Creative Crackdown, Barnhart Campaign
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The fifth submission in our running series is up for your honest critique. Once again, our friends from Tequila (moniker TQLA\LA) TBWA\Chiat\Day’s in-house interactive shop, will be joining us to give their take on the work. We also welcome a team from Merkley + Partners in NY (moniker M+P) to get in on the critique. Here’s the set-up for this ad campaign from Barnhart.
Libraries across the nation have experienced significant declines in membership and usage over the past decade. With increased reliance on the Internet and greater use of bookstores, public libraries are losing relevance.
Wyoming Libraries created a comprehensive campaign to reengage people and communities in Wyoming with their local libraries. Although libraries do not have negative perceptions among lapsed and infrequent users, they are not top-of-mind.
The ‘Bringing the World to Wyoming’ campaign conveys there is more to the Wyoming public library than people know. The campaign idea features surprising, unexpected things that libraries offer, such as distinctive books, topical DVDs, and online resources, in a uniquely Wyoming context.
The campaign was launched statewide last year. Results have been outstanding as active library cardholders increased by 80,000 (an impressive increase in a state of about 500,000). Website traffic and material usage have also risen dramatically.
(Click the links to hear the radio spots and click the shots for a closer view of each piece).
Comments
Ben October 10, 2007
The idea behind the logo is
The idea behind the logo is sorta cool. The execution is abysmal. I mean, really really bad. The font, the kerning, the crap illustration, everything. Bad like whoa.
On the other hand, the print ads are really well executed.
Paul October 10, 2007
It’s funny how critical we
It’s funny how critical we are as “designers” and yet, do we ever look at things as the audience would? If I were living in Wyoming, I would most likely live on or near open space and probably have a simpler view of things (not that either of those are bad). With that in mind, I’d stop to read these ads, because they reference the lifestyle that I’m used to and something I may know very little about (hence, the reference to books at the library). I personally like this campaign. Nice idea on the logo and visual, without getting overly picky about whether or not the execution was done perfectly.
Bowen Mendeslon October 10, 2007
I like the idea of a visual
I like the idea of a visual solution to sell a place that deals in books. If I were the CD I would have pushed the visuals beyond the obvious to make them more interesting. The Trojan horse starts to accomplish that. I would’ve kept the line the same throughout. Changing the line makes it feel less of a big idea.
But a good campaign for a library nonetheless.
Bowen Mendelson
Copywriter Merkley and Partners
Lifter Baron October 10, 2007
I think that for what they
I think that for what they had to work with, they did something quirky and sort of appropriate. If its been taken as far as I think it could have gone, I doubt it. Paul brought up a good point earlier about the audience view. I think we to soon forget the goal. Its hard to step back on this one… I’m not sure how much I can relate to Wyoming anyway so..
JOEL October 11, 2007
Every logo doesn’t have to be
Every logo doesn’t have to be tight. The roughness of the logo makes it fit Wyoming better than some slickly over-analyzed mark. The type could use some work, but that face fits Wyoming. The fact that the logo is built on a solid concept is enough for me. The campaign visuals are nicely executed. They could be pushed farther, but I can see how using an icon could help get the point to the widest audience.
Paul October 12, 2007
I love Bowen’s comment about
I love Bowen’s comment about keeping the same headline. The first ad’s headline would’ve worked great with the second. Good thought.
d October 13, 2007
I really like the ads. The
I really like the ads. The lines are good. The retouching is great. and the stack of books is very fresh and fresh and interesting.
I also like the mark for the logo.
The only thing I don’t like so much is the kerning on the logo and placement of type with logo.
Nice work barnhart people.
RE October 16, 2007
Lifter wrote: The fact that
Lifter wrote: The fact that the logo is built on a solid concept is enough for me.
Ohh.. I dunno.. concept alone is half the battle. I agree, the cowboy riding the book is cool. Conceptual stuff. A+. But you could drive a truck.. urrr ummm a heard of cattle through the kerning in WYOMING. I’m a type snob.. as we all should be. I’m not quite sure rough kerning was the intention. It can be rough.. but it should be balanced first.. then rough it up.
Poor type is an epidemic in design. The Wyoming could be improved.. but I’m awarding the logo my shining star of approval on concept alone.. next time “Krone-it”.