Creating the Wave The Art Director Speaks Memo From Management

Slide 1

Note: The following presentation was made to the Prairie Public Broadcasting Board of Directors by Les Skoropat, Prairie Public Broadcasting Art Director.

Work on Prairie Public Broadcasting's new image began with an assessment of where we are now as a corporation. The management team was asked how they wanted various aspects of Prairie Public Broadcasting to be perceived. For example, when asked how they wanted our TV air to be perceived they offered words such as distinctive, exciting, informative, cutting edge, enticing, accessible, interesting, bright, quality, well-paced, fun, uncluttered and dynamic.

We then asked a group of marketing experts from the community to form a committee and meet with us to discuss our corporate image. The committee consisted of Kathy Coyle, former TV news reporter and host, now with Video Arts Studio; Michael Olsen, Great Plains Software; Rochelle Durgin, Community First Bank; David Wahlberg, NDSU; and Maureen Zimmerman, Concordia College.

We asked this committee to give their observations and perceptions of the same aspects that the management team was asked about. Concerning our TV air, some of them referred to pledge drives and said: frequent, annoying, improved breaks, necessary evil, intrusive, disruptive, and long. About our TV air in general they said it is attractive, pleasant, creative, warm, unique, homey and folksy. They had many thoughtful observations, and offered more than we expected.

This exercise with both groups included perceptions about programming, management, the board, educational and technological services, and our future. As we talked through this important list, we began to see the challenges of creating our new image.

We also considered the work of staff and board in the creation of our strategic plan and how that document envisions our future.

One of the things I asked of our CEO was that she provide me with an outline of the structure of the corporation. She said that she sees four divisions: Radio, Television, Educational Services and Enterprises, which includes Prairie Online, Prairie Satellite Network, and Gaming.

In my role as Art Director, I was asked to consolidate these concepts, perceptions, and observations into visual terms; that is, to design a corporate symbol that might best represent these ideas.