A Conversation Nicole H.D.W. Sinclair
Contents
Initial Ideas 3, 6 - 9, 16, 20
Research
4 - 5, 10 - 15, 18, 21 - 26, 30 - 34, 37
Topic Of Choice 17, 19, 46
Experimentation 29, 35 - 36, 38, 40, 44
Development 27 - 28, 38 - 39, 41 - 42, 44
Final Piece 43, 45 - 46
Bibliography 47
Conversation, it’s something we do everyday whether online, in person or over the phone. Or maybe it’s more then that? A brand and its audience can have a conversation also and how? Through the design’s visual apparatus, its medium to which it conveys the message and the tone to which the brand takes. All these elements build up a visual language for which the audience can respond to, their response could take place through a purchase, through a “like” on Facebook or other social networking platforms.
conventional conversation as technology progresses and we proceed to live both in reality and in the digital world. For big supermarkets such as Tesco, or retailers such as Amazon or Ebay, they collect your information as you browse and shop, therefore no longer is it a one-way system of information but a two-way exchange.
What is most important regarding the brief is that we look at the most intrinsic topics facing us today and in doing so produce visually appealing, or perhaps repulsive though thought provoking outcomes which address such and any problems which we may encounter along the way.
The Brief
Understanding of the Brief - Conversation
Most obvious is the transcript and dialogue played between consumer and brand, this can be seen throughout “comments” and “wall posts” and reviews. One well-known method of communication between consumer and retailer is that of compliments and complaints, this has been around for a long time though with the speed and ease of use the internet brings, it is much easier for the consumer to air their opinion. Due to the previously said, it could then be argued that we have conversations with all the products we buy, how so? Through the exchange of information or in this case money and the product itself. Though this is becoming much more of a
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Survey Responses I decided to create a survey to gauge the public opinion on what a conversation is made up of. However after reading through the responses it is clear many people take this at face value in that a conversation is just that, one person speaking to another. I tried creating a suggestive question as to open up different viewpoints on the topic, this came with good response as people generally agreed that media does create a conversation of sorts, though be it typically one-sided. In regards to technology’s influence on future conversation the response was a equal mixture of good and bad implications. It is apparent that technology has a major factor in peoples lives and will continue to do so to greater effects as technology improves and becomes part of our everyday routine. I used this feedback to help inform and shape my opinion and understanding of the brief.
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Survey Responses 5
Initial Ideas
Economic and Political Information - Bite-size Chunks Information Overload - Are we too connected? Physical Contact - The Missing Link? Economics and Sustainability Mental Health and technology Physical health Disabilities and technology Societal Mixtures Family Relations and Gratification of loved ones. Is the mirror/social media reflecting our true selves? If animals could speak, how would they present themselves? Learning aids in children’s speech development Mood changing clothes - Detects your mood and changes appropriately.
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Mind Map 7
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Mind Map
Mind Map 9
Research The research on the next pages which I carried out, came from reading the above document, “The Future 100: Trends And Change� by JWT Intelligence. I also looked into a few of these topics further and read some news articles surrounding such.
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Grass-Roots & the Niche Market
Having an ethical standing point as a business is becoming much more of an essential part of its branding then in times gone by. This is due to the increased and ever-rising awareness of our health, well-being and the environment. Not only are the public more aware of these issues but also that of the amount of data being collected. This is concerning data about themselves, their habits, their families maybe even their health and blood pressure.
As the rise of “Youtube Celebrities” has become apparent, pop stars and other TV/film stars have taken influence from this and in turn started to brand themselves more approachable and “real”. This can be seen in videos where it is set-up in a naturalistic environment and featuring casual attire as oppose to the more fancy full-made up faces usually seen within music videos. People want to be able to relate to those they see on screen and feel as though they share a connection with their experience.
Not only are consumers concerned about their own well-being but also that of the workers. This is especially relevant when contextualised around the recent scandals regarding high street clothing brands and their sources. This is not inclusive to our species though, as there is an importance on animal well-being which is becoming more recognised. It is important for a brand to be aware of their ethical responsibilities and live up to their name.
Further to this people are seeking out niche hand-made items, something that they can purchase which is one-off and created with a higher sense of value. Pop-up shops are also proving a popular addition to the shopping experience as they create a fresh and exciting new vibe to handcrafted products. Companies such as Pepsi-co and Starbucks are considering this within their own branding and create more sophisticated sub-brands aimed at this audience.
Key Points of Interest
Ethical Standards and Responsibility
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Key Points of Interest
The Body Beautiful
Upcoming Advancements
Not only are people concentrating on the aesthetic side of the body but we are now becoming more aware of our health internally. The diverse range of ideals vary from the less desirable body modifications such as tongue-splitting and eye tattooing to the more aspirational diets incorporating super food cold-pressed juices and purchasing natural chemical free skincare products. Not only are people considering their own health in their lifestyle decisions but also that of the environment and animals.
Technology is increasing in capabilities every year and in turn so does the incorporation of smart tech into everyday objects. This can range from the watch you wear, which is now a reality in the “Apple Watch” to the clothes you wear. “Smart” technology is being incorporated into such as fridges, TVs, headphones and is everywhere is the mobile phone scene allowing easy control between wi-fi and Bluetooth enabled devices.
It is seeming to become more popular to adapt to a vegetarian, vegan or “flexitarian” diet, this is due to both factors mentioned especially as new documentaries focusing on the topic are brought out, as well as the health benefits found, though this are always in dispute. Due to this increase in veganism, especially so among the younger generation, it is now more attractive to the mass-market. As a result of this there has been an appearance of meat-free restaurants and cafes, introducing a fresh new approach to upmarket vegetarian food while also catering to this market. It has been found in the UK that one young person in every four is choosing to go alcohol-free, further opening up a new market of dining though this doesn’t mean people are becoming less daring. In fact this is much the opposite as alternative flavours and experiences are becoming much more prevalent, with experimental chefs such as Heston Blumenthal’s extravagant creations both inspiring and being made available within his gourmet restaurant “The Fat Duck”.
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The “Polo Tech” shirt created in 2014 is one example of this technology pioneering within the fashion world, as it tracks your heart rate, steps taken, calories burned and more it is designed to help inform the wearer of their performance and how to best improve their workouts. To go hand in hand with this, Ralph Lauren has even created a “Game Plan”. The aim of this is to guide their customers’ workouts, in a way that teaches the user how to “read” the information in a more effective manner. This is being taken a step further with new gaming headsets and companies’ future plans for a bodysuit aimed at creating a more immersive and realistic gaming experience. As technology increases in its uses it is also becoming “invisible” in that the technology is no longer needed in full view. People are becoming use to living in the digital age and are less interested in the technical side of the products they buy and more interested in what it can do for them. Advancements in technology are greatly aiding hospital procedures and operations also as well as greatly improving survival rates for those at great need. Examples of this can be seen with technology such as artificial hearts and the science behind using skin grafts to help replace skin lost in third-degree burns. Such science has also been used to reconstruct ears even which help to improve confidence and self-esteem in those badly wounded.
Robots and Emotion
The Modern Family
As our population grows older and lives for much longer periods of time then previously seen, it is becoming a major area to look into. This is both in terms of investment and well-being priorities. As we mature to an older age we need more support and this is where technology could enable the elderly to still carry out independent lifestyles, while also getting the support they need and deserve.
In the world of robotics there is a lot talk regarding Anthropomorphism, this is the attachment of human emotions to non-humans, particularly in the case of AI. It has been seen in Japan, cases were people have grown so attached to their robot “pet” that once Sony decided to stop continuing repairs on the Aibo robot-dogs they then decided to carry out “funerals” for their beloved companion. This brings about questions of intent in regards to the companies whom want to create these emotion-mimicking robots. For instance if their product required a repair, or upgrade perhaps would the company then charge for this extra service? Or would they employ branding advertisements within the robots dialogue, as to encourage suggested brand sales. These questions bring about more ethical concerns, especially for those who perhaps relay on the companionship or interaction that these products simulate. On the other side of the coin however, they can also be used as a useful aid in encouraging behavioural development and communication advancements.
It is known that TV’s and other screens are very widely used as a “nanny” in terms of keeping the kids entertained. With the rise in hand-held devices it is also commonplace for a family to speak to each other from one room to the other over their devices. This creates a lack of face-to face communication and creates barriers stopping the family bonding together. Perhaps it may be time to look at how technology can be used to encourage face-to-face interaction?
One aspect of technology which needs to be addressed, is the interface, as to create an interface which is user-friendly for the older generation in terms of not just learning the software but in understanding individuals needs. This could be from integrating a large display to improving grip products, as well as looking to incorporate the technology into other household items. Not only can this all help improve usability for the elderly but it can also be taken and adapted further to improve the lives of the disabled or even people at a stay in hospital to heighten comfort and improve their experience. Further to this the older generations are becoming those of the highest spending, they have a disposable income and are becoming, as I mentioned regarding the younger generations previously, more aware of their health and image. Due to this these different aspects they are much more willing to invest into higher end products, therefore making deluxe high-quality products of more value and demand.
Key Points of Interest
The Aging Population
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Key Points of Interest 14
Information City & Spiritual Grounding With the availability of mobile phones, especially smart-phones the access people have to information from a wide range of sources is immense. Not only is this from our own research on the web but also from social media we learn about stuff that we would otherwise not have come across, for instance when someone shares a news report or article based upon a topic we would otherwise not seek out. However the mobile phone is being used to enable not just access to information but also ever increasing availability in terms of long distance communication.
However this can be fraught with extra health problems and stresses that we would possibly not have without. This can range from “texters thumb” to becoming addicted to checking your online presence. Not only can these cause visible problems but also charge our anxiety and stress leading us to feel as though we have no time to ourselves. This is where technology “bans” and tech-free resorts and holidays are coming into their own, providing the everyday worker with a tech-free haven to simply relax without the option of constantly staying “connected”.
There are now features to alter the lighting and heating of our homes are being integrated into our devices through apps. One example of long distance communication, which I find of particular interest and a useful feature, is that of camera surveillance. This can be used to keep an eye on your pets for instance, with a dog if they sometimes find it difficult when you aren’t there you can check on them through your mobile and help calm them with your voice through the application. This is just one aspect of a multitude of possibilities and demonstrates how connected we are, both in our digital lives and our “real” Analogue lives.
Mindfulness is a practise, which has recently seen an insurgence of popularity, especially with regards to the “colouring books for grown-ups” which have appeared on the mass-market. Although people are constantly connected with their phones, they can feel “disconnected” with their life, in a sense they feel as though they are on auto-pilot all the time and mindfulness enables them to learn to take each moment as it comes and set aside small moments for meditation to “reconnect” with one’s body. Further to this younger generations are becoming more interested in spirituality, not so much religious practises but rather connecting with themselves through spiritual relaxation and life ethos.
Throughout summarising these key factors, I have noticed it is quite difficult to pinpoint the topic they should reside in. It is apparent there are many overlaps in terms of topic and theme and due to this the majority of these key points relate to each other just as much as they are there own unique topic. Within each of these are further sub-topics, which could be spoken about for hours as technology, the changing world, social policies and behaviours all change as a result of one-another. In regards to the theme for this year “Collide�, it demonstrates how subjects can come into collision against each another but also co-habitat with each other. It is in fact collisions and this theme of driving opposites that help make up a story for a brand. In a lecture with Jonathan Sands OBE I learnt how a conflict in themes, for instance that of love and hate can be used to build up an interesting and engaging story. One very famous example of a text which does just that is of Romeo and Juliet, fuelled by passion but driven apart by hate the story engages and connects with its audience.
Key Points of Interest
Convergence and Collision Of Themes
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Mind Map
Further to this the dairy industry is also being proven to be a highly unsustainable source of protein as for 1000 gallons of water are needed to produce just 1 gallon of milk. To create one beef burger it requires the amount of water equivalent to 2 months of showering. In addition through both overfishing and the amount of waste that gets dumped and then contaminated within our seas, due to cattle agriculture it is estimated that the world’s oceans could become fish-less by 2048.
Not only that but many protesters who have tried to stop the clearing of rainforests in Brazil have been killed. Over the last 20 years 1,100 land activists including that of Sister Dorothy Stang, have been killed for just speaking their opinion and trying to prevent the destruction of the world’s rainforests. This is an issue which needs more awareness and encouragement to make small but measurable effects as to reduce the demand for meat. Although this would potentially increase the cost of meat, it would encourage people to consider the resources which go into producing their burger more-so. Not only does this account for resources but also ethical and welfare issues raised by the rise of factory farming. Many health benefits can be considered by the reduction of meat intake including that of reduced saturated fats and the lowered intake of second-hand growth hormones and antibiotics. The most contributive factor in terms of resource intake within agriculture is that of the cow, so if people were to eat less cows and switch to say chicken, although they are still eating meat this would lesson the impact of carbon emissions realised into the atmosphere. However, one factor which is a major issue in terms of jobs and profits is that of companies and farms which rely on the sales of such products to
earn their wages. Due to this, most large scale meat industries would more then likely oppose such changes and create counter-advertising, so not only do we as designers need to persuade the customer, we also need to persuade the industries supplying these goods. This can happen by two means, firstly by consumer demand and behaviour, secondly by focusing on the positives and alternatives to beef production and usage.
Topic Of Choice
After looking at the wide selection of topics to focus upon, I decided the most relevant to today is that of global warming and its highest causation, meat production and/or animal agriculture. It was revealed on the film Cowspiracy: the great sustainability secret that although this is the highest factor to global warming it is the one most shunned and un-talked about. Even if it was all grass-fed beef to improve on quality, in the U.S. to feed every person living there it would be required that 3.7 billion acres of land would be needed to produce cattle for beef production which is highly unsustainable, especially considering that not all land in the US is suitable for grass fed cattle and there is only 1.9 billion acres in the US available; Of this 1.9 billion acres, already there is half of that dedicated to cattle grazing.
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Topic Of Choice 18
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/dm/sanctuary_india_reverse_calendar
http://www.adamandeveddb.com/#/work/save-the-children
http://www.adamandeveddb.com/#/work/john-lewis-insurance
http://www.memacogilvy.com/casestudy/womens-domestic-abuse-in-ksa/
http://iwitnessbullying.org
http://adage.com/lp/top15/#truth
I found the above awareness campaigns to be of interest due to their innovate and thought-provoking approaches.
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Highlight the negative impacts & persuade consumers
Promote the health benefits
Encourage local and sustainable practises.
My aims for this project are firstly to persuade and encourage consumers to reduce their overall meat and diary intake, predominately that of meat and replace this with a richer more varied diet of fruit and vegetables. Secondly in addition to the factor to global warming, I would like to highlight the physical health benefits this can incur. This point would encourage young adults and the older generations alike due to the importance this has in everyone’s lives. In terms of how this could be implemented to encourage farmers in following the trend, is much more of
a challenge. My initial reaction would be for it to be upon the government body to create incentives for farmers to reduce or for those who allow their cows to graze freely, keep at a steady rate their current supply. After considering this further, I have come to the conclusion that the best way of promoting such for local farmers is through heightening the importance of supporting local and sustainable farmers practises. This would be carried forward through encouraging buyers to boycott the larger detrimental factory farms and keep to a reduced intake but chose high quality organic meat as preference.
Topic Of Choice
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Initial ideas
Survey Responses 21
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Survey Responses
Survey Responses 23
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Survey Responses
Survey Responses 25
Audience Personas
I found that in general, across the board there was consensus that reducing their individual meat intake would not have a significant impact in tackling global warming. In addition to this the emphasis of responsibility seems to be placed on government bodies and is viewed that laws should be put into place to avoid the deforestation. As much as this is a valid viewpoint, this would most likely carry on however on an illegal basis as it does in some cases already. This is noted in particular to the technique used to clear forest areas. From reading the suggestions gathered, along with my own research it seems focusing on animal rights alone is not enough. In addition, with my focus being on climate change, people need to be in most cases shocked into the effects an individual can have on this issue through change. Using my research gathered from the survey I created the following personas (as seen right). these personas would make up my target audience. One element I would like to highlight in regards to my aims is that I intend to create posters that although explaining shocking statistics in a simplified format, will also be children friendly and therefore create an impression on the future generations leading with it a positive pro-active approach to solving climate change.
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Audience Personas 27
Idea Sketches
Idea Concepts & Application
• Using an image/illustration of a steak and then superimposing it to the size it represents in land, with dung/rubbish placed on top to represent the waste, fumes to represent the carbon dioxide produced and dead fish to represent the harm this both causes to the sea. The measuring tape(line underneath) represents/measures its real life land use. • Chiaroscuro (half normal, half shaded) style vector imagery, shadow side representing the less ethical food choices. • Car fuel likened to less healthy food choices (meat). • Burger is rainforest rather then rainforest burger – switch on save rainforest advert.
Outlets/Medium of communication: • Interactive Space • Product • Novelty Product – educational and persuasive • Smart Product • Character Branding • Animation 28
• Packing Design
To the left is a sketch I created to turn into a digitally coloured poster design but with an organic handdrawn appeal. I took the concept of half meat and half vegetable and transformed this into the cow’s face. The idea behind this was to bring across the humane side of reducing meat intake on top of the resource consumption it requires.
Experimentation Above are my initial experiments taken from my sketches and worked up to see how they would work as a draft. The First image (left to right) is admittedly poor in structure and appeal, though as a basis to gauge the effectiveness of the idea, I feel it works to a slight degree. If worked to a reasonable standard think this idea would have potential, though needs some explanation rather then asking the audience to guess from the imagery alone. In order to solve this issue, I feel having a few statistics showing would remedy this. The middle image was a sketch for an idea which is based around looking at the base of a meal differently. Rather then viewing meat as the main substance, it would try and encourage the viewer to consider fruit and vegetables as the base for a dish. Alongside this there would be a question to bring across the global warming side of the argument and website addresses to lead them to more information. The final image plays on the same idea but using the “final product�, in this case a steak as the counter-half to the mushroom. Depicting the meat as it is in the supermarket may create more impact in encouraging meat-eaters to view and consider the message shown. This is due to their disconnection between meat and the animal it came from. Each of these ideas need work and I hope to take at least one of these forward to develop alongside other designs. However I need to ensure the series of posters work well as a set.
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Moodboard 30
http://www.adamandeveddb.com/#/work/google
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJNR2EpS0jw
http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/ the-internet-of-things-a-primer/
https://www.instagram.com/p/zqM87Worvt/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEaGM8kDac4
http://supermarketnews.co.nz/free-fruit-for-kids-is-back/
The above images are from various sources and include informational videos and diagrams which has helped to develop my strategy of enabling the poster designs to be effective. I found in particular Unilever’s 5 Levers for Change to be a very informative video in terms of learning how to persuade your audience and change habits. This is important to this project as the aim of the campaign would be to change a lifestyle habit that the majority of people have and to keep this going.
Moodboard
Here I have placed a selection of campaign and awareness posters of which, there strategies and styles vary. The image to the top right I find to effective in terms of its hand-drawn typeface reflecting a local farm chalkboard and the simple yet naive style of drawing shows the innocence of the lives lost to the agriculture process.
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060370511/
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060361199/
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060360374/
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060360304/
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060360477/
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060360371/
However, I feel from looking at my research that the more striking and controversial imagery would create a much greater impact. My reasoning behind this is due to the conversation that can be struck up through displaying hard hitting imagery. However, that doesn’t mean to say that it would need to be so graphic as to be unsuitable for a younger audience, as the poster displaying facts of sugar proves.
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Moodboard
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060361197/
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060370478/
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060361171/
hhttps://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060441333/
My next step of research was taking a look at the currently existing info-graphics surrounding this subject. From the selection I feel the blue and white/paper design based upon “Can we feed 7 billion people?” to be the least engaging of these. I find this disengaging due to the autonomy of the layout, whereas those to the opposing sides of the poster have a selection of contrasting elements which are varied by either colour or structure. However it is important to ensure that although the poster’s information may be displayed differently that it still works well together with the accompanying elements. The “Food Waste & Hunger” poster I find to be interesting in capturing visual attention, though on the other hand I feel it is too busy due to the amount of textures used upon each section. This then takes away from the viewers attention as they find it difficult to understand the content. 32
Moodboard
http://herohealthroom.com/2013/10/26/ climate-change-infographic-observations-and-origins/
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/509540145310326178/
The reason I have included the above left images are due to the simplicity and effectiveness of their design. Although promoting almost the opposite of what my posters will be addressing, the style of illustration that has been used for the logo and packaging stuck out to me due to the simple reductive design. https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060360964/
http://ecowatch.com/2013/07/29/ restrict-antibotic-abuse-by-factory-farms/
The images to the right are further currently existing info-graphic examples which I examined. The image to the middle top is nice in terms of layout, however I feel there is still too much information set within one area, when it comes to the observation section, for it to be quick and simple to engage with. I feel after discussing such with friends and using their reactions as a further guide to learning from these examples that such a vast amount of information is only viable if the viewer is willing to stand and read such. Therefore I feel for my project on the most part I need to stick to quick simple explanation, as with many forms of design, simplicity is key. Although incorporating a considerable amount of text, the “Population� poster as seen to the far right is much easier to gauge the message. This is due to the simple graphic representation paired with the numbered statistic and headings.
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Moodboard https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060361160/
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060412931/ https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060360982/
The images to the left of this text are those which struck me due to their simple yet exemplary design. The poster about endangered animals and the rainforest was one which struck out in my mind from previous research and therefore stands the test of memory. The image to the upper middle although not a campaign or advertisement, I felt to be of importance to include due to the separation of layers which has fed into my work.
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https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060370878/
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/539869074060371178/
In terms of info-graphics, I have included the above poster due to the clear representation it provides through the clear iconography. This helps to interest and engage the viewer without the need to explain the main topic, rather just needing to elaborate on the individual points instead. I feel this one works better then ones previously discussed due to the consistent use of typeface and colour.
Targeted Ideas I decided to try and create some imagery ideas based upon the persona’s I created. Here I focuses on Derek, I focuses on this persona due to the middleweight ground he has between generations and therefore can potentially open up mindsets through persuasion. I took the initial cow design and added an element of shock factor to the piece before further development.
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Idea Sketches
Statistic Research
The info-graphic shown left is that of “Cowspiracy’s” and I used this as a starting point to look into the information and collect the data to base my poster designs around. I used this as a starting point due to the varying topics it covers, from deforestation, overfishing and meat production to water consumption. I used their own sources list to guide my research and collected further research, for such as the typical fast-food restaurant milkshake weight guide through other sources (shown upper right). I then collated and collected these within word documents as shown above as to easily identify my sources.
I have included the below screengrab of “Tedx” talk about Re-Thinking Meat due to the interesting example of how GDA labels could be used in a different fashion to inform customers not only of their own health, but that of their planet.
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Experimentation &Development
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/314337248969759604/
Image sourced from Google image search for “Cow skull with horns” used as reference.
Subtle slogan added to design.
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Screen-grab of my vector Illustration based off the reference image.
Added bone separation details.
Here I simplified the design back down and displayed the information through a sub-heading.
Thick, short width typeface offered to the piece.
Added element of “milk” tears to the piece.
Type multiplied to emulate wood grain and provide further information.
Tears are made to emulate “blood”, displaying the loss of life in conjunction with the water consumption.
Development
The above three poster designs are my chosen three from my experimentation that I feel are to a good standard. The design to the far right lacks to a degree due to the de-horning of the skull, this is because as a passer by the shapes form in juxtaposition with the skull shape is not immediately clear without having prior knowledge of a cow’s skull. In addition the type needs further alteration as to rectify the odd area of space above the word produce. However, I feel that if this and the form of the subject was altered the piece would well considerably well. The first image creates an iconic symbol, perhaps one which could be used as a motif, as was suggested by my tutor when discussing its style against the later posters. However, as an info-graphic this lacks due to the small point size that the text is placed at. The middle image presenting the information in a clear simple way while still providing a clear visualisation of the icon. However, I feel the emphasis is much too focused upon the icon as a piece of design rather then the information in this instance, therefore I feel the far right image becomes the most effective. 39
Experimentation
I felt the prior design I created was too focused upon the animal rights aspect of the topic and felt this could perhaps detract from the main message. Therefore I experimented with my takeaway meal sketch. Basing this upon large takeaway stores prevalence around the world, particularly in developed countries, I wanted to demonstrate the amount of water that would be required to provide the consumer with a single beefburger and milkshake. On the final design I used a conservative figure as the basis to determine the water consumption of the milk out. I based my workings out on the idea that the milk would make up 350ml of the 470ml drink, this takes into account any fruit or preservatives used. In order to accurately replicate the look of the burger, I looked up beefburgers as to compare and adjust as needed. Although I wanted to use a flat simplistic graphic, I also wanted the subject to emulate the real thing just enough to attract the attention of hungry by-passers. I could have added further detail to the milkshake, though felt this was unnecessary as it presents the product well enough with the shadows and highlights added. At first I felt using “tickets” would be an interesting way to present the information, however this didn’t fit with the takeaway environment and so I adapted the design. I had considered creating a “receipt” to display the information, though felt this would not receive as much attention as the food and drink.
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Development
My Chocolate bar wrapper texture.
I thought about how I could really get people to question their habits when viewing this poster. Keeping that in mind in combination with the fast-food connotations, I decided to ask “Would you like some fries with that?� This would encourage the audience to ask whether they have used enough resources for their meal yet.
My paper bag texture.
Design Cuts valentines-poster-freebies
As it stood(far left, middle) I felt it worked overall though lacked something, I decided what it needed to make it really grab attention was texture. Adding a texture to the piece just helped it have that extra dimension of interest. 41
Development
I experimented with three crumpled paper textures at varying opacity levels before deciding on which to use. One of these were download as part of a freebie pack, while the other two were created by myself using scanned in materials. I found my own scan of the back to a chocolate wrapper to fit nicely with the design. On this page you can see the variations I applied before deciding the outcome. I chose to use a crumpled paper texture, as I felt this would fit with the overall greasy fast-food restaurant connotation.
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Using the ruler to help, I positioned the sources copy opposite the statistics statement. At this point I shared the designs, one of each slogan, with a family member whom suggested that it needed a clearer direction in its question. In response to this I preserved the “true cost” as the initial prompt, while developing the thought provoking question by asking if they “still” wanted t continue once they knew the cost.
Final Piece
This development greatly helped inform the audience of this posters aim, by emphasising on their choices.
As seen to the lower right, I carefully aligned the text according to the start of the second major sentence.
Upon discussing my current progress with my tutor I was advised to devise a strategy of how the posters would link together, with my plan on using a series of such. Further to this I was informed the design, being a poster was not required to provide the sources, as this information could be retrieved once the viewer has sought more information. I decided to link the poster series up using a prompt to a hypothetical website address along with a hash-tag. This updated information can be seen on the poster to the right of this text. 43
Development
This design was inspired by those that i had seen which turned the ingredients of a burger into a diagram. I found this to be an interesting and visually appealing concept and felt it would work well with this project. I felt it would work well here because due to the nature of my chosen topic, it too has varying elements, elements which although are different, add up to make one large problem. I used the images shown to the bottom left of this page which were found through quick Google image searches, to use as reference for shadow and highlight placement when creating the burger and “milk sea�. For this poster I wanted to bring across the top four statistics which stand out amongst the rest. These being Animal Agriculture’s affects on deforestation, water pollution, water consumption for a single burger and overall water usage on a daily basis. At first I had represented the water usage as milk, though wanted to see how this would appear when displayed as actual water. I felt using milk to represent the overall water usage worked best with the soft colour scheme of the design and also presented the less obvious factor milk production has to play in global warming alongside meat. 44
Final Piece
Upon this poster I wanted to display the statistics in a way which would grab the viewers attention from concentrating on the iconography. I wanted their initial grab to be the overall representation and proceed to be drawn in by the large numbered statistics to then read further. I had experimented with creating more detail within the “sea” area, though found this to be too distracting from the message and decided to retain a more simplistic approach. In order to give the image a field of depth, I applied a drop shadow to the main elements, this being the milk “sea”, each platform and the clouds. Also as mentioned in regards to the previous design, I adapted this poster also using the hash-tag rather then the sources list. Second to last version.
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Brand Strategy
What Is Your Brand Strategy? In order to successfully engage the audience with the information and encourage further investigation which would lead to following a lifestyle change, the posters need to have an element which links them together to ensure the viewer can identity that “x” poster is promoting “x” website. In order to achieve that, in this instance I have provided a hypothetical website address and a hash-tag as to which the audience can navigate to within their own time. One suggestion which I haven’t implemented but if I were to work on this project longer, I would have, is to create a logo and perhaps accompanying brand assets for the campaign. As my tutor had suggested if I were to create a logo for the campaign then it would ensure the poster series has a stronger presence due to the unified iconography it would display.
How And Were Is Your Audience? My target audience for this project would be the general public overall, though specifically geared towards persuading the opinions of people in their mid-twenties to mid-forties. The reason being that this age group has a bearing of persuasion on their elders and their children and therefore if we can manage to inform and persuade opinions of this age group, it will in effect bounce off onto those of either side, particularly that of the younger generation. Further more it is more likely then not that it is this age group whom is fuelling the increased intake of meat and dairy consumption along with the next generation, this is due to the increase in fast food restaurants and takeaways which have been popularised through mass media. In order to bring an extra quality to the campaign, I would bring about an interactive touch-screen version of the info-graphics. This could be implemented within schools as part of the national curriculum to help children learn about the process and resources it takes to produce our food. This would hopefully create two effects, one being an increased gratitude and respect in the attitude toward food by our younger generations which would encourage the nation to reduce food wastage. Secondly it would encourage young people to play an active role in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions through good practise and considered purchasing decisions.
How Would You Develop This Further? In terms of implementing a logo for the campaign, one suggestion came about in regards to my “fresh death” poster of which I had decided against using as my campaign series. It was suggested that I could use the cows skull as a symbol for the cause, which I thought about and with the line “fresh death” could work quite well. The ethos that would be employed behind this slogan is that meat production is fuelled by human consumption, which as is the nature of meat involves death of an involuntary party. This gives way for ethical and moral concern in addition to the environmental impact, the word fresh would then indicate how it is “fresh” due to being quickly supplied to the consumer as soon as possible. Further to this it would reflect how it is a current issue that isn’t just going to fade away and therefore needs intervention now to help avoid further destruction. However, I feel this aspect would concentrate perhaps too much on the moral aspect and therefore disinterest meat-eaters whom consider this a perfectly natural and therefore unnecessary cause to stop. It is this portion of the population in particular that requires the most convincing and therefore needs to be targeted. Due to this, I felt the campaign needed to carry a softer approach on that side and concentrate on the impact on the planet. However, I feel this variation on tactics would be best guerrilla tested as graphic symbols with a brief description to see how the general public would perceive such.
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http://videos.theconference.se/kate-darling-robots-humans-and http://videos.theconference.se/kati-london-connecting-to-the-internet http://www.jwt.com/blog/jwt_intelligence/jwtintelligence-introducesthe-future-100-a-look-at-global-trends-in-2015/ http://modernfarmer.com/2015/10/telefarm-virtual-farm-game/ http://www.jwt.com/blog/consumer_insights/looking-back-at-futuretrends-jwtintelligences-new-10-years-of-10-trends-report/
Bibliography
https://www.facebook.com/TheOriginalBestOfTumblr/ videos/1106721992812330/
http://dmsdiana.blogspot.co.uk/2012_02_01_archive.html http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/ the-internet-of-things-a-primer http://www.fastcompany.com/3031419/hit-the-ground-running/ why-our-brains-crave-storytelling-in-marketing http://www.fastcocreate.com/3017868/ the-10-commandments-of-content http://www.ted.com/talks/john_maeda_how_art_technology_and_ design_inform_creative_leaders?language=en http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011tw7n
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A Conversation
University Of Huddersfield
ŠNicole H.D.W. Sinclair 2016