AFTER EIGHT MINTS PROJECT

RESEARCH :

The research role was given to the creative advertiser student however was not completed, therefore this role was taken on. Research involved looking into the previous target audience, point of advertisement and stereotypes. 

- It was evident that the previous after eights were advertised as a ‘after dinner party treat’

- It was also clear that dinner parties have moved on a lot since After Eight first launched in 1962

-Previous advertisements also included sexist comments 

-What stood out the most however was how the brand targeted an upper class audience or created the desire for the product towards middle class audiences through being glamourised within the advertisement.

INITIAL IDEAS :

Helvetica was used in some of the first initial designs. The Simplicity of Helvetica allowed the photography to stand and is also a highly legible font. Helvetica also has a contemporary, trendy tone suited to appealing to modern-day target audience. Using Helvetica for the body text also separates the body text from the logotype as they contrast one another. 

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The celebrities selected for this advertisement are popular music artists amongst this particular target audience. As potential new consumers trust these artists, the effect of using them in this advertisement, builds trust between these new potential consumers and the brand. Using these artists within the advertisement also brings the brand into a new contemporary audience through being noticed and identified by groups that before might not have

Fig, 1 and Fig, shows famous rapper, Tyler the Creator sat at what is subtlety suggested as a luxury dinner. The scene is suited as it suggests eating after dinner, the time when you have an after eight. On the plate next to rolled up napkin, in front of Tyler the creator is a after eight mint on a plate. Rappers are known for often showing off their luxury goods as they have come from hard times before whereby they didn’t have these goods. Referring back to research done before on old after eights advertisement, after eights were often advertised as luxury chocolate however over the years has lost both it being a luxury chocolate and being popular. Therefore, fig, 1 and fig 4, aim to bring back the luxury tone of voice to the brand as well as a new modern-day target audience.  

The font ‘Harbor’ was then used. Harbor was chosen as it is a unique typeface that combines elements of blackletter and Latin letterforms. Because this font has elements of blackletter, the font gives off an old age, traditional tone. However, next to a modern-day artist, the design creates a juxtaposition that gives off both the nostalgic classic feel of after eights with also a trendy, and modern-day style. 

The use of black and white photography allows the recognizable after eights shade of green to stand out. This is important as it allows the brand to be easily recognized. 

Feedback from the creative advertiser stated that although using photographs were effective, using only type within the designs could be successful as the quotes alone are highly effective. Therefore, designs moved towards being type based without any imagery.