RooM Trend Reports come freshly produced on a weekly basis: they focus
on the big issues that help define our creative and visual futures.
Our specially tailored Reports cover subjects from business and advertising, to entertainment and the arts and
much more. From the thought provoking to the downright bizarre our researchers will find it, package it and post
it for free – if it’s trending of course.
Each week day, starting Monday, we post through our social media channels, daily teasers on that week’s Trend
Report, then on Friday we package up the whole Report and post it here along with a very useful summary and a
handy downloadable PDF. Enjoy.
11
OCT
2013
Going Local - Europe
Getting some local color, taste, and culture is big in advertising. Brands want to appear both global and targeting local markets at the same time.
As communication has become easier, connecting to every corner of the world is simple. Visually, this translates as adding some local cultural nuances to images and film, whether it’s a subtle background or a loud and proud full on cultural attack on the senses!
Spirit, Culture and Tradition
Credit:
Columbus
Credit: Bertolli UK
Brands dealing in travel, tourism and travel insurance often like to use images that give a street level perspective and subtle nuances to add energy to campaigns featuring European cities and culture.
Columbus Insurance’s ‘Happy To Go There’ campaign employs such energy with this image from the La Tomatina Festival in Buriol, Valencia. There’s no location in shot, but the event itself immediately identifies the place.
Bertolli, have never shied away from making the most of Mediterranean tradition in their TV commercials. Their May 2013 UK TV ad, 'Enjoy Life, Enjoy Bertolli', shows a traditional setting of women dining at a table on a beach. The table is laden with beautiful regional food, so even without being told the specific location, the visual clues evoke the spirit of the Mediterranean.
TV Ad YouTube
Urban Appeal
Credit: Volkswagen,
Agency: DDB Spain
Credit: Samsung, Nick Turpin
The best advertising is about people, but the best ads work when they have hints of a location or a visual style that feels localized. These great print ad examples show how one person is the focus of the ad, but how the details in the architecture place them in a European setting.
Volkswagen’s May 2013 photobombing ad in Spain has some great detail in the location, whilst keeping the ad very much about the people. It feels totally observed, yet the ad is set up and all the people in the ad are hired talent. Even if the location is not a traditional view of Spain, it feels completely European.
The same is true of this ad for Samsung by street photographer nick turpin. It is a great everyday moment, with the product placement unobtrusive. It evokes the feel of Amsterdam by capturing real life without cultural clichés.
Get Active
Credit: Leo Burnett, Spain
A big trend across European advertising is to show people being active, whether it is a morning run or families spending time outdoors together.
Insurance company Axa ran their 'Running Together' campaign in Spain. The film depicts testimonials by real local people that resonate with the audience. The ad also features some lovely local architectural and landscape details.
Again the people are the focus, but the hints of location add context and offer a local feel that resonates with a global audience.
TV Ad: YouTube
The Personal Perspective
Agency: MCDB for Waitrose
More and more brands are going for a user-generated feel to bring a more personal experience to their campaigns.
This ad from Azonzo Travel is low on the glitz and romance usually associated with sightseeing in Paris, but it has a fun ‘vacation snap’ quality to it that immediately resonates with the audience.
Even though the sky is grey and the lighting conditions are not great, the concept is strong enough, and the man happy and relaxed, that the message really works.
Visual Trends
Credits: Fage, Agency AMV BBDO
We get Greece, vintage style, in this stunning ad from Fage, makers of Total Greek yogurt. To celebrate the brand’s longevity (founded in 1926) the ad has a narrative quality, like that of an old European movie, and filtered to look vintage.
The ad feels totally authentic when focusing on subtle details of architecture like the window shutters or home interior and the landscape and town is visually inviting. The whole ad has a soft golden feel to it and is a great example of how filters and treatment can work when it really supports the subject matter.
TV Ad: YouTube
Summary
Shooting tips from this weeks trend:
- Capture the energy of festivals and local, but globally recognized, events from street level.
- It's the everyday things with the addition of cultural nuances, colors, tastes and sights that clients love.
- Details make a huge difference to shots. From indentifiable city views, architecture, transport etc. But the people should always be the heroes.
- A personal perspective adds value to European travel images as it immediately resonates with the audience.
- Use filters only when they support the subject. Don't use them to improve boring or poor quality shots.
Download PDF
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Hot Brief
Environment
05/09/2014 -
Environment, our latest Hot Brief – Caring for the environment and living an eco-friendly lifestyle still runs through advertising, but it's not all about recycling bins and green arrows, this is your opportunity to impress stock clients with innovative, everyday environmental ideas.
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Hot Brief
Leisure and Hobbies
07/08/2014 -
Leisure and Hobbies, our latest Hot Brief – we all pursue leisure activities and hobbies, and for top brands they convey life affirming concepts. Stock clients use this type on content on a daily basis, so get shooting.
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Hot Brief
Female rising
24/07/2014 -
Female Rising, our latest Hot Brief – brands are replacing stereotypes of women with images that represent the gender in a diverse and positive way, and our clients want the same from our photographers.
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Hot Brief
Exercise
10/07/2014 -
Exercise, our latest Hot Brief – images of self improvement and personal achievement through exercise are dominating advertising by the coolest brands and our clients are asking for them too!
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Hot Brief
Friends
25/06/2014 -
Friends, our very first Hot Brief – based on in depth client feedback, it's what they are asking for, time and again.
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Business and Technology
30/05/2014 -
This month we look at 5 tricks to achieving success business images.
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Kids in the Family
30/04/2014 -
This month we look at 5 trends focusing on children’s role in the family unit.
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Looking ahead in 2014 part 2
21/03/2014 -
5 more hot trends in photography for 2014
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Looking ahead in 2014
14/02/2014 -
We’re going to kick this year’s Trend Reports off with an overview of 5 predicted trends for photography...
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Christmas And New Year
17/12/2013 -
The Holiday Season has arrived. Here's 5 of the best ads.
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Families
4/12/2013 -
See how family dynamics are depicted in recent advertising
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Going Local: Asia
15/11/2013 -
See how advertisers use their own countries cultural and travel iconography to promote all kinds of products and services to consumers across the Asian continent
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Going Local:
Australasia
01/11/2013 -
Advertising with a local vibe is extremely popular. From instantly recognizable landmarks and travel icons to cultural nuances, leisure activities and tastes, sights and smells, Australasia can be captured for advertising in various ways.
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Celebrations
25/10/2013 -
With big annual celebrations like Halloween and Thanksgiving just around the corner, see how advertising loves a celebration.
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Going Local: America
18/10/2013 -
See how advertisers use their own countries cultural and travel icons to promote all kinds of products and services to American consumers
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Going Local: Europe
11/10/2013 -
European cultural icons and local people are used to great effect in huge ad campaigns and ads with a more personal touch. Check out this weeks top 5.
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Male Grooming
04/10/2013 -
See how advertisers avoid using the word “beauty” and the different ways they approaching a potentially sensitive subject.
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Healthy
Kids
27/09/2013 -
See how advertising is using fun, color, taste and education to promote a healthier diet for kids!
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Gardening
20/09/2013 -
See how advertising is using a simple pleasure like gardening and our connection with the natural world to promote a happier lifestyle.
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Child's
Play
13/09/2013 -
See how advertisers connect with adult consumers using images of childhood.
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Small
Business
06/09/2013 -
See how advertisers use images of real small business people to connect with consumers in a genuine down to earth way.
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Cycling
30/08/2013 -
This week we take a look at brands making most out of
the cycling craze to push their products. -
Food
Outdoors
23/08/2013 -
Eating outdoors, BBQs and picnics is nothing new but brands are focusing on the connection between dining outdoors and family. Here are 5 great trends.
