Starting point
Being relevant [Holding meaning, significance
so as to motivate purchase] has become harder than ever. Brands have understood that they no longer live above culture. Instead, they look their consumer in the eye and compete with not only other brands but also millions of creators and everyday people. Relevance is, now more than ever, in the hands of the people.
The pressure
This pushes brands to tap into “culture” by following formats, formulas and blending into the aesthetics of now. And to try to become meaningful through reactive messaging, tactical partnerships and seamless trends.
The problem
But blending in is the path to becoming indistinctive. Or, even worse, being perceived as an imposter attempting to become something they are not.
ASA®’s solution
ASA® brings strategic thinking into production, pushing beyond mere execution to produce campaigns that don’t blend into culture. They cut through it. And that, drives brand relevance.
Our pillars
These are the ASA® fundamental pillars to drive relevance for our clients.
01
Idea-centric full-service production.
Production that truly places the creative idea at the center, ensuring the brief is executed in a way that is not catered to a platform, format or trend, but designed to amplify the idea itself. And, always, with the utmost service and attention to detail. Whether we need a crazy production setup, a creative proposition that could easily be solved with visual effects, or a real stunt performance, we’ll always push to make it as big, as real and as impactful as possible.
02
Contemporary visual specialists.
We truly believe that, to stand out, brands must push the boundaries of today’s codes, and understand that visual relevance comes through visual narratives that shape, not follow. Technology becomes a means to accomplish it but never the end goal. We have taken the codes of fashion culture to some of the biggest football clubs; or shot some of our biggest campaigns on an iPhone, to challenge that brand’s traditional aesthetic.
03
Creative direction rooted in cultural tension.
We believe true relevance comes when brands read new behaviours and uncomfortable truths that exist beneath the surface of mainstream culture, but are ignored by most. There lies friction. Tension. And it is the brands that act on them, that take a stance for, or against that cultural signal, the ones that become truly relevant. We have had brands speak on maxxing, take political stances [kind of] or showcased safety as the result of hyperconfidence in oneself.