the big chill

bleachStarted in 2003, we are a design company that is driven by the challenge

of producing unique solutions for and in collaboration with our clients.

We scribble, discuss, laugh, cry, question and scribble again, its all part of

the creative process. The bottom line is we love coming up with great ideas,

whether we are working in print, digital or getting our teeth into an

integrated campaign.

We don’t only enjoy working with big named companies, but relish the creative

challenges that smaller projects can present. However big or small our clients

are, they share the same desire to produce creative work that achieves its goals

and reaches its target audience.

The Big Chill 2009 marketing campaign

A case study

Fight for the right to party

Fifteen years ago the Big Chill was one of a handful of festivals.

Today the competition is much greater, with boutique and niche festivals popping up throughout

the summer. Even the big brands have got in on the act, as brand managers realize the marketing

potential of running their own events.

Peoples perceptions and demands have also evolved. Festivals, like any other product have had to

up their game, not just in what they offer, but it the way they market themselves to their audience.

As the old saying goes...

“If you keep doing what you’re doing you just keep getting

what you’re getting.”

After 15 years this was exactly what was happening to the Big Chill. Their core demographic was

getting older and young festival goers were being tempted by the fresher boutique festivals.

The public speak

When the Big Chill approached us to develop a marketing campaign for 2009, we observed that they

assumed that people saw the Big Chill the same way they did. We also noticed that the images used

to promote the festival, contradicted the stakeholders perception of the festival.

Listen, learn, evolve

We needed to hear this from the public, especially festival goers who shunned The Big Chill.

Qualatitive research was proposed and our research company Ask Joe Public ran the groups.

Tough love

The research showed that in the eyes of the public that the festival was perceived as:

A festival with no attitude

A pipe and slippers festival

A chill out festival

A festival for alternative music acts

A sanitised festival

The findings gave us a solid platform on which to base the creative.

We felt that a campaign that created an emotional response was the key to attracting

a new audience and re invigorate the existing Big Chillers, while at the same time

giving the festival a personality with attitude.

The big idea

The Big Chill festival is forever evolving, offering a multitude of experiences.

We asked 40,000 subscribers of the Big Chill website,

‘What is the Big Chill to you?’

26 responses were picked that illustrated the many facets of the festival and 26

illustrators were picked to put the words into pictures.

Illustrators with different styles were selected so that we could target

specific groups.

United we stand

The Big Chill had also expanded into 3 bars and a record label, so it was

imperative that an identity was created to unite them.

The identityVisually united the festival, house, bar (London and Bristol) and label

Built awareness of the connection between all five parts of the group

The advertising campaignEngaged the public

Illustrated the different aspects of the festival

Targeted different social sets

Emphasised the creative aspect of the festival

Created PR through a countrywide art exhibition

Putting it all together

Over the period of 10 months the multi media campaign was rolled out

throughout the UK.

Press advertising

Ambient advertising

On line advertising

PR packs

Promotional flyers

Art exhibition

Packaging

Festival collateral

Interior and exterior design

Previous page: Bar and House monthly flyers, Don’t Panic poster

Left:Festival flyer, Don’t Panic poster

Right from top:Time Out ad, Observer music magazine ad, Last FM web banner

Previous page Panic poster

This pageBar and House monthly flyers and Dont Panic poster

Left from top:Clean advertising, cling poster

Right:Hoarding

Left: Festival programme

Right from top: Festival lanyard, festival wrist band

Over page left: Festival tickets

Over page right: 15 x 15 cd packaging

Left: Festival stage idents

Right: Festival stage ident sequence

Over page left: Exhibition

Over page right: Limited edition prints

Left: T-shirt

Left: Mens T-shirt

Right: Womens T-shirts

Left: T-shirt

Right: T-shirts

Over: Bristol bar exterior and interior plans

Left: Bristol bar exterior and interior plans

Right:Exterior and interior shots

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bleach would like to thank all of the illustrators

who contributed to the campaign.

Chrissie Abbott Ryan Miglinczy

Alex Chappell Andy Miller

Simon Cory Matt Needle

Joe Crocker Lee Owens

Ria Dastidar Si Scott

Matt Dent Rosie Stallard

Jason Divine Supermundane

Sam Green Ryan Todd

Jean Julien Toby Triumph

Sarah King Hannah Waldron

Jirayu Koo Brett Wilkinson

Rachel Lattimore Joe Wilson

Hello Marine Steve Wilson

bleach5 Hoxton Square London N1 6NU

wearebleach.co.uk

If you would like to know more about us

or our work please contact:

Jane Chattenton

+44 (0) 20 7012 1211

[email protected]