Visual and Conceptual Development
Establishing a question to begin with was difficult. I did a lot of reading around the subject of social responsibility and started to form connections between different areas. Working title: To what extent is social responsibility used as a gimmick to sell prodcuts in consumer culture?
Research into adverts, past and present. Looking into how companies use social issues to sell their product. Guinness tackling the issue of homophobia.
Exploring social issues visually to find an approach that works for me.
Working with issues such as child soldiers and animal testing helped me learn about how different issues can be approached, what is appropriate and what has the most impact.
Looking towards an end point, my research led me towards a product range, more specifically a homewares and accessories range.
What is virtue signalling? Virtue signalling - ‘actions (mostly online) that send the message “I’m a good person” - though they might not be accompanied by doing anything good at all.’ Examples include changing your Facebook picture to support a cause, offering your thoughts and prayers after a disaster or tragedy, etc… ‘The common denominator is the emptiness of the gestures.’
Understanding the concept of virtue signalling and empty gestures was key to the development of my essay but also my practical development. It made me understand that my product range needs to use the social issue but not help it.
Using the vintage trend as an influence to help make the imagery and products marketable.
This caused internal conflict which my actual connection to the social issue, which is an discussion I carried through to my essay.
Imagery visually representing the effects of dementia. Using an object as the subject shows how social issues are commodified and the focus is shifted away from people and onto products.
Final images and colour schemes ready to be applied onto products which I am proposing.
Final products mocked up in the home environement. The imagery works decoratively on its own but it is the explanation behind the product range which provides the ‘virtue signalling’ element.
Final presentation of mockups in catalogue/brochure format ties the whole project together by showing that the values connected to these products are for sale.