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//00 Introduction
The model used to create this re-branding strategy for Aalto FabLab is based upon theory outlined by Douglas B. Holt in his book Cultural Strategy. “Cultural strategy demands a different approach from the conventional strategies‌ This is so because cultural strategy requires identifying a specific opportunity that opens up at a particularly historical moment, within a particular societal context; and then responds to this opportunity with a particular cultural expression, made up of ideology, myth, and cultural codes.â€? - Douglas B. Holt, Cultural Strategy [page 197]
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The structure of this brand bible will be as follows: mapping the cultural orthodoxy, defining the user, how to attract the user, how this strategic direction will strengthen Aalto FabLab’s brand, and finally, applying the cultural tactics (guidelines for the branding, communication and implementation plan). The intention is to allow the reader to grasp the fundamental why at the heart of this interesting new future for Aalto FabLab, through a stepby-step narrowing of focus towards the ideologies that will embody the brand and its users.
//01 Mapping the cultural orthodoxy
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What is ‘FabLab’?
The name ‘FabLab’ already carries a weight of meaning, due to being part of a worldwide project started by Neil Gerschenfeld at MIT’s Media Lab: “FabLab’s provide widespread access to modern means for invention. MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms assembled millions of dollars in machines for research in digital fabrication, ultimately aiming at developing programmable molecular assemblers that will be able to make almost anything.” - Neil Gerschenfeld, How To Make Almost Anything
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From this foundation, the FabLab concept has grown to embody these 3 ideals: 1. FabLabs are a place where you can “build almost anything”
2. FabLabs are open communities where users share their ideas and process, as part of a global network of knowledge exchange.
3. FabLabs will create a revolution where the local community is the source for innovative solutions to it’s own problems.
Whether or not Aalto FabLab has intentions to reflect these ideals, it must recognise that in the world of contemporary maker culture, this is what is defined by the concept of ‘FabLab’.
//01 Mapping the cultural orthodoxy
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Since Aalto FabLab is a service with limited space, time and resources, it is important to establish early on that the purpose of this re-brand is not to widen the appeal to more users, but to focus its appeal to the intended users. For Aalto FabLab to differentiate itself to attract its intended users, it is important for the brand to differentiate itself from the cultural orthodoxy of competing facilities. Through analysis of the competing facilities, there emerged two quite different orthodoxies: (1) accessible and friendly, and (2) high-level and professional. Kaupunki Verstas fits the first categorisation, and Aalto FabLab
can be argued as being closer to this categorisation than the second. Since they have a strong ideal of open contribution, it results in poor curation of material outputs from both facilities. On the other hand, Aalto ADDlab has a tighter control of its curation, displaying only advanced, complicated projects on its website. This attracts users with a higher knowledge level, and deters low knowledge level users because they feel intimidated by the quality.
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From this analysis, it draws importance to being selective in which users to attract, since the right users will create higher quality material outputs that strengthens the brand image.
Problem statement 1: If the brand image of Aalto FabLab is measured in its material output, then how can Aalto FabLab improve this without deterring users, reducing its core ideal of openness or positioning itself too similarly to facilities like Aalto ADDlab? This leads to the conclusion that the intended user is not part of a demographic of gender, age, department or even interest, but a person categorised by their values that cuts through all demographics of Aalto Arts students.
//02 Defining the user Mapping Potential Users
Makers & Aalto Arts students were analysed using a qualitative, ethnographicbased approach. I am interested in their values, intentions and thoughts. Less focussed on quantitative statistics and demographics.
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VISIBLE TO INSIDERS
VISIBLE TO OUTSIDERS
‘make anything’ low-tech DIY digital fabrication machines cool stuff!
individuality high-tech hacking open source copyleft creative commons sustainable living ‘life’ hacks reduced waste anti-consumerism counter-culture new way of living
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//02 Defining the user Expectation versus Reality
Difference between anticipation and reality
Expectation / anticipation
Difficulty in using machines
All sorts of students are attracted to Aalto FabLab by the new frontier of material production that it represents. However, the machines have high learning curves to use and require time to master the process. When students treat Aalto FabLab like a printing shop, they are invariably disappointed
Getting over learning cur
because they have an expectation of completing their task quickly and of high quality. This creates a lack of users who are willing to stick around long enough to become expert users, which results in low high-quality material outputs.
r rve
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Problem statement 2: Users have misaligned expectations of their intended experience of using Aalto FabLab, and thus are likely to give up before overcoming the learning curve of mastering the machines.
To overcome the challenges presented by the two problem statements, Aalto FabLab must attract a user group that has an attitude of ‘can-do’, determination to overcome challenges, alternative thinking, and individualism. Indeed, these are values that have a correlation between typical at-
titudes of Aalto Arts students and the ideologies of the maker scene, as discovered up in the research.
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//03 How to attract the user Cultural Contradiction
As outlined by Holt, after defining the user through ethnographic focused analysis, the next step is how to attract the intended user. The cultural branding method is to pinpoint a cultural contradiction that is present in the intended user group, and present the brand to them in a form that, through consumption of the brand, satisfies this cultural contradiction.
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Cultural Contradiction: searching for the multidisciplinary creative-utopia Students who go to Art and Design schools seek a creative working environment and lifestyle that opposes their notion of a closed, static workspace. The idea of a normal work office is the antithesis of this hunt. Students come to Aalto University with an expectation of an learning environment which is freely collaborative with members of different departments, pursuing exciting, innovative projects. While Aalto University is excellent in encouraging this attitude, sometimes there is not the means to engage in this. Certain students
feel this stronger than others, and so may experience a difference in expectation when they they get isolated in their own departments, busy with work and less able to interact, let alone collaborate with others from different disciplines. There are organisations like startup sauna, aalto ventures programme, etc that allow multidisciplinary projects, however these are time intensive and involve a lot of thinking, planning and strategy. This can be exactly what students are seeking to avoid, as they are busy enough with their existing schedule.
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“Ordinarily with my course, there is so much tallking involved in the creative process, that I am put off from joining associations like startup sauna. But I still want to collaborate.”
“I feel like if I don’t have something to do I can’t be there [in the workshops]” - Elina Hilden, Industrial Design, 1st Year MA, (right)
- IDBM Student, 2nd Year MA
Aalto Fablab should take advantage of this frustration, by positioning Aalto FabLab as open, collaborative, uncritical, unpredictable, within an actionable environment.
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//03 How to attract the user
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Weaving the cultural myth
Myth // Rise of Punk Subculture in 1970’s The punk subculture grew due to a dissonance with the actions of the authoritative government and older generation that seemed to support and represent it. The movement could be argued as being an evolution of the hippie counterculture of the 1960’s, retaining the distaste of the mainstream however rejecting the garish, unkempt aesthetic of the hippies due to their failure to bring change in the previous decade. The success of punk music, which was the centre point of the punk movement, can be said
to be due to a new technology: the cassette tape. The cassette tape represented a liberation in the production and distribution of music. Due to the cassette tape being inexpensive and easy to reproduce, it facilitated the DIY ethic of self expression in punk music - much like the decentralisation of production that can be seen today, sparked by the process of digital fabrication.
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- From ‘Sniffin’ Glue Magazine’, 1977
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From this we can draw parallels between the characteristics / ideals of punk culture, as described earler, with the characteristics of creative students and the ideals of maker culture. The myth of punk culture becomes the perfect vessel to explain the otherwise complex concept of what maker culture embodies from the perspective of a creative student at Aalto Arts and Design: a new, disruptive and decentralised production process has the possibility to facilitate social change (through new means of production) and individual change (through new means of self expression). Holt refers to this method of reviving the punk ideology as a construct to build on as “resuscitating reactionary ideology� (page 199, Culural Strategy, Douglas B. Holt).
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//04 How this will strengthen the brand
By highlighting in the brand image of Aalto FabLab as being open, collaborative, uncritical, unpredictable, within an actionable environment, communicated through the myth of punk culture - it plays to the strengths that it already has, without reinventing itself, or using a ‘better mousetrap’ method of branding.
//04 How this will strengthen the brand
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Branding from a UX / service perspective
As mentioned in the preliminary research, there is an element of unpredictability, imperfection, and lack of hierarchy that embodies the user experience (UX) of Aalto FabLab. Due to the misalignment of expectations, as stated in problem statement 2, by imbuing the brand image (which is visible to the outside viewer, creating the anticipation UX) with the ethics and aesthetics punk culture, then this aligns with the actual reality UX of using the Aalto FabLab service: unpredictability, imperfection, and lack of hierarchy. There is a cultural chasm that is bridged by making these the key features of the brand image; users will have a realistic expectation of their user experience, whereas
before they might have been disappointed. Now, the act of doing through trial and error, is prioritised as being more important than purely the outputs. This has the aim of preventing users from treating Aalto FabLab like a printing shop, but more like a learning / doing environment.
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Black, shows new hypothetical user experience flow: with a more realistic anticipation UX, the user is less overwhelmed by the learning curve, and likely to have a higher overall satisfaction as an outcome. In red, shows original experience flow.
//04 How this will strengthen the brand Brand social network
Holt proposes that there are 3 different types of ‘actors’ in a brand social network: insiders, followers and feeders. In my opinion, this model does not fully represent it in this case - since Aalto FabLab is a service (and a free one at that). It does however, show how the network of users’ own actions contributes to building the authenticity of the brand. High-level users of the brand stop being merely consumers of the brand and become ambassadors of it. This requires commitment and can only be achieved through alignment of core values between the brand and its users.
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Identity Magnet Source Material Followers
Myth
Brand
Dependency
Myth Respect, Legitimacy
Affilitation, Status Feeders
Populist World Insiders
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//05 Applying cultural tactics: Brand ‘Voice’
For the brand to seem authentic, its voice must consistently represent the core ideology that satisfies the cultural contradiction of the intended user. The ‘voice’ of the brand is the tone and personality that embodies its core message, statements, and actions (see next page). These should touch every aspect of the brand and its touch points.
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Core Messages - Punk ethics of DIY, unfussy and anti-judgemental are at the core of the brand. DIY
If there is a better (or even different) way to do something, then Aalto FabLab fully encourages it to be done.
Unfussy
Process and learning is more important than outcomes. If you want something clean and polished and working perfectly then buy it. If you want to learn - make it.
Antijudgemental
The willingness to try and do is encouraged, and imperfection and failure is celebrated.
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Statements - in what way does the brand speak to the user? Humorous
FabLab should be a fun place to be, and can be reflected in the way the brand speaks to the user.
Provocative
Outsiders should know what FabLab is - and what it isn’t. Through provocation, FabLab makes fun of hierarchy, order, restraint, permission, authority, etc.
Welcoming
While Aalto FabLab does make provocative statements, this does not mean it speaks in a derogative or condescending way to its users : all who want to join, can.
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Actions
Energetic
Aalto FabLab needs to appear like an environment where lots of things are happening to encourage more action and involvement.
Impulsive
Do, don’t think. The best way to learn is through the action of trial and error. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
‘Dogether’
We don’t collaborate, we ‘dogether’. Dogether rebels against talking about doing, and just does… together.
//06 Applying the cultural tactics: Communication
The visual style and aesthetics of the brand should reflect the messages, statements and actions, making it seem credible to the user. This brand bible will cover the guidelines for what they should be.
The intention is to create a juxtaposition between punk attitude with hacker ideology to create an aesthetic that provokes an unfussy action and experimentation with the sensibilities of hacking, electronics and open-source.
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Imagery The source material for the imagery used in graphic communication should relate to hacking, DIY construction, electronics, and early punk. When used ironically, or to humorous effect, imagery of corporations, modernism and hierarchy can be used also. Imagery of hardcore punk and generally well recognised imagery of punk should be avoided, as it is too strongly associated with the confusion that punk culture eventually fractioned into (poseurs,
The images themselves can: be retro be B&W have noise / grain
extreme right, goth, emo) and the punk rock music scene. The brand’s visual style should be influenced by the [DIY, chaotic, unfussy, energetic] characteristic of the punk visual style, not an imitation of it.
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Type The choice of typefaces should reflect both the punk and hacker aspects of the brand identity. For headers, titles and headlines, a hand-written brush, or marker pen script should be used. This creates a provocative, energetic aesthetic, reflecting the punk aspect. To reflect the hacker aspect of the brand, a monospaced font similar to that which is used in coding languages should be used for the body and sub-headers.
header LeviRebrushed AaBbCcDdEeFfG gHhIiJjKkLlMmN nOoPpQqRrSsTtU uVvWwXxYyZz 1234567890
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header header Permenant marker
home and away
AaBbCcDdEeFfG gHhIiJjkLlMm NnOoPpQqRrSs TtUuVvWwXx YyZz
AaBbCcDdEeFfG gHhIiJjkLlMm NnOoPpQqRrSs TtUuVvWwXx YyZz
1234567890
1234567890
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body Platelet Heavy AaBbCcDdEeFfGg HhIiJjKkLlMmNn OoPpQqRrSsTtUu VvWwXxYyZz 1234567890
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body body Akkurat Mono
Courier New
AaBbCcDdEeFfGg HhIiJjKkLlMmNn OoPpQqRrSsTtUu VvWwXxYyZz
AaBbCcDdEeFfGg HhIiJjKkLlMmNn OoPpQqRrSsTtUu VvWwXxYyZz
1234567890
1234567890
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Composition Collages, overlay, cut and paste, and mistakes are encouraged. Respect of grid systems, white space and alignment is not. Headlines should be scrawled across and on top of images, with a bright colour to contrast the black and white images.
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Have a great idea?
Dont hold it back..
Come find us at: Aalto Media Factory 10-5 Mon-Fri
//07 Applying the cultural tactics:
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Implementation Plan
Aalto Fablab’s implementation plan should reinforce its aesthetic identity with actions. Through actions, it can be seen as being an active, dynamic part of the school environment. The main source of actions that create impact are from its own users. This aligns with Holt’s theory that when an iconic brand has a brand social network, a large portion of the brand actions are from its own users, particularly the insiders.
So, as a strategic plan, Aalto FabLab should focus on securing a strong tie to its insiders. As a brand, it should then communicate the actions of the insiders to the rest - creating a respect and legitimacy for the brand. As a result, this would attract more users.
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1. Overhaul Aalto FabLab website: - curate public flickr feed to create positive image to outsiders - encourage users to sign up online identities, which can be used to sign up for the machines, create projects, and view the uncurated flickr feed.
materials and discounts. The tasks begin easy (such as introductions to the machines) then later optional tasks encourage creation of public interventions, advertising material, etc. Users completing these actions creates a form of publicity with FabLab.
2. Give recognition to users for their actions: - exceptional projects are shown in a ‘Hall of Fame’ gallery. These are chosen for such criteria as spectacular failures, complexity, innovation, technique, and humour. - users are encouraged to make projects open source with a tally system - a checklist of tasks allow users greater access of machines,
3. Use of publicity material with new brand aesthetic to communicate the new brand identity and usual events / workshops / competitions taking place at FabLab. - in the form of posters / flyers - in the form of public space interventions, using the machines in FabLab, branded with the Aalto FabLab logo.