Shooting the Wawa brand story

Wawa, a Mid-Atlantic regional convenience store, is one of the most recognized brands in the region. The store is known for its fresh, in-house, food products, great service, and its numerous locations. There is, however, an emotional sentiment tied to the company that can be invoked by using the right visual and audio elements – the brand story. This final project will develop a brand video for Wawa, starting by building out the guiding document of this project, the creative brief.

Creative brief

1. What do you know about the product and its history?
   Wawa is a regional convenience store that was founded in 1964. There are more than 645 Wawa locations throughout the East Coast. Wawa is known for its built-to-order hoagies and fresh brewed coffee. Additionally, Wawa offers a wide-variety of food and drinks, gas, and in one location in PA…beer!

2. Whom are we talking to?
   Wawa’s audience is local residents looking to fulfill their tangible needs of foods, drinks, etc., but also looking to fulfill needs of loyalty, community, and familiarity through the consistent presence of Wawa. Those in the local region more than likely know what Wawa is, and have visited a location before. If they do not live in the region, these assumptions can’t be made.

3. What do they currently think?
   Wawa’s current customers associate Wawa with those feelings of familiarity and community. It’s not uncommon for Wawa customers to have their “local” or “regular” Wawa location that they’d visit a number of times a week or more. We want Wawa customers to associate the brand with the feeling of loyalty and community, even those customers who are visiting Wawa for the first time.

4. What’s the negative?
   As mentioned in my post last week, I do think that there’s a negative connotation to the quality of food at Wawa. People think, “it’s a gas station, how good could the food really be?” Additionally, those who don’t regularly interact with Wawa have a feeling of “what’s the big deal?” Those that don’t experience Wawa normally, may not feel excluded by the brand, but the customer loyalty and “division” caused by the loyalty may be a turn-off for some.

5. What’s the brand?
   Fresh food, cold drinks, and community. 

 

The brand video
The themes of community and loyalty are strong elements to the Wawa brand, and can be accentuated through the brand video. In this proposed video, a man visits Wawa as a part of his everyday routine, and the interactions he has there help tell the story of Wawa.

 

Video	Audio
Wide shot (WS) Early morning – A car drives up to the outside of a convenience store with the Wawa sign illuminated	Ambient noise. The sound of a car’s tires on pavement as the car rolls into a parking space.
Close up (CU):  A hand is shown shutting a car door. The shot stays in the same place as the background is brought into focus and shows a man walking into Wawa.	Car door shutting noise
MS: The man walks through the store, the camera follows him as he walks to a coffee machine	Music plays in the background on the store speakers
CU: A row of coffee machines are shown with the man pouring his coffee into a cup from one of the machines	The music plays in the background a little softer.   The sound of coffee pouring into the cup is amplified
Medium shot (MS): The man is shown looking away at someone off camera	Man: Hey, good morning! Nice to see you again.
MS: The person the man was talking to, a Wawa employee, is shown and begins in conversation with the man.	Employee: Thanks! Good morning to you too. We just put out a new batch of Sizzli’s. You should grab one.
MS: A different Wawa employee is shown at the register as the man walks into the shot with his coffee and a breakfast sandwich.	Employee: Thanks for stopping in. Have a great day! Man: Thank you! You as well. Employee: Same time tomorrow? Man: You know it!
WS: Early morning – the same man is shown, wearing different clothes, walking into the Wawa and waves to an employee	Different music plays on the speakers   Man: Hey! Good morning.
MS: As the man is walking out of the Wawa, he sees someone he recognizes, who walks on screen. The two people (friends) engage in a brief conversation before going their separate ways	Store music in the background   Man: Hey Chris! Nice to see you man, it’s been a while! Chris: Hey! You too. How’s everything been? Man: Good, man. Just heading in to the office. Chris: Cool, man. We’ll have to catch up soon. Man: For sure. Nice to see you.
WS: The man’s car pulls into the Wawa and stops at a gas pump	Ambient noise, car tires on pavement pulling into the gas station
WS: The man is standing at his car filling in gas, drinking his Wawa coffee	Outside ambient noise. Light music from gas station speakers   The man softly hums the tune of the song while filling up his gas
MS: The man walks through the Wawa to the back and stops at a touch screen	Ambient noise. Light music playing on Wawa speakers. Indistinct conversations occur off screen.   As the man walks closer to the deli touch screen ambient sounds of workers putting together sandwiches can be heard.
MS: Over the back shot of the man scrolling through the ordering options from Wawa’s sandwich and hot food menu	Ambient Wawa noises continue while tapping noises are heard
CU: The man’s order prints out and he rips off his receipt	Ambient Wawa noises continue   Paper printing noise   Ripping noise
MS: A Wawa employee finishes up a sandwich order and places it on the deli counter and calls out a number. The man walks up and picks up the sandwich.	Employee: Number 120, Italian shortie!   Man (off-screen): That’s me
MCU: The man takes the sandwich and says something to the Wawa employee	Man: Ooh, do you mind if I get a side of pickles too?
MCU: The Wawa employee responds, and hands the man a small container	Employee: Sure, boss. I got you.   Employee: Here you go. Have a good one.
MCU: The man gestures to the employee and walks off-screen	Man: Thanks, man. I appreciate it. You have a good one too.
MS: The man, wearing different clothes, walks up to the register, he looks up.	Ambient Wawa noises
MC: A Wawa employee is shown behind the register, but behind the employee the camera zooms in on a poster.	Beeping noises from a cash register are heard along with ambient Wawa noises
CU: The poster is shown, it reads “Wawa Charity 5k run tomorrow!”	Beeping noises from a cash register are heard along with ambient Wawa noises.   Cashier: We’re expecting a good turnout for the run tomorrow.
MS: The Wawa employee is talking to the man.	Cashier: Hoping the weather will be nice. You should come out, it’ll be a fun time.
MS: The man is shown smiling, and he responds to the Wawa employee and walks out.	Man: You know what? I’m free tomorrow, I’ll be there.
WS: At an outdoor park – A large banner is shown advertising the Wawa Charity 5K run	Ambient noise – Indistinct crowd conversations and lively music over loud speakers
WS: Runners are shown warming up and groups and families are shown sitting, walking, and engaging in conversation	Ambient noise – Indistinct crowd conversations and lively music over loud speakers
MS: The man is shown stretching, getting ready to run	The ambient noise gets slightly softer.
MCU: The man bends over to tie his shoes as someone walks into the foreground. The man looks up	Ambient noise   Employee: You made it! Good to see you.
MCU: From above, a Wawa employee from earlier in the week speaks to the man	Employee: Would you like your normal order of coffee and a sizzlie?
MC: The man jumps up and responds to the employee.	Man: Ha, no thanks. I’ll stick with a water. Glad I could make it and glad you guys do stuff like this for the community. I’ll catch you later.
MC: A race starter is shown on a loudspeaker.	Starter: Runners, we’ll be starting shortly. Please make your way to the start line.
CU: The man lines up to get ready to run.	Ambient noise.
MC: The runners begin to run off screen as the picture fades.	Horn goes off   Sound of cheering   Sound of shoes stepping on the pavement
Picture faded but with running occurring in the background.   On screen: Wawa logo and the text “We’re more than hoagies and coffee, we’re a part of your community.”	Ambient noise continues, volume lessens slightly.

Creating “Meet the Doctor”

One of the challenges that can befall a storyteller is determined how to create an engaging, linear story from snippets of an interview. All of the information is available, but it is up to the storyteller to weave the information into something coherent and entertaining. Below is an example of the storytelling approach using soundbites from an interview with a pediatric plastic surgeon.

2;15;43
I think one of the most common misconceptions made with children that have birth defects is that they also have a mental disability and that’s just untrue.

02;52;16
Our goal is to help return that child’s life.

2;15;04
My primary special interest is pediatric plastic surgery in addition to craniofacial reconstruction, which includes facial trauma such as facial fractures, orbital fractures, mandible fractures, in addition to cleft lip and palate.

02;48;13
I am the only plastic surgeon here on Long Island who dedicates their practice to pediatric craniofacial surgery.

02;32;12
in my practice, I do primarily cleft lip and palate repair, craniosynostosis repair, as well as facial trauma which includes facial fractures and the repair of them, as well as soft tissue injury

02;18;06
You develop a very intimate relationship with the patient…I meet most of my patients right after they’re born, and then I often take care of them until they’re teenagers and thereafter…Even if they don’t need any other surgical intervention, I tend to follow them at least on an annual basis and watch them grow.

02;49;17
I honestly think that the reason why I connect with the kids is that, first of all, I never wear a white coat in the office. It scares them. They always go to the pediatrician’s office and they get shots and they get scared.

02;20;22
If you see my office, you’ll see that the entire place is just filled with toys and it’s very children friendly…I very rarely see my patients in an exam room. the majority of my exams that I have to do, I can do with them sitting on my couch in my office, and then they can play with their toys and their siblings can play with the toys while I speak to the parents about the nuts and bolts of what we have to do going forward. I found that that environment really works well with my practice.

02;50;43
I think it’s important that they’re not anxious and they’re not scared because I see them a lot in the office and I don’t want their association with me or my office to be something negative because I want everything that comes out of my office, whether it’s from the surgery that I perform to just their visits that they come every month or every year, to be a positive experience.

02:39:32
I think that my commitment to the field, I think, is also in not only operating and taking care of these children, but also in contributing either new techniques or even just reporting outcomes…So I’ve been involved and will continue to be involved in many of our national meetings, like the ASPS, which is the American Society of Plastic Surgery, the American Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Society.

02;41;44
I think the onus is on the physician to stay current in our field and I think a way of doing that is attending these meetings and not only attending them but participating in them by presenting our work, getting feedback from our colleagues, and we have opportunities at these national meetings to give lectures. I think it’s very important and I think patients — it’s important to patients. I think that if you just practice in your own little microcosm of the world and you don’t get input from your colleagues nationally or internationally, I think you’re doing yourself and your patients a disservice.

02;43;58
I really think that you’re bringing the most to the table to taking care of the patient. I think that exposing yourself to criticism, meeting with colleagues, staying up to date, I think that your patients deserve that.

02;24;46
We have a residency program where we’re training residents and fellows, so I think when you’re around young people and you’re Plastic surgeon training them, it forces you to stay current with all of the techniques and there’s a wonderful family environment or camaraderie amongst the partners, as well as with the residents and fellows. I honestly couldn’t think of a more perfect environment to be practicing in.

02;38;43
In addition to treating these craniofacial disorders here in this country, I’ve also done some traveling with medical missions as do some of my partners. I’ve gone to Vietnam with Project Vietnam which was just a wonderful experience and it’s something that I would like to continue to do on an annual basis. We’re blessed here in this country with having access to physicians and hospitals and the medical care, and I think it’s just very rewarding to travel and go and make a difference in other countries as well.

02;44;43
I currently sit on the board of a pediatric charity, a local charity on Long Island that started on Long Island, and basically its application to my patients is very important which is why I joined. It deals with bullying that children go through from when they’re little — so when they’re made fun of, perhaps the way they look — and it also extends to cyber bullying that a lot of the teenagers go through. It was a very important charity and it was very applicable to my patient population. It’s not only important to me to be involved internationally, like going on these medical missions, but I’d also like to be involved locally as well.

02;37;21
Initially going into it, I really loved working with the kids and I liked the anatomy, the basic head and neck anatomy. But now I’m realizing another portion of this that’s wonderful is that I get to really make a difference.

02;56;23
I think it’s something you need to really dedicate your life to and to really make a difference and really to take the best care of kids.

2;23;21
One of the most satisfying things is not only seeing the effect that I can have on the family as whole and the parents and bringing the baby out from the operating room and having the parents hug me and cry and be thankful for the change that was made, but also when the kids are a little older and they can talk to me and they come in and at one point, they come in crying to me saying, “The kids at school are making fun of me,” and then after surgery they come back and they’re smiling and they’re not crying anymore and kids aren’t teasing them anymore. I think it’s just one of the most amazing things to transform a child’s life like that.

02;34;16
if I can make any difference and help them transition into a more normal life and social life in that regard, it’s just wonderful.

After reading this interview, the story was easy to identify. This doctor is a professional who cares deeply about his or her patients and the patient/family/doctor relationship. This doctor is also dedicated to their specialty, as a way to provide the best care for their patients. The rearranged story logically progresses by introducing the doctor, displaying the focus on patient-care, standing within the industry, other work, and wrapping it up by re-emphasizing patient care.

Visualizing the story

Up to now, we’ve talked mostly about the concepts and broader messaging in commercials as vessels of telling the brand story. Just as important as the broader ideas in commercials, the way that the commercial is presented through audio and visual elements help make the concepts come to life. Here are two examples of 30 second commercials that have been broken down to their audio and visual elements.

Foot Locker “Week of Greatness – Tom Brady”

Foot Locker’s Week of Greatness is promotional campaign that coincides with a large number of premium and exclusive shoe releases. This commercial includes NFL Quarterback Tom Brady. If you’re unaware, the NFL accused Tom Brady and The Patriots of cheating, and the parallel is made in this commercial.

	Video	Audio
	Wide shot (WS) two men shown outside walking into a storefront.	Man 1: Week of Greatness brought it again for the 5th year.
	WS. The same two men are shown from the inside entering a restaurant	Man 2: How is it possible it keeps getting better after all these years?
	Medium shot (MS). A waitress moves away showing the men sitting next to Tom Brady.	Man 1: Kinda makes you wonder what FL’s up to? TB: You know, that’s an unfortunate mindset you got there.
	MS. The two men react to seeing Tom Brady.	Man 1: Tom Brady
	MS. Tom Brady in conversation.	TB: Just because something’s great year after year doesn’t mean anything’s going on.
	Medium close up (MCU). Tom Brady becoming more animated.	TB: Why can’t things just be great?
	MS. Reaction from two men.	Man 1: It’s just a question
	MS. Animated Tom Brady.	TB: It starts with questions…
	MCU. Tom Brady getting angrier and more animated.	TB: …and then questions turn into assumptions…
	MS. Reaction shot from two men. One man looks confused/concerned while the other looks on.	TB (off screen): …and then assumptions turn into
	MCU. More animated and angry Tom Brady.	TB: Vacations. So why would you punish the…
	MS. Slightly less animated Tom Brady	TB: … week of greatness for something that never even happened!
	MS. Final reaction shot from two men.	Silence from both men
	MS. Tom Brady stands up and proceeds to leave the diner.	Sound of chair pushing TB: I’ve lost my appetite
	Black screen with text.	Whooshing noise as the images transition.
	Black screen with logo	Whooshing noise as the images transition.
	Black screen with logo	Whooshing noise as the images transition.

 

Skechers Performance Golf School: Putting with the Pros

To promote their line of golf performance shoes, Skechers puts its sponsored athletes in humorous golf-related situations.

	Video	Audio
	WS. Title *Golf School with Skechers Go Golf Pros* Four golfers stand next to each other on the course	Voiceover: Golf School, with Skechers performance pros.
	WS. Matt Kuchar (MK) stands on a green in front of students with other golfers behind him.	MK: Pros use many different putting styles
	MS. MK standing with two golfers behind him.	MK: Just like there are many styles of
	Close up (CU). MK’s Skechers shoes	MK: Skechers GoGolf shoes, all designed for innovative comfort and performance.
	WS. Matt Kuchar (MK) stands on a green in front of students with other golfers behind him.	MK: For this putting lesson, choose which instructor you’d like to work with
	MS. Billy Andre gestures to the crowd	MK: Billy Andre
	MS. Just off screen MK points to Colin Montgomerie and Colin nods to the crowd.	MK: Colin Montgomerie
	MS. MK points to Belen Mozo	MK: Or
	MCU. Belen Mozo flips her hair and poses for the students	MK: Belen Mozo
	WS. All the students move their chairs over to Belen Mozo	Sounds of moving desks
	MCU. The students stare at Mozo in attraction	Sounds of moving desks
	MS. The other three golfers survey the situation, surprised and dumbfounded.	Colin: Well, want to get something to eat then? MK: Might as well…
	CU. Skechers golf shoe	VO: Skechers GoGolf. The official shoes of the
	Skechers logo	VO: Skechers performance pros.

Both commercials featured heavy dialogue and the different on-screen shots were tailored in a way to keep up with the constant audio component. Both commercials are light-hearted and humorous, which also is a reason for the quick dialogue and transitions. Do you think that the visual and audio elements are effective in these commercials? Do you prefer commercials that aren’t mostly dialogue and let imagery tell the story, or do you prefer heavy dialogue in commercials?

Creating the creative (brief)

Over the last few weeks, we’ve discussed different ways that companies can tell their brand story through linear and non-literal storytelling. These discussions, however, have occurred without mentioning one of the critical elements to developing that brand story: the creative brief. A creative brief provides the framework for developing the solution to the brand’s existing “problem.” It lays the foundation to what the current state of the brand and audience is and ultimately develops the end goal of where we want to take the brand and audience. This document guides the project, both strategically and logistically. There is no right way to write a creative brief, so long as the creative team can use the brief as a guide throughout the project. Here are two examples of briefs for well-known brands: Vanguard and Wawa.

Vanguard

1. What do you know about the product and its history?
   Vanguard is an investment firm that was founded in 1975. Vanguard is known for its large portfolio of mutual funds that are owned by its clients, allow Vanguard to provide low-fees that mean Vanguard clients optimize their savings and maximize their financial goals.
2. Whom are we talking to?
   Vanguard’s target audience can be anyone who wants to save money now for life goals and events. Whether it be retirement, rainy day funds, college, Vanguard’s target audience looks to invest today for a better tomorrow. More likely, Vanguard clients are older parents looking to save for retirement, college, and other wealth to pass down to heirs.

   Vanguard often allows companies run their retirement plan through Vanguard, so Vanguard’s audience may include investors who aren’t necessarily as “invested” in their investments.

3. What do they currently think?
   Vanguard is one of the largest financial institutions in the country, with over $3.5 trillion in assets, so it can be inferred that Vanguard’s target audience associate the company as being: trustworthy, reliable, and effective. Vanguard’s current brand presence may also be seen as slightly “dry,” as most investment and financial products can be.
4. What’s the negative?
   My initial thought is that the singular negative is Vanguard’s association with “financial institutions.” This could mean a couple of things. First, people can be nervous about putting their money with a company that could lose it all based on the market. Second, people can think that financial advisors are only out to collect fees and not invest in a client’s best interests.

   Finally, Vanguard doesn’t leverage the same level of traditional advertising that its competitors use. This may be hindering Vanguard’s ability to achieve maximum potential audience reach.

5. What’s the brand?
   Invest today for a better tomorrow

 

Wawa

1. What do you know about the product and its history?
   Wawa is a regional convenience store that was founded in 1964. There are more than 645 Wawa locations throughout the East Coast. Wawa is known for its built-to-order hoagies and fresh brewed coffee. Additionally, Wawa offers a wide-variety of food and drinks, gas, and in one location in PA…beer!
2. Whom are we talking to?
   Wawa’s audience is local residents looking to fulfill their tangible needs of foods, drinks, etc., but also looking to fulfill needs of loyalty, community, and familiarity through the consistent presence of Wawa. Those in the local region more than likely know what Wawa is, and have visited a location before. If they do not live in the region, these assumptions can’t be made.
3. What do they currently think?
   Wawa’s current customers associate Wawa with those feelings of familiarity and community. It’s not uncommon for Wawa customers to have their “local” or “regular” Wawa location that they’d visit a number of times a week or more. We want Wawa customers to associate the brand with the feeling of loyalty and community, even those customers who are visiting Wawa for the first time.
4. What’s the negative?
   As mentioned in my post last week, I do think that there’s a negative connotation to the quality of food at Wawa. People think, “it’s a gas station, how good could the food really be?” Additionally, those who don’t regularly interact with Wawa have a feeling of “what’s the big deal?” Those that don’t experience Wawa normally, may not feel excluded by the brand, but the customer loyalty and “division” caused by the loyalty may be a turn-off for some.

5. What’s the brand?
   Fresh food, cold drinks, and community.

One important consideration for companies when developing the creative brief and completing a creative project is that the brief is a living document and can be updated and evolved as more information about the brand and audience is gained.