Chapter Fourteen
PRODUCING ADS FOR PRINT, ELECTRONIC, AND DIGITAL MEDIA

 

Objectives

To present an overview of how ads and commercials are produced for print, electronic, and digital media.  With their dynamic effect on the production process, computers now give advertisers many more options for saving money, time, and enhancing production quality.  However, to control cost and quality, advertisers still need a basic knowledge of the processes and methods used in printing and broadcasting as well as in the new digital media.  (p. 438)
After studying this chapter, your students will be able to:

• Discuss the role of computers in the print production process.
• Explain the process ads and brochures go through from initial concept through final production.
• Discuss how materials for printing are prepared for the press.
• Explain the development process for radio and TV commercials from initial concept through final production.
• Describe the major types of TV commercials.
• Understand how to save money in radio and television production.
• Discuss the opportunities for special effects in television.
• Explain how the major types of digital media are useful to advertisers.
•  

Teaching Tips and Strategies

This chapter will help students realize the importance of producing ads for different mediums.  I like to use websites that describe the different processes/finished products in my lectures.

Here is a list of a couple of great websites you could use in your lecture if you desire:

http://agency.travelwisconsin.com/Programs/IndexF.shtm
-This website has a PowerPoint presentation that I sometimes use that goes over what it takes to create an advertising campaign.  The site is maintained by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.  (This site has PowerPoint’s that convey how to design a print ad, a television ad, radio ad etc.) 

I recommend taking ads from the book or have students bring in their own ads where the students can go through the process to understand what went into creating the final product.  (P. 448, Exhibit 14-3 shows examples of the print production process that you might find useful during this exercise).

http://www.creativepart.com/print.htm
-This website is great for conveying to students several well laid out print ads.

I find that teaching this chapter hands on after going through the concepts, helps students to get a better feel for what is involved in producing ads for all mediums.

On page 446 figure 14-2, the graph conveys the different costs of a television commercial.  I find that students find these figures very interesting and surprising at the same time.  Also, Do not forget on pages 454-463 takes the student through each step of the Toyota RAV4 production process.  Having students read this and then discussing the specific steps will lead to a better understanding of the production process.

Lecture Outline

• Introduction (pp. 439-441) — The 2001 Toyota RAV4 had been completely redesigned, so the client wanted something truly exceptional to reposition and relaunch the vehicle.  As the agency, Saatchi & Saatchi’s responsibility was to deliver.  Toyota delivered the agency a 60-80 page strategy document that detailed the company’s objectives for the RAV4, the product concept, the positioning strategy and rationale, and the intended market.  As the Account Director, it was Paul Silverman’s responsibility along with his staff to deliver.  Summary of how the creative team went about doing just that.
• Managing the Advertising Production Process (p. 441).  Since careful management is the key to success in producing advertising, management issues are examined before the details of the production process.

A.  The Role of the Production Manager or Producer (p. 441).  Every ad or commercial represents the completion of a highly complex process that includes many steps, such as the reproduction of visuals in full color, the shooting and editing of scenes, the precise specification and placement of type, and the checking, approving, duplicating, and shipping of final art, negatives, tape, or film to various communication media.  These tasks are usually the responsibility of a print production manager or, for electronic media, a producer.  The overall responsibility of the manager is to keep the project moving smoothly and under budget, while maintaining the required level of quality through every step of the production process.  Production managers and producers perform four classic functions of management: planning, organizing, directing, and controlling.
1.   Planning and Organizing (p. 442).  Allocation of time is an important facet of management.  The production manager must anticipate irregularities and where they will occur within each phase.   Exhibit 14-1 Time allocation comparison (p. 442)
2.   Directing and controlling (p. 442).  The supervision of the production staff is another important management challenge.  The production manager has to also keep up with the technological changes occurring in print and electronic production, including the emerging forms of digital media (multimedia, interactive media, and online networks).  Print production managers can lose tens of thousands of their client's or agency's dollars (and their jobs) by forgetting to double-check details of print production and the work of their staff.
B.   Managing Production Costs (p. 442)
A good production manager continually monitors the time spent on a job and the charges submitted by outside suppliers so as to not exceed the budget.  The big effort is to control "unplanned costs."       
1.   Common Budget Busters (p. 442).  Advertising managers should be aware of five things that commonly break budgets: inadequate planning, production luxuries, overtime, special equipment and finally, hierarchy of decision makers.  International advertisers are subject to taxes, and foreign taxation not only varies widely from one country to the other, it can change unexpectedly.   
2.   Managing the Cost of Print Production (p. 442).  The term print production refers to the systematic process an approved design goes through from concept to final publication in a printed medium such as magazines, newspapers, or collateral materials like brochures and direct-mail packages.
a.   Print production managers must translate the rough and comprehensive design into a final assembly of black-and-white artwork called a "mechanical" or "paste-up," making sure the mechanical is converted into a correct set of negatives for the printer to make printing plates.  Much of the RAV4 ad was produced at a high quality engraver, a subcontractor who provides "prepress graphic services" (such as making negatives from artwork or disk).  Costs for such services must be monitored closely.
b.   Paper costs affect budgets.  A short run of 2,000 sheets would constitute a relatively small "variable cost" compared to the "fixed cost" of preparing and running the press.  However, a long run of 100,000 sheets would result in a very large paper cost while the press costs would actually remain about the same.
c.   For sheet fed printing jobs (where individual sheets of paper are fed into the press); the cost of paper averages about 22 percent of the job.  Huge Web presses, which typically perform large jobs rapidly, use enormous rolls of paper and inks that dry instantly when heated (heat set).  The paper costs for Web printing average about 35 percent.
3.   Managing the Cost of Electronic Production (p. 443).  The term electronic production refers to the process of converting a script or storyboard into a finished commercial for use on radio, TV, or digital media.  While the overall process is similar to print production, the technical details and the costs of electronic production are quite different.  The result may be audio or videotape, motion picture film, TV, or digital format like CD-ROM or floppy disk.
a.   Radio is the least expensive electronic medium to produce because it deals with the single dimension of sound. 
1)   Equipment and labor costs are less than for TV production — there is no need for hair stylists, makeup artists, or cue card holders.  Commercials are duplicated on inexpensive audiotape. 
2)   The primary control factors are the costs of talent and music.
3)   Celebrity talent can be very expensive.  Even when paid at scale (regular charge agreed to in the union contract), costs can mount with multiple voice, commercial aired in many markets, and aired over a long period of time, with addition residual fees to be paid with repeated use.
b.   Television — The broad coverage and impact of TV is needed by many companies.  With high costs for equipment and labor, TV production costs are large — the average cost in 1999 to produce a 30-second spot was $340,000.
Exhibit 14-2 Average cost to produce a TV commercial (p. 444), A14-1 (p.444)
1)   Some believe that high cost celebrity talent and extravagant effects are required to get attention and increase memorability.  However, studies show that an ad that features a brand differentiation message along with a demonstration of the product is actually more effective and costs less (average of 28% less).
2) Numerous factors can torture TV production budgets.  They include the use of children and animals, superstar talent and directors, large casts, animation, involved opticals, special effects, stop-motion photography, using both location and studio shooting for one commercial, expensive set decoration or construction, additional shooting days, and major script changes during a shoot. 
c.   Digital media — the computer has engendered a whole new class of digital media.  This has dramatically increased the importance of the tasks performed by the agency producer and creative staff and made it critical for them to stay current with new recording and duplicating process as well as special effects technology. 
1)   Past agency multimedia presentations used fast-paced slide shows to display their portfolios.  Now they use laser pointers with sensors that signal computerized RGB projectors to control the audio-visual and run adjunct equipment such as videotape with complete graphics and special effects.  Doing this in a cost-effective manner is a challenge.
2)   Kiosks, stand-alone cabinets housing computers, featuring touch-screen interactivity, a printer, and, in some cases, credit-card reader.  158,000 kiosks in 1998, with expectations to exceed 750,000 by 2004.  Agencies prepare storyboards, electronic images, and production managers must know presentation and image software, and know reliable suppliers for cabinet fabrication and computer hardware installation.
3)   Ads created on computer for use on computers — production managers must construct ads using off-the-shelf image and text development software for direct computer use, but Internet advertising also requires skills in computer programming.  Prices for subcontracting range from $50 to $150 per hour.

• The overall production process for creating images, graphic design, texts, and interactive digital programs for various electronic media is similar to working in print.
• The Print Production Process (p. 445)

            Consists of four major phases: preproduction, production, prepress, and printing and distribution.
 Exhibit 14-3 The print production process (p. 446)  A14-2 (p.446)
 RL 14-3 “The Print Production Process” (Website) 
A.  The Preproduction Phase: Planning the Project (p. 445) Preproduction begins when the creative department submits the approved creative concepts — rough or comprehensive layout and copy — to the production department. 
1.   The production manager's first task is to log the project into the department's "traffic system" and open a job jacket for storing the various pieces of artwork and ideas that will be generated throughout the process.
2.   The next task is to examine the general nature of the job and consider some efficiency questions:
a.   What equipment will be needed?
b.   How will we get one — by leasing?
c.   What materials are needed?
d.   What human resources are necessary — freelance needed?
3.   Working backward from publication closing dates (deadlines), the production manager decides when each step of the work must be completed.                    
4.   Typography and copy casting (p. 446)
Art directors select type styles to enhance the desired personality of the product and complement the tone of the ad.  Typefaces affect an ad's appearance, design, and readability.  Typography is the art of selecting and setting type.  Advertising artists should consider four important concepts when selecting type: readability, appropriateness, harmony/appearance, and emphasis.
  Ad Lab 14-A “The Characteristics of Type” (p. 448)
a.   Artists who plan to buy type outside must still copy cast (or copy fit) to forecast the total block of space they type will occupy in relation to the typeface's letter size and proportions.  There are two ways to fit copy: the word-count method and the character-count method
b.   Word-count method (p. 446).  Words in the copy are counted and the then divided by the number of words per square inch that can be set in a particular type style and size according to a standard table.
c.   Character-count method (p. 446) — more accurate.  The number of characters (letters, word spaces, and punctuation marks) is counted; the average number of characters per pica for each typeface is calculated; and this determines how much space the copy will fill. 
d.   A decade ago, copyfitting was essential for all artists; but now type can be manipulated in minutes on computers.  However, by estimating the amount of text while in draft form, the artist can recommend early if the text needs to be edited to fit final art.
e.   To make ads unique and exclusive, some advertisers commission new type designs.  In other cases, companies tailor typography to blend with the magazine or newspaper in which an ad is to appear (see Epilogue: "The Complete Campaign").
4.   Planning the Job (p. 447).  The overall purpose of preproduction is to plan the job thoroughly, which usually entails making a number of strategic choices before launching into full production. 
a.   Color has to be selected, using a color system like the PANTONE® system. 
b.   Which printing process and which type of printing press to use for the job? 
 RL 14-3 “Choosing the Best Method of Printing” (Website)
c.   The type of paper to be used:
1)   Writing paper is commonly used paper for letter and fliers; bond paper is the most durable form of writing paper.
2)   Text is widely used for commercial purposes, text stock comes in many types:  uncoated (news stock, antique finish, machine finish, English finish) and coated (chalk is compressed on one or both sides) which comes in gloss and matte finishes and is used in upscale magazines, industrial brochures, and fine-quality annual reports.
3)   Cover papers are thicker, tougher, and more durable, cover stocks are used as soft covers, direct-mail pieces, and brochure covers.   
d.   Finally, the production manager must decide early in the process, which is most important for a particular project: speed, quality, or economy. 
5.   Once all these decisions are made, the manager can begin the production phase.
B.   The Production Phase: Creating the Artwork (p. 447) Involves setting up the artwork and typesetting, completing ancillary functions such as illustration or photography, and then melding all these components into a final tangible form for the printer or publisher.
 Portfolio Review: “Creative Department: From Concept through Production of a Magazine Ad and TV Commercial” (p. 452-461)
1.   Creating the Visual (p. 450).  The visual may be a photo or an illustration – or even a combination.  The visuals may come from a stock house or an original may be commissioned by the agency, as in the case of the Toyota RAV4.  There may be other considerations, too, which typically add complexity and cost to the job.
2.   Preparing Mechanicals (p. 450).  To create the art for an ad, brochure or package, the production artist normally begins by marking out a grid on which to lay the type and art.  The production artist then specifies the style and size of the typefaces for the text and inputs this information, along with the copy, into the computer.  Mandatories (logos, signatures, slogans, phone numbers, Wed addresses, etc.) must also be input.  Whenever an additional color is to be printed, a second artboard marked to the same dimensions is used for the second image.  The second image may by glued onto a clear plastic overlay that lies on top of the first image (called the base art).  The art elements must be properly positioned in the artwork — whether mechanical or computer generated — because the printer needs to have layers of art that can be reproduced individually.  Since the printer must photograph each layer to make separate plates, this kind of artwork is called camera-ready art.  Today, this manual procedure is easily performed by the computer, with each layer assigned within the software so that printouts of negatives or paper positive images are printed out for each layer with marks for proper registration.
3.   Camera-ready Art and Halftones (p. 451).  Production art for the printing process is like an on/off switch: where the art is black, ink will stick; where the art is white, ink will not stick.
a.   Line art.  Normal photographic paper produces images in continuous tones — black and white with shades of gray in between.  Printing presses cannot print gray.  So printers use orthographic film, a high-contrast film yielding only black-and-white images with no gray tones. 
To reproduce a drawing created by using lines of black ink on white paper, the drawing is simply photographed as is — thus, the high-contrast film will reproduce the drawing accurately.  In both cases, the high-contrast photographic film is called line film.  From that, a line plate is produced for printing.
b.   Halftone screens — If the drawing is in pencil, for example, then there are shades of gray (continuous-tone artwork), the artwork must be photographed using a halftone screen — a technique that converts the gray lines and shades of gray into tiny dots.  These dots vary in size and thereby cover the paper in varying degrees.  Thus, if these dots were printed in black ink, for example, some would be close together and cover most of the white paper underneath (making the area appear dark) while, in another area of the image, the dots would be smaller and farther apart, allowing much of the white paper to show (making the area appear much lighter).  This combination of dots, when printed, produces an optical illusion of shading, as in a photograph. 
c.   The fineness of the halftone screen determines the quality of the illusion.  Magazines using glossy, coated stock use halftone screens with 200 dots per line of dots per inch (called "200 dpi").  Newspapers use ink-absorbent paper so the line screen must be coarser so the ink has room to spread without creating dots that touch, typically 80 to 100 dpi.
d.   The artist’s final step in the production phase is to mark any halftones and line art for size and indicate where they should be placed.  The artist pastes a photocopy on the art in its exact location with the letters FPO (For Position Only) across the copied image so the printer knows it is not the actual final art.
C.   The Prepress Phase: Stripping, Negs, and Plates (p. 462).  In the prepress phase, the printer makes a plate from the base art and one from each overlay.  Each paste-up (mechanical) has to be photographed separately.  The various layers of line art and halftones are converted to film negatives, which are then carefully mounted together in perfect registration — through a process known as stripping — onto opaque sheets called flats.
1.   Printing in Color (p. 462).  A printing plate can print only one color at a time.  To print in full color, the four-color process is used.  This process can simulate nearly all colors by combining the four primary colors: process red (magenta), process blue (cyan), process yellow, and black (this is simulated using plastic overlays in the Creative Department section of this chapter).  In the parlance of the trade, this is called CMYK printing, the K standing for black.  Thus, one plate is made for each of the four process colors in order to print a final full color image on paper.
Designs that do not need full color are printed in blended inks rather than process colors.  To print a brochure in black and burgundy, it is cheaper to use only two ink colors rather than black and three process colors.  A PANTONE® color, one of a spectrum of colors that makes up the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM® (PMS), is a single ink premixed according to a formula and given a specific color number.  The PANTONE® swatch book features over 100 colors in solid and screen blocks printed on different paper finishes.
2.   Four-Color Separations (p. 463).  Four separate halftone negatives are needed to make a set of four-color plates: one each for cyan, yellow, magenta, and black.
a.   Each of the resulting negatives appears in black and white, and the set is called the color separation.  In printing, the process colors are translucent, so two or three colors can overlap to create another color; green is reproduced by overlapping yellow and cyan dots.  (See the tranvision overlays in the Creative Department: "From Concept through Production of a Magazine Ad and TV Commercial.")
b.   Today, sophisticated electronic scanning systems — such as workstations from Silicon Graphics, Hell Scriptmaster, Scitex, and Crosfield — can produce four-color separations and screens in one process, along with enlargements or reductions.  All this can be accomplished in minutes instead of hours or days previously needed for camera work and hand etching.
D.  The Duplication and Distribution Phase: Printing, Binding, and Shipping (p. 463).  The last phase of the print production process involves the actual printing, proofing, and finishing steps of drying, cutting, binding and shipping.
1.   The Press Run (p. 463).  Once the paper, plates, and ink are readied, the press is started and stopped until the initial proofs show good alignment to allow for maximum output.  In multicolor printing, proper alignment of all colors is critical.  After proofing samples, the press is allowed to run at higher speeds to get the job done.
2.   Finishing (p. 463).  Once all the pieces are printed, the ink must dry (unless heat-set or cold-set inks are used).  The excess paper is cut away.  The pieces may then be delivered to special subcontractors who emboss or die-cut or perform other special techniques to enhance the final print piece.  The last step is the binding and then the item is ready for shipping.
IV.       Quality Control in Print Production (p. 463). 
At various stages of the print production process, the production manager needs to check that quality is maintained.  As many agencies now send artwork on disk to subcontractors and media, the production manager must proof all the details.  Finally, the production manager must check all proofs for errors and obtain approvals from agency and client executives before releasing ads to publications or artwork to printers.
A.  Production Phase Quality Issues (p. 464). 
The task of quality control really begins in the production phase.  Art must be proofed for misspellings, mismeasured lines, improperly sized images, misplaced crop marks, and a myriad of other minutiae that could be a problem later.
B.   Prepress Quality Issues (p. 464). 
The production manager must check and double-check, even triple-check, the final negatives before they are sent to a magazine.
1.   Ways to Proof Print Production (p. 464).  When printing collateral materials or projects like brochures, the production manager will see:
a.   Blueline proof — is a proof that is created by shining light through the negatives and exposing a light-sensitive paper that turns from white to blue.  The blueline helps reveal scratches and flaws in the negatives.  It also serves as proof for folding, binding and trimming.
b.   Color keys and analog or digital proofs — the analog proof (also called a chromalin) uses a series of four very thin sheets of plastic pressed together.  Each layer's light-sensitive emulsion turns one of the process colors when exposed to specific wavelengths of light.  The color key is a less expensive form of the chromalin with relatively thick plastic sheets that can be lifted up (very much like the four plastic overlays in the Creative Department section of this chapter).  The most recent innovation is the digital proof (Iris, Rainbow) that uses ink-jet styled technology at lower cost than earlier proofs.
c.   Press proof — when the presses begin printing, the press operator "pulls" a few proofs to check plate alignment and ink densities.
2.   What to Look for in a Proof (p. 464).  When checking proofs, production managers and art directors look for any scratches, minute holes or dots, blemishes, or unevenness of ink coverage.  Using a loupe (magnifying glass), they inspect the dot pattern in halftones to assure registration.  They also check for:
a.   Traps are where the edge of one color or shade overlaps its neighbor by a fraction of an inch.  When colored type is printed over a different background color, a matching area of white (called a reverse knockout) must show through the background color.  Otherwise, the background color will discolor the original color of the type.  Accurate plate registration on the press is required to get good trapping on the paper.  To help assure that traps are good, printers can slightly underexpose the negative (keeps the emulsion thicker, slightly reducing the area to be kept free of background ink).  Since a significantly large trap can make letters appear to be outlined, the negative for the type can be overexposed (making the negative a bit thinner, which slightly reduces the outside edge around the letters.
  Exhibit 14-4 An example of a trap (p. 465)
b.   To save money, it is best to overprint typesetting in black ink over background colors.  If type is to be changed in subsequent printings, black type means that only the negative and plate for black ink will need changing.  When printing colored type, it must be printed with white underneath to show the true color.  Thus, reverse knockouts mask the background color to allow white paper to show where the colored ink for the type is printed (requires careful trapping).
c.   Bleeds are color, type, or visuals that run all the way to the edge of the page.  Artists must allow one-quarter inch for the ink to run off the page area so that when excess paper is cut, the ink will be wide enough to compensate for any error in trimming.
V.        The Radio Commercial Production Process (p. 465)
Radio commercials, called spots, are among the quickest, simplest, and least expensive ads to produce.  Spots read by announcer live run about 130-150 words per minute.  The process of producing a recorded commercial includes:
 Exhibit 14-5 The three production phases of radio commercials (p. 465)  A14-3 (p.465)
A.  Preproduction (pp. 466). 
In the preproduction phase, the advertiser and agency perform a variety of tasks that allow production to run smoothly, on time, and within budget.  The agency assigns a producer from its staff or hires a freelance producer.  Based on the script, the radio producer selects a studio and a director, determines what talent will be needed, estimates costs, and prepares a budget for the advertiser's approval.  The producer (or a casting director) searches for the right talent, looking for tone of voice, vocal acting skills, creativity, intelligence, style of thinking, and reputation.  If the script calls for music, the producer decides whether to use prerecorded music or hire a composer and/or arranger.  The director supervises rehearsals until everything is ready for recording.

B.   Production: Cutting the Spot (p. 466). 
All the elements to be used in the commercial — voices, music, sound effects — come together and are recorded at a session, a process that can last from a half-hour to a whole day.
1.   The Sound Studio (p. 466) has sound-dampening wall surfaces, a carpeted floor, microphones, a window to a control room, and wall plugs for connecting equipment and instruments to the control room.  Studio technicians and engineers carefully select, disperse, and aim the appropriate microphones to capture the full spectrum of sounds.
2.   The control room (p. 466).  The agency producer, director, and sound engineer sit in the control room, where they can monitor all the sounds generated in the sound studio and discuss the various takes.  The director and sound engineer work at an audio console (board), the central "switchboard" for controlling the sounds and channeling them to the appropriate recording devices.  The board also serves as a sound mixer, blending both live and prerecorded sounds for immediate or delayed broadcast.
C.   Postproduction: Finishing the Spot (p. 467).  The sound engineer usually records music, sound effects, and vocals separately, then mixes, and sweetens during the postproduction (or finishing) phase.  The final recording is referred to as the master tape.  The engineer makes duplicates, called dubs, which are then sent to radio stations for broadcast.
VI.       The Television Commercial Production Process (p. 467)
Saatchi & Saatchi determines RAV4 ad approach and appoints commercial producer.
A.  The Role of the Commercial Producer (p. 467).
Today, ad producers must be generalists, able to work with a variety of technicians and have extensive budget savvy.  The process of producing a TV commercial always involves three stages: 
  Exhibit 14-6 the production process for film and videotape (p. 468)  A14-4 (p.468)
1.   The Preproduction Phase (p. 468) — All the work prior to the actual day of filming — the purpose of the preproduction phase is for proper planning which can save advertisers a lot of money.  The first thing the producer must do, therefore, is study the script and storyboard and analyze the production techniques that will be called for in the commercial.  Three major categories of production techniques used today are:
a.   Live Action (p. 468) portrays people in everyday situations — the typical slice-of-life TV commercials.
 A14-5 example of special effects (p. 470)
b.   Animation (p. 469) refers to cartoons, dancing puppets, and demonstrations in which inanimate objects come to life — can effectively communicate difficult messages or reach special markets such as children.  Traditional animation techniques involve the use of cartoons, photo animation, stop-motion, photography, and video animation.
c.   Special effects (p. 469), such as moving titles and whirling logos can be done with a joystick.  All major video production companies today use dedicated digital video effects units (DVEs) that can manipulate graphics on the screen in a variety of ways.  Mnemonic device (Energizer Bunny or Jolly Green Giant).
d.   Planning Production (p. 470).  The commercial is a group effort
1)   The team includes a writer, art director, producer, director, and sometimes a musical composer and choreographer.  The agency producer, who is responsible for completing the job on schedule and within budget, usually sends copies of the storyboard to three studios for competitive bids.
2)   When the studio is chosen, the producer and casting director select the cast and hire the announcer.  Next, the set is built, and crew and cast rehearse under the director's supervision.
3)   During this period, preproduction meetings are necessary among agency producer, the account representative, the writer, the art director, the commercial director, possibly the advertiser, and anyone else important to the production, in order to iron out last-minute problems, and make final decisions about sets, action, lighting, and camera angles.
4)   A finished 60-second filmed commercial takes only 90 feet of film, but the shooting takes 3,000-5,000 feet of film.  Unlike videotape, film cannot be reused.
 Ad Lab 14-B “The Film Versus Tape Decision” (pp. 471, 472)
5)   The sound track may be recorded before, during, or after actual production.
B.   Production: The Shoot (p. 471).
The actual shooting day(s) can be very long and tedious and consist of some key fundamentals:
 Ethical Issue: “Closed Circuit Programming” (pp. 472, 473)
1.   Quiet on the Set: Sound (p. 471)
a.   Procedures for recording and controlling sound effects are similar to those used in radio.  Microphones record sound onto tape, sound engineer manipulates the sound for effect and records it to film, videotape, or a playback system synchronized with film.
b.   Original recording is the key to success — recording sound simultaneously with the on-screen action offers the best synchronization between sound and action.  A re-creation never quite matches the timing or feel of the original.
c.   High-quality sound-recording equipment is mandatory to curb the loss of fidelity that comes with rerecording.
2.   Lights (p. 471)
a.   Scenes are shot several times under different lights and from different angles. 
b.   A cinematographer (a motion picture photographer) can guess the range and intensity of light by studying its sources.  However, they use light meters to determine how to set the camera's lens aperture, the opening that controls the amount of light that reaches the file or videotape.  To record the correct color and brightness, all light sources must be in balance (some light sources are hotter, some cooler, and some appear redder or greener to film.  Lens and lamp filters are used to balance these variations).
3.   Camera (p. 472).  Professional film cameras used for making TV commercials shoot 16 millimeter, 35 mm, and 75 mm film, the diagonal measurement of a single file frame.  Heavy-duty studio video cameras mounted on a stand with wheels can carry a number of accessories, e.g., a lens-mounted Teleprompter — a two-way mirror, which allows the camera to see a spokesperson through the back of the mirror while he or she reads moving text, reflected off the front.
4.   Action: Staging and Talent (p. 473).  Staging for a commercial may be done in the isolation of a studio, outside on a studio lot, or on location at a site away from the studio and lot. 
a.   The studio offers the most control.  For scenes requiring large amounts of space, historic or unique architecture, scenery, and the full effect of outdoor lighting, the studio lot offers the best control.
b.   It is usually necessary for the talent (actors) to shoot a scene several times ("takes"). 
C.   Postproduction (p. 475)
In the postproduction phase, the film editor, sound mixer, and director actually put the commercial together. 
1.   The visual portion of the commercial appears on one piece of celluloid without the effects of dissolves, titles or supers (words superimposed on the picture). 
2.   The sound portion of the film is assembled separately.  This is called the work print stage (also called rough-cut or interlock) during which scenes may be substituted, music and sound effects added, or last minute changes made. 
3.   The mixed interlock includes the finished sound on one piece of celluloid and the almost completed visual on another piece of celluloid. 
4.   The answer print or final commercial is made when these two pieces are joined along with any required optical effects and titles.  When approved, dupes (copies) are made and delivered to the TV station for airing.
VII.      Producing Advertising for Digital Media (p. 475)
A.  The Emergence of Digital Media (p. 475)
The roots of this new phenomenon really go back to the 35mm camera and the lowly slide show.
1.   Sound + Music + Motion = Multimedia (p. 475).  Quick cutting from one slide to another, in sync with the music track and sound effects, suddenly created the feeling of motion.  This was the birth of the multimedia presentation, which simply refers to presenting information or entertainment using several communications media simultaneously.
2.   Multimedia + Computer Technology = Digital Media (p. 466).  Digital media are channels of communication that join the logic of multimedia formats with the electronic system capabilities and controls of modern telephone, television, and computer technologies.  Digital media are a subset of electronic media.
3.   Venues for Digital Media (p. 476) — the three categories of places where we experience digital media today are based on audience size:
a.   Mass audience venue — With hundreds of people in the live audience and millions more watching at home, the multimedia presentation in the show has a huge reach (e.g. the Academy Awards, sporting event ceremonies).
b.   Private audience venues — a major marketer's national sales meeting may use computer-driven multimedia presentations to inform, persuade, remind, and entertain people.
c.   Personal audience venue — is experiencing the most growth today — one person in front of a personal computer can receive multimedia information off the Internet, Prodigy or America Online.  Kiosks are interactive computers in a stand-alone cabinet and are used to sell products, inform, and entertain.  Individuals can create their own   multimedia shows using turnkey authoring programs such as HyperCard, Supercard, PowerPoint, Macromedia Director, and more).  Finally, interactive TV is becoming available as another personal audience venue where the audience can respond via a remote control.
B.   The Role of Digital Media in Advertising (p. 476).
Example: www.hotwired.com incorporated animation, video and other multimedia form interactive, personal audience venue (p. 477)
With the trend toward integrated marketing communications, the various digital media give marketers new ways to reach prospects and begin a relationship — or improve their relationship with current customers.  In Internet advertising, the advertiser can place a spot (like an electronic billboard) or set up a virtual storefront, called a Web page, on the server system for accessing by others, or list the company's or brand name on the Web page of another server.
C.   People Whom Produce Digital Media Advertising (p. 477).  Some experts predict a virtual revolution in creative style and effectiveness as creative people learn to deal with the new media, offering more information and less glitz.
D.  The Production Process (p. 478).
The production process is a hybrid of all the other processes previously discussed.  That is because some of the digital media are akin to print and outdoor media (computer billboards and home pages) while others are closely associated with television and radio.  The new media will introduce new costs e.g., platform licensing — a fee paid to original software developers for the special key codes that access multimedia programs on certain computer networks.
  RL 14-2 “Production Process for Digital Media”    (Website)

     AD LAB 14-A   “The Characteristics of Type” (pp. 448, 449)

Use the various figures and terms in this Ad Lab to answer the following:
1.  Describe the class, group, family, and size of type used in the title "Producing Ads for Print, Electronic, and Digital Media" which appears on the first page of this chapter.

Class:	Display Type
Group:	Sans Serif (gothic) Type
Family	ITC Garamond Light Italic
Size of type:	24/32 U/L

 

2.   Do the same for the captions that appear with the exhibits in this book.

Class:	Text Type
Group:	Serif (Roman) Type
Family:	ITC Garamond Light Italic
Size of Type:	6/12 U/L

In Windows XP, go to Control Panel Fonts and it will show examples of the many different types of fonts available.

     AD LAB 14-B   “The Film versus Tape Decision”        (p. 471)

Some products and some types of commercials are more effective shot on film, while others are better on videotape.  Make a list of three product categories (or three brands) and three types of commercials.  Describe which medium (film or tape) you think would be more effective in each case and why.
Answer guidelines:
a.   Advantages of film

• Projects a soft texture
• Large pool of skilled talent available
• Extremely flexible and versatile — can be used for numerous optical effects, slow motion, distance or mood shots, fast action and animation

b.   Advantages of videotape

• More brilliant picture and better fidelity
• Looks more realistic and appears to have a "live" quality
• More consistent in quality than film stock
• Provides an immediate playback so that work can be checked and redone while props and actors are still assembled
• Reduces editing time
• Videotape can be replayed forever while film can only be run about 25 times

c.   Mixing film and videotape — Some directors shoot on film to gain texture and sensitive lighting then dub onto videotape for editing.  This is more costly but gives the advantage of speed and the opportunity to see optical effects as they are edited.
Examples:
a.   Food products (e.g., International coffee — “these are the moments of your life” or “Beef, it’s what’s for dinner” with Robert Mitchum’s voice over): film is ideal for food because it projects a softer appearance and adds a texture that resembles “atmosphere.”
b.   Demonstrations (Game show promotion — products are shown with a model’s hand opening and closing the product while the announcer speaks): videotape appears sharper and less romantic than film to many audiences, factors that the discriminating eye of an experienced shopper will appreciate.

 

     ETHICAL ISSUE: “Closed Circuit Programming” (pp. 472, 473)

Here are some sample questions/answers that can be asked out of the Ethical Issue.
1.   What ethical issues should an advertiser be aware of when considering alteration of an existing photograph or illustration?  Enumerate and explain them.
Answer guidelines:
The fundamental concept is: credibility suffers when photographic images are morphed.  Media, reliant on a good reputation (reliable and credible), will suffer from even the suggestion of morphing.
An opposite attitude also springs from this concept: audiences for media vehicles based on “tabloid journalism” (e.g., The National Enquirer, or “A Current Affair,” etc.) already accept that most of the stories are rife with speculation and lack credibility; thus, they see morphing as entertainment, a part of the hoopla gossip and hype.
Advertising examples: High-think (high-involvement) purchases such as cars require advertising that takes a credible approach and shows the car’s features and details, whereas low-think (low-involvement) ads can have fun with morphing because the effect helps snag a consumer’s attention via a peripheral route to persuasion.  An ad for digital image manipulation software may be considered high think by some and an exception to the rule by others.
2.   Should photos and illustrations in ads carry some small-type disclaimer when the visual has been changed or computer enhanced?  Why or why not?
Yes, if the advertiser wishes to be totally honest and morally correct.

Review Questions

1.   What are the five common budget busters every production manager should be aware of? 
(pp. 442-443)
The five common budget busters are inadequate planning, production luxuries, overtime, special equipment, and hierarchy of decision makers.

2.   What is the primary role of the print production manager?  (pp. 445-446)
The primary role of the print production manager is to keep the project moving smoothly and under budget, while maintaining the required level of quality through every step of the production process.  Essentially, production managers and producers perform the four classic functions of management: planning, organizing, directing, and controlling.

3.   What does copy casting mean?  Explain how it is done.  (pp. 446-447)
Copy casting is the term for determining the amount of type that will fit into a designated space.  It may be accomplished by the word-count method (which will give an approximate count) or the character count method (which offers greater accuracy).

 

4.   What is a halftone?  Why is it important, and how is it produced?  (p. 451)
The halftone is the method by which most photographs and illustrations are printed.  By placing a halftone screen between the camera lens and the negative to be exposed, the artwork being screened is converted into a series of minute black dots.  The ratio between the dots and the amount of the white background allowed to show through creates the basis for the illusion of gray shades.  In the dark areas, the dots are large and block out white; in the gray areas they are spread more evenly with the background; and in the white areas they almost disappear.  The combination of big and little dots produces shading in the picture through an optical illusion.  Please see picture on (p. 451) for an example of a half tone.

5.   How are color photographs printed?  What are the potential problems with printing color? 
(pp. 462-464)
A printing plate can print only one color at a time.  This process can simulate nearly all visible colors by combining process red (magenta), process blue (cyan), process yellow, and process black.  To print in full color, the four-color process is used.  Four printing plates are required, each prints one of the three colors and one prints black.  The process color inks are translucent; so two and three colors can over lap to create another color.
The major problems associated with color printing relate to cost, the difficulty of producing quality color separations, and the need for accuracy in the placement of dots to avoid the "out of register" look of cheap color printing.

6.   What are the advantages and disadvantages of animation?  (p. 469)
Advantages: Can effectively communicate complex and difficult messages to specialized markets (e.g. children); cartoons often score the highest viewer interest and longest life; cost least per showing.
Disadvantages: Animations’ initial production is very expensive and time consuming.

7.   What leads to the greatest waste of money in TV commercial production?  Explain.  (pp. 473-474)
There is a belief in the industry that high-priced celebrity talent and extravagant effects get attention and increase memorability.  Not true.  A recent study showed that advertising that features a brand differentiation message along with a demonstration of the product is actually more effective and costs on average 28% less.  Therefore, the greatest waste of money is celebrity talent and special effects.

8.   When is it better to use film and when is it better to use videotape?  Why?  See Ad Lab 14-B “The film versus tape decision” (p. 471)
Film projects a soft texture, is extremely flexible and versatile; it can be used for numerous optical effects, slow motion, distance shots, mood shots, fast action, and animation.  Duplicate film prints are also cheaper than videotape dupes.  However, film has a limited life and can be run only about 25 times.
Videotape offers a more brilliant picture and better fidelity.  It looks more realistic and appears to have a “live” quality; it is more consistent in quality, offers instant feedback and can be replayed almost forever. 
Which is better?  Depends on the advertiser’s needs (see the guidelines above for Ad Lab 14-B in this instructor’s manual).
9.   What are the most common forms of digital media?  How do they differ from media in the past?  (p. 476)
Digital media are electronic systems that, in the advertising business, unite with the logic of multimedia formats to create dynamic communications channels.  They use the electronic capabilities and controls of modern telephone, television, and computer technologies.  Digital media are a subset of electronic media.  The most common forms are personal computers, TV, telephone.
The new media is interactive.  With the trend toward integrated marketing communications, the various digital media give marketers new ways to reach prospects and to begin a relationship — or improve their relationship with current customers.  Consumers can touch a button on a screen and a full video commercial or technical film will run; touch another button and a personal representative will come online with you.  The possibilities are endless.

10. What are some ways an advertiser such as McDonald's could use digital media to enhance its IMC program?  Explain.
Answer guidelines: 
Three venues are involved — mass audiences, private audiences, and personal audiences.
Examples:
To reach mass audiences, McDonald’s could buy advertising that would allow it to run a multimedia show.
To reach private audiences, it could run a multimedia show at its sales meetings and at sales meetings for vendors and related industries (e.g., a national convention of meat distributors or seminar for fast-food industry leaders, etc.).
To reach personal audiences, McDonald’s could go online with the major online services (CompuServe, Prodigy, American Online, etc.)  From these locations, it could address the private audience of each service.  It could also establish an Internet site with them or another service, and provide downloadable electronic children’s games based on the Ronald McDonald character, and promotion specials.

 

Exploring the Internet

The Internet Exercises for Chapter 14 address the following areas covered in the chapter: print production (Exercise 1) and broadcast production (Exercise 2).

1.   Print Production

Take a moment and go online to learn more about print production.  Numerous organizations and companies that specialize in some aspect of print production are on the Web.  Visit the sites listed below and answer the questions that follow.

• Acme Printing (www.acmeprinting.com)
• AlphaGraphics (www.alphagraphics.com)
• Color Masters (www.colormasters.com)
• ColorArts (www.colorarts.com)
• Digital XPress (www.digitalxpress.com)
• Graphic Arts Information Network (GAIN) (www.gain.org)
• Graphic Communications Association (GCA) (www.gca.org)
• Hart Graphics (www.hartgr.com)
• National Association of Printers & Lithographers (NAPL) (www.napl.org)
• Pantone® (www.pantone.com)
• Screen Printing & Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) (www.sgia.org)

a.   Who is the intended audience of the site?
b.   What type of company or organization is it?  What are the scope and size of its operations?
c.   What print-related activities does the company or organization specialize in?
d.   What is your overall impression of the company and its work?  Why?

 

Sample Answer: 
AlphaGraphics

a.   The site is intended for current/potential clients and current/potential franchisees, with information on products and services, store locations, and franchising options.
b.   Alphagraphics is a full-service print bureau and digital production house.  The company is global, and is operated by franchisees.
c.   The company offers both digital and print production services.  The main print services offered are summarized as follows:

• Print Inventory Management
• Newsletters
• Brochures
• Postcards and Direct Mailers
• Manuals, Catalogs and Booklets
• Color Copies
• Product Sheets
• Invitations and Announcements
• Business Cards, Letterheads, Envelopes
• Business Forms and Labels
• Copying Services
• Binding and Finishing
• Custom Presentation Folders
• Custom Laminated Index Tabs

d.   Since most mid to small-sized agencies and boutiques out-source print production, a firm like Alphagraphics is an invaluable production source and a true partner in completing work for the client.  Alphagraphics’ heritage and reputation, along with its wide range of services, provide a very attractive package for vendors and agencies alike.

2.   Broadcast Production

Producing broadcast commercials is even more complex than the print production process.  Peruse the websites below of these broadcast production-related organizations.  Then answer the questions that follow.

• Aardman Animation (www.aardman.com)
• @radical.media (www.radicalmedia.com)
• Directors Guild of America (www.dga.org)
• Duck Soup Productions (www.ducksoupla.com)
• Film Planet (www.filmplanet.com)
• Hollywood Digital (www.hollydig.com)
• Johnson Burnett (www.johnsonburnett.com)
• Jones Film & Video (www.jonesinc.com)
• Screen Actors Guild (SAG) (www.sag.com)

a.   What type of production-related company or organization is it?  What is the scope and size of its operations?
b.   What kind of broadcast production activities does the company specialize in?  Are these typically preproduction, production, or postproduction activities?
c.   What benefit does the company or organization provide the advertising community?
d.   What impresses you most about this organization and its work?  Least?  Why?

 

Sample Answer: 
Johnson Burnett

a.   Johnson Burnett is a production service company, which means that it assists advertising agencies (both full-service and in-house), small production companies, producers, and sales forces in organizing, coordinating, staffing, and supervising broadcast production shoots.  The company is bi-coastal, focusing on the peak areas of broadcast production: Los Angeles and New York.
b.   The company provides primary pre-production and production services, as they relate to planning and implementing the actual commercial shoot.  The company is involved with some post-production work as well as invoicing and payments.  Johnson Burnett services include:

• Fully equipped bi-coastal production offices
• Production staffing and operation
• Production executives and supervision
• Production insurance
• Project financing and cash flow services
• Receivables financing
• Bidding and invoicing
• Payments to all vendors, crew, and talent
• Fully actualized job wraps, including complete detailed back-up presentation for cost-plus jobs

c.   The benefits of a production service company like Johnson Burnett are that agencies, clients, and production companies do not have to fully staff and manage the minute details involved in organizing, planning, implementing, and controlling a shoot.
d.   Its devotion is to help good, talented directors and ad agencies get their work done—even when complex or high-budgeted.  The downside is the loss of control over the daily minutiae of the job. 

 

Important TERMS THESE

analog proof (Chromalin), 462 animation, 469 answer print, 475 aperture, 471 appropriateness, 448 audio console (board), 467 base art, 450 bleeds, 465 blueline, 464 camera-ready art, 450 character-count method, 446 cinematographer, 471 classes of type, 448 closing dates, 446 color key, 464 color separation, 455 continuous tones, 451 control room, 466 copy cast, 446 cover papers, 447 CYMK printing, 462 digital media, 444 digital proof (iris), 464 digital video effects (DVE) units, 469 director, 466 display type, 448 dubs, 467 dupes, 475 electronic production, 443 emphasis, 448 flats, 462 font, 449 four-color process, 462 halftone plates, 451 halftone screen, 451 interactive TV, 476 job jacket, 445 kerning, 448 kiosk, 444 leading, 448 line film, 451 line plate, 451 live action, 468 location, 473 lot, 473 mandatories, 450 mass audience venue, 476 measuring type, 449 multimedia presentation, 444

leading, 448 location, 466 lot, 466 mandatories, 452 mass audience venue, 469 master tape, 467 mixed interlock,  475 mnemonic device, 469 multimedia presentation, 444 orthographic film, 451 overlay, 450 personal audience venue, 476 platform licensing, 478 points, 449 postproduction phase, 460, 467 prepress phase, 462 preproduction phase, 445, 466, 468, 475 print production manager, 441 print production process, 445, 454 private audience venue, 476 producer, 441 production phase, 447, 467 readability, 448 residual fee, 444 reverse knockout, 464 sans serif, 448 scale, 443 serif , 448 session, 466 special effects, 469 spots, 465 stripping, 462 supers, 475 talent, 474 Teleprompter, 473 text papers, 447 text type, 448 trap, 464 type family, 449 typography, 446 Web page, 477 word-count method, 446 work print, 475 writing paper, 447

 

Ancillary

Activities & EXERCISES

1.   Today, when designers and production artists need to set type for an ad, brochure, flyer, etc., they turn to the computer and arrange and rearrange the type until it fits the available space.  However, it is important when planning or beginning to create an ad, for advertising account managers, production managers, copywriters, and others, to be able to estimate if there’s too much or too little copy for the space available.
Problem:
You have a layout that calls for a block of copy to occupy a space 3 1/2 inches wide (21 picas) by 4 inches deep (24 picas).  You would like to set this copy in 10-point Laurel, leaded one point.  The copy contains approximately 250 words.  Will it fit in the allotted space?  Solve this copyfitting problem according to the following instructions.
Instructions: 
Find a hand-written or typewriter-written page of copy that contains approximately 250 words.  Then, using the chart below — indicating the characters per pica for the Laurel typeface — calculate the space the final typeset version will occupy.

Type Face: Laurel

Type Size and Style	Characters per Pica
8 point	3.48
9 point	3.09
10 point	2.78
11 point	2.53
12 point	2.32

Suggested Techniques:
There are two methods for fitting copy to space.  In the "word count method", the words in the copy are counted.  This number is divided by the number of words per square inch that can be set in type.  Type charts can provide the word-per-inch figure, but if you don’t have such a chart, it can be determined from looking at a sample of the type in final form and counting how many words, on average, fit into an inch.
The more accurate way, however, is to use the "character count method.”  The procedure is outlined below:
Horizontal Fitting:

• Count the number of characters (letters, spaces, and punctuation marks) in the copy.
• Refer to the following chart.  Since the typeset line is to be 21 picas wide (3 1/2 inches), multiply 2.78 (10-point) by 21.

This will equal approximately _______ characters per printed line.

• Divide the number of characters in the copy (______) by the number of characters per printed line, which you computed.  This indicates that the number of printed lines will be ________.

Vertical Spacing:
Multiply the number of lines by the point size plus leading (10 points plus 1 = 11) and divide by 72 (the number of points in an inch).  This gives a vertical space of approximately _____ inches or about _______ picas.
What to do if the copy does not fit?

• Change to a smaller- or larger-point size.
• Change to a different type style, which is more condensed or more expanded.
• Reduce or increase the leading.
• Decrease or increase the size of the copy block within the advertisement.
• Have the copywriter revise the copy to increase or decrease the number of words.

2.   Choose a television commercial, which you have seen recently.  Evaluate the commercial by answering the following questions:

• Who is the advertiser?
• What is the length of the spot?
• What type of commercial is it?  Briefly describe it.
• Were any special production techniques used which are apparent?
• Is music used?  If so, what type is it (rock and roll, rhythm and blues)?
• Was humor used?  If so, do you feel it was used successfully?  Explain.
• Was a celebrity presenter used?  What is your opinion regarding the choice of talent?  What is your evaluation of the presenter's performance?

Upon finishing this evaluation, summarize what you have learned from this exercise.

 

Debatable Issue

Should Advertisers Name Competitors and Their Products?

The trend toward comparative advertising, which identifies competitors and their products by name, has grown in recent years.  While such advertising is widely used today, it continues to arouse controversy in the industry.  Some critics claim it does more harm than good.  Others think it is useful.

PRO

Advertisers should name competitors and their products because...
This provides undecided consumers and those who buy competitors' products another useful way to make informed purchasing decisions.
Consumers today are entitled to expect candid, forthright advertising that provides names rather than making veiled comparisons to Brand X.
Naming the competitor can benefit marketers of little-known products who are competing with better-known firms with larger advertising budgets.
Comparative advertising encourages competition, which may serve to increase product quality and bring about lower consumer prices.
Naming competitive products promotes advertising that is more honest since marketers are not apt to risk the legal consequences of making false statements about these products.

 

CON

Advertisers should not name competitors and their products because...
Consumers who regard such references as name-calling may have a lower opinion of both the company and its products.
Comparative advertisers risk running afoul with the law.  A suit charging malicious damage can be costly and time consuming.
Competitor-focused campaigns are turning advertising into a rowdy, brawling carnival sideshow — noisy, negative, and unprofessional.
Such advertising can backfire.  It may end up helping the competitor more than it does the advertiser or consumer.  Why take the risk?
Comparative advertising encourages the use of sly, subtle inferences that may malign the competition unjustly and thereby be unethical if not a misrepresentative promotion.

 

Questions

• 1.   How do you respond to ads that name competitors and their products?
• Have such ads caused you to buy a product?  To not buy a product?  Explain.
• Which side of this issue do you feel has the strongest arguments?
•  

Images from the Text

Images are available as color acetates through your local McGraw-Hill/Irwin sales representative.

A14-1 Exhibit 14-2     Average cost to produce a TV commercial (p. 444)      
A14-2  Exhibit 14-3     The print production process (p. 446)  
A14-3  Exhibit 14-5     Radio commercials three production phases (p. 465)                
A14-4  Exhibit 14-6     the production process for film and videotape (p. 468)
A14-5                          Examples of special effects (p.470)

 

Reference Library

Located on the McGraw-Hill
Contemporary Advertising website:
www.mhhecom/arens04

RL 14-1           The Print Production Process
RL 14-2             Production process for digital media
RL 14-3           Choosing the best method of printing