Sam Sheridan
Investigative Study
The Booming
Creative Industry
Level Six
Visual Communication
o s a u re d m n o
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Sam Sheridan Investigative Study ‘The Booming Creative Industry’ Visual Communication
The Booming Creative Industry
Level Six
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Sam Sheridan
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List of Figures
Figure one
Bulletin des Amis de la Verite first issue La
/ page 13
Bouche de fer by Nicolas Bonneville and Claude Fauchet
Figure two
Lord Kitchener Wants You’ by Alfred Leete
/ page 14
Figure three
Parliamentary Recruiting Poster, 1915
/ page 15
Propaganda WWI
Figure four
‘Often a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride’ (1925) by Lambert & Feasley
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/ page 16
List of Figures
Figure five
Coca-Cola advertisement from the 1940’s
/ page 23
Figure six
Spike Jonze Ikea lamp advertisement 2002
/ page 26
Figure seven
Adbusters ‘Buy Nothing Day’ Campaign 2016
/ page 37
Figure eight
Barbara Kruger’s ‘I shop therefore I am’ 1987
/ page 41
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Introduction
The UK creative industry is currently valued
with similar values and similar aspirations
at £76.9 billion a year contributing £8.8
in a way that national governments and
million to the UK’s economy every hour.
international bodies cannot do” (‘Power of
£2.5 billion of that is just fashion, product
Brands’, BBC, R. Clifton, 2014). Branding,
design and graphic design, making it one
together with the visual aspect of business
of the fastest growing sectors. Twenty years
makes a significant contribution to
ago graphic design was not even listed as
success of businesses within the consumer
a possible occupation. Now the creative
marketplace. This essay will explore the
sector as a whole is up nearly 10 percent
significance and meaning of the immense,
from last year’s £71.4bn, growing at three
complex environment of consumption and
times the rate of the wider UK economy –
production, which has directly effected the
but design itself is growing at double that
growth and success of the creative industry.
rate (‘Government figures show UK has
It will discuss how advertising and the
largest design sector in Europe’, J. Mathers,
manipulation of society has brought about
2015). Other examples of fast growing
the consumer lifestyle and what this means
industries/ business are that of Uber, Airbnb
for emerging practitioners with concerns
and Snapchat - all companies valued at
regarding responsible design, particularly
$1 billion or more by venture-capital firms
within the field of visual communication. It
(‘The Billion Dollar Start-up Club’, S. Austin,
will investigate responsible design through
C. Canipe, S. Slobin, 2015) because they
the research of movements such as the
are believed to have long-term growth
First Things First Manifesto, AIGA principles
potential. What they have in common is
of design and efforts made by notable
that they all provide a service that typically
designers and agencies such as Barbara
connects people; Uber connects drivers
Kruger and Adbusters.
to passengers, Airbnb from holiday home
The Booming Creative Industry
owner to tenants and Snapchat from person to person. Through branding, advertising and other forms of communication, design is the connecting power between business and their customers. “Branding can touch people, connect people, all around the world and connect people
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J. Mathers
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Sam Sheridan
ÂŁ76.9 billion a year
liberty equality fraternity Carlo Quintavalle
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To understand why the creative industry is
They adopted the radical Declaration of
growing at such a fast pace involves looking
the Rights of Man, protesting “Liberty,
back into the history of the industry. “Since
equality, fraternity” (Carlo Quintavalle,
prehistoric times, people have searched
1989 cited by P. Meggs, 2011, page
for ways to give visual form to ideas and
7). Political and social reform was
concepts, to store knowledge in graphic
communicated in the form of posters
form, and to bring clarity to information” (P.
in order to bring about a new form
Meggs, 2011, page 8). Posters as we know
of government and to better society.
(typography together with imagery) go back
Meggs (2011, page 8) notes that
as far as the late 18th century. This was
William Addison Dwiggins coined the
a period (1775 to 1848) of considerable
term graphic design to describe his
unrest across the world, including the war of
activities as an individual who brought
independence, French revolution and social
structural order and more visual form to
unrest in Britain. This brought about a shift in
communications.
communicating ideas, as levels of education
The poster reached the zenith of its
amongst those being united was low, better
importance as a communications
forms of communication were necessary
medium, during World War II -
for social and political ideas to be spread
governments turned to the poster as a
through the population. In ‘The Poster in
significant medium of propaganda and
History’ Max Gallo (1989) credits the Bulletin
visual persuasion” (P. Meggs, 2011, page
des Amis de la Varite - a revolutionary
283). The poster during World War I and
newspaper - as one of the first historical
World War II were used to persuade men
posters, created between the French
to sign up for the military and were very
revolution in 1789 and the revolutions in the
successful in doing so.
rest of Europe. ‘This turbulent half of the century saw the birth of new political and social ideas whose effects would be felt for generations. After storming the Bastille, French revolutionaries overthrew principles that had been in place for centuries.
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Bulletin des Amis de la Verite 12
Figure one
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14
Figure two
Figure three
The first world war was the first appearance
true, their homes and lives were at risk,
of propaganda posters, most notably
other posters made them join by making
the ‘Lord Kitchener Wants You’ (1914)
them feel as though they would be less
by Alfred Leete which was used as a
of a man if they did not join the army,
recruitment poster and has retained
playing on insecurities and almost bullying
historical significance. Many propaganda
men into recruitment. The success of this
posters played on peoples emotions, such
campaign shows how this form of visual
as the comfortable feeling of the traditional
communication encouraged people to
home being destroyed by the opposing
make decisions that were essential to
force. It made men join the ranks because
the war effort. It also represents to some
the propaganda told them that for the
extent, the beginning of manipulating
sake of their family and their homes, they
people’s thoughts and ideas through this
had to enlist. Although this may have been
medium - the poster.
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Figure four
Up until 1923 advertisements were
There is a connection between the success
predominantly made over the radio and in
of this form of communication and in
newspapers or specific papers in order for
manipulating people into making decisions,
businesses to make themselves available
such as enlisting for the army. The technique
to their potential customers. The First note
was extended to enticing consumers into
of advertising in the ‘Graphic Design
making choices about buying commodities.
Time line’ is in 1891 where a “George
‘Often a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride’ led
Batten opens George Batten Newspaper
consumers into thinking that Listerine
Advertising Agency” (S. Heller and E Pettit,
could solve their social problems and
2000, page 5). At that time an advertising
therefore manipulated the consumer into
agency acted only as space brokers,
buying into the brand. The purpose of the
promoting the interest in advertising mainly
Listerine campaign was moving away from
on behalf of the print media. In 1920
advertising the value of oral hygiene as
AT&T’s station WEAF in New York offered
a general principle and moving towards
ten minutes of radio time to anyone who
suggesting that by not using the product
will pay two-hundred dollars (S. Heller and
lives would be badly affected.
E Pettit, 2000, page 60).
This was certainly a shift in planting ideas
Advertising techniques as we know them
and trying to encourage people to make
now - selling the consumer a better lifestyle
choices through visual communication as it
- first occurred in the Listerine advert ‘Often
is introducing a specific product. It is clear
a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride’ (1925) and
to see that the success of propaganda led to
was created by Lambert & Feasley (S. Heller
this development of advertising, which from
and E Pettit, 2000, page 66). The Listerine
then on would incorporate graphic design
advert was an example of the company
and visual communication to help sell
taking advantage of people’s insecurities
business’ products and services and, in turn,
- they make a claim that a single woman
manufacture the consumer lifestyle.
is single due to her breath being bad, which can be fixed by their product. This then makes single women (and men) think that if they buy the product then it will subsequently get them a partner.
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... regarded not only as part of self, but instrumental to the development of self.
R. Belk
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Sam Sheridan
The Roaring Twenties were a time in which
businessmen from all the major light bulb
production and manufacturing grew greatly.
manufacturers.
During this time (1920 - 1929) America’s total
The group founded the Phoebus cartel in
wealth more than doubled, this economic
order to create demand for their products.
growth swept many into an unfamiliar
A contract bound them to limiting the
consumer society (‘The Roaring Twenties’,
lifespan of their products so consumers
history.com, 2010). The output from factories
had to buy more (‘Planned Obsolescence:
developed as a result of mass production,
The Light Bulb Conspiracy’, C. Wong,
making products more readily available. The
2012). This was the very beginning of
money being made also meant that there was
a throwaway consumer lifestyle. The
more to be spent and therefore enabled more
Roaring Twenties was a time when many
people to live material rich lives. In order
people defied prohibition, indulged in
for companies to gain more customers, they
new styles of dancing and dressing,
would need to be more innovative or release
and rejected many traditional moral
more products, they needed to manufacture
standards (‘Definition of The Roaring
want - “If you can fabricate want, make
Twenties’, Dictionary.com). Products
obtaining things jut out of reach, the essence
became more about fashion and were
of life they are going to be trapped into
“regarded not only as a part of self, but
becoming consumers” (‘Requiem for the
also as instrumental to the development of
American Dream’, N. Chomsky, 2015) then
self” (R. Belk, 2001 cited by P. Boradkar,
businesses can control the population. With
2010, page 149) meaning that they
more availability and more choice, companies
only have value because they help get or
needed to manufacture want for their product.
achieve some thing else. What really is
Businesses needed consumers to buy into
important to the development of self are
them further, this caused the advertisement
things that contain intrinsic value - things
industry to explode with a new aim - to
that are valuable in themselves, such as
fabricate consumers. Along with increased
friendships (‘Fundamentals: Intrinsic vs.
advertisements like the Listerine advert,
Instrumental Value’, K. Schiffman, 2014).
another technique was put into play; planned
During the twenties, people were led
obsolescence. This technique is making a
to believe that materialistic things with
product that is deliberately designed to break
instrumental value provided a means
after a set amount of time. This began with
for friendships and popularity which are
light bulbs, coordinated by the Phoebus
intrinsically valuable, subsequently leading
Cartel - a group of leading international
to a surge in consumerism in society.
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General Motors
dissatisfaction
creation of
organised
The Booming Creative Industry
Sam Sheridan
General Motors’ CEO Alfred P. Sloan Jr.
During the Twenties everything was very
segmented the market into people with
fashion driven and so Sloan believed that
varying incomes - making General
cars should be no different, a fashion
Motors’ products more readily available
item. This creation of dissatisfaction,
to the population and also giving them a
like planned obsolescence, was put into
new variety of choice. Prior to this, Ford
practice across the Western world, helping
dominated the market and only offered
to drive the economy further. It became
one model in one colour - ‘any colour
a major factor in the development of the
so long as it’s black’. Sloan suggested
disposable consumer way of life led by
annual model design changes to convince
the vast majority of society nowadays. This
car owners that they needed to buy a new
again shows the departure from choosing
replacement each year. Soon it became
a product because on its intrinsic value to
fashionable to have different colours, tails
choosing a product because it satisfies a
and features on cars (‘The Men Who Made
need to be part of an imagined life style
Us Spend’, BBC, 2014).
that having this product would give to an
Sloan made it a psychological need - you
individual. There is a dubious morality in
needed it because it was new/different to
this communication, which would soon
the one before and that was a defining
use the power of visual communication to
factor of you as a person. Again, society
take advantage of a human weakness -
was manipulated into thinking that the
as explored by Sloan.
materialistic could provide intrinsic value. Before this, new cars were only bought because they were broken or because newer products had a definitive advantage over the older model, GM called this theory of continuous upgrade the organised creation of dissatisfaction (‘The Men Who Made Us Spend’, BBC, 2014).
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The Booming Creative Industry
Having complete control over what you
of Brands’, BBC, R. Hytner, 2014). Troops
buy and from where was amplified at
returned with a new love for Coca Cola
the beginning of The Cold War. During
and felt a loyalty to the brand. It also
this time there was a choice to be made
reached a wider market by going abroad.
- Capitalism or Communism. A choice
Through providing support Coca Cola
widely summarised as having the freedom
developed their brand and connected
to choose or not having the freedom to
with their consumers to create a brand
choose (‘Consumerism & the Limits to
that consumers now buy into out of a
Imagination’, S. Jhally, 2014). It made the
sense of loyalty. Along with consistent
notion of having a decision seem much
branding, Coca Cola made it a necessary
more inviting, rather than it just being about
requirement to keep their logo and colours
fashion anymore it was a statement of your
exactly the same across their campaigns,
liberation, a reflection of the country and
together with this and their consumers’
society that you lived in.
loyalty, they experienced a great deal
By this point, society was of a consumerist
more sales.
nature and so essentially obsessed with
Branding has become the normal in the
material values and the variety of products.
consumer environment because we expect
Brand obsession was a result, people were
to be communicated to and communicate
so in love with what brands represented
through the products of the production
and what they meant to the rest of society
and consumption environment. It has
that they bought into them purely on that
been a key element in the growth of the
basis. Brand obsession started earlier
creative industry, the higher the levels
than the Cold War, a primary example
of consumption rise, the more brands
of it was during World War II when Coca
have to set themselves apart from the
Cola supplied their products to the army
competition, leading to more money being
overseas. Not only did Coca Cola see it as
invested in branding and brand image
an opportunity to encourage troops - by
and an increase in the creative industries
reminding them of their lives at home - but
value. Branding relates directly to the
it was a business opportunity that would go
original ideas explored back in the 18th
on and change the brand forever. “Brands
century through posters, namely it’s ability
that serve us well in good times; we love.
to visual communicate
Brands that serve us well in tough times; we love deeply and we love way beyond the time in which they help us out” (‘Power
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Figure five
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Markets are now segmented and there is
As more people join these vast networks by
infinite variation available to us and so
buying the necessary hardware and ‘getting
there is a high demand for differing forms
online’, a growing number of internet service
of advertisement. Where goods and services
providers increase the capacity of the network
were once promoted via the radio and in
still further expanding its range and utility. The
specific newspapers, nowadays social media
internet has added a new layer, not created
and mobile advertisements are the most
a revolutionary break’ (F. Trentmann, 2016,
effective methods to reach the consumer.
page 685).
Now 91 percent of retail brands use two
This means that the internet has been a
or more social media channels. Social
major contributor to the consumer lifestyle,
networks earned as much as eight billion
making products and services more widely
dollars from advertising (in 2015) and 38
available and also enabling businesses to
percent of organisations plan to spend more
advertise to a wider audience. Its contribution
than 20 percent of their total advertising
to this complex environment of consumption
budgets on social media channels, up from
and production, also has an effect on the
thirteen percent from years previously (Kit
growth and success of the creative industry
Smith, 2016, Social Media Statistics and
- with the internet providing more avenues
Facts article). The wider market can now be
to communicate to customers and society.
accessed constantly through the internet,
It can be used for the encouragement of
leading to increase in sales, reach and
consumerism but also has the potential to
subsequently, the consumer’s choices of
contribute to the good of society.
products. Much like the success of Coca Cola through their efforts during the war and reaching an audience abroad, the internet has now provided everyone with a means to communicate globally.
The Booming Creative Industry
‘The internet and development of technology presents the user with an extremely flexible communication tool which can be used to forge links between organisations and individuals.
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The internet has added a new layer, not created a revolutionary break F. Trentmann
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Ikea was a brand that ushered in the
furniture which changed the mindset of the
disposable culture of today, which had
consumer. Now it was made possible to
never existed for furniture before. The Spike
have ever-changing furniture and rooms
Jonze advert (in 2002) Ikea shot portrayed
to match your ever-changing fashion and
a lamp being thrown out into the rain
sense of style, which was induced as a result
outside someone’s house because it has
of the influence of branding. This was a
been replaced with a newer lamp (‘The Men
contributing factor to the new throwaway
Who Made Us Spend’, 2015). It is made to
lifestyle that has been developing as a
look emotional, like the lamp has feelings
product of the consumer lifestyle that we
and we feel sympathy for it until someone
have adopted (‘The Men Who Made Us
comes from out of shot and talks directly to
Spend’, 2015). It also reflects the tactics
the camera saying “why do we feel sorry for
used in the twenties - products are of lower
the lamp, it is just a lamp. Besides the new
value since they are less about quality and
one is much better.” This plays on people’s
more about quantity, they are designed to
perceptions of furniture, it used to be a
be replaced and are easily affordable yet
product that your family would keep and
still somewhat fashionable.
pass down to your children, it would last
Figure six
decades. Ikea provided cheap, throwaway
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besides the new one is much better
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ever mo freque showers a changes cloth 28
Sam Sheridan
ore ent and s of hes
This throwaway lifestyle of consumerism and the dangers that come with it are social issues that need to be addressed. Issues that have resulted from our excessive consumer lifestyles include making the population generally unhappier - through decrease in social interaction (S. Jhally, Consumerism & the Limits to Imagination, 2014) but excessive consumerism also has a profound effect on the planet and our environment. “Our lifestyles, and their social and environmental consequences, should be the subject of serious public debate and policy, not left as a matter simply of individual taste and purchasing power. There are plenty of opportunities for intervention, from shared housing and different standards of heating and cooling to more sustainable forms of mobility, all the way to public-information campaigns about the damage done by ever more frequent showers and changes of clothes� (F. Trentmann, 2016, page 690).
F. Trentmann 29
The Booming Creative Industry
In the last few hundred years, the purchase,
“People in the West have got no happier in
possession and use of things (in short,
the last 50 years, they have become much
consumption) has become a defining
richer, but they are no happier - if this is true
feature of our lives. “In the rich world - and
then why are politicians so concerned with
in the developing world increasingly, too
speeding up economic growth? Consumer
- identities, politics, the economy and the
capitalism actually leads to unhappiness,
environment are crucially shaped by what
the pursuit of material possession takes
and how we consume. Taste, appearance
away what does make us happy which is
and lifestyle define who we are (or want to
social interaction” (S. Jhally, Consumerism &
be) and how others see us.” (F. Trentmann,
the Limits to Imagination, 2014).
2016, page 1).
The basic aspirations that people have, such
The creative industry can be blamed partly
as social interaction, have been replaced by
for the development of our society into
the need to consume. However society will
this consumer marketplace. Design has
never be able to feel fulfilment since every
been manipulated into making us want
year there are brand new commodities
products through advertising as a method
that add to the already crowded consumer
of improving our lives - design has been
marketplace. “Want is a growing giant
manipulated into manipulating society to
whom the coat of Have was never large
buy into companies. Products are shown
enough to cover” (Emerson, 1860 cited by
as a means to make us fashionable and
Easterlin, 2001 cited again by P. Boradkar
popular, they have become things that
page 271). Society will never have enough
define our lives and who we are/ who we
so long as there are new products being
want to be. Through advertising, we have
released - and will in turn seek these new
been made to believe that the brands that
commodities - when really the issue is that
we buy into can make us better and that
there is not enough meaningful social
they will provide happiness for us. However
interaction within our modern culture.
this is not the case at all.
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Sam Sheridan
there is not enough meaningful social interaction within our modern culture.
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The Booming Creative Industry
First
Things
First
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Sam Sheridan
The First Things First manifesto was written in the 1960’s in order to bring back what was becoming a forgotten element of graphic design - the ethical aspect. The British economy was booming and people of all classes were better off than ever before. Consumer goods were transforming everyday life - and changing consumer expectations forever. The manifesto was a result of young designers that organised meetings, events and debates to promote the value of design. First Things First attempted to re-radicalise the design industry, which the signatories felt had become lazy and uncritical (‘First Things First Revisited’, R. Poyner, 1999). They believed that design is not a neutral, value-free process. They rallied against the consumerist culture - that was completely concerned with buying and selling - and tried to highlight the Humanist aspect of graphic design that had been forgotten.
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The designer’s responsibility
The Booming Creative Industry
to the public
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Sam Sheridan
AIGA is the professional association for design, founded in 1914 as the American Institute of Graphic Arts. They advocate for a greater understanding of design and define global standards and ethical practices as designers (AIGA.org, 2016). For emerging practitioners of visual communication, AIGA is an essential source of standards that all creatives should live and work by accordingly. Within ‘The designer’s responsibility to the public’ it is noted that “A professional designer shall avoid projects that will result in harm to the public” - given that the rise of consumerism has led to a general decline of happiness it could be said that the promotion of consumerism within design is in violation of this principle of integrity. “A professional designer shall communicate the truth in all situations and at all times; his or her work shall not make false claims nor knowingly misinform. A professional designer shall represent messages in a clear manner in all forms of communication design and avoid false, misleading and deceptive promotion” - to some extent it could be said that the first Listerine advert was in violation of this principle; by implying that the use of Listerine’s product could improve a woman’s chances of marriage.
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Organisations such as AdBusters - which is a not-for-profit magazine fighting back against the hostile takeover of our psychological, physical and cultural environments by commercial forces (adbusters.org, 2016) - are a prime example of designers that are directly opposed to the consumer lifestyle. Adbusters holds advertising as the responsible power in creating and maintaining consumer culture. They believe that the advertising industry goes to great effort and cost to associate desire and identity with material gain. Adbusters stated that their goals include combating the negative effects of advertising and empowering its readers to regain control of culture, encouraging them to ask “Are we consumers and citizens?” (‘The politics of Teleliteracy and Adbusting in the classroom’, Marnie W. Curry-Tash, 1998). Adbusters and their campaigns includes Buy Nothing Day: which is an international day of protest against consumerism by which people refuse to spend any money, it’s aim is that people might keep in mind that an object will never create happiness “it might create happiness for a few minutes, maybe even days, but in the end your experiences are all you’ve got” (adbusters.org, 2016). They strive to make people
The Booming Creative Industry
realise that intrinsic value is higher than instrumental value.
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Intrinsic ________ Instrumental
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Figure seven
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Another noteworthy contributor to the questioning of identity within consumerist culture is Barbara Kruger. Kruger uses advertising formats; black and white images overlaid with bands of red and white text to deliver messages regarding identity. She causes us reconsider the images that surround us and that consequently shape us: “Her work makes us aware of the mechanisms of advertising, which both accosts and anaesthetises its audience” (National Gallery of Australia, ‘Read my lips’, 2016). Particularly, her piece ‘I stop therefore I am’ (1987) - a play on the philosopher Rene Descartes’ notion of ‘I think therefore I am’ - critiqued capitalism and its social vacancy and suggested that people needed to consider what they are to society, that they are more than just consumers: “Loaded with irony on shopping bags, T Shirts and other products of consumption travelled out into the world - a free-floating philosophical observation, and part of a parade of post modern thinking infiltrating the centre from the margins” (‘Icons: Barbara Kruger’, J. Engberg, 2014). In order to prevent the unnecessary rise of consumerism, work like Barbara Kruger’s must be created and spread through society to make people think about their value to society and to help them realise they are more than just a consumer, obsessed with commodities that are sold
The Booming Creative Industry
through manipulation.
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Figure eight
41
The Booming Creative Industry
The creative industry, particularly graphic
will be unlikely to change in the foreseeable
design, has evolved from a method
future. It is the graphic design industry’s
for bringing people together and
function to make people aware that they
communicating social messages and ideas
are more than just consumers, they should
to something that controls our daily lives.
be encouraged to take part in a new,
At the very beginning of the poster, it’s
creative methods of defining themselves as
purpose was to give people power to stand
opposed to expressing themselves through
up to those that controlled all the power, but
the things that they wear and own.
has now been directly turned around - the
“Such a debate has to be bold and
people with power now use the power of the
envisage different lifestyles and the
poster and advertising to segregate people
concomitant changes to housing, transport
and make them buy into the companies that
and culture. It will need more people to
are selling. Thus creating a similar society
remember that, as consumers, they are
to the one that design was developed in
citizens and not just customers. And it will
order to solve in the first instance. It has
need historical imagination” (F. Trentmann,
been manipulated for the benefit of the
2016, page 690).
commercial and idealogical - for the gain
The consumer lifestyle is now apart of our
of the economy as opposed to the gain for
society and has been a contributing factor
society. Many would argue that it is design’s
to the way the world is as it is today, both
responsibility to make the world a better
positive and negative contributions have
place - “The need for clear and imaginative
been made through the development of
communication has never been greater.
consumerism and it is not something that
People are seeking new visual means to
will likely ever be stopped. We are in a sea
relate to their cultural, economic, and social
of consumerism. However, people need to
lives. As shapers of messages and images,
be made aware of this fact; advertisements
graphic designers have an obligation to
and products are not everything and
contribute to the public understanding
they will not actually contribute to one’s
of environmental and social issues. (P.
happiness in the ways that are promised
Meggs, 2011, page 572)”. The consumer
through media. This message will need to
environment is so concentrated now, it
be broadcasted the same way consumerism
is almost self sustaining - it has become
was brought to its power - through visual
the norm to have brands communicate to
communication and the creative industry.
us, we expect it, and subsequently means consumerism and our thirst for new products
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The consumer environment is so concentrated now, it is almost self sustaining 43
Conclusion
It is important to remember that the things
expectations for it to convey the message
we buy into do not make us who we are,
that we are individuals, not consumers. It
instrumental value has nothing over intrinsic
will need to relay the need for intrinsically
value. People need to be made aware of
valuable things such as experiences,
this and the best way is through visual
people, communication and support.
communication. The creative industry
Emerging practitioners cannot forget this
has been manipulated for the benefit of
Humanist aspect of design and that it
the economy as opposed to its original
must communicate the truth and not make
purpose - the gain for society. Only through
false claims. Visual communication “can
efforts, like the ones made by Adbusters
be the embodiment of communicative
and Barbara Kruger can people be made
reason and the means of uniting society,
aware of the identity that they have lost as a
because it refers to what is common to all�
result of their throwaway consumer lifestyle.
(Schiller 1795 cited by O. Batschmann,
With regards to the creative industry, there
1997) and it is design that has helped
will always be a need for it provided there
build the immense, complex environment
is a consumer marketplace or information
of consumption and production. Now
that needs to be communicated. Conflict,
emerging practitioners inherit an obligation
products, political and social ideas will
to do right by society and communicate the
always be around and therefore the creative
dangers of a consumer led lifestyle.
industry will continue to grow. It will be around to satisfy the need for demand for products, services and materialistic gain, but this subsequently leaves a demand
The Booming Creative Industry
for visual communication to meet the
44
Sam Sheridan
the things we buy do not make us who we are
45
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49
in o bo e cr “Branding can touch people, connect people,
all around the world and connect people with similar values and similar aspirations in a way that national governments and international
bodies cannot do” (‘Power of Brands’, BBC,
R. Clifton, 2014). Branding, together with the visual aspect of business makes a significant
contribution to success of businesses within the consumer marketplace. This essay will
explore the significance and meaning of the
immense, complex environment of consumption and production, which has directly effected the growth and success of the creative industry.
31039613012017 Sam Sheridan, The Booming Creative Industry
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