Design Context Publication

I'm pretty over the moon with my design context book! It's a major relief too, I'll admit.

There's a few bits I've noticed that aren't quite right, but nothing can be done about that now, so I'll take the time to document them instead.

I took so much time looking over it, making sure everything was right, alas, everything was not!

I'm happy the pages printed correctly. That was probably something I was most worried about going wrong, and something I looked over a thousand times.

I somehow managed to fail spotting a ''typo''. Not a misspelling, but a missed space between one of the headings. Gutted.

There seems to be a few sporadic marks, that must have come from the printer. But annoyed about that, but what can you do!

Overall, I'm absolutely chuffed to bits.

I'll be taking better photographs of it soon. I just wanted to get it up here and express my super amount of joy I'm currently experiencing! :D

Brands: I'll Be There For You

Well, I've somehow managed to finish my design context book! :D I'm now in the final process of waiting for it to be delivered, which should be in 3-4 days. So I'll get some photographs up of it once I've received it! For now, here's a PDF for your pleasure.

Make your own

Since there's been so much controversy over GAP changing their logo, it might be an interesting idea to give the viewer of my book the opportunity to make their own 'GAP' logo, as mentioned in the crit. I'm not entirely sure how I'd go about doing this. I could include a CD along with the book, with the correct files on to enable the viewer to use, or it could simply be giving the viewer the idea of creating one themselves, without giving anything away.

I'm not sure, though it's something to think about, and potentially do.

The target audience may be an issue with this idea. I don't think they would be the kind of people who would want to play around with an existing logo and make it theirs. It kind of seems a little childish. Still, an idea!

Logorama

This video was recommended to me, seen as my book was based around logos and brands.

It's pretty impressive and intriguing. In a way,after watching it, it's really quite simple.

New idea?

-Logos changing over the years

-Evolution of logos

-Comparison of logos

A specific theme of brands?

• Clothes: Primark > The North Face
• Technology: Windows > iPad
• Cars: Micra > Porsche

Will choosing one specific theme narrow it too much? Could I just look at the most developed logos?

-Coke

-Malt-O-Meal

-Shell

-Starbucks

-Msn

-Gap

-Valio

-Google

Books

Colour Harmony Logos : 741.6

Graphis Logo Design 7, B. Martin Pedersen, 2008 : 659.12

Really Good Logos Explained : 659.12

New Big Book of Logos , David E. Carter, 2008 : 659:12

Masters of Design: Logos and Identities : 745.25

Colour Management for Logos, John Drew and Sarah Meyer; 2006

The Art and Science of Creating, Testing Brands, Lippincot Mercer, 2004

Visual Identity and Branding for The Arts, Angus Hyland, Emily King, 2006

Identity, Charlotte Rivers, 2003

Corporate Identity, Wally Olins, 1994

Identity Building Image Through Graphic Design, Dianna Edwards and Ted Fabella, 2000

Gap logo controversy

I didn't realise there was controversy over the GAP logo. Perhaps this could be something interesting to mention in my contextual book?

It seems the new Gap logo has left a big gap when it comes to the clothing store's rebranding effort.

The black text on a white background next to a little blue box has missed the mark in the books of branding experts across the country.

Most people found out about the new look by visiting the clothing store's website Gap.com , without any publicity surrounding the switch in logos.

According to Gawker.com , the harshest criticism was that going from the iconic white text on a blue background amounted to something "a child created using a clip-art gallery."

But, after all the criticism Gap released a statement on itsFacebook fan page: "Thanks for everyone"s input on the new logo! We've had the same logo for 20 plus years, and this is just one of the things we're changing. We know this logo created a lot of buzz and we're thrilled to see passionate debates unfolding! So much so we're asking you to share your designs. We love our version, but we'd like to see other ideas. Stay tuned for details in the next few days on this crowd sourcing project."

Then, this created an even bigger uproar from Facebook fans, writing responses on their wall: "Asking people to work for free is WRONG! Shame on you, Gap! Shame!"

And another disappointed customer told the company: "The original version was a timeless design that truly represented the classic style of the Gap."

But another group of designers at ISO50/S has decided to band together to come up with a better logo for the Gap, with a gap redesign contest.

The president of Gap, North America, Marka Hansen wrote a blog on The Huffington Post explaining the reason behind the logo change and expressing her gratitude for the shared feedback.

"We'll explain specifics on how everyone can share designs in a few days," she wrote Thursday evening. "Thank you to everyone who has already shared feedback. I'm excited about continuing the conversation and believe passionately in where we're taking our brand."

Brands

NIKE > Scott Bedbury, "Just Do It" > overtook Adidas and Reebok.

"Air Jordan", "Bo Knows".

Founded in January 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports, Nike 1978.

Nike > major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in US.

-Nike is positioned as a premium-brand, selling well-designed and expensive products.

-Promotes products by sponsorship agreements with celebrity athletes, professional teams and college athletic teams.

-First products > track running shoes > shoes, jerseys, shorts, baselayers (track and field, baseball, ice hockey, tennis, association football, lacrosse, basketball and cricket.

ADIDAS > German sports apparel manufacturer

-Produces footwear, bags, shirts, watches, eyewear and other sports and clothing-related goods

-Largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and second biggest sportswear manufacturer in the world, after its American rival Nike.

-Features three stripes (parallel bars)

TOPSHOP > British clothes retailer

-Stores in over 20 countries

-Women's clothing and fashion accessories

-Topman (spin-off brand to cater for male customers)

-Designers released lines > Kate Moss, Stella Vine: T-shirts, vest tops, t-shirt dresses, labels designed in pink glitter

-Topshop Oxford street is the world's largest fashion store

BURTON > Large UK high-street clothing retailer

-Founded in 1903

Emails

I've emailed various design agencies, to try and get more information about them and the industry.

I've yet to gather more agencies to email, but I thought I'd put these on here for now just to show I've actually made progress.

I hope I hear back!

Brand names

• Burtons
• Topshop
• Topman
• Evans
• Dorethy Perkins
• TK Max
• M&S
• Sports Direct
• New Look
• Asos
• Sainsburys
• Tesco
• Asda
• Urban Outfitters
• Miss Selfridge
• Fat Face
• Oasis
• Gap
• Debenhams
• Peacocks
• Gucci
• Prada
• Armarni
• Mac Jacob
• Dior
• Primark
• Guess
• Fendi
• Versace
• Valentino

Contextual book > research

What is a corporate identity?

:'Persona' of a corporation which is designed to accord with and facilitate the attainment of business objectives.

What is a brand?

:The identity of a specific product, service or business.

:Can take many forms: name, sign, symbol, colour combination or slogan.

What is a concept brand?

:Associated with a concept, eg. breast cancer awareness. Rather than a specific product, service or business.

What is a concept brand?

:Associated with a commodity. Got Milk? is an example.

-A brand identity reflects how the owner wants the consumer to perceive the brand.

-The recognition and perception of a brand is highly influenced by its visual presentation. A brand's visual identity is the overall look of its communications.

-Visual elements to create distinction, such as specific fonts, colours and graphic elements.

HISTORY

-The word "brand" came from the Old Norse brandr meaning "to burn". It refers to the practise of producers burning their mark (or brand) on their products.

FIRST BRAND?

-Bass & Company (British brewery) [red triangle]

-Lyle's Golden Syrup.. unchanged since 1885.

Directly and subliminally communicates a companies values and personality, through shape, colour, materials, finish, typography and composition.

Brands are like people, and people are like brands. People follow brands. Brands have their own target market. Brands brand people.

Jot down words that describe you or the company. The logo should represent these words.

Design an attractive, unique and relevant message.

Contextual book > ideas

Eco friendly - type - advertisements - packaging

Type

Type and image

Branding and identities

[Typographic branding]

[Personal branding]

[Company/retail branding]

*Corporate identities

*Visual interpretation

*Visual signature

Who do I want to design for?

Categorise > companies? [food] [travel] [fashion] > What do I like?

Chapters > consumerism > age/income?

Difference between logos eg: Coffee > Poor quality vs good quality

-Look at differences between advertisements

-Packaging differences

-Consumers?

My work's very organic... potential focus point? (Organic/eco friendly brands vs high street brands)

Contextual book

Introduction

Type

Type as image

Branding and identities

*Stefan Sagmeister

*Jonathan Calugi "Less is more"

Perfect bind?

Exploration of type

Dictionary definitions - what is type? what is a brand?

Type: The art of or process of printing with type. The work of setting and arranging types and of printing from them. The general character or appearance of printed matter.

Context workshop

-List making

-Arrange visits - talk to people - email loads of companies/people (chase up if necessary)

-Binds - what works best with what stock?

-When does paper become card?

-Define print

I KNOW NOTHING

Logos:

Form and shapes

Origins

Type and illustration

Pictograms/icons

Stamps/cards - where logos are used

Look at last years blogs

-Anand

-J.Edmondson

-Alexanda Bucktin

>>Define logos (starting point)

>>Define print

FIND SIMPLE THINGS TO RESEARCH, GET BASIC STATISTICS WHILST I WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO GET BACK TO ME

[Retail graphics]

Nutrition & NHS

Design-council website

-Budgets

-Costs

-Contexts

TASK:

-5 subjects and statements for each. 5 questions for each subject

-Write 5 subjects on other sheet

Design context workshop feedback

I'm pretty chuffed with how much people wrote for each of my subjects. Thanks to everyone who contributed!

Food

-NHS- upsizing spending money on ambulances that most obese countries - adult - child - hold heavier people

-When do you define an obese child?

-What's the difference in body weight/size through history?

-What message can you give?

-Favourite foods?

-What are calories?

-Mortality weight through obesity

-Government funding the surgery people have to loose weight

-Statistics on food intake?

-Facts about food, could this scare obese children?

-How could you go about helping?

-To what extent has technology affected children's laziness?

-Does each new generation feel that they have an increased abundance to consumption than the last?

-Define "tackle"

Sustainability

-What is sustainability?

-What are the materials?

-What renewable sources are there?

-What's in danger now?

-What are the global issues?

-Define sustainability

-Will corporations ever take notice?

-How much effect does the individual have on the world?

-Will books become obsolete now that they are created digitally?

-What are the governments "green" plans?

-Cars- not using petrol - diesel

Print

-Define print

-Inks used?

-What ink on what stock?

-Cost of print?

-History of print?

-How has technology changed the printing industry?

Paper

-What is a stock?

-What are the contexts?

-What binding methods are there?

-How can colour choice effect ink and stock?

-Where do you get stock from?

-What is binding?

-Will the ink bleed on the stock?

-How can you make sure it's the right stock? Try and test

-What stock is helpful for the environment?

-What stock works best with what?

Design context workshop

Just had a design context workshop.. very helpful! The aim was to give us somewhere to start regarding the contextual book we have to produce.

I came up with 5 subjects (I could only think of 4 at the time). I wrote a short statement for each which described what I was going to focus on within the subject. These were then followed by a few questions I had about each subject and statement.

Food - Obesity - The increase in percentage of obesity in children

-Why do children become obese?

-What designs are effective to create awareness of the problem?

-How can it be tackled?

-What food groups are there?

-How do we know how much to eat?

Print - Finishes - The effectiveness of different print finishes

-Who uses print finishes?

-Why are there different print finishes?

-How many are there?

-How do we know when to use a particular print finish?

-What is print?

Paper - Stock - How different stocks can become an effective part of design

-How many stock types are there?

-Can specific stock types be used only within particular designs/contexts?

-Does stock affect binding methods?

Sustainability - Environment - Preservation of the environment for future generations

-How can people help towards the preservation?

-What materials are sustainable?

Existing names

There's a fair few existing brands of biscuits out there...

• Teatime
• Victoria
• Munchys
• Fox's
• Cadburys
• Mcvities
• Nestle
• Maryland
• Jacobs
• Burtons
• Lewis and Cooper
• Duchy Originals
• Loacker Gran Pasticceria