On December 22nd Skill Bill held its final workshop in 2015 "Ukraine - creativity, that "works". The expert of the workshop was Dmitry Barsukov, managing and creative director of Young & Rubicam agency.
During the workshop Dmitry was talking about creative content in the current context, as well as the Ukrainian realities that shaped our tastes and preferences, and about things that surround us today.
Workshop started with a small historical journey
Analyzing trends in 2015, Dmitry calls this period «Terra Incognita». The constant development of technology in all areas. A person is in focus, not the society. Multicultural world of high competition for attention. Another trend - skippable world - possibility to ignore all the things that you're not interested in.
Changes in the content are dictated by the development of technology - people can now watch what they want and where they want.
In today's world search engines such as Google, can provide comprehensive information about the user, but it is not clear how this information can be used.
Residents of Ukraine are very loyal to absorbing information and foreign culture. Today, more than hundreds of channels are available for Ukrainians. The newspaper with the TV guide made way for EPG (electronic program guide), as well as viewing on the Internet, using a variety of devices. A few national traits that characterize Ukrainian content (including advertising) today are: superficiality, following patterns, detachment, straightness, lack of originality.
Commercials often use a very straightforward message: if you want "happiness" - buy a product, appealing to rational characteristics: gender, age, etc. In the world there is a tendency to apply more to the inner world of a person. The most impressive commercials are those where you can see the humanity, pathos and depth (Tullamore Dew), often not without irony.
Among other things, to understand the contemporary context and proper communication with the audience, especially the young, one should be oriented in a variety of cultural trends, including anime, comic books and a variety of musical styles. Comics, according to Dmitry, - is the "transition" to the visual perception of a word, which was not available to us during the "Iron Curtain", which largely determines the difference in creativity between us and, for example, America.
Content helps to build a relationship between the brand and the company. To achieve success, you need a change in the communication approach.
Creative industries are now in search of insights. Under the insight it's necessary to understand some human truth that we do not speak about, but which is close to each of us. And if in the twentieth century the consumer was satisfied with manifestos, in the twenty-first century, the consumer believes only in actions and results, that means experience.
In order to be successful in the modern world:
Key trends in 2015:
Talking about product placement in a modern context, Dmitry highlighted the following important points:
There are two problems in Ukraine: there are no cool brands that can enter a good story, but what is worse - there is no worthy stories.
Ukraine can and must create a new context and new media. The war became the cause of major changes in society and in each of us. Until 2013 no one in Ukraine perceived social projects. Now this is a successful trend.
Ukraine can make a huge breakthrough and change the industry, if we can bring into the country leading professionals from around the world and Ukrainian experts will study under them.
