Wolf Hills Brewing Company

Concept

1. Focus — This is a commercial for Wolf Hills Brewing Company that encourages locals to visit the brewery and buy its beer during weekly “Growler Hours.” Because the concept of filling a growler, a glass or plastic jug, at a brewery is somewhat new to the region, the commercial should teach consumers about the experience and expectations. The video will live on the company’s website and Facebook page, since Facebook is its primary marketing medium.

2. Brand — Wolf Hills Brewing Company prides itself in being the only local brewery in Southwest Virginia and its customers appreciate that fact. They like that Wolf Hills makes a local, quality, fresh beer. The community around Wolf Hill’s home in Abingdon, Virginia, has a vibrant farmers’ market, theatre, and arts scene. Wolf Hills is tapping into that by adding another facet to what makes the area hip and cool. The company also connects to the region’s history and geography from the names of its beers, such as Creeper Trail Amber Ale and Black’s Fort India Brown Ale, to the name of the company itself. These characteristics make Wolf Hills Brewing Company a part of an active community where customers see themselves as “legitimate” locals.

Since the growler concept is new to many people in the community, some people who might be interested in the brand do not know how to engage the brand. Exposure in restaurants is very limited and the brand is not in stores. Not knowing how to go about filling a growler at the brewery might be keeping away some potential customers.

3. Audience — The demographics for Wolf Hills Brewing Company do not paint a clear picture of its customers, though most of the regular customers are local. Their ages vary widely, as do their socio-economic levels. The commercial is directed toward residents of Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee who are proud of the local culture and enjoy learning more about the community. People will connect with this video because they love the area where they live and the other people who make up their community. By learning about this local company, the audience becomes more of an expert on the community.

4. Content Points

a.) Show the connection to local history and culture

b.) The company contributes to the sense of community

c.) Customers are a community within the community

d.) Explanation of “the growler”

 

Creative Approach

This video will teach potential customers about the connection between Wolf Hills Brewing Company and the region in which it is based, as well as about the concept of buying beer in a growler. The video will be used online, so it can run an irregular length but should probably run no more than one and a half minutes. There should be a juxtaposition between the Colonial period and the modern period, but not so much that either one is unappealing. The Colonial section will remind viewers of the region’s history and heritage; it should be comforting and warm. The modern section should be fun and welcoming but not over the top and unbelievable. The beer and the growlers should be the star of the spot.

Shooting Script

	Video	Audio
1	WS of a colonial tavern. People are sitting at tables and standing in groups talking. The room is dimly lit but not dark. Text at the bottom of the page reads “Abingdon, Virginia ca. 1796”	Background noise of people talking, glasses clinking, etc. Continues through the beginning of 4. Soft colonial-style music plays through the beginning of 4. VO: For more than two-hundred years, the people of Southwest Virginia have gathered to share news and stories, to make music and to trade goods and crafts.
2	MS of brewer/bartender filling a wooden bucket as a man waits on the other side of the bar.	VO: They have also come to find great beer.
3	CU of the bucket as the brewer puts it on the bar and puts a wooden lid on its top. The man waiting for the bucket puts some coins on the bar and lifts the bucket by the handle.	VO: Back then, the people of Abingdon—formerly called Wolf Hills—didn’t put their beer in bottles. They used a wooden bucket with a tight-fitting lid.
4	Cut to MS from behind the bucket as the man carries it through the tavern. The camera follows the bucket and man out the door and into an alley in the colonial town at night. The man turns from the alley onto a bustling street. Candles and oil lamps are in the windows. People pass, occasionally exchanging “hello” or “good evening.” The camera continues following the bucket as it bounces and sloshes in the man’s hand. The man turns off of the street into an alley and enters a small home. He lifts the bucket and puts it on a table. By now, foam is building up around the edge of the bucket’s lid. The camera slowly zooms in to CU of the bucket as the lid rises up to let out a big bubble of foamy beer.	SFX of people passing, exchanging greetings. VO: (continues) The beer would slosh and gurgle inside these buckets. Some folks think these strange sounds are what gave them the name “growler.” We don’t know if that’s true, but the name stuck.
5	Cut to CU of a glass growler filling. Camera zooms out and pans across to show a brewer/bartender setting two full glass growlers on the bar at Wolf Hills Brewing Company. A crowd of people is seen in the background.	Shot opens with upbeat, modern bluegrass/folk music that quickly fades under the VO. Music continues through 11. SFX of people talking and laughing rises slightly beneath the VO. SFX continues through 6. VO: We still brew fresh, quality beer — and fill growlers — at Wolf Hills Brewing Company in Abingdon.
6	WS of Wolf Hills Brewing retail area with people talking, carrying growlers out the door, and buying merchandise.
7	Cut to B-roll of brewer pouring ingredients into boiler.	VO: When you visit our brewery you can get your own growler filled with one of our popular beers …
8	B-roll of CU panning across a variety of beers in Wolf Hills pint glasses.	VO: like our Imperial Stout, Creeper Trail Amber Ale, White Blaze Honey Cream Ale, or the robust Wolf’s Den Double I-P-A.
9	MS of WHB retail area with brewer gesturing toward the list of available beers and giving a sample to a customer. In the background, another WHB staff member is filling a growler.	SFX of modern crowd returns and continues through 10. VO: Can’t decide? Our brewer will be happy to help you.
10	Cut to CU of a full growler as it is placed on the bar. A customer picks up the growler and the camera follows it through the retail area, mirroring the way the wooden bucket was followed through the tavern. As the customer exits through the door, the sunlight coming through the door fills the shot.	VO: Come on down to “Growler Hours.” Makes some new friends. Get some great beer.
11	Fade from sunlight to white background. Wolf Hills Brewing logo appears.	VO: Visit wolf-hills-brewing-dot-com.

Wolf Hills Brewing Company shooting script

 Creative Approach

This video will teach potential customers about the connection between Wolf Hills Brewing Company and the region in which it is based, as well as about the concept of buying beer in a growler, which is something unfamiliar to many people in the company’s market. The video will be used online, so it can run an irregular length. There should be a juxtaposition between the Colonial period and the modern period, but not so much that either one is unappealing. The Colonial section will remind viewers of the region’s history and heritage; it should be comforting and warm. The modern section should be fun and welcoming but not over the top and unbelievable. The beer and the growlers should be the star of the spot.

	Video	Audio
1	WS of a colonial tavern. People are sitting at tables and standing in groups talking. The room is dimly lit but not dark. Text at the bottom of the page reads “Abingdon, Virginia ca. 1796”	Background noise of people talking, glasses clinking, etc. Continues through the beginning of 4. Soft colonial-style music plays through the beginning of 4. VO: For more than two-hundred years, the people of Southwest Virginia have gathered to share news and stories, to make music and to trade goods and crafts.
2	MS of brewer/bartender filling a wooden bucket as a man waits on the other side of the bar.	VO: They have also come to find great beer.
3	CU of the bucket as the brewer puts it on the bar and puts a wooden lid on its top. The man waiting for the bucket puts some coins on the bar and lifts the bucket by the handle.	VO: But hundreds of years ago, they didn’t have bottles and cans to take home their beer. They would put it in a wooden bucket with a tight-fitting lid.
4	Cut to MS from behind the bucket as the man carries it through the tavern. The camera follows the bucket and man out the door and into an alley in the colonial town at night. The man turns from the alley onto a bustling street. Candles and oil lamps are in the windows. People pass, occasionally exchanging “hello” or “good evening.” The camera continues following the bucket as it bounces and sloshes in the man’s hand. The man turns off of the street into an alley and enters a small home. He lifts the bucket and puts it on a table. By now, foam is building up around the edge of the bucket’s lid. The camera slowly zooms in to CU of the bucket as the lid rises up to let out a big bubble of foamy beer.	VO: Mountain towns like Abingdon, which was known as Wolf Hills until 1774, were filled with a variety of crafts people – farriers, tailors, carpenters, and blacksmiths. The mark of some of them remains on the town today … on Tanner Street and Brewers Alley. SFX of people passing, exchanging greetings. VO: (continues) As the local townspeople carried home their beer it would slosh and gurgle inside their bucket. Some folks think these strange sounds are what gave these buckets the name “growler.” We don’t know if that’s true, but the name stuck.
5	Cut to CU of a glass growler filling. Camera zooms out and pans across to show a brewer/bartender setting two full glass growlers on the bar at Wolf Hills Brewing Company. A crowd of people is seen in the background.	Shot opens with upbeat, modern bluegrass/folk music that quickly fades under the VO. Music continues through 11. SFX of people talking and laughing rises slightly beneath the VO. SFX continues through 6. VO: This tradition of brewing fresh, quality beer – and filling growlers – continues today at Wolf Hills Brewing Company in Abingdon, Virginia.
6	WS of Wolf Hills Brewing retail area with people talking, carrying growlers out the door, and buying merchandise.
7	Cut to B-roll of brewer pouring ingredients into boiler.	VO: When you visit our brewery at the historic Ice House on Park Street, you can get your own growler filled with one of our popular brews.
8	B-roll of CU panning across a variety of beers in Wolf Hills pint glasses.	VO: Whether you prefer our Imperial Stout, a Creeper Trail Amber Ale, our White Blaze Honey Cream Ale, the robust Wolf’s Den Double I-P-A, or one of our other delicious choices, we have something for you.
9	MS of WHB retail area with brewer gesturing toward the list of available beers and giving a sample to a customer. In the background, another WHB staff member is filling a growler.	SFX of modern crowd returns and continues through 10. VO: If you’re not sure what you might like, our brewer will be happy to help you decide.
10	Cut to CU of a full growler as it is placed on the bar. A customer picks up the growler and the camera follows it through the retail area, mirroring the way the wooden bucket was followed through the tavern. As the customer exits through the door, the sunlight coming through the door fills the shot.	VO: When locals gather to fill their growlers with their hometown beer, they are continuing a centuries old tradition of the mountains. Why not come join us every Thursday evening when we open our brewery to the public for “Growler Hours.” You can make some new friends, catch up on the latest local news, and take home your own growler with the freshest beer around.
11	Fade from sunlight to white background. Wolf Hills Brewing logo appears.	VO: For more information about Wolf Hills Brewing Company and a list of this week’s beer, visit wolf-hills-brewing-dot-com or friend us on Facebook.

Captain Y and Captain Z: Paper edit

CPT Z: Well, there’s a stereotype that if you’re in the Army, that you’ve got to be a man, you’ve got to take care of your family. And you — you don’t — you don’t ask for help. You — you just drive through that wall and — and crush it.

CPT Y: As — as Captains in the U.S. Army, it’s a rank. But it’s also — you have to know what your charge is, and as you take that charge, you don’t just feed, you don’t just listen; you nurture. And what you’re going to nurture is that philosophy of the Army values. You’re going to nurture the philosophy of helping each other. You’re going to nurture the philosophy of teamwork.

CPT Z: I think that’s part of the Army mentality; that you don’t want to ask for help. And I think, as Commanders, I think it’s important that we recognize those soldiers that need help and try to break that barrier and let them know it’s okay to come forward and — and ask for the help that the Army can provide them.

CPT Y: If one soldier is hurting, his friends are going to know about it. His friends are going to suffer from it. It’s going to bring down morale. So as much as possible, you want to open up all avenues to help every soldier possible.

CPT Z: Breaking through that barrier of, you know, “I’m a man. I’m in the Army. I don’t need help,” that’s the toughest part of keeping them mentally healthy.

Once — once they ask for help or you — you — you get them to admit that they need help, it’s — it’s usually — it — it gets easier from there.

And I think — I think once you get that soldier through that wall, it just opens the floodgates to let — to let us be able to help him.

CPT Y: It’s also a domino effect. Once one soldier receives help, he’s willing to help another soldier. That’s the one thing I ask of every soldier. As we’re willing to help you, a soldier is going to always know more than the Command, and they’re always going to know who’s going to need help. So if they’re willing to reach out that hand to help each other, it becomes contagious.

CPT Z: If a soldier takes that step to come ask for help through AER or any other services that the Army can provide, it – you know it’s legitimate and — because like we said earlier, to break down that wall to come and ask for help, it — you know they need it at that time.

CPT Y: A soldier is no good without his family. And even when it come down to single soldiers, if it’s a grandparent or whatever their support system is, you do all that you can to support it.

CPT Z: Once in command, I had 92 soldiers that I took command of. But I also know that I had, with those 92 soldiers, about 50 or 55 families that came with it. And the — I don’t want to say a majority, but a good — a good amount of my time is spent dealing with family members.

And you — when you go into command, you — you know that, and you learn to — to take the victories that come with dealing with the family members.

CPT Y: One tool that — that I’ve used personally is I’ll share with a soldier that everything wasn’t always as it may appear. I may be a Commander, but I’m a man, I’m a husband, I’m a father, and I’ve — I’ve had — made my fair share of mistakes and had shortcomings. At the same time, somebody was always there to help me.

CPT Z: I’ve never seen a unit come together more than when a soldier or a soldier’s family needs help, and it – like CPT Y was talking about motivation, it’s a great motivator to know that you’re helping one of your soldiers.

And we will drop training at the drop of a hat to — to help soldiers out and — and their families. And that — that is just absolutely crucial. So you ask how — how do we do it. Well, we have the support of our family at home, but our unit is a family. And when one of them is in trouble, we all come to their aid. And that’s how — that’s how we make sure everybody is taken care of.

CPT Y: You’ve got young soldiers that — that are being taken care of by their senior non-commissioned officers and the officers above them. That culture is one that it spreads and is — is — you’ll never read about it. You’ll never see it. There’s — there’s no science to it; it’s just a culture that once you put this uniform on, that you’re part of a family.

CPT Z: And that’s one of the great things about being in the Army. It doesn’t matter what other organization you’re in; if you’re working at WalMart, if you’re at Microsoft or Pepsi, no — they’re not going to support you like the Army does.

And — and only the Army could provide this type of help for their employees. And I think a lot of the soldiers know that they can come for help. And once they get that help, it — it builds up a pride that “Hey, I like what I’m doing. I’m working for somebody that’s going to take care of me, that’s going to take care of my family, and they’ll take care of my battle buddies if they need help.”

CPT Y: We actually, as Commanders, live for our soldiers as — as we do our own families. If one of my soldiers is hurt, it’s — it’s more than personal because if they — if they’re without, then I feel like it’s — it’s — it’s my fault or my First Sergeant, he feels the same way.

CPT Z: And that saying, leave no man behind, it doesn’t just refer to when you’re on the battlefield. It refers to just as much when you’re back here at home station and your soldier needs help. You — you just don’t leave him out there on his own. You — you bring him in and you take care of him.

Reverse engineering the Sun, the Moon, and Troy Polamalu

Client: Jimmie Dean

Spot: Full Moon

	Video	Audio
1.	Wide Shot (WS) shows a bank of elevators in an office building. Three-quarter Moon steps out of an elevator and turns to pass through door. Other characters are moving about the space. Sun is coming out of the door. He is leaving work for the day as Moon is arriving to work the night shift.	Melancholy music bed which continues throughout the spot. SFX: Shuffling of feet. Elevator “ding” as the doors open.
2.	Medium Shot (MS) shows Sun seeing Moon and looking a little startled.	Sun: Moon!
3.	MS reveals Moon is shuffling slowly, looking tired. He is only three-quarters full.	Moon: Hey.
4.	Back to MS of Sun with the back of Moon in the foreground. Sun is obviously concerned that something is wrong with Moon.	Sun: Hey. I thought you were supposed to be full tonight.
5.	Return to MS of Moon. Dirty shot with Sun in foreground. Moon shrugs and throws up his arms.	Moon: Not feeling it.
6.	Quickly back to MS of Sun. Dirty shot with Moon in foreground.	Sun: Not feelin’ it, huh?
7.	Quickly back to dirty MS of Moon. Now looking a little irritated by Sun.	Moon: That’s what I said.
8.	Return to dirty MS of Sun who is still concerned about Moon. Even though he can tell Moon feels badly, Sun remains pleasantly concerned.	Sun: How long ‘til you rise?
9.	Quickly back to MS of Moon who shrugs again and checks his watch.	Moon: Couple minutes.
10.	Back to MS of Sun who responds and begins walking back towards the door he exited at the beginning of the spot.	Sun: Plenty of time.
11.	Cut to Close Up (CU) of a Jimmie Dean sausage, egg, and cheese croissant spinning inside as microwave oven as it heats.
12.	Cut to Sun standing in office break room enjoying eating a Jimmie Dean croissant. He nods and smiles as he chews. Part of Moon is visible beside him.	Music becomes more upbeat and positive
13.	Cut to Moon in the same break room. He is obviously enjoying eating a Jimmie Dean croissant. Moon is no longer only three-quarters; he is completely full.	Moon: O, yeah.
14.	WS of Sun and Moon in the break room. Sun offers the rest of his croissant to Moon who waves it off.	Moon: No. I’m full. Thanks, though.
15.	Cut to animated Jimmie Dean logo showing box of Jimmie Dean croissants and the tagline “Happy Breakfast.”	VO: The day begins with a happy breakfast. Delicious Jimmie Dean sandwiches. Real breakfast, real fast.

Client: Coke Zero

Spot: Polamalu reinvents Mean Joe Green

	Video	Audio
1.	Open with a Wide Shot (WS) of Troy Polamalu limping slowly down a stadium corridor away from a roaring crowd watching the game. Behind him a boy approaches and calls out his name.	Crowd cheering SFX continue throughout the spot. Boy: Mr. Polamalu.
2.	Cut to Medium Shot (MS) of Polamalu from behind as he turns to see the boy. The angle should be lower, like the perspective of the boy.	Polamalu: Yeah?
3.	Quickly cut to MS of the boy.	Boy: Do ya need any help?
4.	Quickly back to Polamalu. He answers a little dismissively	Polamalu: Uh-uh.
5.	Back again quickly to MS of the boy as he raises his Coke Zero.	Boy: Do you want my Coke Zero?
6.	Return to shot of Polamalu. Camera remains stationary to show that he has moved slightly down the corridor. He turns further around when answering they boy this time. His attitude is changing from tired and irritated to endeared.	Polamalu: No.
7.	The boy holds the Coke Zero further out to Polamalu.	Boy: You can have it.
8.	Back to shot of Polamalu who breaks into a smile and nodes approvingly.	Coke Zero jingle begins.
9.	Cut to established shot of boy and the drink. As Polamalu’s hand reaches into the shot and grabs the Coke Zero, the camera quickly pans up to show two Coke brand managers storming into the shot and wrestling the product from Polamalu’s hand.	Jingle fades abruptly. Brand manager (BM) 1: We’re Coke brand managers. BM 2: Coke Zero stole our taste …
10.	Cut to MS of Polamalu as he watches to the Coke brand managers hurry past him.	BM 2: (continues) they are not …
11.	MS of brand managers as they hurry down the corridor away from Polamalu and the boy. Behind them Polamalu is visible. He thows down the jersey over his shoulder in disgust. Camera continues the shot, staying in front of the brand managers while Polamalu starts chasing them. BM2 steals a couple of looks behind him to see if Polamalu is following them. They know they have made him mad and worried about getting hurt.	BM 2: (continues) stealing our commercial. Polamalu: Hey! That was for me. BM 1: Is he coming? Is he coming?
12.	Cut to WS of Polamalu tackling BM 1. The boy is visible in the foreground, watching his hero in action.	BM 1 cries out as Polamalu tackles him. Tackling SFX
13.	Cut to MS of boy. He is smiling, happy to see that Polamalu has taken up for him.
14.	Polamalu rises up into MS as he takes a drink of the Coke Zero.	Coke Zero jingle returns and continues through shot 16.
15.	WS shows Polamalu holding the Coke Zero as he stands above the “conquered” BM. He reaches down and rips the shirt off of the BM and throws it to the boy.	Polamalu: Hey, kid! SFX of shirt ripping Polamalu: Catch!
16.	Cut to MS of the boy as he catches the tattered shirt.
17.	Coke Zero bottle and logo with the tagline “It’s possible.”	Second Coke Zero jingle.

Client concept papers

Wolf Hills Brewing Company

1. Focus — This is a commercial for Wolf Hills Brewing Company that encourages locals to visit the brewery and buy its beer during weekly “Growler Hours.” Because the concept of filling a growler, a glass or plastic jug, at a brewery is somewhat new to the region, the commercial should teach consumers about the experience and expectations. The video will live on the company’s website and Facebook page, since Facebook is its primary marketing medium.

2. Brand — Wolf Hills Brewing Company prides itself in being the only local brewery in Southwest Virginia and its customers appreciate that fact. They like that Wolf Hills makes a local, quality, fresh beer. The community around Wolf Hill’s home in Abingdon, Virginia, has a vibrant farmers’ market, theatre, and arts scene. Wolf Hills is tapping into that by adding another facet to what makes the area hip and cool. The company also connects to the region’s history and geography from the names of its beers, such as Creeper Trail Amber Ale and Black’s Fort India Brown Ale, to the name of the company itself. These characteristics make Wolf Hills Brewing Company a part of an active community where customers see themselves are “legitimate” locals.

Since the growler concept is new to many people in the community, some people who might be interested in the brand do not know how to engage the brand. Exposure in restaurants is very limited and the brand is not in stores. Not knowing how to go about filling a growler at the brewery might be keeping away some potential customers.

3. Audience — The demographics for Wolf Hills Brewing Company do not paint a clear picture of its customers, though most of the regular customers are local. Their ages vary widely, as do their socio-economic level. The commercial is directed toward residents of Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee who are proud of the local culture and enjoy learning more about the community. People will connect with this video because they love the area where they live and the other people who make up their community. By learning about this local company, the audience becomes more of an expert on the community.

4. Content Points

a.) Show the connection to local history and culture

b.) The company contributes to the sense of community

c.) Explanation of “the growler”

Hampden-Sydney College

1. Focus — This is an image piece for Hampden-Sydney College directed at the parents of teenage boys considering college. The parents should understand what the college can provide for their son and the environment in which he will live and learn. The video will live on the college’s YouTube page and be distributed to prospective parents by email.

2. Brand — Hampden-Sydney College was founded in 1775 with the mission to “create good men and good citizens” and enrolls around 1,000 students each year. As one of the oldest colleges in the United States, it has an affinity for tradition: the students dress in coats and ties for football games; the college has a strong liberal arts curriculum; students administer a strict honor code; and the student body remains all male. Unfortunately, there are some less flattering traditions, too: the college has a reputation for enrolling mostly rich, white boys from Richmond, Virginia; and there have been several drug busts on campus in recent years.  The 1980s cult classic The Preppy Handbooknamed Hampden-Sydney the Preppiest College in America, a title that many students and alumni warmly embrace but one that reduces the already small applicant pool.

The college presents itself as a school where students get a sound liberal arts education with an emphasis on writing, plus opportunities for leadership training, adherence to an honor system, and learning in an intimate classroom setting.

Overall attitudes about the Hampden-Sydney College tend to fall into either “love it” or “hate it.” Alumni tend to be active and vocal supporters of the school, but graduates of rival colleges are almost as outspoken in their rebuke.

3. Audience — Parents of teenagers often have significant persuasion over their children’s search for the appropriate college. This video targets the parents of teenage boys preparing for that search. What parents what from their son’s college is often different from what the prospective student wants, or thinks he wants. Parents are more receptive to messages about student-teacher research, leadership opportunities, balancing athletics and academics, and the benefits of an all-male student body. Parents want to know that their son will be safe while he is getting a good education. Many parents believe that the all-male student body provides a safe environment. The honor code and the size of the school also play into that feeling of safety, but to a lesser extent.

Though the college is in Virginia and many of its students are from the state and the Southeastern United States, the message should be applicable to parents from across the country. Also, despite Hampden-Sydney College’s reputation for enrolling students from primarily upper-middle class families, the messaging should apply to members of all socio-economic classes.

4. Content Points

a.) Explain liberal arts education

b.) Benefits of academic community

c.) Significance of all-male student body

d.) Parents should understand that this college is dedicated to preparing students for life, not just a job.

Finally, final project finalists

My top two selections for my final project in order of preference are Wolf Hills Brewing and Hampden-Sydney College.

1. Wolf Hills Brewing creates a variety of distinctive beers for the Southwest Virginia-Northeast Tennessee market. As the only craft brewer in within a 50-mile radius, Wolf Hills lays rightful claim to the title of the only local brewer. Brewmaster Chris Burcher began his professional career as a biology professor but soon soured on life in academia. He became a stay-at-home dad raising three daughters and brewing beer for fun. Three friends loved his creations so much that they decided to invest in a brewery together. The demand for quality, local beer was so large that they quickly outgrew their humble garage-size operation and have moved into a historic icehouse-turned-brewery. Every Thursday night, locals line up to refill their growlers with everything from Fightin’ Parsons Pale Ale and Troopers Alley IPA to Creeper Trail Amber Ale and Imperial Stout.

2. Hampden-Sydney College is a centuries-old liberal arts college for men. With an emphasis on creating prolific writers, speakers, and leaders, Hampden-Sydney prides itself on fulfilling a mission to “create good men and good citizens.” Since the college was founded in 1775, the college’s students and alumni put significant importance on tradition; this is one reason the college has remained all male. Additional aspects of the college that are important to students and alumni are the honor code and tailgating. The 1980s cult classic The Preppy Handbook named Hampden-Sydney the Preppiest College in America, a title that many students and alumni warmly embrace but one that reduces the already small applicant pool.

Identifying with PC

There has to be something believable about a character that makes a transformation. In the 1930 film The Blue Angel by Josef von Sternberg, the hardened, unmarried professor falls for the a cabaret singer who has been corrupting his students. We understand that beneath the professor’s gruff exterior is a soft heart because at the beginning of the film he is upset when his songbird dies and is unceremoniously discarded by the maid. That songbird makes the transformation believable.

If consumers are going to believe their own transformation from skeptical observer to brand advocate, the advertising that facilitates the transformation must have its own songbirg. The successful “I’m a Mac” series of commercials for Apple provides an interesting opportunity for character study, as well as many songbirds that allow viewers to believe their own transformation.

First, Apple creates in the Mac character someone who is sympathetic with his rival, PC. They are obviously different and the commercials spend most of their time illustrating the differences between the two operating systems. Of course Mac will be portrayed as superior, but Mac rarely uses the differences to belittle PC. Instead, the are friendly rivals. In “Touché,” PC misuses the word touché and Mac tries unsuccessfully to correct him. The exchange is not hostile or abrasive. Mac simply tells PC how to correctly use the word, though PC never really understands. By making PC appear confused and out of touch and by making Mac intelligent and friendly, consumers are naturally drawn to Mac’s personality.

Throughout the series of commercials, Mac keeps the exchanges friendly; there is no hostility. In the spot “Out of the box,” Mac and PC both prepare to rise up together and Mac asks PC, “Ready to get started?” He even reaches across to PC after listing all of the things he can do right out of the box. Though Mac clearly has the better position, he is looking out for PC’s well being. As consumers, we are impressed with Mac’s computing performance—in this case being able to do tasks right out the of the packaging—yet again it is Mac’s friendliness and sympathy for PC that we connect with emotionally. The same can be said for the “WSJ” spot in which Mac implores PC not to read his friendly competitor’s positive review.

Again in the “Trust Mac” commercial, we see Mac and PC interested in one another’s well being. After Mac asks PC why he is wearing a disguise, PC warns Mac about the perils of spyware, even offering to give Mac a disguise to protect him. Consumers again are presented with the friendship; this is not a hostile sales environment. Unfortunately, in this particular commercial PC is made to look particularly foolish and Mac gives him some condescending smirks. This is the beginning of the rift between the characters and evidence for complaints that the Mac character is self-righteous.

Spots like “Trust Mac,” “Viruses,” and “Restarting” give us some background information about PC. We learn that he has trouble with spyware in the past, that viruses have infected him many times before, and that freezing mid-conversation to restart is a common occurrence. To Mac, these are non-issues—more background information—that contribute to his confidence. To the viewer, PC appears emotionally and physically fragile. Mac appears indestructible and we are interested in finding out why.

In the “iLife” spot Mac compliments PC by saying he is good at spreadsheets then adding that Mac is better at “life stuff” as illustrated by components of the iLife suite bundled and preinstalled on Apple computers. Here Mac connects with consumers by differentiating people’s work lives from their personal lives. The two computer systems are really two halves of customers: professional and personal. While we, like Mac, can appreciate being able to effectively execute work-related tasks, then value different characteristics for our personal, home computers. When we are using a computer on our own time, we want to listen to music, create a webpage, share photographs, rather than make a spreadsheet.

The series takes a different turn with the “Angel/Devil” spot by focusing almost entirely on PC. Rather than having Mac and PC represent the home and work aspects of consumers’ lives, here the angel and the devil seem to address concerns of avid PC users who dismiss any possible reason to switch to a Mac. Interestingly, it is not the PC himself who makes disparaging comments about Mac, which perpetuates the amicable relationship between the rivals. Here it is the devil who becomes the bad guy. He puts pressure on PC saying, “You don’t care about arts and crafts, you care about work,” and “Fun? We tried that once and it was nothing but pain and frustration.” This exchange is directed toward actual PC users who identify with the PC character but also do not want to appear as though they are consumed with their work and have no fun.

Mac is always portrayed as the more appealing of the two characters, which is reasonable since these are commercials for the Mac brand. What’s more is that Mac is sophisticated without trying; he is hip, fun, easy to get along with. These traits are already desirable among young consumers—and those who consider themselves young—but their desirability is amplified when it is juxtaposed against the work-oriented, clumsy, and vulnerable PC character. The target audience of these commercials wants to be and to appear confident, cool, and fun, to appreciate leisure more than work, and to let the workld know that is her/her position by sharing it with everyone else via a variety of Mac products.

For consumers to go from watching the commercial to buying a Mac, or at least consider buying a Mac, the commercial has to tap into the consumer’s psyche. The “I’m a Mac” spots do this by injecting the consumer into the ad as Mac, PC, or an aspect of these characters. Current Mac users identify themselves as cool and confident. Though the primary target, current PC users, have more options. They may desire to be cool and confidant—the Mac character. They may see themselves as a useful, business-oriented PC but want to develop aspects of the Mac character in their personal lives. Finally, consumers may connect with PC’s usefulness, but want to escape the vulnerability of the character.

For the “business” PC that wants to be a Mac during his/her free time, an example of the “songbird” can be found in the “iLife” spot. As PC puts away his iPod, we see he belt is laden with other gadgets, such as a mobile phone and a pager. This tells us that he appreciates technology, is possibly an “early adopter,” and finds value in products regardless of who develops them. Because of this, we believe that he could also find value in the Mac brand.

What are the other songbirds? In “Touché” it is the first time PC says “touché.” People rarely use the word correctly, so they can identify with PC’s desired meaning rather than the actual meaning. In “Out of the box” the songbird is PC’s enthusiasm. From the start of the commercial he is doing things, he is preparing for action, though he cannot do the kinds of things Mac can. The songbird in “Angel/Devil” is PC’s initial question, “What do you have there?” By asking Mac what he is looking at, we know that he has a creative side that longs to be utilized but cannot.

The songbird for the “I’m a Mac” series changes from commercial to commercial, but each of them provides a way for consumers to connect with the brand and to believe the transformation that is taking place within themselves.

Branding Billy Wilder and more

In Billy Wilder’s Some Like It Hot two freewheeling musicians on the run from the mob pass themselves off as women to keep from being discovered. Within this story, the concept of “women”—the woman brand—goes through a tremendous transformation. Seen first through the eyes of Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemon), women are objects of desire who reject Joe’s advances. Women are flighty, eye candy for men available for the pleasure of men. Joe and Jerry borrow money from them and try to borrow a car from one. Even the concept of the “all girls” band is presented as a novelty rather than having any musical merit. As the film progresses and Jerry is forced to expand his role as a woman, he develops empathy and respect for them. He understands the unseemliness of mens’ advances and the difficulty of earning respect. Meanwhile, Joe finally finds love in Sugar (Marilyn Monroe), which also affects his perspective. He discovers that women like Sugar do not appreciate the kind of man he has been, and, despite her pursuit of a millionaire, what she really wants is true love.

Insurance is an interesting brand concept from another Billy Wilder film, Double Indemnity. Initially, Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) and Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) help create the idea that insurance is slightly conniving, somewhat dirty, and definitely a heartless corporate entity. Visually, Wilder portrays the insurance office as a sea of paperwork housed in a vast office of anonymous workers. However, when Barton uses his position as a claims manager to investigate Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwych) and Walter’s murder of her husband, insurance becomes a tool for justice and truth. What was once cold and heartless provides the framework for Barton to bring down the cold and heartless plans of the killers.

Like Wilder’s Some Like It Hot, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window provides a study for people as a brand, in this case neighbors. Jeff Jeffries (James Stewart) is stuck in his apartment because of a broken leg and spends all day, every day watching his neighbors: the aspiring musician who keeps him up at night, the boy crazy ballet dancer, the drunken spinster, and, of course, the murdering husband. They are a collection of faults whose only redeeming factor is giving him amusement. The neighbors are anonymous and shallow. By the end of the film, though Jeffries sees the “human” side of the neighbors. Though the suspected murderer is an actual murderer, he understands that because of his limited perspective he has seen only part of the neighbors’ lives and that they are real people with complexity and depth. The musician and spinster find love in one another and the dancer is in a loving marriage. Ultimately, it is the ruthless killer, whose complex plan for killing his wife consumes Jeffries, that has led the simplest existence of them all.

Popular brands today

Wrangler is a traditional jeans company whose brand idea includes cowboys, rodeos, individuality, and the rural American West (VF Corporation, 2010). The jeans are truly American and rugged, made for working men and the women who love them. Wrangler makes a variety of clothes but is nothing without its jeans. Those jeans go best with boots and a work shirt. The brand has no connection with refinement or high-society. It is all about the American blue-collar worker. Through sponsorships with rodeos and its former celebrity spokesman Brett Favre, the brand positions itself as the “Common Man” of denim jeans.

From beaches to mountains, Virginia epitomizes American history in a classical setting. With wineries, horseback hunting, family vacations to amusement parks, corporate headquarters, and historic sites, Virginia has something to offer everyone. The slogan “Virginia is for lovers” was created in 1969, the same year of bestsellers Love Story and The Love Machine and the popular Love Theme from the film Romeo and Juliet. Meant to infer that Virginia a the place for lovers of many things—history, beaches, mountains, etc.—the slogan has endured for more than 40 years and been inducted into the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame. It appears on everything from t-shirts and towels to brochures and bumper stickers (Virginia Tourism Corporation, 2011).

With its seven-slot grill and Trail Rated models, nothing says off-road driving like Jeep. Having evolved from the Willys “General Purpose” vehicle (GP) of World War II, the Jeep brand has always been connected with driving onward after the road ends, freedom, and pride (Jeep, 2011). The open-top CJ and Wrangler have been at home at the beach and in the mountains, and families have gone camping for generations in Grand Wagoneers and Grand Cherokees. The Jeep logo has remained consistent for decades and is recognized around the world.

“The stuff dreams are made of”

The ensemble cast of George Lucas’s American Graffiti works through the last night of high school life, struggling with the uncertainty of adulthood. Steve (Ron Howard) continues to try to convince his friend Curt (Richard Dreyfus) that life in college will be more exciting than staying in their hometown. Terry (Charles Martin Smith) wants respect and admiration, while his friend John (Paul Le Mat) tries in vain to hold on to his glory days. What they all believe they have at stake is their entire future.

As an ensemble piece, there is no one central character; together, however, they create a composite “Everyman,” in which we can all find bits of ourselves. They work through their futures by examining what they want, what they have, and who they have been. Through Steve’s rocky relationship with his girlfriend and Curt’s impromptu gang initiation, the two friends see glimmers of possible futures. Likewise, Curt’s continuous search for the elusive woman in the white car resembles his continuous search for the “right” answers to his life. Terry, driving Steve’s car, wins the temporary affection of a cute girl who is out of his league. Meanwhile John realizes that his stalled emotional development appeals only to a young girl, showing him that his life as a late-night street racer is no longer appropriate and meaningful.

Ultimately, American Graffiti illustrates the circuitous path of we all take when growing up and how difficult it is for us to admit what we really find important. Each character is complex in his own right, from Steve’s apparent self-assuredness to Terry’s lack of self-confidence. These intimate, human feelings are completely identifiable with the audience, making the film approachable and identifiable. We can see our own place within the dynamic of these four friends making what will ultimately be very important decisions.

So, why should they not act? Why should Steve not remain behind for his girlfriend? Because he has been Curt’s constant reminder of how wonderful college life will be for them. Why should Curt stay home and not go to college? Because he has never been able to make a decision and to stick with it. Why should Terry not embrace his own personality? Because pretending to be someone else got him exactly what he thought he wanted. And why should John not continue holding onto his youthful pursuits? Interesting, in the end he chooses not to act despite learning how childish and irresponsible he has been. It just goes to show that not all of us make the right decision.

In Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, New York City advertising executive Roger Thornhill (Carey Grant) is in pursuit of his rightful innocence and of the person he thinks can give it to him.

We follow Thornhill, our central character, as his life spirals out of control. What was once the vapid existence of a Madison Avenue advertising executive becomes a vital role in a government plan to bring down an international spy. Thornhill literally moves from the swanky men’s clubs of New York City to the halls of the United Nations, the cars of a passenger train, and the faces of Mount Rushmore.

Along with his physical journey, Thornhill changes emotionally, and even though the audience is not privy to the extent of his intellectual capacity, he does seem to use his cleverness to try to solve the mystery of George Kaplan and to avoid physical harm. Emotionally, we see Thornhill move from needy and shallow to connected, sympathetic, and loving. The man who was once doting and dependent on his mother becomes self-reliant and courageous in the face of danger.

As an advertising executive, Thornhill is used to selling ideas. He uses this dynamic aspect of his personality throughout the course of the film as he begins to sell himself, to portray himself as George Kaplan, a non-existent federal agent whom Phillip Vandamm, a foreign spy, believes him to be. When honesty fails Thornhill at the beginning of the film, he uses his professional creative skills for his own defense. He becomes Kaplan the hotel guest, Kaplan the murderer, and finally Kaplan the spy.

Thornhill had a very good reason not to become Kaplan. After he escaped from his kidnappers at the beginning of the film, Thornhill could have paid the fine for drunk driving (he was even encouraged to do so by one of Vandamm’s associates) and returned to his life with a strange tail to tell. Instead, he becomes fixated on clearing his name. It is this fixation that converts him into Kaplan.

The legendary Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) of The Maltese Falcon is somewhat like Roger Thornhill in North by Northwest. He seeks his own redemption, as he is suspected of killing his detective partner Miles Archer. However, Spade also feels a personal responsibility to solve Archer’s murder.

Sam Spade is the central character because many, if not all, of the other characters seek out him – Brigid O’Shaughnessy, Joel Cairo, Kasper Gutman, and the police detectives. At first Spade appears to be a brash, greedy, and somewhat heartless detective. At times, he might be. He comes to realize – or it is revealed – that his actions have been motivated by his devotion to his dead partner. Though he is presented with riches and love, ultimately he remains true to his partner and the pursuit of justice.

Seeing others consumed with the desire for the falcon, Spade realizes that there are more important things than money and how crippling greed can be. At the beginning of the film, he and his partner gladly accept O’Shaughnessy’s money, though they suspect her of lying to them about her case. By the end, he sees the desperation in the conspiring trio’s infighting. They can trust no one and can never be trusted.

Sam Spade’s complexity appears in his eagerness to engage fellow characters and his unpredictability, which unsettles both the characters and the viewers. As if unaware of potential danger, Spade seeks out the mysterious Gutman and tussles with gun-toting strangers. When cornered, he creates elaborate lies which others are expected to follow and uphold. His erratic behavior makes him all the more appealing at the end of the film when we realize that he has been plotting against—rather than with—the thieves and does not fall into the corrupt hold of the Maltese Falcon – “The stuff dreams are made of.”