Friday, May 23, 2008

Crack a Bank

Abbey – Open Minded Banking. We've been tearing our hair off over this one. We think there's something in there, although we realize we're 'not there yet'. But as some asked to see more our work, here are three posters as they are now in our book, we'll see for how long.

A fabulous weekend to everyone.



35 comments:

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

observation and you go it! :)

Anonymous said...

feels way to safe for a book, it's nice but it could run and just be nice.

Anonymous said...

Art direction looks good and I can see your thinking on it.

I'm not too sure about the pencil execution but the others are ok. For originality I'd go with the lights, the other is an over used cliche.

What do you want consumers to get from these ads?

Perhaps if it's a campaign, you could consider developing into real life examples so it's more tangible i.e. use something to do with mortgages, credit crunch - topical issues with the sort of we won't judge you thing you've got.

Good work so far!

Rachel said...

Dunno, i kinda like the putting people into little boxes thing... even though it is a cliche, i can't remember anyone using it.

Anonymous said...

Honest opinion is that they look nice but lack a great idea.

Drop abbey unless you can do something totally different for a bank.

The person above is right, do something topical for the credit crunch... estate agents are fucked at the mo as no one are buying property....

Anonymous said...

I don't get the endline... surely every business in the world thinks they're open-minded - it's not exactly very tied down to banks.

You guys need to study that Fallon list a little better perhaps guys...

Anonymous said...

agree totally with above... you guys post a piece about some of the best strategies chris a john have seen... then you share a very poor strategy, do you not get it!!!!

you may be the first team to get a job thanks to a blog... not a good book.

Anonymous said...

I disagree, the idea is doing something different.

Everyone needs at least one bank ad in their book, the art direction is intriguing. It beats a lot of banks ads that are copy heavy

I think you're right in the comment that it still needs tweaking, The pencil ex is nice, but not sure if the line fits - in relation to the other two.

The endline is alright - if you're pushing abbey as an open-minded brand.

Nice to see some work up! Keep it up.

Anonymous said...

would it go on that list?

no.

Anonymous said...

Yawn.

Anonymous said...

"yawn" can't you be more constructive than that.

They're asking for opinions to improve they're work and you conjure up 'yawn'. Very helpful.

Anonymous said...

I think 'yawn' summed it up nicely actually.

Sorry guys, I don't mean to be mean, but you really need to start pushing yourselves. Stop wasting your energy on blogging, blowing up balloons and looking at ancient lists of what used to be good. Just concentrate on your book, because thats what matters.

Anonymous said...

Why waste time with constructive opinions by us amateurs when we could all just listen to proxikid. Please, share the wisdom with us, mate.

Anonymous said...

I think that the problem with this site, too many amateurs giving advice telling the guys their work is great when... this sounds harsh... its not very good at all.

I'm a creative working for an agency in London, I check the site now and then to see what Wal is up to. Nice blog but I have yet to see a good piece of work, I just don't get most of the stuff. It's missing that all important thing... a great strategy.

I have seen far better work from students, far better strategies then that list from the previous post (even though I like a lot of them).

Most of the people who have rubbished that list I suspect are students who have not understood the basics of a great book.
Its too easy to try and cover up a half decent idea with nice art direction... like the Abbey campaign.

Wal and Jai must have a decent book to get placements but getting placements is not that hard, turning them into a job is.

Anonymous said...

aloha, just arrived back home from a camping weekend. great to see so many comments. we agree with some stuff on the work, it's too save, and if we're honest the strategy would probably not make it on the List. anyway, we tried to make something different, and we'll keep working on it, we'll see where we end up with it.

ps. if anyone wants to see the whole book, give us a ring, and we'll be happy to have a tea over it.

Anonymous said...

Stop wasting your time with all of us, it's ProxiKid who can help you.

He/she is apparently beyond all this amateurish feedback.

Love from Euro.

Anonymous said...

I don't know what 'open minded banking' means.

What do you mean?

The comments bigging up art direction and saying this isn't a copy led ad aren't going to help you. These are copy led ads and art direction doesn't mean shit until you first have an idea.

Sort that out first.

Good luck boys

Anonymous said...

Do you really mean 'if anyone' wants to take a look?

So that's students, recent grads, people in work, CD's... whoever is interested can flick through your book?

Anonymous said...

100% copy led ads!

yes the art direction is slick, but you need a good idea before that becomes relevant.

Anonymous said...

They feel a bit like the economist ads without the wit. They wouldn't stop me. Must try harder.

Anonymous said...

it's better than most of the shit that runs for banks.

obviously economist inpsred. but nice.

Anonymous said...

they look great, but maybe they'd work better for Abbey's small businesses service rather than the bank as a whole.

Anonymous said...

They're not telling the consumer too much about the bank (that might be intentional) but when it comes down to trying to get a £10,000 loan or a mortgage, they're open mindedness with soon narrow.

Perhaps this could be an internal campaing for Abbey employees - how they can be more open minded and helpful towards customers. This would however be more niche, and perhaps not the best for book work. Having said that, it would help with a strategy which you seem to require.

]-[appy Thought said...

Jai and Wal knowing your readership I think you're gluttons for punishment putting up your work!

I can see what you were trying to do with these and I like the progressive attitude towards them. They feel different to the image/strapline that all job-hunters seem to have. Keep at it, keep being different.

Hope your camping holiday was awesome also, Wal.

proxikid said...

Interesting. Interesting comments that is.
I like 2 first posters - not so sure about the 3rd.
Good work and good luck.
Kudos for posting yet another campaign.

Anonymous said...

you think this is good work... and you work at W&K? hhhmmm

are you a creative there or the tea lady?

Anonymous said...

proxikid's not a WK, and surely not a tea lady.

Anonymous said...

does proxikid have a job then?

proxikid said...

There's nothing wrong with tea.
Or coffee for that matter.
Or even being a barista.
:)

Anonymous said...

I like tea as well!

Anonymous said...

i'm not into tea lately. more of a fruit juice in the morning and coffe in the afternoon thing with water inbetween.

Anonymous said...

....and a cheesecake, yum

Anonymous said...

I like fag breaks as well...

Sell! Sell! said...

Hey Wal. Not sure about these. I can see that these are interesting pieces of art direction, but the messages seem a little irrelevant.
And without wanting to state the bleeding obvious, that's the important bit.
Why do I need an open minded bank? What is the benefit to me? How are they open minded in a way that is relevant to me as a potential bank customer?