Positive Messages for Children
This portrait is Dustin Anderson’s latest iteration of the Purple Pirate. The Purple Pirate entertains children in schools all across western Canada. Dustin has drilled down into his own experiences to create an authentic, message-based performance. It directly addresses the cycle of bullying and creates a hero out of a fun-loving character. The story tells of a boy who escapes that cycle and provides a role-model for children. With state-of-the-art lighting and sound, Dustin conjures an immersive environment that captivates children and gives them a safe environment to explore a powerful subject.
Selling to adults, speaking to children
For all the time Dustin spends on his performance and the rapport he quickly builds with children, they are ultimately not the target of his marketing efforts. After an exploring Dustin’s business, we crafted this portrait to speak directly to his target markets – provincial arts councils, school administrators, teachers and parents. The final product became an important selling tool embedded in his business website.
Portrait of the Purple Pirate pitching to the right audience
The concept around this portrait communicates a few important things about the Purple Pirate. First, Dustin wanted the production value to speak for itself – costuming, lighting and custom sets. The sheer amount of gear and props fills an entire sprinter van. We had to be selective about how much to feature in this promotional material Including any more became distracting. Second, the school gymnasium contextualizes the performance as a place both familiar yet transformed. Last but not least, we had to capture Dustin’s energy and positivity.
Clarity about your target market is key in crafting a portrait like this. To whom are we speaking? What do they need to see? These are questions I go over with clients before I ever pick up a camera.