The aim of this course is to combine fresh and original thinking with contemporary technology in the worlds of advertising and mass communication. We will discuss what makes a successful commercial, examine the psychology of commercials and how they communicate their message to targeted viewers. We will show a great many successful TV commercials and printed advertisements. Students will be set a daily ‘idea problem’ and be asked to submit a solution by the following morning as a paper sketch, a phone ‘storyboard’ or by whatever other means the student deems suitable. In the second 2 weeks of the workshop they will also be asked to produce a 30 second commercial using the facilities here at 3D World. The commercial can involve 3D animation, Flash and other web technologies, InDesign or other design software, or video using Final Cut and/or AfterEffects. The necessary specialist training will be given in any or all of these software programmes.

The course will begin with a lecture that looks at successful and innovative advertising from the 50's to the present day. The lecture will try to establish a link between creative thinking and successful marketing. We will discuss the work of influential thinkers, designers and directors. Among them Bob Gill of the design group Fletcher, Forbes and Gill, the photographer Oliviero Toscani and many others. The course will also consider Edward de Bono’s ‘Lateral Thinking’ as a means of generating ideas.

The daily lectures will also cover the following topics. Propaganda in the 30's and 40s looking at the work or Communists, Fascists and liberal democrats. Is this style of communication still effective today? And if not, why not. Other lectures will feature short animations that are not necessarily from the world of advertising but have influenced many in that field, incomprehensible or puzzling visual illusions, cutting edge web design and the results of combining innovative technology with innovative thinking. We will also be looking at those campaigns that have been effective using a single stationary graphic and/or a telling slogan.

There will be a steady stream of TV commercials, animated shorts and web sites played at key times during the day. In the evening we will be showing a movie that we (or the participants) considers clever and influential.

Each participant will be asked to produce a 30 second commercial. Below are a list of favoured themes but the student should not consider himself to be tied to these alone.

Given that the theme of the commercial will be echoed in other media a strong idea must underpin all of the production. -it must work on TV, mobile phones, the web and in the press. It is key to the whole of this course that the message is cross-platform.

Brief 1. A new range of clothing by an Italian based fashion company.

Brief 2. A new healthy soft drink aimed at children.

Brief 3. An environmental public service advertising project aimed at making our cities cleaner places.

Brief 4. An advertising campaign for a new car. Smaller and more environmentally friendly than big cars.

Brief 5. Bringing clean water to remote or under-served parts of the world. A campaign to encourage citizens to lobby their parliamentarians to promote this idea.

Brief 6. Campaign for a song by a new band (Hip-Hop, pop, folk, ethnic - it doesn't matter.)

We are open to participants ideas for the 30 second commercial if non of the above are attractive.

There will be daily client/creative discussions with all of the course participants involved to discuss the development and progress of the commercial.

Training starts at 10 in the morning and finishes at 6 in the evening. There is a one hour break for lunch.