What was the brief like?
Towards the commencement of BBNaija Shine Ya Eye season, I was briefed to design a creative Social Media Bible to serve as a guide for bloggers, journalists, and other media personalities who intended to cover the show on their platform(s).
Let’s talk about the role you played during the execution of the brief.
As a creative designer, I was in charge of coming up with the art direction and design layout for the production of this Social Media Bible.
The entire campaign led me through the process of learning what had been done in the past, studying current design trends, creating wireframes, conceptualising, and generating a cool concept that aligns with the tone of the show. I also worked closely with Njideka, the team lead of this campaign.
Can you share some of the results or outcomes from this campaign/project?
Everyone knows that BBNaija is the biggest reality TV show in Nigeria. With the standards the organisers of the show have set over the years, it was really important for us to produce content and other creative assets of high quality.
I found myself deeply immersed in understanding the show and digging for the most suitable visual materials to use in different parts of the document. Producing the BBNaija S6 Social Media Bible was not as tedious as having to implement the several feedback I got on the project. There was a lot of back and forth as I was told to make several edits to the text, change the colours used, or replace images.
In the end, this document came out looking so perfect and I almost couldn’t believe it was something I had created.
Have you got any key lessons from this campaign/project that is worth sharing?
So, two things. The first is to find a balance and know the best design language to use for a brand and its audience. Secondly, in everything you do, always remember to aim for client satisfaction. This means they might not fall in love with a design concept that appeals to me as a person and professional.
What’s next for you in the coming months?
Aside from executing more projects, I’ll be involved in a lot of studying and self-improvement exercises. I’m making a conscious effort to gain more insights into how the creative design industry works.
While working on this campaign/project did you ever get to a point where you questioned if this career path was for you? If you did, can you share what made you feel this way and your motivation to keep going?
Without mincing words, I was frustrated on several occasions and it just felt like the entire process was trying to test my patience. There was never a moment where I had to question what I was doing in this career path. However, taking a step back and putting myself in the shoes of my client helped me get past the frustration and exhaustion that sometimes came around. I was able to understand their point of view and provide a creative solution to their problems.
Being a part of this project also opened my eyes to the business side of my career, boosted my level of patience, and put my time management skill to a test.
If you had a choice, what’s that one task you never look forward to doing when handling a project/campaign of this nature?
Last-minute edits. As much as I sometimes live on the edge, I really don’t enjoy doing last-minute changes on a task that has been concluded and confirmed fit for use.
My moods during the campaign:
At the beginning: 🙄
Midway: 😰
At the end: 😎
Samjoe Mbanefo is a dynamic Creative Designer at ID Africa.
Visit idafricans.com/peephole to see more amazing stuff ID Africans have been up to lately.
