Assessment Event 2: Crystal Cosmetics Simulation

In this simulation, you will undertake a number of tasks associated with creating a persuasive copy for a cosmetics company, Crystal Cosmetics. The focus is on producing a website ad copy that will help the organisation to effectively communicate its brand message as required. This entails you to carry out the following actions:

· review the Client Brief and understand client’s requirements

· create a website ad copy that:

­ is in line with the requirements stipulated in the Client Brief

­ surpasses competitor’s copy

­ conforms to the organisation’s copywriting policy and procedures.

Please ensure that you familiarise yourself with this set of requirements that underpin this simulation. This includes understanding the background of the simulation and the criteria you will be assessed on. These are located in the Appendix of this document.

Task 1: Analyse and Interpret Creative Brief

In this task, you will review the Client Brief, then conceptualise the creative context and lay the groundwork for copy production.

1.1 Analyse and confirm techniques for expressing central idea

R 1.  Summarise the central idea

R 2. Shortlist minimum two techniques to express the central idea

R 3.  Provide a rationale for each technique

R 4.  Word count is approximately 150 words in total.

Analysing the Assignment: Often assignment sheets contain key words that offer clues about what your instructor is looking for. This is always a good place to start in deciding what you should focus on in a final draft. Re-read the assignment sheet or your notes about the assignment, looking for words like “compare/contrast,” “discuss,” “analyze,” “define,” “synthesize,” etc. These words tell you what kind of assignment the teacher is looking for. Then, look for other key terms relating to subject matter. For example, if the assignment asks you to “Contrast Freud’s and Erikson’s stage theories of personality,” your main idea needs to include Freud, Erikson, and “stage theories of personality.”

Backwards Outline: Once you’ve determined that you’re meeting the requirements of the assignment, you’ll want to get even more specific about what your essay says exactly. One way to do this is to create a “backwards outline.” (It’s “backwards” because it is written after rather than before the draft itself.) To do this, simply read your essay paragraph by paragraph. After each paragraph, determine the main idea of that section, and write the main idea in the margin of your draft. If you find more than one significant idea in a paragraph, write them both down. When you’re finished, read over your marginal notes (or “outline”) and look for connections – is there one central idea that each paragraph supports? If so, that’s your main idea. If not, you’ll probably want to look for an idea that most of the paragraphs support and consider dropping or rewriting paragraphs that don’t support your focus.

1.2 Identify and check content and supporting information for accuracy and completeness

R 1.  summarise the accuracy and completeness of the Client Brief:

· list two issues with its content and supporting information

· explain how these issues may impact your copy production

· explain how each of these issues would be addressed in your copy production

R 2. word count is approximately 50 words per issue.

The client brief requires the copy to appeal to emotion, however, it does not specify which emotions in particular. Also it does not provide direct or indirect influences explicitly. These are crucial to select the right key words or phrases to create and emphasis on consumers perception of the product. This copy will primarily focus on exclusivity and need for a healthy skin.  

1.3 Confirm schedule and budgetary requirements for creating copy

R 1. using an appropriate tool, create a timesheet including the following fields:

Date:

day a task to be executed

Task:

activity undertaken throughout the copywriting process

Hourly Rate:

hourly rate agreed

Estimated Duration:

time estimated to complete a task

Estimated Cost:

cost estimated to complete a task

Actual Duration:

actual time taken to complete a task

Actual Cost:

actual cost to complete a task

Variance:

the difference between the estimated and actual cost

R 2. populate the timesheet:

· fill date, task, hourly rate, estimated cost, and estimated duration fields

· list a minimum of three parent tasks each with a minimum of three subtasks

· data must be in accordance to the Client Brief requirements

· work breakdown structure must be coherent

R 3. attach a screenshot of your timesheet to your Student Assessment Workbook.

1.4 Identify legal and ethical constraints impacting copy to be developed

R 1. review the organisation’s policy and conduct a desk research:

· list five legal constraints referencing corresponding legislation, standards or codes

· list five ethical constraints

· explain how each will have an impact on the copy to be developed

R 2. word count is approximately 25 words per constraint.

Task 2: Evaluate Creative Options

In this task, you will overview the design and copy options provided in the Client Brief, and then select suitable elements for designing and developing the website copy ad.

Evaluate creative options and select suitable design and copy elements accordingly

R 1. evaluate copy options and made appropriate selections:

· list seven copy options

· these options must be appropriate to communicate the brand message

· these options must be suitable for the copy design and production

· these options must be achievable within time and budgetary requirements

R 2. list two possible uses for each chosen option

R 3. word count is not critical.

Task 3: Prepare Persuasive Copy

In this task, you will create the website ad copy in accordance to the client and organisational requirements, surpassing the competitor’s promotional material. This will require you to submit the draft to the Creative Director (your Assessor) for review and gain feedback on the necessary refinements to finalise the copywriting process.

3.1 Create the website ad copy

R 1. create the draft copy in accordance to:

· the requirements of the Client Brief

· Copywriting Policy and Procedures

· legal and ethical requirements

· time and budget constraints

· the performance criteria listed in the ‘Creative Copy Check Sheet’ in Appendix B

R 2. attach your draft copy to your Student Assessment Workbook

R 3. email the draft copy to the Creative Director for review.

3.2 Confirm schedule and budgetary requirements for creating copy

R 1. update the timesheet:

· populate ‘Actual Duration’ and ‘Actual Cost’

· calculate ‘Variance’

· calculate total actual cost

R 2. summarise variances:

· list the tasks with variances

· explain the reasons for each variance

· provide a way to improve in future projects.

· word count is not critical

R 3. attach a screenshot of your final timesheet to your Student Assessment Workbook.

3.3 Revise and finalise the website ad copy

R 1. refine your copy in accordance to the Creative Director’s feedback

R 2. copy must meet all the criteria listed in the ‘Creative Copy Check Sheet’

R 3. attach your final copy to your Student Assessment Workbook

R 4. attach the email exchange including the feedback to your Student Assessment Workbook.

Appendix A: Crystal Cosmetics Simulation

Simulation Background

DigiGeek is an innovative full-service marketing agency specialises in strategic thinking, marketing, branding, interactive solutions, and visual communication across a whole spectrum of media. Its team manages marketing projects from start to finish, beginning with ideation and digital strategy, all the way through to UX, website design and development.

In this simulation, DigiGeek has been approached by a client, Crystal Cosmetics, an Australian green beauty brand and one of the nation’s largest seller of organic cosmetics products including colour cosmetics, skincare, towelettes, fragrance, bodycare, and haircare items. The motivation is to create a website ad copy in order to maximise a particular product’s return on investment.

You will be the copywriter of DigiGeek, responsible for designing and producing the creative copy in accordance to the client, legal, ethical, and DigiGeek’s requirements. For detailed information on the simulation, refer to the ‘Client Brief’ document provided.

Simulation Phases

This simulation is divided into the following phases:

Phase 1:

you will lay the necessary groundwork for the design and production of the creative copy.

Phase 2:

you will design and produce the creative copy within the given time and budget.

Phase 1:

Phase 1 occurs from Tasks 1.1 to Task 2. In Phase 1, your main duties in the organisation are as the Copywriter are as follows:

· review the Client Brief and understand client’s requirements

· determine techniques to reflect the central idea

· create a timesheet to monitor time and budget

· identify legal and ethical requirements for copy production

· select appropriate creative options to create an effective copy.

Phase 2:

Phase 2 occurs in Task 3. In Phase 2, you will perform the following:

· using appropriate desktop publishing and graphics software, create a website ad copy that:

­ is in line with the requirements stipulated in the Client Brief

­ surpasses competitor’s copy

­ conforms to the organisation’s copywriting policy and procedures

­ meets time and budget requirements

· proofread the copy

· send the copy to the Creative Director (the Assessor) for their review

· refine the copy in accordance to the feedback provided by the Creative Director.

Simulation Setup

The simulation chosen is to give you the opportunity to provide evidence that demonstrates your ability to undertake data mining activities within a marketing context. We have tried to make this simulation as real as possible within a classroom setting through providing templates and additional support documents used for data mining in real-workplaces as well as bringing an actor to interact with you. To carry out their role in this simulation will require you to follow these steps:

Step 1. 

At the commencement of the unit, your Assessor will overview the assessment with you. You will then sign the declaration of your understanding located in the Student Assessment Workbook (Pre-Assessment Checklist).

Step 2. 

Prior to the commencement of this assessment:

· Your Assessor will provide you with the following resources:

­ Client Brief

­ Competitor’s promotional material

­ Artwork Folder

­ Copywriting Policy and Procedures.

· With you Assessor, you will review all of the sources listed above in addition the following:

­ Simulation Background

­ tasks

­ the student’s role in the simulation.

You will confirm your understanding with your Assessor before you undertake your assessment.

Step 3. 

As soon as you confirm your understanding with the Assessor, you will be given the deadlines for the submission of your first draft copy and your final assessment.

Step 4. 

Before you commence on your copy production, your Assessor will arrange the equipment and facility needs required for you to undertake the simulation. This will include the following:

· quite room

· computer

· Internet

· word-processing software (to document their responses)

· desktop publishing software (to design and produce the copy).

In case you have other requirements, you must communicate these with your Assessor prior to undertaking the simulation activities.

Step 5. 

You will complete all the simulation tasks within the deadline specified by your Assessor. Note that in Task 3.1, you will design and produce the creative copy, then send your draft to your Assessor (as the Creative Director) for review. Your Assessor will respond to you providing their feedback which then you will make the necessary refinements and finalise your copy (Task 3.3). Once you submit your final copy to your Assessor, your copy will be assessed on its quality based on the requirements set out in the ‘Creative Copy Check Sheet’ provided to you in Appendix B. You must familiarise yourself with these requirements prior to undertaking Task 3.

Step 6. 

You will document and attach all your findings to your Student Assessment Workbook.

Step 7. 

You will submit your Student Assessment Workbook to your Assessor by the deadline.

Assessment Conditions for the Observation

The information in this section outlines the assessment conditions for the simulation.

Before the simulation:

· you must ensure that you understand all the resources required to undertake the simulation tasks

· your Assessor will provide you the resources required to undertake the simulation tasks

· you must ensure that you have read and understood all performance requirements listed under each task

· where you are unclear with the points above, you must clarify these with your Assessor

· your Assessor will inform you of the deadline for your first draft of copy and final submission of your assessments prior undertaking each simulation phase.

During the simulation:

· you will type your responses to the simulation tasks in your ‘Student Assessment Workbook’

· where you are unclear with a simulation task, you must clarify these with your Assessor

· you will be undertaking each task individually, by yourself, without giving or receiving assistance from your peers

· you must satisfactorily demonstrate all the requirements under each task to achieve a satisfactory result for this assessment.

After the simulation:

· if you are successful, your Assessor will summarise your performance during the simulation

· if you are unsuccessful, your Assessor will:

­ provide written feedback on Task Outcome Sheets explaining their justification in detail 

­ communicate this feedback to you 

­ arrange another suitable time to assess your second attempt.