GRP 226 Advertising Design: Option 4: Sensa Pens Print Campaign

Brief

Create a print campaign (minimum 3 ads) targeting a large demographic of Males and Females 15-40 years old.

SMP: You can write anywhere with the Sensa Pen

Background: The Sensa Pen has a precision alloy barrel and plasmium grip to allow you to write underwater, upside down, over any material (wood, metal etc) and over photographs.

Research

We found it extremely difficult to find much research on the actual product possibly due to the fact that they are a discontinued product.

Sensa Pens are known for their ergonomic design and adaptive grip and are part of the Sanford writing products company. Sanford also produces products such as Paper Mate and Sharpie. Sanford became a major force in office products when, in 2000, Gillette sold its writing instruments division to Newell Rubbermaid, whose own stationery division, Sanford, became Sanford, L.P. Gillette had acquired Parker Pens in 1993 and had already owned the Paper Mate brand, as well as Waterman and Liquid Paper. This, along with other acquisitions, made Sanford the largest writing products manufacturer in the world.

The Sensa pen was produced in 1985 and its main factor at first was to reduce the stresses of long writing periods. After ten years of trials and prototypes the Sensa pen was introduced as a radical design which was intended to take consumer use of writing instruments to the next level. There was positive feedback because due to the pens grip being made with plasmium fluid, stress of writing was reportedly reduced by 50%. The Pen also can be bought as a combo in which the tip of the pen not used for writing can actually be used on any PDA or writing computer gadgets. The Pen also came out with various collections to draw in different target markets such as students or business professionals.

This ballpoint pen features a special pressurised Sensa Pen refill, and this is what allows the user to write virtually anywhere from upside to underwater. There was even a Sensa pen that wrote ultra violet, therefore being able to be used under black lighting.

Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanford_(writing_products)

Target Market

The target market communicated was a pressing factor in the angle we would go with Sensa Pens. Due to the large target market Sensa Pens are required to appeal to a wide demographic. We decided to try and cover most ages within four advertisements with each advertisement appealing to varied groups.

Product

Past Print Ads for Sensa Pens

This focused on the grip of the Sensa Pens

Print Ads for other pens

As there were hardly any print ads for Sensa Pens we decided to look at other pens on the market which would target similar target markets to the Sensa Pen. We decided to look at the main competition of Sensa Pens being Bic and Sharpie.

Bic Ads

There were many print ads targeting varied audiences by Bic. We found these to be creative, interesting and appealing to different demographics. The 'More joy of writing" campaign was of particular interest because of the simplistic angle that was utilised.

The following targeted teens saying that if you take the wrong pen into exams (pens that are not Bic pens) you will fail in life.

Sharpie Ads

Sharpie Markers utilise celebrity endorsements (David Beckham) to create popularity throughout their campaign. They focused on the idea of signing autographs.

They also created the following TV commercial for the campaign.

Other Sharpie Ads and Commericals

Other research showcasing the clever use of pens/pencils

Aha - Take on me

Big Bang Theory

Incubus - Drive

Incubus - Drive - Funny bloopers are a click away

Concept

We liked what concepts the leading competition was utilising in advertising campaign but we wanted to more directly coincide with the SMP. Demonstrating that Sensa Pens could write on varying surfaces and in different situations was the main concept we wanted to explore.

Inspired by the water resistant pilot pen advertisement and it's ability to write on unusual surfaces, we came up with several ideas.

Our original ideas consisted of varied scenarios where the Sensa Pen is being used where you would not be able to use a normal pen.

These included displaying the pen being used to create a tattoo, being used by a rock climber on a cliff to write "I was here", used by a toddler to draw not only on the wall but all over the room including on the ever attentive snoozing father, writing on a homing pigeon instead of on a letter attached to its foot, writing reminders on clothing and writing under water.

Rough sketches

Although we realise these pens can be used anywhere, some situations we first came up for the ads with were a bit ridiculous and wouldn`t happen in reality. We decided that if we had the Sensa Pens being used in more common situations it might better appeal to the consumer. We decided upon scenarios that could happen any day, or anywhere a person might think, I wish I had a Pen right now! Our goal is to make the consumer think of their Sensa Pen in those situations and say "I wish I had my Sensa Pen right now" ultimately creating more of an urge to buy the pen.

Chosen Idea

We toned down our original ideas and came up with the chosen four new ones we used in the final product.

We came up with the idea of needing a pen to write down an idea or thought when you usually are unable to. Tying this in with an every day activity we came up with when you are having a bath. This is when lots of people are relaxed and thoughts or ideas flood into heads. We decided to project this through a female writing about her day but instead of using a diary using the side of the bath, only being able to do so with a Sensa Pen.

Sketch of idea #1

The second idea portrays a young person out at a club. Everyone at some stage has been out and heard a song they absolutely love, not knowing the name of the song there is an urge to some how write down the lyrics so you can look up the song later. We came up with young person writing down the lyrics on a wine/cocktail glass, only achievable with a Sensa Pen.

Sketch of idea #2

With the third idea we aimed to appeal to older demographics. Showing a P plate driver parked and talking to friends in the distant with the back P plate on the car being damaged and only half visable. The older person grabs thier sensa Pen and re draws the rest of the P plate on to stop the P plater from receiving a fine from police for not correctly displaying p plates, once again only achievable with a Sensa Pen.

Sketch of idea #3

Our fourth and final idea was based around the fact that sometimes you don't have time to scrounge around for a piece of paper when you need to write something down. Generally you will lose the piece of paper anyway. We thought of recipes which with the craze of cooking television shows at the moment would have mass appeal. Everyone has gotten recipes and lost them also. We came up with the idea of a woman on the phone to her grandmother (as we all know grand mothers are amazing cooks and have the best old recipes) jotting down a recipe on a chopping board, being only able to do so with a Sensa Pen.

Sketch of idea #4

Each image was set up and photographed.

Final Mock Ups

With the final images we collaboratively decided that each would be more punchier with their own image supporting tagline with the words 'reach for your Sensa Pen' being a constant in each.

Advertisement #1 : Record the good times - reach for your Sensa Pen