so that I do not gather unecessary amounts of texts/ an unecessary number of pictures.
I will include the comparison chart within the PowerPoint.
When concluding the report I will draw together the different options I have regarding formatting and state which one I will follow through with, and my reasons for this.
I may need to produce wire frames of each page, and annotate these in order to get my idea across effectively.
I will also include print screens of different websites I like etc, and evaluate why these are so successful and how I can implement certain features of this.

What next?
Tomorrow morning I will get started on physically producing this PowerPoint. I anticipate that this will take me the whole day, however I am prepared for this and have allowed time for this in my schedule. I will need cue cards as I will not have had a sufficient amount of time to learn the presentation off by heart. I will update the blog tomorrow to discuss my progress.

Comparison Chart Reflection

Yesterday I completed the comparison chart - today I have reflected on this and feel that my research is very nearly complete. I am, however, still awaiting primary research from representives from the licensees of a couple of the companies, yet if needs be I can continue to write up the report, and fill in the spaces/apply the quotations accordingly.

What next?
I am required to create a PowerPoint by Wednesday discussing the breakdown of my characters and the information I have found relating to each one. I will start on this PowerPoint tomorrow. I must think of this as a computerised version of the review, still keeping one point per slide as I would typically keep one point per paragraph.

Comparison Chart

Today I will ensure that the comparison chart I produced initially with six brands is completely up to date including correct information about all nine brands.
I will blog again later to discuss how simple/difficult this was, and any obstacles I had to overcome e.g. gaps in research.

Considering Formatting the Report

Today I considered ways in which I could format the report. I have decided that I will use the characters such as Peppa Pig and SpongeBob in order to narrate the report. I will use speech bubbles and include information such as "see sections 8.2 for more information", or to ellaborate more with regards to different sections. This may also help me when controlling the word count, as it will help me keep this to a minimum.
I will likely use primary colours for the colour scheme as this will enable me to communicate a youthful theme. I want the subject of my report to be immediately noticeable as soon as the reader sees my report.

I will begin researching into colour psychology, and see if I can use any formatting ideas from the magazines I have been researching into.

Update

I am currently away from university for three weeks, participating in a reality television show.
Most of my days are occupied with styling and filming, however I find time in the evenings to write the report.
I am currently drafting various sections of this report, reading over them several times, and then sending them over to Wiser to see if they can assist with the grammatical side.

Although it is not possible to post daily blog updates, I will be sure to update the blog when I return home.
This will be a translation of a paper time log I have been using whilst I have been away.

This will show how much progress I have made with regards to the report. I am also aware that a PowerPoint presentation will have to be created for my return to university.

Condensing the content

This morning I continously re-drafted the Peppa Pig section of my report. I took out any bits of information which I felt were not 100% relevant to the review title, and paired up pieces of information which I felt had more power together etc.

The current word count is 1800. I sent this over to my course leader so that we could assess which bits could be eliminated etc. I also sent the new and improved version over to the Wiser advisor. I asked her to read the review from a stance where she could assess whether certain bits of information should not be included.

I will await the above replies whilst I continue drafting my The Simpsons section.

Primary Research

Today I decided to get out and about again for the first time since the very early stages of my research. I stayed in Preston and visited the Friargate, St. Georges and Deepdale retail areas. Within these I looked out for Peppa Pig merchandise and paid particular attention to the packaging.

One area of the review should be dedicated to packaging, I therefore analysed the style of packaging, what is was made of, the deemed cost of this e.g. was The Simspons packaging more expensive than Bratz / did The Simpsons use plastic bags, whereas Ben 10 avoided the use of this due to fear of choking.

I recorded my findings both in written form and photgraphically enabling me to come back to analyse these at a later date.

From now I must continue writing out the main structure of my report.

Making Ammendments

Today I went back to my draft of Peppa Pig, I read through this numerous times, and started to whittle down the information. First of all I looked at comments made by the Wiser adviser, and then I looked at it from the perspective of what is wholly relevant to the research title.

I managed to get the word count down from 3300 to 2800. This is still atleast four times too many words. I have nine topics to discuss in a 5000(max) word count. I must be very strict with myself about the information I am to include.

After looking at examples of the review, I discovered that those which were the most successful were the ones which used photographs to illustrate a point of view - this saves words, therefore allowing for ellaboration elsewhere.

One the review is down to 600 words, I will send it over to a course leader to seek approval with regards to the project task. I will then continue writing The Simpsons review content. Together these should account for under 1000 words of the total word count.

Throughout I will continuously be considering interesting ways to present my ideas.

Wiser Tutorial

Today I collected my first draft of the Peppa Pig section of the report which I had handed to one of the Wiser tutors. I was aware that this was only a very early draft, yet I thought that if there was a problem with my writing style with regards to the 'review' format, then I would like to be made aware of this from the outset.

Key points to consider which the Wiser tutor highlighted were:
To be careful that I didn't abbreviate without first including a full version of the word, e.g. Jr, instead of junior. I considered that an abbreviation list would help me overcome this.

It was very important to me that all of the information which I included was relevant, and thus that I was fulfilling the given task. I therefore was told to consider how I would write this essay when I started to discuss eight more topics - would I give each of these a separate section, or would I discuss these comparatively? This is my next area for consideration.

I must also avoid contractions when writing - for example I should write 'do not' instead of 'don't'. I also made slight errors in my grammar, for example confusing the use of apostrophes.

I must now look at how I can group the information accordingly. In order to be successful in this I will look at previous successful reports today.

Primary Research

I sent out emails to people from E1 Entertainment.
Below were the questions which I included within the email.
I ensured that the people whom I contacted were able to answer my questions, for example the press officer, head of promotions, marketing assistant etc.

1. How important to the brand is the Pegga Pig website? What do you do to ensure that the website is fresh and exciting?


2. Peppa Pig is primarily aimed at young children (pre school). What obstacles did you have to overcome to ensure that the website was friendly for both children and their parent/guardian? … The online shop suggests that parents will be nearby children, as it is the parents who will make the purchase decisions.

There were no major obstacles in terms of content – we just need to make sure

3. The Peppa Pig gallery upload option is one way of indicating how many people access that area of the site, and more importantly how many of them are avid Peppa Pig lovers. Do you have any more measures in hand to monitor the success of your website?

4. Do you have figures available for me to show this success? E.g number of visitors.


5. There is the option to register on this site, for example to watch the video clips. How does this benefit you?


6. The option to read online is in keeping with the modern times. Yet, how do you manage to sell print copies of the ladybird books if they are online too. Are these older versions/specially created for online?

7. I can imagine the games option is very popular – how is this a beneficial marketing tactic – e.g playing games keeps them on the site for longer / repetition for emphasis of the brand name etc.

8. I understand that Peppa Pig supports tommy’s baby charity. How does this partnership work? How was it decided that Peppa and tommy’s were an appropriate partnership?

9. I could not find an official Facebook group for Peppa Pig. Is there one up and running? Do you believe this is an effective medium to market Peppa Pig, or that less tech-orientated options should be followed due to the target market?


10. How often is the Peppa Pig magazine distributed? Is this marketed as a magazine which children can buy with their pocket money, or something which parents buy for children?


11. Peppa Pig does many special events. Peppa and George actually visited Twinlakes family theme park where I work during non-term time. It was the busiest day the theme park has ever recorded. Does promotion for such events come solely down to the theme park / event? Or do you post this out in newsletters/online?

12. How important are these events for you in creating a bond between children and character – and what special measures/training are put in place to ensure that there is a likeness in personality /actions between the genuine TV character, and the suited version?

13. Have you ever had to decline any requests for special events because you feel that the venue/occasion didn’t suit your corporate identity?

14. After visiting twitter I can see that the Peppa Pig Live tweets are available. How successful do you feel this form of marketing is? as the majority of people using twitter are much older than your intended audience.


15. As a Peppa and George fan myself (owning some of the merchandise) do you feel that there is a secondary audience for this product? If so – was this intentional?

16. I read that Peppa Pig joined forced with Muller Little Stars, how did you ensure that this was a correct partnership? Healthy eating amongst children is something that is really pushed in this day, were there concerns about joining forces with a food-related product?.

17. Paultons family theme park has announced plans for a Peppa Pig world. Do you consider this as a major form of promotion? Please explain.

18. What do you believe is your strongest form of promotion? Please explain

19. What nursery school promotions do you devise? (if any).

20. What do you believe is your weakest form of promotion? Please explain.

21. Have you considered any Guerrilla marketing tactics?


I awaited eagerly for a response. This should consolidate any research findings to date.

The new condensed area for investigation

Below is the new (condensed) area for investigation surrounding the chosen characters and how I plan to approach this task:

1. Search engine optimisation, e.g. when using Google it was difficult to locate the official web pages for The Simpsons and Flintstones due to consumer-made sites.
2. Website – this will be completely deconstructed.
3. Television. What time is the show broadcast? E.g. early mornings before school. Brief analysis of what adverts appear between the programmes. Who sponsors the show? Number of viewers?
4. How does the brand make use of Youtube? Uploading different series of the show. Unintentional promotion by fans – e.g. video responses, e.g. ‘daddy pig eats George’ video which has over 69,000 views. Bratz dolls used as imagery alongside songs e.g. Natasha Bedingfield.
5. Billboards – none found so far. Discuss why this may be.
6. Magazine/comics. Free giveaways? The price of the magazine – e.g. is it affordable with the pocket money for the child. The offer of subscription. Quality of magazine – use of colour/paper. Circulation figures.
7. Special events – Official mascot visits attractions e.g. Gulliver’s, Twinlakes, Great Central Railway, Grand Opera House. I must obtain figures as to the number of people at the events to monitor the success.
8. Blog – look at the frequency of blog entries.
9. Twitter – aimed at parent? Are the tweets promotion-focussed or used to express the character’s personality – e.g. Bart Simpson, Family Guy.
10. The use of celebrities. E.g. characters, sponsors, voiceovers.
11. Music/song lyrics. Has the jingle been used as a form of promotion e.g. Flintstones, Peppa Pig.
12. Charity – e.g. Peppa Pig has teamed up with Asda in support of Tommy’s children’s charity. Viable choice as Adsa uses mums as brand ambassadors.
13. 13. Sponsors/partnership/cross-marketing. E.g. The Simpsons have worked with Burger King, Dominoes Pizza and Nestle Butterfinger. Muller Little Stars ran an on-pack promotional tie-in with Peppa Pig contract to Dino Pebbles in cereal promotion in 1990.
14. Apps – how relevant are these for the target customer. Ben10 makes good use of these.

I must now consider exactly how I will discuss these topics - will I discuss them alternately, or will I make continous comparisions throughout?

I will now look at other successful reviews in order to decide how to achieve the best presentation of my work.

Ammendments selection of brands

Please see below the ammendments to the selection of brands:

The age categories defined are as follows:
Pre school: Ben10, Peppa Pig, Postman Pat,
Tween (8-12 years): Spongebob SquarePants, Bratz, Scooby Do
Teenage: South Park, The Simpsons, Family Guy

Due to the fact that I have taken on an extra module, I must now write about 9 characters rather than 6.
Reflection has confirmed for me that these are the brands which I must now focus on throughout the writing on my report.

Research resources

I wanted research from many different resources - both primary and secondary.
Secondary research was the easiest to locate - below are just a few links to useful resources found during the initial stages of research...

http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing-advertising/branding-brand-development/4677779-1.html


http://www.betternetworker.com/blogs/view-1950

http://springboardmarketing.net/Blog/?tag=spongebob-squarepants

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/525779-spongebob-looks-to-the-gulf

Themepark / hotel.
Movie http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=68152&tab=credits

Album:
http://us.dada.net/music/spongebob_sandy_mrkrabs_planktonpatrick/barnacles!_709846m.html

http://www.marketlikeachick.com/burger-kings-sponge-bob-squarebutt-how-not-to-market-to-women/

Play station http://www.answers.com/topic/spongebob-squarepants-happy-squared-double-pack


http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/content/2603.html

http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/1015720/nickelodeon-uk-brings-spongebob-app/


http://www.churchmarketingsucks.com/2005/01/dont-spar-with-the-sponge/

http://web.frpa.org/pdfs/profdev/Howdy%20Doody%20to%20SpongeBob.pdf

I used these sites to pinpoint key areas of discussion. Whilst I sifted through this information, in order to determine what was relevant, I began emailing people - the Licencee's of the likes of Peppa Pig, Spongebob etc.

The next post will present changes to the proposal.

Considering the introduction

Whilst I was awaiting approval of my previous proposal, I decided to take it upon my self to begin drafting the review, please see this below.

Executive Summary
The purpose of this review is to discuss the marketing concepts and sales-promotion techniques used for licensed children’s characters. Specific focus has been placed on ...
It is concluded that ...

Introduction:

This review will discuss licensed characters across six brands in order to examine how different companies within a selected market level/market levels address promotional issues. The review will include examination and analysis of the product itself, pricing, place, the packaging of products and the use of persuasion. Licensed characters are “characters from fiction, television, movies, etc. which are used, under licence from their creators, in the marketing of consumer goods” (Mike, 2005:119). These Characters, usually cartoons, are licensed by their creators for use by mass marketers.

The children’s licences which will be discussed are: Ben 10 Peppa Pig, SpongeBob SquarePants, Bratz, The Simpsons and South Park.
These brands have been chosen as they will enable a discussion across a range of ages, rather than being confined to a preschool age – enabling a broader spectrum of promotional techniques to be critiqued. This will benefit the researcher when drawing conclusions at the end of the review, as to the overall success of the marketing strategies employed by each brand. In order to comprehensively present research findings within a confined word count the promotional techniques used for each character will be discussed individually – with comparative/contrastive links made where necessary.

I decided that this was an effective opening to a review - the introduction, however, is something which can be continuously ammended, and so I decided to leave this now until much later on in the project.

Determining the specific area for investigation.

Below I have listed my specific area for investigation:

1. An initial introduction to the brand and target audience of each brand.

2. Search engine optimisation, e.g. when using Google it was difficult to locate the official web pages for Basil Brush and The Simpsons due to consumer-made sites. The Simpson’s official site was much further down the Google ranking.

3. Website – this will be completely deconstructed.
a. Is the website animated? E.g. Peppa Pig website has an animated village as the home page.
b. Is there option to shop online – increasing revenue for the brand?
c. Gallery to upload work – a sense of interacting with the user.
d. The option to watch previous shows online creating a reliable service for the user.
e. E-books. Reading online.
f. The games online – they entice the user to stay on the site for longer, helping to drill the brand into the mind of the visitor for a longer length of time.
g. News/ competitions – how are these promoted? Is a newsletter used?
h. General assessment of the success of the webpage – is it easy to navigate – use of colour and text and how this appeals to the target audience.

4. Television. Analysis of the television shows themselves –
a. What time is the show broadcasted? E.g. early morning before school/ after the watershed etc.
b. Brief analysis of what adverts appear between the programmes – are these relevant to the target customer.
c. Who sponsors the show? What does this tell me?
d. How many viewers.

5. How does the brand make use of YouTube?
a. Uploading different series of the show.
b. Unintentional promotion by fans – e.g. video responses or recreations, e.g. a recreation of the Green Giant advert using Peppa Pig toys, or the ‘daddy pig eats George’ video which has over 69,000 views.

6. Billboards – none found so far. Discuss why this may be.

7. Magazine/comics.
a. The type of free giveaways in these magazines.
b. The price of the magazine – e.g. is it affordable with pocket money for the child.
c. The offer of subscription (clearly targeted at the parent).
d. Competitions included within.
e. Promotional offers included within
f. Quality of magazine – user of colour/paper.
g. Circulation figures.

8. Merchandise – this is a massive field within itself, so give an overview of what products are available and whether they are suited to the specific target audience, or aimed at an older secondary audience, e.g. purses, key rings also brought by teenagers/ adults.

9. Special events.
a. The characters each have an official mascot which can be hired for special events.
b. The characters usually visit children-orientated attractions, for example: Gulliver’s, Twinlakes Family Theme Park, Great Central Railway, Grand Opera House, Spa Valley Railway, Woodlands, and Wheelgate Adventure Park.
c. It is up to the theme park/venue to promote these events.
d. I will obtain figures as to the number of people at such locations to monitor the success.

10. Blog – Basil Brush has his own blog which seems to be personally updated by Basil.
a. I will look at the frequency of the blog entries (e.g. only two blog entries so far this year) and the type of information contained within.
b. Basil also has a video blog.

11. Twitter.
a. Who exactly is this aimed at? Peppa Pig’s target audience are not frequenters on Twitter, therefore this is aimed at the parents.
b. The relationship built via Twitter will be discussed, e.g. the type of information contained within the tweets. Are the tweets promotion-focussed or used to express the personality of the character? E.g. Bart Simpson: “HEY! listen to this new DRAKE song he's awesome man!”
c. This form of promotion seems more relevant for The Simpsons. This is demonstrated as each Simpson’s character has an individual twitter account.

12. The use of celebrities.
a. E.g. Peppa Pig joining forces with Melinda Messenger to host a charity event.
b. The Simpson’s extensive list of stars used as characters and voiceovers: To Tom Jones, Ringo Starr, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Meryl Streep, Aerosmith, Katy Perry, Green Day.
c. Convergence occurs as Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook co-founder has appeared in an episode, lending his voice and animated face, this aids the promotion of his Facebook movie The Social Network. (May include this in a separate section about cross-marketing, or sign post reader to this section).
d. What does the use of the celebrity, and the context within which the celebrity is used in, tell us about the brand?

13. Computer games
a. Is there an age rating?
b. Is the game available for purchase or download?
c. How does the game appeal to its target customer. E.g. Ben10 game allows ‘any
kid to be an alien superhero’.

14. Screen saver/ Interactive poster – this is a form of promotion on a very small scale, seen by the downloader and his/her friends. It is successful in the respect that you are continuously looking at it, this repetition acts to reinforce.

15. Movie/Cinema/ DVD
a. What age rating is the film (this may help to define the target audience).
b. What adverts are used during the film – e.g. it is unlikely that scary films would be
promoted during a Peppa Pig screening, this is with good reason.
c. Are any extras/exclusives provided?
d. Are special effects used, for example Postman Pat is available in 3D at the cinema (due
in 2011) – what does this suggest about this brand’s budget.

16. Music / song lyrics.
a. Each show has a theme song/jingle.
b. Has this been used as a form of promotion, for example is the theme song available for download, has it been used as a ringtone e.g. Basil Brush’s laugh, has a band done a remake – e.g. Canvas has covered the Postman Pat theme tune.

17. Charity – I have found charities associated with all licenses except The Simpsons.
a. E.g. Peppa Pig has teamed up with Asda to sell badges for £1 in support of Tommy’s children’s charity (Tommy’s is the exclusive charity partner). This is a viable choice as Asda uses mums as brand ambassadors.


b. Ben 10 was recruited to support Mencap to teach children to spell as part of the charity’s annual spelling competition (Spellathon).
c. Basil Brush supports the Police Federation Charity.

18. Sponsors/ Partnership/ Cross-marketing.
a. 20th Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising has joined forces with Burger King for a
global Kid's Meal promotion featuring The Simpsons. How heavily can this be criticised with regards to promotion of poor nutrition – negative impact on the brand?
b. The Simpsons have also worked with Dominoes Pizza and promoted Nestlé Butterfinger.
c. Müller Little Stars ran an on-pack promotional tie-in with Peppa Pig, allowing parents to collect codes from packs to redeem online against a series of Peppa Pig books.

19. Theme park – different to special events, this section will discuss children’s attractions which have incorporated the licensed characters into their parks.
a. For example Ben10 has joined forces with Lego Land.
b. Paulton’s Park is due to open Peppa Pig World in 2011.
c. The Simpson’s have a ride at Universal Studios which “gives Universal Studios patrons a taste of Springfield”.
d. SpongeBob at Nickland in Germany, showing the universal appeal of such characters.

20. The use of app’s.
a. Ben 10 has a MouthOff iphone game which is sound reactive. It has an emphasis on fun which means it is used by children, teenagers and adults alike. The user must set up a camera and place the app in front of their face and make expressions along with the animations. This acts as a viral campaign as the end footage can be sent to friends.
b. Peppa Pig - Happy Mrs Chicken. This topped the UK Paid Kids Games chart within 24 hours of its release.
c. The Spongebob SquarePants Tickler app prides itself on being a portable friend. You can shake him, poke him, stretch him, play games with him and make him dance.


Conclusion will use the completed comparison chart and assess how successfully the forms of promotion used address the target audience.

Following communication with my course leader, I decided that the area of investigation needed to be more specific than that listed above.

I therefore made ammendments to this - see next post.

Report Writing

I received the review brief on the 2th September, however I have recently made alterations to my course which means I am now required to update my report progress in the form of a blog. I will therefore give a brief backlog as to my achievement to date.


Please see below details of my initial project proposal

This review will discuss licensed characters across six brands in order to examine how different companies within a selected market level/market levels address promotional issues. Mike (2005: 119) defines licensed characters as: “characters from fiction, television, movies, etc. which are used, under licence from their creators, in the marketing of consumer goods” (Mike, 2005:119). These Characters, usually cartoons, are licensed by their creators for use by mass marketers.

Rather than have the categories ‘High end, middle market and low end, it is considered more useful to categorise licensed characters by the age of their target market.

The characters I initially chose to discuss were:

Basil Brush
The Simpsons
Spongebob SquarePants
Ben10
Peppa Pig
Postman Pat

Below is my explanation for doing so:

Peppa Pig originates in the form of a children’s television programme. It is a show that consists of various different five minute episodes. The brief length of these episodes is an immediate indicator of a young pre-school audience, with a short attention span. Also, the simple outline of the characters shape makes it easy for its core audience 2-5 year olds to recreate Peppa and co. Each shot is shown from the perspective of a child. e.g. drawing a house in isolation on a hill.

Area for exploration: Nutley (2006) Peppa Pig seems to be “uncertain about the age of its target audience”

Whilst Peppa Pig is predominantly aimed at girls (although being accessible for boys), Ben10 is aimed more specifically at 4-9 year old boys. Although these are the target audience for the shows, the merchandise (and therefore promotion) has a much more flexible target audience. This secondary audience can include adults.

On Twitter Basil boasts: “I am a posh and really quite obnoxious fox / dusty old puppet. Despite this, I have a very high opinion of myself.” The syntax and diction here are immediately indicative of an older target audience. The character features both on adult and children’s television shows. Although Basil is primarily portrayed by a glove puppet he has also been depicted in animated cartoon form.

Matt Groening states that The Simpsons is “focussed on all ages”. Due to its cartoon style one may initially assume this is a children’s show. However a lot of the comedy is directed towards an adult’s sense of humour.

Postman pat is aimed at pre-school children, aged 2-6. However older people are still fond of Pat and Jess, and the recent partnerships with Specsavers indicates a secondary audience.

I then produced a comparison chart. My next stage was to determine my area for investigation; please see this on the next post