If you have been keeping up with my postings then you have read in one of my first blogs that for an advertising class at SJSU I had to put together a campaign for Choice Ramen. For those just tuning in, Choice Ramen is Top Ramen’s healthier counterpart. It is the Diet Top Ramen with a percentage less sodium and fat. I have spent the past 15 weeks researching Choice Ramen and putting together a creative campaign.
The research only took a couple of those weeks and the creative took majority but as of last night at 7:45 pm, my final was handed in and I am done (and quite proud). The other members in my group decided to do a play off of the word noodle and ask the question “How do you use your noodle?”. One of the group members advertisements were brilliant because she actually cooked some noodles and with them drew out a light-bulb, head, and brain saying it was the smarter choice. Noodle art will be the next fad thanks to her!
With my campaign I wanted to merely do a branding campaign (similar to William Rast) and start getting Choice Ramen and their logo noticed. I left out the facts about it being healthier or any percentages and kept it simple and clean. Instead I chose to draw attention with color, using both photographs and vector images (drawings), and a pretty controversial slogan, “Pro-Choice”. When this idea first came to me I was scared… I thought that people would get the wrong idea about what I was trying to portray. The last thing I wanted was someone to think I was advocating an idea that is not what I believe. But my professor told me to stop being so scared and take a risk. I think he might have literally said “Quit being safe! Take a risk!”
In the end, I am glad I did. When viewing these advertisements please note:
Advertisements 1 & 2 are ads that will used in the early stages. This campaign will feature similar layouts with similar people until these advertisements take notice. Advertisement 3 is similar and will happen once branding has been established. With #3 it is doing a spoof on the entire campaign using fictional characters to endorse Choice Ramen. In this example we have Mr. Potato Head who is most definitely pro choice because he likes his options. Big nose, small nose, glasses, shoes… whatever it may be he wants the ability to choose!
