Aware of our track-record as a commercials producer, and especially because of our unrivalled experience in programme production for the British Asian community and our network of contacts in that community, McConnells Advertising approached us to carry out the concept and production of a major NIACE/Learn Direct TV campaign designed to encourage different parts of the British Asian and Somali communities to take up English lessons.
A number of factors had led to funding coming through at very short notice. As a result, we had only four weeks to devise and deliver the thirty-one variants campaign and cast it in thirteen different languages. Casting had to be completely authentic, with an age-group span from seven to eighty. Within only a week, we had sourced seven different locations and cast almost fifty actors, all of whom were absolutely authentic in their respective language, as well as engaging voice-coaches and translation and dialogue authenticators, including representatives from embassies and high commissions. In the end, the campaign spread was Urdu, Hindi, Guajarati, Sylheti and English from the Pakistani, Sikh Indian, Hindu Indian, Bangladeshi and Somali communities.
Whilst we could ourselves gauge the level of success of the commercials in some languages, in those we don’t speak we were of course struggling to do so. It was therefore extremely rewarding to get the feedback that in all the languages and dialects, the commercials had been not only faultless but extremely effective; take up of the course increased exponentially.
Nick Arrowsmith of McConnells Advertising said: “You did an absolutely terrific job – especially given the jaw dropping schedules and ensuing pressures. Despite the ridiculous timescale, your creative skills, contacts and exemplary organisational abilities meant that we could be relaxed throughout.”
