Becky Stone – Why the Hell is Social Class Still a Taboo?

WHYTHEHELL IS SOCIAL CLASS STILL A TABOO?

COMBATING CLASSISM WITH GRAPHIC DESIGN

A BRIEF BACKGROUND ON SOCIAL CLASS IN THE UK

N-GRAM VIEW

According to sociologist Savage (2015), the first efforts to map the class system occurred in the early decades of the nineteenth century, and the Registrar General's Office created the first formal measures of households according to class in Britain in 1911. This occupational classification system placed 'professionals' at the top and 'unskilled manual labourers' at the bottom (Day et al., 2020).

According to social psychologists, class is regarded a taboo subject of conversation in contemporary British culture, and research participants in a study regarding this were found to frequently refer to and discuss it in highly coded ways (Day et al., 2020).

Class is regarded as taboo in the UK due to its long-standing historical connections with inequality and disparity (Gramsci, 1971). Class has historically been a weapon of oppression and discrimination, and overcoming the stigma attached to the topic is challenging.

Incredibly, there is a

multitude of data to indicate that economic disparities and societal inequalities in Britain have grown significantly over the last few decades (see Dorling et al., 2007)! The highest 10% of income producers in Britain are said to earn nearly 17 times more than the bottom 10% (Office for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD], 2015), and 21% of the population is said to be below the poverty line in modern-day Britain (Duffy, 2013).

Despite being such an obviously large problem, many people find it uncomfortable to bring up in casual conversation.

The class structure in the UK is mainly invisible and hardly openly discussed because of the stigma strongly associated (Day et al., 2020). Partially, this stems from an embarrassment of one's social class or an awkwardness talking about it because it may be hard to do so politely and without judgement (Day et al., 2020).

Social class is multifaceted, making it challenging to describe precisely or

quantify. As a result, it can be difficult to comprehend the intricacies of the class structure, meaning that people refrain from discussing it (Argyle, 1994).

The subject of classes is also taboo because it has the potential to cause conflict since it draws attention to the disparities between various social groups(Day et al., 2020). The discrimination resultant of social class disparity thus raises the question of whether it should be discussed openly, especially if the topic was used as a weapon of oppression?

In my opinion, even though the enforcement of social classes was historically (and arguably still is) a tool of oppression, social class should openly and honestly be addressed. Whilst some people may find this a challenging and uneasy discussion, society must advance. The more people are aware of classism's effects, the better prepared they will be to combat it and eventually contribute to its eradication.

For example, discussing the

effects of classism in the workplace can help people comprehend why some jobs are more challenging to obtain than others. It can also spark discussions about fair wages, equal promotion opportunities, and other class-related problems. Understanding how classism affects access to health care, housing, and education can help people identify how their privilege affects these issues and how they can use it to effect positive change (Little, 2008).

Moreover, discussing class can help people realise how their own experiences differ from those of others and how they can use their privilege to assist those less fortunate.

Thus, class should not be a taboo topic. It is essential to openly discuss social class to understand its effects better and work towards eliminating it as a form of oppression. By not openly discussing the topic, we perpetuate the stigma surrounding it, creating a taboo.

N-gram views are helpful because they enable us to examine text data more comprehensively. This method enables us to spot patterns and connections in text data that would otherwise go undetected by looking at a sequence of words together rather

than just one at a time which can be highly helpful for interpreting the attitude towards a specific topic over the years.

As such, I created N-gram views for class related words from 1800-2019 (the closest to present that data exists

for) in order to compare and analyse.

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=pepe&year_start=1800&year_end=2019&corpus=en2019&smoothing=3

N-GRAM VIEW

N-GRAM VIEW

Bourgeoisie

Poverty

Social Class

Middle Class

ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

The N-Gram view of words relating to social class reveals a general upward trend from the 1800s to the late 1900s before decreasing slightly in the present.

In the late 1800s, the prevalence of classrelated words rises, likely in congruence with the rise of Marxism and more Marxist ways of thinking. However, as

Marxism becoming popular

this began to lose momentum and popularity, the frequency of class-related words began to decrease. Of course, it is impossible to definitively state that this is due to the subject becoming taboo, especially as most words still appear more than in the 1800s. However, class systems were used as oppression at this time, with the bourgeoisie (proletariat) writing the books that these words would appear in, making it less likely for many of them to bring attention to, or condemn the system from which they benefit.

Moreover, in the present, the frequency of words related to social class has decreased; this may indicate that people are now less likely to openly discuss social class, as it is seen as a taboo subject.

The exception is the term 'classism' (used to describe the discrimination and prejudice faced by people in certain social classes and to challenge the idea that certain social classes were more 'deserving' than others), which increases in modern times. However,

the word only began to be widely used in the UK in the late 1990s. As such, it is not fair to deduce that this suggests less taboo around the topic/more use of it now, as the word was not a widely recognised term in the past.

End of WW2- triggered a lot of change in society (social mobility, increased women's rights, better access to education).

Line of Best Fit

PRIMARY METAPHORS

I saw a quote which stuck with me when researching class: 'social Class is immovable' (Robson, 2023). This got me to thinking, what are things that are immovable?

The answer seemed obvious; mountains! They are big, solid, and heavy, aka immovable.

They relate to social class as both are: Immovable. Have a little top (the elite) and big bottom (the working class).

Have a large presence but are silent.

I thus concluded that the obvious primary metaphor is:

SocialClassis Mountain

I thought that the graph I created from the N-gram Views resembled a mountain range! As such, I wanted to turn the data into a visual representation using my primary metaphor 'class is mountain' (a mountain range).

I did this in Illustrator, turning the graph first into vectors so that I could use the fill function. The top right image was my reference to help with shading and so on.

I want to expand on the concept of mountains as a visual representation of class and develop a brand that uses the mountain metaphor to highlight the adverse effects of socioeconomic class. The brand would create awareness and conversations about the class divide, and would effectively help reduce the stigma around the taboo.

BRANDING AND PACKAGING CLASS IN A BOX

Concept

The concept is the creation of a new brand, Mountain to Climb (using the previous mountain metaphor), which uses socioeconomic status to generate conversation starters.

Purpose

The purpose of Mountain to Climb's products is to initiate important discussions about the difficulties and opportunities of being in various socioeconomic groups.

Design

The packaging design will originate from an imaginary product line named Class in a Box', which takes an abstract concept (social class) and makes it physical.

This is interesting, as it will reflect the various social classes and the distinct views they offer. The boxes will be empty, but the design and price will reflect the class

level it represents, playing on the idea that 'money cannot buy you class'. For example, the upper class could be made with gold foil and have a luxury feel, and the working class could be made from cardboard. The upper class box would cost £100; middle class £40 and lower class £5.The rationale behind this is that by turning something non-physical into the physical, it becomes 'real', making it easier to talk about.

Goal

This aligns with Mountain to Climb's goal: encourage people to have meaningful conversations about their class and the obstacles they may encounter, thus helping reduce the stigma and taboo around the topic.

Target Audience

Who?

Wide demographic (Low middle and upper class)

All genders

Where?

UK (Supermarket users)

Age?

Adults (25-45 as more likely open to change/progressive conversations).

Research

According to the UK Government (2021), roughly half of the population (48%) considers themselves working class, 36% middle class, and 6% high class. 10% of individuals do not classify themselves (SAGE Publications, 2013).

Those aged 50 to 64 are most likely to identify as working class (54%). The UK has an upper class, with average assets of over £140,000, excellent social connections, sophisticated preferences, and an education at the most renowned institutions (UK Government, 2017).

79% of people across all regions believe there is a big difference between social classes in Britain today,

while 11% believe there is just a small gap Residents of Scotland and Northern Ireland are the aptest to believe there is a substantial disparity (both 84%) (UK Government, 2017).

In addition, 39% of the populace believes it is becoming more difficult for those from less privileged backgrounds to advance in British society 28% believe it is remaining about the same and 23% believe it is becoming simpler (UK Government, 2017).

THE EYE OF PROVIDENCE

The All-Seeing Eye, also known as the Eye of Providence, is a potent symbol employed for generations to denote divine protection and direction. It has been used in various settings, such as religious, philosophical, and political debates. Interestingly, it has been related to socioeconomic class in recent years (Wilson, 2020).

According to popular belief, the Eye of Providence represents the higher classes' power and dominance over the lower classes (Potts, 1973). This image reminds people of their authority and the possible repercussions of defying it. This representation is meant to remind them of their control and the dangers of disobeying them. It is thought that those who wear the Eye of Providence are telling society to follow the dictates of the affluent or face the repercussions. This strategy upholds societal hierarchy and the status quo (Wilson, 2020).

Additionally, the Eye of Providence serves to strengthen class distinctions.

As a reminder that people in higher social classes have access to more resources, influence, and privilege than people in lower classes, it is significant (Wilson, 2020). It helps to highlight the differences between the classes and to support the idea that the upper classes have more advantages.

Given this, it is intriguing that The Eye of Providence is displayed on the US $1 bill (Wilson, 2020). Supposedly, it serves as a reminder of the federal government's authority to safeguard and guide its people (Potts, 1973). The Eye of Providence is also regarded as a reflection of the value of individual accountability and perseverance to succeed in America- a reinforcement of capitalist systems in which social class is so intrinsically linked, especially as the symbol is printed on the most basic definer of class (money).

It is also interesting how the symbol is partly a pyramidsimilar to my metaphor that 'class is a mountain'. This

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20201112-the-eye-of-providence-the-symbol-with-a-secret-meaning

strengthens my decision to use pyramid/mountainouslike shapes and connotations in class-related designs.

CREATIVE DIRECTION

Muted colour palette as the brand needs to be versatile to work on packaging for luxury-basics.

Sans-serif typography for a modern and contemporary feel.

Manipulation of certain typography elements to fit with the mountain theme.

Simple and geometric imagery for the logo mark.

The photography direction symbolises class disparities/the class divides and so on in line with the brand’s mission.

INITIAL SKETCHES

LOGO CONCEPT 01

I really liked this concept but realised that the upper class was the largest despite it being the smallest percentage of the population, so I decided to rethink.

Sun beams/light/ halo to represent desirability/ the 'best'

Logo marks could be used as stickers/ profile pictures for Instagram.

LOGO CONCEPT 02

My next idea was to show hierarchy through proximity, so the upper class would be on 'top' (the smallest triangle), then middle class and then lower class. This then resembles a top down view of a mountain.

I also chose a simple sans serif font for the typography as anything too elaborate would be too busy with the triangles as well. This also gave a contemporary feel to the logo and meant that it could be used for upper, middle and lower class packaging.

The idea with this was that the lines represented steps as if 'climbing the mountain'. However, I felt that it was too much and preferred just the wording and the triangle.

First attempt, without measuring the size of the triangles.

LOGO CONCEPT 02 REFINEMENT

This idea worked well, taking into account the relative sizes of the different classes in comparison to one another, but I wanted to make the size of the triangles more meaningful and based in research not just randomly sized. Thus, I made them

relate to the statistic of each class size in the UK (for example, the upper class triangle is 6% of the largest triangle size I used).

Calculation example (Lower Class):

Biggest triangle (not a part of the design just for the measurement)=

Width: 34mm

Height: 52mm

Lower Class statistic: 48% of the UK

48% of W= 16.32mm

48% of H= 24.96mm

TYPOGRAPHY MANIPULATION

I wanted to create something that could be used as a logo mark for the brand and also add to the typography without being too in your face. I thought

the best way too do this would be to manipulate the M (for mountain), especially as an M is quite pointed and as such can be made to resemble mountain peaks.

Sans serif with equal weighting to give a uniform and contemporary feel.

Early iterations: Originally I used a serif font, but this did not lend itself to being flexible for application over all three classes. Moreover, the M looked to me to be an N with a triangle. I also realised that the varying weight of the stems did not help with the N/M issue. Hence why these designs were refined.

a mountain

Final design

M stem/triangle representative of

ABOUT THE BRAND

Mountain to Climb is a new brand that conceptualises the idea of social class to create talking points. Through its products, Mountain to Climb seeks to start meaningful

conversations about the challenges and opportunities of being in different social classes. The brand’s products, which currently include the Class in a Box range, represent the different

social classes and the unique perspectives they bring. Mountain to Climb aims to inspire people to engage in meaningful dialogue about their own class and the challenges they may face.

BUSINESS CARDS

I used the brand colours to create simple business cards. I decided not to add social media but just link to a website as the brand has a large target audience and different demographics are

more/less likely to use certain social media.

I used the logo to make sure the brand is recognisable and also maintained the brand fonts.

STEP 02:

PACKAGING DESIGN

CLASS IN A BOX

I decided to physically make the box and die-line template as I could not wrap my head around which box face would go where and in what direction. This was likely because this is my first time using a die-line, but I also find that sometimes I need to physically create something to understand it better.

Although very rough looking, by creating the box, I could understand which part of the designs would go where and in what direction they would face. This thus made it easier when designing on the dieline digitally.

MATERIALS

Moreover, this helped me to understand construction materials better. For example, I decided that all of the boxes would be constructed of varying types of cardboard. The use of cardboard means that the boxes would be biodegradable and recyclable, meaning that the product would be sustainable.

The Upper Class box would be made of premium, strong cardboard, so it will last a long time.

The Middle Class box would be made of a high quality, but slightly cheaper cardboard (as this box would be priced less than the upper class one, meaning that the design style and materials used should reflect that).

Thirdly, the Lower Class box would be made of a cheap cardboard which is less

strong and durable, as the box would be priced much cheaper to reflect the class level to which it pertains.

MATERIALS OVERVIEW

 SUSTAINABLE CARDBOARD

 UPPER CLASS: premium, strong, long-lasting

 MIDDLE CLASS: high quality but cheaper than the upper-class

 LOWER CLASS: cheap craft cardboard

UPPER CLASS BOX 01 COMPETITOR RESEARCH

Analysis:

The brands rely on their fame and status to sell their products.

I want to make mine more decadent in feel- using dark blacks and rich golds.

I also want to try using illustration as I think this improves engagement and does not necessarily

have to be off -limits for more luxury style brands, enabling my product to stand out, but still keep a minimalist style. This will also give it a more modern feel, which is important for a contemporary market.

Not engaging.

Honestly this is just boring!

Overview:

Plain

Simple colour palettes

Minimalist

Not engaging- outdated

Little pictures/illustrations

The images used were sourced from Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/ bexjstone/upper-class-box/

Plain and simple

MOOD BOARD

UPPER CLASS

Overview:

The images demonstrate the feel and aesthetic that I want to achieve with my Upper Class Box. The use of rich dark colours creates a very mysterious and luxury feel, with the lighter coloured accents giving a decadence that harks to a time when Upper

Class was very much associated with glitz and glamour.

The overall effect creates a rich and expensive look whilst still maintaining a modern air.

Notes:

The colours may change in the design process. But this shows you a rough idea of the colours.

The images used were sourced from Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/ bexjstone/upper-class-box/

Good contrast between the black and gold.

Threads of gold give a luxury feel.

Fits the aesthetic I want to emulate.

Use of thin lines for the illustration.

INSIDE

Primary Logo

Product Name

Embossed

Illustration taken from the N-Gram view graph. This would be in gold foil made of longlasting materials that will not fade.

Product barcode.

Inside flap (lid) features a triangular pattern to represent the mountain theme.

Brand logo mark on inner base of box.

MIDDLE CLASS BOX 02

COMPETITOR RESEARCH

One key colour

Analysis:

The brands use bold colours to sell their products.

I like this aesthetic and want to incorporate it into my design.

I also want to follow the bold/blocky style, less intricate than the upper class designs. This will also give

it a modern vibe, which is important for a contemporary market.

Overview:

Block Colours

Bold

Bright

Not intricate

Primary colour varients

The images used were sourced from https://www. coleyporterbell.com/work/ plant-kitchen/; http://www. createdbyjasmine.com/ project/ugg-x-coachella;

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/ pin/247486942013620724/

Primary colours

MOOD BOARD

MIDDLE CLASS

Overview:

The pictures portray the mood and aesthetic that I hope my Middle Class Box will convey. The use of muted colours, particularly when used in large blocks, gives the design a modern and sleek feel. This links to the research I did (see previous spread)

into the packaging of middle-class brands (like M&S), which also opted for this vibe.

Bright and bold but still maintains a sophisticated air.

Notes:

The colours may change in the design process. But this shows you a rough idea of the colours.

The images used were sourced from Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/ bexjstone/middle-class/

Blocks of colours and simple designs. I love how the colours are still bright but the more muted tones bring an air of sophistication which I feel is very apt for a middle class audience.

More wording on the packaging than was common with the more upper class designs.

Fun and colourful.

DESIGNING THE ASSETS

I chose to make four colour options for the middle class box as I wanted there to be more variety than the upper

class box (I felt that the upper class box maintained an exclusive feel by being available in only one colour,

and also that the black/gold combination was perfect for that 'tier'). I have named each box according to colour. I

think that the names are sophisticated and would appeal to a middle class audience.

The four colours chosen are pretty and contemporary but muted (as per the research). I named them: duck egg, dusk, ocean and sunset (a slightly more pretentious way of saying: light blue, pink, dark blue and orange)!

The colour palette works well together, creating a sophisticated but modern aesthetic, perfect for the middle class.

I chose to add more information to these boxes (whereas the upper class only had the logo and product name) as my research found that the middle-class companies (such as M&S, Waitrose and so on) had more wordage on their packaging than the luxury brands (Burberry, Louis Vuitton etc.). The content's slightly playful tone ensures the vibe is less 'proper' than the upper class. Moreover, the addition of the brand mission explains the box's purpose.

Regarding the fonts, I used only the two already incorporated into the logo to maintain consistency and simplicity. Both are sans serifs which compliments the contemporary colour palette.

I noticed when researching that a lot of the packaging contained a mix of typography and simple illustration. As such, I utilised the brand logo (the triangles) to create a simple geometric pattern. This complements the more busy typography faces of the boxes.

Overall, using muted colours, straightforward typography, and a geometric design produces a contemporary, modern, and sophisticated appearance that resonates with the middle class.

OUTSIDE

Pattern made from the logo.

INSIDE

Inside flap (lid) features the triangular brand pattern to represent the mountain theme.

Product Name

Primary Logo

Info about the box. The word class is within a box to represent the product name, 'class in a box'.

Adjectives describing qualities of the Middle Class (Chat GPT, 2023).

Brand logo mark on inner base of box.

DUSK

LOWER CLASS BOX 03

COMPETITOR RESEARCH

Analysis:

The brands use mainly a single bold colour and negative space (white) to sell their products.

This aesthetic definitely looks cheaper/less well designed.

Bland packaging with little to know illustrations.

All are very similar designs regardless of brand.

Overview:

Block Colours

Negative Space

Ugly

Not intricate

No/little illustrations

The images used were sourced from https://www. tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/ search?query=Tesco%20 Everyday%20Value&N=0;

https://my.morrisons.com/ savers/

Lots of negative space

Unappealing colour shade

Boring and plain

One key colour

MOOD BOARD

LOWER CLASS

Overview:

The pictures portray the mood and aesthetic that I hope my Lower Class Box will convey.

The use of one bright colour, and a white background creates a simple no-nonsence look. This links to the research I did (see previous spread) into the packaging of

lower-class brands (like tesco value, sainsbury's basics, lidls and so on), which also opted for this vibe.

Accents of bright and bold colour but still a lot of negative space.

Notes:

The colours may change in the design process. But this shows you a rough idea of the colours.

The images used were sourced from https://www. pinterest.co.uk/bexjstone/ lower-class/

Blocks of colours and simple designs.

Photography not

Very cheap, no design. I am unsure whether to use the cardboard 'aesthetic' as a lot of more higher class brands now use it for a 'sustainable' look.

I made two designs for the lowerclass box as I could not decide which aesthetic to favour. The top yellow was more similar to the Asda essentials range, whereas the bottom orange was more similar to the Sainsbury's basics. I decided, however, that the orange one was more apt for the lower class market as it looks cheaper than the yellow one, which has attributes related to the middle-class such as a large amount of bright colour and blocky typography.

DESIGN ASSETS

Plain Lid

Lots of negative space

One colourful strip around top of sides

Logo mark and product name

Brand logo mark on inner base of box.

INFORMATION CARDS

It occurred to me that the boxes alone lacked context/ further information that may be used to help break the stigma and taboo around social class.

Whilst the middle-class box did have some additional information on it, the upper and lower-class boxes did not, as it did not match their 'aesthetics' to include much information on the packaging.

As such, a good way around this would be to place a small card inside each box, which would have a website link for the brand.

This website would then have resources, information and so on to help break the taboo. This would work well, especially as the boxes are empty.

I decided to design separate cards for each box to match the box's aesthetic. As such, the upper-class card uses its box colours and so on.

I chose a square card as this would fit best in the square box. The cards follow

the format of a standard business card with the brand name/logo and information on where to 'find' them.

Analysis

This is a good idea as the card allows people to investigate more about social class, further helping the conversation continue, even when not in the presence of the box.

This would help to educate and create a healthy discussion about class disparities and classism

In turn, the hope is that this will reduce the stigma and break the taboo regarding talking about social class.

UpperClass

MiddleClass LowerClass

CONCLUSIONS

It is clear that classism is still a large issue in the UK.

As such, the hope of this conceptual project is to make a statement about the various socioeconomic classes and the disparity between them. In turn, creating positive change through an increased opportunity for discussion and education about the issue, helping to reduce the taboo and ultimately creating awareness about, and positive change against, classism .

The design's power rests in its capacity to make a point without being overtly explicit. It conveys the concept of social classes and their distinctions without being overt. The consumer is also inspired to consider the ramifications of the design and investigate the idea further.

Overall the design conveys the disparities between social classes and their implications, with the overarching message regarding the breaking down of the class taboo strong and provocative.

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BECKY STONE