EscapeT H E N O R M

ContentPicture ItExecutive Summary ClientTarget AudienceMarket Sector MapSWOTInsightBig IdeaCreative Strategy Mural

Keychains & CoastersSocial Media

BuzzfeedCommercial Video

Creative Execution Earned MediaMeasuring SuccessSummary

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Nicole Solis - Account ManagerAs an Account Manager, I aim to be the bridge between

the client and our agency. I ensure we are meeting the client’s needs and manage all the key functions that complete the cam-paign. I have various experience with roles in client relations and communications. My love for creativity has given me the chance to explore advertising , design, and branding concepts through

my work.

Richard Cornell - Account PlannerAs an account planner, my responsibility is to set the com-

munication strategy for our advertising campaigns. I help estab-lish goals, goals measurements and objectives, target audience, message and tone in which the campaign should be delivered. My task is to define how a particular strategy can help a client add value to their business, and inspire creative teams to create advertisements in order to achieve this. With the use of research, trends and data on markets, consumers and culture to help them

to do this.

Cesar Espinosa - Film DirectorAs the Film Director and Video Editor, I am responsible for

the entire process including pre-production to production to post production, thereby bringing the campaign theme to life through video. I am responsible for the storyboard, script, filming, editing, and sound of all video created through our agency. I have expe-rience from working on sets as well as heading the editing process in other various companies.

Christine Nguyen - Creative DirectorAs an Graphic Designer, my responsiblility is to make an

appealing visual that fills the requirement of the task that I was given. I work with various Adobe progam such as Photoshop, Illus-trator, Indesign and Lightoom. My task is to make different type of platform through design to advertising. 2

Picture It

Executive Summary

THE CHALLENGE Our agency intends to make Ventana’s revenue from surf-boards more predictable and consistent. We aim to get Ventana booked in custom surfboard orders at least a year out with cus-tomers, primarily focusing these boards on the Western Flyer wood. We need to get the message and the value proposition out more broadly but with a limited budget. To date, Ventana has invested a very small fraction of revenue in marketing and advertising. They have used a variety of guerilla marketing and viral tactics to drive brand awareness, social media following, event attendance and broader publicity. We will be focusing on evolving the approach and creating a campaign with little to no cost and enlist the power

of press and social media to achieve our objectives.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES Create a marketing campaign plan and series of assets that Ventana can leverage over the course of 6 months or more to achieve sales. Our executions will sit in media channels and out-door venues that our target audience regularly visits. These execu-

tions intend to land at least 10 custom board sales for Ventana.

ClientHISTORY

Ventana Surfboards & Supplies aspires to be the most loved and environmentally responsible surf company in the world. Their product line includes hollow wooden surfboards, body surfing handplanes, sustainable surf supplies and eco-friendly apparel. They test their products in Santa Cruz, California, on some of the most challenging waves on the planet. Currently, their revenue is generated primarily at pop up events and sales are split about evenly between surfboards and supplies/apparel. Online and wholesale sales are important, but are a smaller percentage of the total revenue. The surfboards are quite expensive (over $4000.00 each) and attract a great deal of attention at events. This allows the client to engage with customers in a conversation about Ven-tana’s unique approach of turning trash into products. This helps generate sales of apparel, art, supplies and surfboards. All Venta-na Surfboards are built to surf, but most end up exclusively on walls. Even those that do see the water are kept inside on display as art

pieces.

A recent donation to the client of wood from John Stein-beck’s Western Flyer boat allows them to take their “story” to the next level. The Western Flyer is considered the most famous fishing boat in the world, and they will be the only company building surf-

boards from its wood.

A prominent adventure journalist is currently pitching the story of the Western Flyer Surfboards as an exclusive to The Surfer’s Journal. Ventana intends to amplify it with a campaign to promote the availability of custom surfboards that incorporate the Western Flyer wood. If the main story isn’t published, the campaign and

Ventana’s own press outreach becomes even more important.

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ClientEXTERNAL PARTNERS

Western Flyer Foundation | Santa Cruz Guitar Company | Monterey Bay Aquarium | Houstons Home Improvement & Repair

| Soquel Vineyards | Khordz | O’Neill | Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk | Tenbrook

CUSTOMERSMost of Ventana Surfboards sales are “custom” orders by men or often, by women as gifts for men. Our campaign will focus on

working male customers who are aspiring surfers.

BRAND VALUE PROPOSITIONAll custom surfboard products are handcrafted form “trashed” wood which is upcycled into the boards. Ventana Surfboards are among the most performant works of surfable art in the world. Each one is unique, can be handed down through generations

and incorporates woods that tell deep and compelling stories.

BRAND IDENTITYAll Ventana boards are made from reclaimed historic and exot-ic woods. Their brand values are “Craftsmanship. Responsibility. Adventure.” How the brand behaves, operates the business and everything sold aligns strictly with those brand values. The Venta-na brand donates 5% of gross profits to local ocean conservation

organizations.

COMMUNICATIONS/MESSAGINGOur campaign will utilize online communications as much as pos-sible as to stay within the client’s budget. We will use the earned media from the article to be featured in The Surfer’s Journal and build upon that momentum to employ the Western Flyer’s innate drive for adventurous users. The sense of adventure and escape will be consistently pushed throughout the campaign. Our major trending key component of the campaign will encourage a new adult version of the high school “senior ditch day.” This will allow users to be interactive with the brand in posting their own adven-

tures online.

BUDGETThere is a zero dollar budget. Our campaign aims to utilize cost

effective elements and guerilla marketing techniques.

Client

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Target Audience

Our primary target audience includes males aged 35-64, who are college graduates, married and who perceive themselves as affluent and adventure seekers. They have a work-hard, play-hard mentality and are very particular about the quality of their desired product. Our goal is to continually attract those that are environmentally conscious and have an net income over $150,000 per year. Preferably, we seek those with a passion for surfing, art, sustainability and history, and who

are within a 50-100 mile radius of Santa Cruz, California.

Market Sector Map

Arrow Surf Shop2324 Mission St

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

New and used surfboardMen & Women Clothing

Board Repairs

Rip Curl Surf Shop1604 Mission St.

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Men &Women ClothingSurfboards

Wetsuits

Covewater Stand Up Paddle

726 Water St.Santa Cruz, CA 95062

ClassesRentals

Board Paddles

Surftech Santa Cruz

912 41st AveSanta Cruz, CA 95062

Create their own boards using new & evolving

technology

Free to Ride Surf Shop

110 Capitola AveSanta Cruz, CA 95010

One Stop ShopSurfboardsClothingWetsuits

Skateboards

O’Neill Surf Shop1115 41st Ave

Capitola, CA 95010

Men & Women clothing Surfboards

Wetsuits

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swot

weaknesses

threats

strengths

opportunities

1.Environmentally friendly boards created out of recycled wood.

2.Connecting story of board to a historical figure that helps expand consumer reach.

3.Word of mouth notoriety from cult following and pop up shops .

4.Connecting with local shops to help promote boards.

1. The brand has not been able to make a great impact on overseas markets and is primarily big only in the American markets, specifically in the Santa Cruz, California area.2.The brand does not have flagship stores.3. Price point of custom surfboards limits its custom-er base to those with an abundance of disposable income.

1. The brand can start a brick and mortar store to selling and showing off its custom products as well

as expand its apparel products.2. The brand can expand into different states

along both coasts with exclusive stores which will improve brand visibility.

3. The brand can start creating boards that are half the price to bring attention to its more luxuri-

ous boards.

1. Loss of interest from consumers because of office point2. Competitors offering the same type of product at lower price.

InsightsOur agency has carefully interviewed a focus group consist-

ing of men and married women within the target age range whose household income exceeds $150,000 per year. Key insights from their answers include the desire for authenticity in products and the desire

to participate in activities outside of the office setting. Our research on John Steinbeck and his journey on the West-

ern Flyer is represented in a key passage where he reflects on the definition of an “adventurer.”

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Big Idea

Our campaign theme, “Escape the Norm,” targets the aspirational adventurers. We will intrigue the user to break out of the ordinary. For our purposes, the “ordinary” will be twofold- ordinary day to day life, and ordinary surfboard products. Ordinary day to day life includes the chaos of home life, the hecticness of the office, and the relentlessness of the technological society we live in. Ordinary surfboard products are typically made from non-sustainable materials and involve a manufacturing process that produces harmful

effects to the environment. Escaping the Norm will encourage those with a “curious boredom” to act on

their desire for adventure. Adventure, in our campaign, means being bold, confident, thrill-seeking, and assertiveness to “go against the grain”.

Creative Strategy

We will present a strategy of executions that Ventana can leverage as a campaign for the Western Flyer custom surfboards. These executions include social media communications on Face-book, Instagram, and Buzzfeed. We will employ guerilla marketing techniques that present Ventana as a brand aligned with adventure seekers. Contracting a local artist to create a graffiti mural will help drive brand awareness and exemplify the Escape the Norm theme. Our campaign uses simple keychain and coaster designs that can easily be constructed by the company in-house and feature stra-tegic copy that pushes our theme. Our short commercial video will be placed on Facebook and YouTube to act as a sample user who portrays the actions of an adventurer escaping the normalcy of everyday life. We will also use the hashtag #DitchTheNorm, which can be leveraged as an adult version of the high school “senior ditch day.” This will encourage users who are bogged down with the complacency of everyday life and unlock their desires for curi-

osity and aspiration for bold and thrill-seeking adventures.

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Mural

We will take advantage of the environment surrounding the Santa Cruz area with a creatively crafted graffiti mural. Many cities contract local artists and stores can opt for out-door forms of artwork. Ventana can either collaborate with a current Partner or enlist a new Partner that mirrors its mission of sustainable practices and commission a mural that sits in the

streets that our target audience frequents.

CoasterS & Keychain

Our campaign will feature new keychains and table coasters to hand out to consumers at pop up events. These products can be made from the surplus of Ventana’s wood cutoffs and laser machine already available. The front features a Ventana design while the reverse

sides present one of our new campaign phrases that emphasize escape and adventure.Quotes: I ditched the 9 to 5 | I am the bucket list | Escape the norm | Normalcy can kill 14

CoasterS & Keychain Commercial Video

This short commercial video will be uploaded to Facebook and YouTube. As a form of organic media, the video tells the story of our target user’s experience on any given work

day. The storyline emphasizes the sense of “escape” and desire for adventure.

Social Media

Our social media posts will utilize Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram with our new hashtag, #DitchTheNorm. We will create an adult version of the high school “senior ditch day.” Each post will organically add to the trend with intriguing copy and visual appeal, playing on our target’s aspira-

tions for adventure and escape. 16

Buzzfeed

Our Buzzfeed article entitled, “3 Ways to Escape the Dullness of a 5 Day Work Week” is a piece of editorial advertising aimed at our working target audience. It is a Promoted Post written in the Buzzfeed tone of voice and

will sit natively in their feed. The article persuades the read-er to “get back to nature” and ditch the office for outdoor

and surf activities alike.

Creative Execution

These creative elements will take the user on a journey through our campaign aimed at unlocking their desires for adven-ture. The #DitchTheNorm trend will allow users to post on Facebook and Instagram their own photos of the adventures they took while escaping the agenda the user was “supposed” to follow that given day. The editorial advertisement will sit native-ly on the Buzzfeed website and read on the user’s social feed. The new keychains and coasters that feature our Escape the Norm copy will be given to the user when he attends pop up events. This user will also view our graffiti mural in their town’s local streets. The commercial video, shared on Facebook and YouTube, will work as a final compelling visual to act on their desire for

adventure and escape.

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Creative Execution

Earned MediaOur campaign will utilize the article

set to feature in The Surfer’s Journal pub-lication to share online with various social media sites. We will build on the momen-tum of the story and continue to reach our target user by connecting the arti-cle’s spotlight on the Western Flyer with the boat’s inherent nature for adventure.

PROFITThis will be measured by the payment of all monthly operating expenses and a decrease in overall debt.

INCREASE IN CUSTOMER BASE In addition to profitability, expansion in Ventana’s customer base is another positive indication that we are reaching our target market effectively. Without a lively customer base, our campaign success will be limited, our long-term growth goal for Ventana is tied directly to our ability to not only reach our base but to expand

our reach.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Positive feedback will be another indication that ensures the brand understands the needs of its customers,

which is crucial to the strength of its business.

OWNER SATISFACTIONThe most important measure of success is whether or not the owner is satisfied with the results and the direction that our campaign is taking the brand for their new product. If the owner is not satisfied, this will affect employ-

ees and the customers, which in turn affects Ventana’s bottom line.

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Measuring Success

SummaryOur agency is focused on creating a innovative campaign that focuses on generating sales for the

custom Ventana surfboards made of wood from the Western Flyer. The campaign should seamlessly convey Ventana’s mission on producing surfable works of art using their unique sustainable practices and craftsman-ship approach. The target audience includes males over the age of 35 with over $150,000 in yearly income and an aspiration for adventure. We are drawing from a passage in the Sea of Cortez that demonstrates John Steinbeck’s definition of who an “adventurer” really is. Our campaign aims to break the cycle of normalcy and ordinary that plagues our target audience and encourage their innate desire for thrill-seeking, confidence, and fun. Our creative executions are cost effective and include social media integration, wooden items that can be easily manufactured, and outdoor wall murals. Our campaign allows the user to tap into their inner

curiosity, obtain a product that allows them to experience fun, and the ability to #EscapeTheNorm.

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