Interested in a simple Skills Scan and Learning Progress Tracker tool for the Junior advertising creative standard?
Knowledge
K1: The roles and departments and functions within an advertising team and how they interact with their own role. For example account planning, Account Executives, production specialists.
K2: The way in which a creative idea is developed from brief to production (For example, the key stages such as the client brief, creative briefing, presentation of ideas, research, pre-production, production, post production, delivery to the media channels) including basic understanding of what channels the Media Executives are recommending.
K3: The multiple ways an idea can be communicated and distributed and their benefits e.g. TV, cinema, You Tube, social media, radio, posters, and influencers
K4: The basics of advertising ethics and the importance of work being legal, decent, honest and truthful
K5: How to put together and present an idea. Typically this might include slides, mood boards, storyboards, music, illustration and film references
K6: How to understand a client’s brief and the timing and budgetary restrictions therein
K7: How to interrogate and challenge a brief in a constructive way
K8: Trends and opportunities that can enhance an idea or add value to a client’s business (such as the role o f influencers, new advertising delivery platforms like Virtual Reality, short form mobile videos.)
K9: How to identify and source the most appropriate internal and external craftsmen that can help produce the idea e.g. voice talent, directors, designers, photographers.
K10: The typical characteristics of a “brand” (for example, tone of voice, values)
K11: How to give constructive feedback (For example, to designers)
K12: How text and stories bring the idea to life within the appropriate medium (For example, magazines, radio, leaflets or within digital channels such as Snapchat, emails, web pages.)
K13: How design and layout bring the idea to life within the appropriate medium (For example, magazines, radio, leaflets or within digital channels such as Snapchat, emails, content in web pages.)
K14: Importance of approaching ideas from different perspectives (For example how to combine ideas, or how to use an interesting fact)
K15: How advertising can persuade people to do something e.g. change behaviour, or buy a different product
K16: Typical terminology used (For example, UX, Motion Graphics, Editor, Project Manager, Coder)
K17: Understand the relationship between stories and the time limits of the selected media option and how to create short stories that fit the duration of the advert (For example, scripts for radio)
K18: That there is a legal and regulatory code (The Code) and have knowledge of how it is applied such as the basics of what can and can’t be shown in advertising (For example, Portman rules on alcohol, gender stereotyping)
Skills
S1: Interrogate a creative brief and find advertising potential within it, asking questions to clarify understanding
S2: Solve client communication problems (for example, using mind maps)
S3: Originate brand, products or service communications/ideas which answer a client’s brief
S4: Present their idea, using visual aids (For example, slides, mood boards, storyboards and make use of music, photo, illustration and film references)
S5: Research cultural trends and opportunities that can enhance an idea or add value to a client’s business (For example, an awareness of the importance of environmental issues, or of an upcoming event/film, could build references to this into the advert)
S6: Identify and source the most appropriate internal and external experts and suppliers that can help produce the idea
S7: Research and interpret characteristics of a brand to establish most appropriate media option(s)
S8: Deliver their work to brief and on time
S9: Write text and stories that bring the idea to life within the appropriate medium (For example, magazines, radio, leaflets or within digital channels such as Snapchat, emails, content in web pages)
S10: Create design and layout that bring the idea to life within the appropriate medium (For example, magazines, radio, leaflets or within digital channels such as Snapchat, emails, web pages)
S11: Apply feedback to amend or redevelop their ideas
S12: Undertake research into latest trends in advertising and new delivery platforms. (For example, keep abreast of new poster variants such as interactive superlite films at bus shelters and consider and recommend ways to use them.)
S13: Collaborate with the wider team and encourage them to share ideas to help bring the project to life
S14: Prioritise competing demands
S15: Write in any tone/style, being aware of the need to communicate to different audiences taking into account cultural differences and social representation
S16: Influence others (For example, buy a different product or change their behaviour.)
S17: Write scripts of different lengths to suit different media platforms and of different durations
Behaviours
B1: Creative curiosity – researches the brief and shares their ideas
B2: Empathy – takes into account a range of viewpoints when carrying out tasks, shows emotional intelligence when managing other people
B3: Resilience – considers feedback objectively, bounces back from criticism of their idea, and continues working on the brief with enthusiasm by continuing to achieve deadlines and maintain rapport
B4: Working under pressure – manages multiple projects and deadlines
B5: Courageous – puts forward ideas to more senior colleagues and is prepared to challenge others
Duty 1
DUTY: Understand client marketing problems and develop creative ideas and concepts to solve the problem
K2
K6
K7
K8
S1
S2
S3
B1
B2
Duty 2
DUTY: Take the creative brief from the account planner (the person in the advertising team with best understanding of how the advertising communication will help solve the client requirement), and ask intelligent questions to better understand the client’s need (for example, about the target’s motivations or journey to purchase)
K2
K6
K7
K15
S1
S5
S12
B1
B2
Duty 3
DUTY: Articulate their creative ideas to creative directors and/or senior creatives using appropriate presentation materials such as story or mood boards, to obtain their feedback on their ideas
K5
K6
K10
S4
B1
B3
B5
Duty 4
DUTY: Present creative ideas to the advertising team and occasionally their clients to obtain feedback on their ideas and ensure they meet the client's brief, using presentation materials such as video and music clips, photomontage storyboards.
K1
K2
K5
K8
K15
S4
S7
B2
B3
B5
Duty 5
DUTY: Develop creative presentations using appropriate materials such as story boards, music/film/illustration montages, being aware of advanced materials such as an animatic and mood boards (collection of images and text) to help bring the idea to life
K3
K5
K12
K13
S4
S9
S10
B1
Duty 6
DUTY: Assist senior creatives to prepare for new business pitches, for example, by working on a "shadow brief" to come up with additional/alternative ideas, which can then be presented in a competitive setting (i.e where a number of companies are pitching for business) to a potential new client
K1
K4
K5
K14
S7
S12
S13
S14
B4
Duty 7
DUTY: Amend or redevelop ideas in response to feedback (this can include feedback from a range of sources such as colleagues, clients and research organisations), ensuring any actions taken are in line with the agreed brief
K4
K11
K14
S11
B3
B5
Duty 8
DUTY: Work with specialist producers to help find the right directors, casting, photographers or music, for example prior to a TV commercial pre-production meeting
K1
K2
K3
K9
S8
S13
B2
Duty 9
DUTY: Collaborate successfully with the wider company advertising team and suppliers to help their ideas come to fruition, within budget and time scales, including basic understanding of what channels the Media Executives are recommending
K1
K2
K6
K12
K13
S6
S8
S13
S14
B2
B4
Duty 10
DUTY: Attend external locations (for example TV & print shoots) in order to assist with the creative aspects of the production, ensuring the location enhances, rather than detracts from the creative idea. (For example, if filming in the countryside, choosing a lush green field, over a muddy field, if the advert is depicting the benefits of visiting a rural location).
K3
K11
K12
K13
S2
S11
B2
B4
Duty 11
DUTY: Attend edits and post-production sessions in order to answer any questions from the producer regarding the advertising concept and the customer's brief
K1
K2
K3
K11
K18
S8
S14
B2
B3
B4
Duty 12
DUTY: Maintain awareness of creative work done by competitors, both in the UK and internationally; market/ technology developments and cultural trends in relation to the accounts being worked on to ensure campaigns are unique and the final product meets the concept and brief
K8
K10
K14
S5
S7
S12
B1
B5
Duty 13
DUTY: Write text and stories, create designs and layouts: all of which bring an idea to life within different mediums, for example, TV, radio, cinema, newspaper, magazines, direct mail, promotions
K3
K12
K13
K16
K17
K18
S9
S10
S15
S16
S17
B1
B4
Duty 14
DUTY: Manage the pressure of tight deadlines and busy schedules, working on multiple projects simultaneously as required
