Study Task 9: Project Statement

During this module, I was able to read and research particular aspects of advertising in relation to graphic design. In particular, I researched about advertising's effect on audiences - in which to how extent can advertisements be persuasive or manipulative of the audience.

Through the research that I've made, it has also helped me with decisions in relation to my practical project. From my research Judith Williamson and Bunting stated how consumers can associate themselves with certain products, essentially also associating how they can be seen through it. In addition, looking at existing advertising such a De Beer's 1948 poster has given me some indication on how I could tackle my practical design. Using information about consumer identity, I have tackled the practical brief by associating my idea and concept towards the client's (IKEA) audience social status/class; identifying their most likely living conditions in relation to their age as well. With the target demographic being relatively young and local concuss as well as somewhat materialistic but thirty and cheap at the same time,  I have chosen a concept in which effectively introduces the products specifications to the audience in a refreshing and innovative way. I have created a design in which as Williamson said, 'sets up connection between certain types of consumers and certain products'. Using the idea of space through showcasing it on blueprints it makes the audience look at it in a bigger picture and possibly envision the product in their own living places' house blueprint, making them successfully relate with the product as well as relate it to their own lives. Furthermore, I have also used digital media as a source of advertising medium for the product. As Hendrick said consumers nowadays are mostly on their phones, therefore it's more effective to advertisement on mobile devices as opposed to traditional media.

On the other hand, I was also aware of the the opposing argument, especially from Gillian Dyer. Dyer mentioned how consumers are 'gullible dupes' and actually have their own opinions and beliefs. Consumers are not as easily persuaded or manipulated as thought. Having this in mind, I tried to create a design which is mainly aimed at a very specific consumer demographic, who possibly have some trust in the company because I thought it would be best to maximise the audiences that who are meant to see it than create a general advertisement in which audiences may not necessarily look or read it as they 'cannot be affected by the media if they do not fulfil or gratify a need'.  

I think overall, the practical project that I have produced successfully reflects the theoretical researches that I have made in relation to the area of design that I explored in much detail. The choices in the designs that I've made has reflected the points that I have made in my theoretical research, therefore answering both the practical brief and the research overall.

Final Outcomes

After thinking of how to develop my designs. I realised that maybe using the actual dimensions of the wardrobe would be appropriate as it's staying true to it's structure, much like how blueprints are meant to be illustrated.

It also illustrate the idea of the design which can appeal to the target consumers in some way. People may find it quite interesting as well as intriguing. I also added some depth to the design y using different lightweights and styles for the lines illustrating part of the design. Not only does it make it look more 3d it can also indicate different parts of the structure that make up the whole design, making it look more understandable visually of what it's suppose to illustrate. I've also added size measurement lines but used phrases instead that describe the product to give more context that just the design; as I do realise that just having the illustration may not be enough to make it interesting to consumers. Because, if consumers don't understand or identify with it, its likely that they won't bother looking at it, therefore failing the whole purpose of the design. I think added the phrases differently helps as well as the slogan, that incorporated the products name to it. Not only it may seem clever it also effectively introduces the product line, informing the consumers of the exact product they can buy, therefore if they are interest they can quickly and easily look for the product themselves. Furthermore, the minimal element I think works really well and also fit IKEA's image of prioritising functionally over being gaudy and kitch. I think, overall the design works very well as could could work well on other mediums like social media adverts as it is interesting enough Social media user may see it as a game and try to figure it out therefor successfully being interactive at the same time. It can also spread to a wider audience range, giving the design more consumer coverage.

Design Developments

From the initial idea that I did, I decided to develop it further by making the lines on the structure more detailed. As I used the PAX wardrobe as the model for this, I figured I'd make it as similar as possible. However, after doing this the design looked too simple and 2 dimensional. I also thought it didn't quite look like the blueprint idea that I had in mind.

Afterwards, I decided to break up the internal lines to give it more of a blueprint feel, though it became a bit more abstract I think it adds to the effect and look of the overall design and can be effective as a contemporary poster design for the company. I'm thinking of keeping it as minimal as this for the final design as I think it would be quite effective and interesting as it can represent the whole idea of compactness and space efficient-ness that the product advertises as well as the need of it's target consumer.

Initial Ideas for Poster

After the critical, I had another think of what else to do, as I thought my previous initial ideas that i wrote on this blog isn't really very useful or appropriate anymore. I thought of making a design based on how IKEA always emphasises the functionality of their products, as well as showing it's specs without asctually writing it down, but rather showing it through pictures.

Therefore, I wanted to show this through, applying the idea of using blueprints to show space in a house in a product. I want to create a minimal but clean illustration of the wradrobe product that I'm planning to advertise. It is also an attempt to divert from IKEA's previous way of advertising, through photographs I thought, drawing an illustration would be a different take on it and give the advert a different feel' making it look contemporary and may even attract attention from general audiences. I've also decided to use IKEA's existing layout and colour scheme as I thought it would only make sense since they re already large corporation that already cemented their public image and design style, therefore it's easier to spot this advertisement as an IKEA advertisement due to the colours, font and layout used.

I think I'll need to add more detail it, giving it a better structure buy maybe actually measuring the lengths of the lines? Maybe it would make it more detailed and give more description on the product visually and make it more under stable for the audience. I did get some peer feedback and I've been suggested to maybe just make the lines bolder and make it more detailed which I'll probably aim to do to develop it.

Crit for Initial Ideas

Today, we had a peer led criteria for our initial idea's for our practical part of the brief. In the critical we were to focus on whether or not we are answering the question that we are doing in accordance to the topic that we are aiming to do (Adverting and Public Awareness) as well as if it answers these following questions:

Is the project brief appropriate to the research?
Does the brief provide enough opportunity to explore the issues of the research question?
Does the work show development?
Does the work show ideation - a number of potential concepts and visual approaches?
Are the uses fi colour, type, images, layout etc. appropriate and effective?p;
What improvement can be made?

From the crit, I got positive feedback from the ideas that I pitched and was told to keep going with it. I was also suggested to incorporate different food or things that are incorporated with millennial or middle-class traits which I can used for my posters. I think from the criteria I will try to develop my posters by trying to incorporate different things which are associated with middle-class social classes in order to clearly state the purpose of the advertisement.

Initial Ideas

For my posters I want to use a certain product range from IKEA that I can advertise. I'm looking to tackle how advertisements can be persuasive to a range of social classes and to how extent does advertisements entice and persuade them to a product based on their social status. Do certain products or brands relate to some social classes? Do people use brands or products to define their identity and lifestyle?

The target audience may be people who are more modern and in contemporary homes such as apartments and flats; conscious how they may be perceived socially though their lifestyle and home choices but are also price conscious about what they are spending on, kin of like 'middle-class foe attitude'?

Idea 1

• Putting product in an environment that's quite 'middle-class' or rich' which can emphasise the perception of being 'middle class'.

Idea 2

• Put the product with products considered to be only used by middle class people and play on theft that the product is only appropriate to be associated with these items and also possibly puts the product in a higher class perception to the consumers. 

Idea 3

• Recreate some existing posters? possibly put the lifestyle aspect to it as most adverts only showcase the product but often are quite bland and simple as the adverts are expected to make the consumers feel that they should put their own twists and context to it but in reality there's already a perception of IKEA of being something thats quite 'middle class' and rich.

My Brief

This is the brief that I create and will use in order to proceed in the second part of the module.

I picked IKEA as I thought I could research a variety and wide range of advertisements that they've done before as it's a company which has been around for a long-time with a clear image to the public. I can also use IKEA to look at different consumer demographic and link my designs in order to answer the question on the 2nd part of the module brief which is "To what extent can advertising be said to persuade or manipulate the audience?. I could explore the different social classes of consumers as well as what could appeal to some and to others within an advert for basic living necessities such as furnitures. Do some even consider certain furnitures as essential? Can they afford it enough for it to be a basic need?