Crazy idea for an advertisement for Walls ice-cream
Discussion
I've sat on a crazy idea for an advert for an ice cream product for years and would love to approach Wall's with it, but don't know how. I did once try to contact them and was told campaigns are planned years ahead and to forget it. I can't remember who I contacted to be honest as it was a long time ago, but I honestly do believe this ' one off' ad, irrespective of a campaign, would be enjoyed by the company themselves as well as the public and if they just listened to my idea they might say 'we've got to run it!'
So how do I go about it and protect my idea? I'd like some kind of payment for it of course!
So how do I go about it and protect my idea? I'd like some kind of payment for it of course!
bernhund said:
I've sat on a crazy idea for an advert for an ice cream product for years and would love to approach Wall's with it, but don't know how. I did once try to contact them and was told campaigns are planned years ahead and to forget it. I can't remember who I contacted to be honest as it was a long time ago, but I honestly do believe this ' one off' ad, irrespective of a campaign, would be enjoyed by the company themselves as well as the public and if they just listened to my idea they might say 'we've got to run it!'
So how do I go about it and protect my idea? I'd like some kind of payment for it of course!
So how do I go about it and protect my idea? I'd like some kind of payment for it of course!
Badda said:
I admire your confidence in your own idea. Without telling us the ad. Are you able to share more about what would make it a winner?
Haha, I do believe in it 100% and so I can't avoid coming across as perhaps over confident; conceited even! But you do need to believe in your ideas or there's no point. It's one of those things/ideas that the majority of people never pursue, then say years later when seen on the shelves etc. how they had that idea years ago. They never saw a penny, but the guy who had a go did.The point is, if I don't run it by them, then nothing happens. If I disclose it, someone else might run with it.
Badda said:
I admire your confidence in your own idea. Without telling us the ad. Are you able to share more about what would make it a winner?
It would appeal to a certain generation as would the product. It would require a known celebrity with a sense of humour to agree to doing it, though it would not be taking the micky out of the celebrity. It's almost impossible to tell you any more I'm afraid.bernhund said:
Badda said:
I admire your confidence in your own idea. Without telling us the ad. Are you able to share more about what would make it a winner?
It would appeal to a certain generation as would the product. It would require a known celebrity with a sense of humour to agree to doing it, though it would not be taking the micky out of the celebrity. It's almost impossible to tell you any more I'm afraid.bernhund said:
I've sat on a crazy idea for an advert for an ice cream product for years and would love to approach Wall's with it, but don't know how. I did once try to contact them and was told campaigns are planned years ahead and to forget it. I can't remember who I contacted to be honest as it was a long time ago, but I honestly do believe this ' one off' ad, irrespective of a campaign, would be enjoyed by the company themselves as well as the public and if they just listened to my idea they might say 'we've got to run it!'
So how do I go about it and protect my idea? I'd like some kind of payment for it of course!
Reality check - Wall's are owned by Unilever. Their turnover is something like £50bn. There are so many obstacles in the way, I'm sorry to say it isn't worth your time even trying to think about monetising your idea. So how do I go about it and protect my idea? I'd like some kind of payment for it of course!
Just in terms of their corporate controls for example, they won't have the flexibility to sign commercial agreements with a one man band so they can hear your brilliant idea.
They will think they are already employing the best creative agencies in the world. Who will be not only pitching ideas on a continual basis, but will have the resources to translate these ideas into reality.
The problem with advertising isn't thinking of the initial idea - that is the easy bit. The hard bit is all the stuff which follows after - translating the initial idea into a finished product that fits with the corporate guidelines, deciding and agreeing with stakeholders how the results will be measured, deciding where it will be placed and at what price and with what budget to achieve the desired result etc etc.
If you want to gain some kudos maybe write to one of their directors outlining your idea and asking for feedback. As a courtesy, they should reply with some considered thoughts. But they won't pay you.
Ikemi said:
I think you might struggle to protect such an idea, let alone receive payment ...
I totally agree. But a good idea is a good idea whether it came via Saatchi and Saatchi or someone acting as a freelance on their own. I was thinking along the lines of a legal agreement that states any variation of the idea created by the company once disclosed to them would be a breach of the agreement. To be honest it would be impossible for them to vary it anyway because every part of the idea is critical to it.
So I get their interest, they sign the agreement to listen to my idea and if they don't want to know they've lost nothing. If they do want to run with it, my charge would be significantly lower than an additional agency. My problem is taking the idea to them/the right person.
EddieSteadyGo said:
bernhund said:
I've sat on a crazy idea for an advert for an ice cream product for years and would love to approach Wall's with it, but don't know how. I did once try to contact them and was told campaigns are planned years ahead and to forget it. I can't remember who I contacted to be honest as it was a long time ago, but I honestly do believe this ' one off' ad, irrespective of a campaign, would be enjoyed by the company themselves as well as the public and if they just listened to my idea they might say 'we've got to run it!'
So how do I go about it and protect my idea? I'd like some kind of payment for it of course!
Reality check - Wall's are owned by Unilever. Their turnover is something like £50bn. There are so many obstacles in the way, I'm sorry to say it isn't worth your time even trying to think about monetising your idea. So how do I go about it and protect my idea? I'd like some kind of payment for it of course!
Just in terms of their corporate controls for example, they won't have the flexibility to sign commercial agreements with a one man band so they can hear your brilliant idea.
They will think they are already employing the best creative agencies in the world. Who will be not only pitching ideas on a continual basis, but will have the resources to translate these ideas into reality.
The problem with advertising isn't thinking of the initial idea - that is the easy bit. The hard bit is all the stuff which follows after - translating the initial idea into a finished product that fits with the corporate guidelines, deciding and agreeing with stakeholders how the results will be measured, deciding where it will be placed and at what price and with what budget to achieve the desired result etc etc.
If you want to gain some kudos maybe write to one of their directors outlining your idea and asking for feedback. As a courtesy, they should reply with some considered thoughts. But they won't pay you.
bernhund said:
Ikemi said:
I think you might struggle to protect such an idea, let alone receive payment ...
I totally agree. But a good idea is a good idea whether it came via Saatchi and Saatchi or someone acting as a freelance on their own. I was thinking along the lines of a legal agreement that states any variation of the idea created by the company once disclosed to them would be a breach of the agreement. To be honest it would be impossible for them to vary it anyway because every part of the idea is critical to it.
So I get their interest, they sign the agreement to listen to my idea and if they don't want to know they've lost nothing. If they do want to run with it, my charge would be significantly lower than an additional agency. My problem is taking the idea to them/the right person.
Any agreement like would need to go to their legal department, who I can guarantee will think they are flat out busy. So unless someone with authority in the company asks them to work on it, they won't even open your legal document.
And what is the incentive for a marketing director or someone similar to look like a maverick by going outside of the normal processes? They will already have a dozen potentially good ideas they don't have the marketing budget to implement at the moment. Why add another to the list?
Big companies already have their own projects, processes, systems and suppliers. They aren't nimble and (generally speaking) they don't employ entrepreneurs which is why you will find it difficult to speak to anyone who will want to take a risk understanding your ideas.
bernhund said:
Ikemi said:
I think you might struggle to protect such an idea, let alone receive payment ...
I totally agree. But a good idea is a good idea whether it came via Saatchi and Saatchi or someone acting as a freelance on their own. I was thinking along the lines of a legal agreement that states any variation of the idea created by the company once disclosed to them would be a breach of the agreement. To be honest it would be impossible for them to vary it anyway because every part of the idea is critical to it.
So I get their interest, they sign the agreement to listen to my idea and if they don't want to know they've lost nothing. If they do want to run with it, my charge would be significantly lower than an additional agency. My problem is taking the idea to them/the right person.
You have no idea how the world works.
From a large FMCG perspective;
- are the brand planning on spending any money ATL?
- how will your one off add concept support the long term story?
- how will the brand develop the idea so it supports BTL activity?
- how will you quantify the uplift created by your concept separate to any seasonal or climatic variance.
- how will you concept support/develop the Brand Values?
Just a few insights to what they will be thinking!
As for getting them to sign your NDA before you’ll speak to them, they’ll nit even bother wasting their legal departments time, their NDA will usually state that they own any/all concepts created by whoever they talk to.
- are the brand planning on spending any money ATL?
- how will your one off add concept support the long term story?
- how will the brand develop the idea so it supports BTL activity?
- how will you quantify the uplift created by your concept separate to any seasonal or climatic variance.
- how will you concept support/develop the Brand Values?
Just a few insights to what they will be thinking!
As for getting them to sign your NDA before you’ll speak to them, they’ll nit even bother wasting their legal departments time, their NDA will usually state that they own any/all concepts created by whoever they talk to.
You would do better by just making the advert video yourself on a budget, and putting it out there on social media, in the same way that someone made a 'John lewis' ad, stuck it on you tube and people shared it all over as it was better than the Elton John one.
If it really is that good, people will share it, and who knows where it could lead. Maybe landing you a job at one of the advertising companies that are then contracted in to do work on behalf of the likes of Walls
If it really is that good, people will share it, and who knows where it could lead. Maybe landing you a job at one of the advertising companies that are then contracted in to do work on behalf of the likes of Walls
counterofbeans said:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/19/dragon...
I don't profess for one minute I know how the world of advertising and marketing works, which is quite obvious to those who do know! But it certainly doesn't hurt to put this post on here to see what others think about the idea. Being told there's no hope is fine by me because it's all useful information whether it's positive or negative. I didn't think for one minute that I'd waltz into Unilever and slap my idea on someone's desk that's for sure. But you never know whether any doors could open until you try reaching out to see what comes back, be it on a forum or chatting to someone at a function who just so happens to know the right person. Networking so to speak.
speedyguy said:
counterofbeans said:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/19/dragon...
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