Page 8 - Adnews Magazine January 2022

Behind the Cover
The creative contingent of adland is the beating heart of the industry. To fully embrace this, and with a mission to create inspiring covers, each month AdNews hand-picks an agency to work its magic. This month, we called on Coffee Cocoa Gunpowder
to deliver a cover that showcased the rise of audio.
Celebrating the audio format
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www.adnews.com.au | January-February2022
Thoughts on the audio brief?
It wasn’t an easy one. The idea of celebrating an audio for- mat through the vehicle of a non-audio format brought to mind a famous Frank Zappa quote: “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” However, as huge audio fans, we saw it as an opportunity to cele- brate a medium that’s still a little unsung.
How did you know you landed on the best concept? Our first ideas revolved around ways to turn the flat cover into an audio experience. Having watched QR codes go from a “no-one in their right mind will ever engage with them” laughing stock to possibly the most engaged-with media channel on the planet, we started there. We loved the idea of an intriguing, minimalist cover that would drive people from a QR code to a visceral demonstra- tion of the power of sound.
Having said that, magazine cov- ers are like posters, and there will always be great power in a simple, disruptive visual idea. Culture is littered with great examples, from George Lois’s famous ’60s Esquire covers and Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych to Banksy’s Queen Victoria, Nike’s shot of Pete Sampras serving a hand grenade or Burger King’s
hot chip with a dollop of ketchup that looked like a match. These kinds of ideas go directly into our prefrontal cortex, lodge them- selves there and refuse to leave. (By the way, we’re not claiming our cover is as good as Banksy, but we did think the idea of AirPod sperm rushing towards a glowing egg-like earhole was suitably playful, provocative and attention-grabbing.)
Who from the team was involved?
Our creative, design and social teams. And without Diane, our project director (aka, head of get- ting shit done), we’d probably still be musing, chin-stroking and fiddling with scamps right now.
Biggest challenges with the whole process?
Sir John Hegarty famously said that great work is 80% idea, 80% execution. We’re not sure how well Sir John would do on a high school maths test but he defi- nitely put his finger on the chal- lenge of bringing ideas to life with the power of the thought intact. Working out the best way to exe- cute was tricky. Photography? Illustration? 3D render? We ulti- mately decided on something in between all of those.
Cover.indd 1
Is audio today’s most fertile medium?
AJadnNueawrys-F–ebSriunacrey12902282 20/1/22
11:26 am
ADNEWS AGENCY OF THE YEAR WINNERS • TALENT SQUEEZE • THE LAMB COMMERCIAL
ACAST MEET THE TEAM • SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS • FUR AND FEELS
Thinking. Insights. Ideas.
adnews.com.au
WORDS BY
MARIAM CHEIK-HUSSEIN
Credits
Ant Melder — creative partner
Diane Villavieja — project director
Lauren Maneschi — art director
Jimmy Williams — art director
Elena Macdonald — copywriter
Hayden Wright — head of social
Chris Clausen — head of design
3D Illustrator — Ron Ruvalcava, Virtual Designs Group
What were the
biggest hurdles to
making this a reality?
Making sure our AirPods looked like sperm, not spaceships.
How did the design come together?
Once we decided on a scientific/ medical textbook vibe, we commis- sioned American 3D artist and illus- trator Ron Ruvalcava, who special- ises in that bright, glowing medical style. As is the way of the world these days, the process was remote, collaborative and efficient.
Best bit about the process?
Getting various WhatsApp messages along the lines of “New sperm visual ready for review”, “Does the earhole look eggy enough?” and “Should the sperm be breaking through the glowy bit to fertilise the earhole?”
Print post approved: 100005345
A limited edition bespoke AdNews ‘A’ trophy is also up for grabs for the winner.