Email & Tone: Getting the right tone in writing.

EMAIL & TONE…Compare, Analyze, Contrast, Refine….Be Pro-Active.

Please refer to the photocopies distributed in class on Monday, November 27, 2017.

1.   Write your own email:  Your boss writes to you and asks you to do a series of 6 Instagram posts for the agency.  Currently, you have 2 major branding projects you are working on and feel like you don’t have sufficient time.  Respond in writing to your boss explaining your situation, what you can/ cannot do regarding the 6 Instagram posts.

2.   Then we will read an article, and examine some sample emails

3.   Look at your email from number 1. Is there anything you’d like to change, rewrite, or refine?

4.   Vocabluary to remember:

         -Catch-up with someone/ have a catch-up meeting = aggiornare

         -Bring someone up to speed = aggiornare

Email exercise: Insert the expressions (a-h) to complete John’s response.

1.  b

2.h

3.g

4.d

5.f

6.c

7.a

8.e

Email Phrases for diplomatic langauge:  use conditionals, and introductory phrases at the beginning of your sentences: “As you know,..”

If you remember….(clearly)

It would take time….

I’d find it difficult…

It would result in…

I’d like to talk this through

Given that. …

Perhaps we could discuss this

The possibility of + gerund…

Maybe…

Would helpe spread the workload…

I could arrange this..

If you agree…

HOW IS THE MESSAGE ORGANIZED?  Email organization for diplomatic responses.  See the 3rd example, on the bottom of the page of the photocopy for reference.

1.   Refer to what each one knows about the topic (include relevant email if needed)

2.   Re-explain the situation you are in…your current situation

3.   I appreciate that someone needs to do this…(a nice way to say I understand what needs to be done, but I am not available)

4.   Take charge of the situation by explaining problem elements and possible solutions  PROPOSE SOLUTIONS: Be pro-active.

5.   And invite the other person to contribute their thoughts about it (if you agree…) (What do you think?)

6.   Ask to meet to discuss in person

7.   I’ll look forward to seeing you tomorrow and discussing this.

Revise your original email and send it to me by Friday, December 1, 2017 at teachrmarye1@gmail.com

TONE & WRITING: To sum-up…

1.   DO NOT ASSUME THAT EVERYONE WHO READS YOUR EMAIL/Text/ WhatsApp, etc. WILL AUTOMATICALLY UNDERSTAND THE TONE (URGENT, PROBLEMATIC, CONFUSED…HAPPY, ..ETC)

2.   CLARIFY WITH A PHONE CALL

3.   CONSIDER ADDING AN EMOJI if it’s an informal relationship (e.g. a colleague, friend, family, but not your boss, or superior).

WHEN WOULD YOU ADD AN EMOJI IN A SOCIAL MEDIA POST?

-It depends on the brand, you all said.

-Look for some good and bad examples of how brands on Instagram/FB use emojis.

-Just for fun, or if you have an extra 6 minutes, listen to this easy profile on BBC Learning English, “The Rise of the Emoji.”  http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-170323

Social Causes & the Power of Social Media

Here's a case study about how an agency in France created a series of Instagram stories to highlight refugee women's lives...

We will use this to analyze why, or how, effective is it via Instagram.

http://www.adweek.com/creativity/how-a-nonprofit-used-instagram-stories-to-show-7-incredible-female-lives-around-the-world/#/ 

SFO MOMA: Cultural Museums & Branding

How would you create a branding campaign for a cultural museum whose values have been identified as these?

• OPENNESS
• SURPRISE
• WELCOMENESS
• PARTICIPATION 

Read this case study, and then discuss in small groups how  museums, in general - or specifically in Italy - get their message out to the public. How can these institutions attract more people?

https://www.cca.edu/news/2016/05/06/sfmoma-visual-identity-has-cca-roots-some-faces-behind-rebrand 

Branding Brief - Template Outline

You must also include a professional, written brief to accompany your final project presentation. 

Writing project, marketing, creative or event briefs can be challenging. Follow these guidelines to help you organize the information. How you plan the layout and graphics is up to you. There are many templates online, and the length of your brief depends on many factors. If you find a template online that you think better serves our purpose, please let me know.   For our purposes, please just include the areas listed below:

1. Cover Page: this is a formal business proposal, so make it look nice. Use a cover page with the name of your agency, address, title, logo, team members, job number, client, and date.
2. Objective:  What is the ultimate purpose of the project? Sometimes this section is called 'Deliverables' as in what is the agency expected to deliver to the client at the end of the project?
3. Project History:  Has your agency worked with the client before? If so, when, and for what? If not, has your agency worked on similar projects and can you be considered experienced, or even experts in what the client is asking? If so, how?
4. Background and introduction to the issue:  What has led the client to ask for a brief?  What has been the client's 'journey' so far, and in which direction does the client wish to go?
5. Branding Objective: Primary and secondary objectives should be listed here.
6. What is the key message? Which brand values will be transmitted as a result of this project?
7. Who are we addressing? Primary & Secondary target audiences, and how you will plan 'communication' for those audiences.
8. What is the call to action? What do you expect the target audiences will do as a result of the communication?
9. What is the reward? Imagine target audiences asking "What's in it for me?"
10. How will we reach the audience? Which outlets will you use to reach your target audiences (e.g. print, digital ads, videos, social media, event, speciality stores, partners, TV, radio, outdoor billboards?)?
11. Mandatories:  items such as logo, naming, packaging, gadgets, legal copy for the EU or other countries/regions, contact info (website, social networks, email, phone, street address, Whatsapp....).

How to Make Toast - TED Talk

https://www.ted.com/talks/tom_wujec_got_a_wicked_problem_first_tell_me_how_you_make_toast

https://www.drawtoast.com/index.html#.WhBPs7ah2_5

Case Study: Brand Stretching- Stranger Things & Hawkins Power and Light

Hawkins, Indiana is the site of the events in Stranger Things, seasons 1 and  2.  But, it does not exist in reality.

In a 'strange' and creative twist of advertising, the marketing department for the very popular Netflix series Stranger Things has created an excellent example of brand stretching.

As it applies to Design Thinking, this branding campaign empathized with its target (the show's fans), and fulfilled the fans' need to engage with the world created by the show. The communications company did a good job of seeing things from the fans' point of view.

So, filling a need in branding (an emotional connection) is different than in design (where you would make an object to fulfill a need). 

Check it out here:

http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/netflixs-latest-stranger-things-treat-hawkins-power-and-light-ads-with-a-working-number/

Creative Challenge: Apply the Design Thinking Strategy

CREATIVE CHALLENGE:  Use the design thinking process to work in teams reflecting on one of these tasks.

1)   Define problem, constraints, or need  :  EMPATHIZE

2)   observe :  DEFINE NEED

3)    generate ideas (the more the better) map them out if you need to/ or record your voice…or whatever works for you: IDEATE

4)    prototype (make a model): PROTOTYPE

5)    implementation – test it out and see how it works EXPERIMENT (and ask yourself if it is sustainable = environmentally friendly).

6)   refine as needed: ADAPT, REVISE, REFINE

1.   How many uses can you find for (choose one)…?

a.   A water bottle

b.   A shirt

c.    A pair of jeans

d.   Eye glasses

e.   A pen

f.     An egg carton

2.   OR…for what kinds of products, services, or events could these slogans be used for?

a.   She runs the city

b.   Star words

c.    Children should be seen AND heard

d.   Best foot forward

e.   We will rock you!

f.     Get reel!

g.   We’ve got chemistry

h.   Strength in numbers

i.     Wear your heart on your sleeve

3.   Report and share your ideas…in a playful way…

a.   as a newscaster

b.   a sportcaster

c.    a museum guide

d.   a tv interviewer

e.   an actor

f.     your choice of a playful way to present

4.   Write up your idea (s) and define the…   

a.   Primary Target (age range included)

b.   Secondary Target (age range included)

Creative Thinking Strategy: Design Thinking

On November 6, 2017 we discussed how the design thinking approach is structured, and what we liked about it.  Thinking "sideways" was a common theme that many people liked, along with "all questions are valid."

Here is the link to Stanford University's d school's power point presentation (look only at the first minute, more if you like..)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSuK2C89yjA 


Elise Roy's TED Talk "When we design for disabilities, we all benefit."

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2m97gPI70I 

Main points of her talk:

1. She lost her hearing beginning at age 10, and then fully at age 15 when she became deaf.  She thinks it's the best gift she's ever received because it has made her more observant of the world, and has taught her to "think sideways."  She also thinks that this kind of thinking, and because it's based on her unique experience as a deaf person, can help make the world a better place.
2. She used to be a lawyer defending people with disabilities. Then she got into international law with a non-governmental organization (NGO), and found she spent much of her time convincing people that those with disabilities have a lot of skills. 
3. Designer: she thinks she's been a designer since she was a kid. Design thinking includes these phases:
1. Look at the problems/constraints & EMPATHIZE (put yourself in their shoes)
2. Observe the context & DEFINE what is needed
3. Generate hundreds of ideas; the more, the better: IDEATE
4. Create a prototype: PROTOTYPE
5. Experiment prototype to TEST IT, see how it works
6. REFINE, adapt as needed
7. IMPLEMENT (and check for SUSTAINABILITY)
4. Look sideways (appreciate alternative ways of thinking); ask those stupid questions (all questions are valid); COLLABORATE & GET FEEDBACK from multiple people in multiple professions to generate a lot of ideas.
5. Design for positive change in society
6. Being a BEGINNER can help because you are not weighed down by expertise, nor years of experience:  you have a FRESH approach.
7. Many elements used in products and services for disabled people are now mainstream:  OXO carrot peeler (originally designed for people with arthritis), TEXTING (originally designed for the deaf and hard of hearing).
8. WHAT IF WE CHANGED OUR MINDSET? What if we designed for all by designing for disabilities?
9. Design Thinkers = problem solvers, alchemists
10. She encourages people to fail, again and again because you'll eventually succeed, and adapt your behavior/thinking. 
11. Designers often seek out extreme situations because they inform and give stimulus to designers.
12. Pre-determined solutions often fail because they are not based on OBSERVING & ASSESSING IN CONTEXT (e.g. the deaf in Haiti after an earthquake and their food/goats being stolen without them noticing. Elise Roy designed an alarm based on lights turning on and off so the deaf would realize something was wrong in the middle of the night.