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Ann Summers launches Viral Academy
The ‘Ann Summers Viral Academy’ is a call to arms for the creative industry.
The launch of www.viralacademy.co.uk has two aims: firstly to encourage and reward creativity and innovation from the best brains in the industry and secondly to acknowledge creativity within the industry by shining a light on talented individuals and agencies with Ann Summers ‘Rabbit’ awards.
Importantly, Ann Summers does not have a retained creative agency and their viral activity to date (often viewed by up to 20 million people) has been based on ad hoc creative ideas sent by creatives keen to establish Ann Summers on their show reels.
Ann Summers in combination with their only retained agency, (communications planning shop) Goodstuff, has spied a gap to encourage on-brand visuals in the viral arena. Moreover, by submitting briefs on the new www.viralacademy.co.uk it is hoped to give creative agencies and individuals more direction and a greater chance of having their work approved and produced.
Goodstuff has devised an innovative strategy that will see the brand launch www.viralacademy.co.uk, which will host brand and product information that will allow any creative, media or digital agency creatives to submit ideas to Ann Summers in response to the real live briefs – up to four throughout the year with production budgets up to £25k for the best response to each brief; be that a film, animation, game, quiz or something entirely different.
The winning team and agency will be credited on the developed viral which will feature as exclusive content on women’s portal handbag.com before it gets seeded through Ann Summers normal viral distribution systems. The best submissions will also be awarded a Yellow or Black Rabbit and the winners held up as masters of the viral art in the trade press.
The site goes live next week with a brief with a Valentine’s lingerie/themed brief.
Andrew Stephens, partner at Goodstuff, said: “We think that agencies can really get behind this. We hope that by engaging the industry with real briefs that we can inspire creative heads to encourage their junior teams to cut their teeth on some fun work; and for other teams to cut lose with ideas that other brands would be wary of.”
Julian Baker, marketing and business development director at Ann Summers says, “We are delighted to break new ground and make this innovative leap forward as our viral activity has been so successful in the past. We hope to encourage inspiring and creative work from British design agencies and individuals and look forward to receiving submissions.”
Chief executive of Ann Summers, Jacqueline Gold, says of the project, “We are delighted to launch www.viralacademy.co.uk and acknowledge and encourage the viral medium. We hope that our brand proves a fertile imagination ground to motivate the great British design talent that exists out there.
The move is a first in terms of a brand engaging creativity in this way. Ann Summers and Goodstuff have created a platform for more regular and consistent viral communication from one of the industries most notorious viral players.
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