Ethics and Moral Reasoning in Design Response and Final Post

Response Post

1. What additional information would you use to support your classmate’s connection between their research and the standards outlined by the AIGA? Cite your source(s).

Additional information is to be wary of the client-is-always-right philosophy. It is the designer’s duty to take care of the client but more specifically “it is the role of the ad agency to develop trust for the brand” (Snyder, 2011, p. 481). The client usually knows what problem they want to solve but they do not always know the solution. In the case of the Carl’s Jr. ads, the owner claims that the ads saved a lot of jobs but the fast food chain, “brought in $3.6 billion in sales in the United States last year[, 2018], down from recent years” despite understaffing restaurants and underpaying employees (Hsu, 2019). And often the ads were banned from television and cost them business. After one commercial stated women were not man enough for their burgers, it resulted in a backlash where one person commented, “I wanted to try this burger before seeing the ad. But it was before. Considering I am a female, it seems I won’t be capable of enjoying it for real, because I have ovaries” (Harris, 2014). While the ads gave the brand publicity, it did not seem to translate into sales. The client said they wanted the racy ads but what they wanted in reality was to promote sales so that they could compete with bigger chains like McDonald’s and Burger King. By always agreeing with the client the agency is sidestepping its responsibility “to be the ‘objective outsider’ advising the client, if necessary challenging long-held, tenaciously guarded perspectives and behaviors that may be operating to the client’s detriment” (Christians, Fackler, & McKee, 2017, p. 240). So, while a designer’s morals may clash with a client’s it is still the designer’s duty to bring it up because the public may have the same concerns.

 

2. What judgment would you make about the persuasiveness of your classmate’s statements? Explain.

The arguments utilize storytelling in an effective manner and provide a strong basis for persuasion. By integrating the hypothetical story of “Ethical Vision” from Media Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning it strengthens Ashley’s own argument because “researchers suggest that beliefs changed as a result of a story may even grow stronger over time” (Huber, 2017). The arguments are strong because they are based on direct quotes from sources. This could be strengthened further by including more than one quoted source to specify details. Once the reader is hooked, the middle of the story, in this case argument, can begin informing the audience by loading them with context and detail. This needs to be done carefully though because “this is the time to provide your readers with enough information to set the stage, but not so much that every aspect is revealed” (Huber, 2017). Everything would be tied up in the conclusion which is done in Ashley’s arguments.

 

3. How would you prioritize the 3 guidelines from the AIGA that your classmate identified as being the most important? Explain.

I would prioritize your responsibility to the client, then to the public, and then to the environment/society. It is important to do right by the client because they are the ones footing the bill. Usually though, a designer has to consider the other two in order to do right by the client. Designers have a business of working with clients to promote their message but the clients themselves also have a business that involves working with the public in a symbiotic relationship. So, if the designer angers the public with their advertisement and turns them against the client, the designer is not really doing their job. In the case with Groupon and the ad that made light of Tibetan hardships, thousands of consumers turned against them, hurting the brand’s image. The designer is meant to develop trust for the brand and that trust “cannot be built by advertising that is viewed as improper or unethical by the consumer” (Snyder, 2011, p. 481). Because of this, when designing, the designer is not working with just one party, they are working with two. The designer needs to “strive to be sensitive to cultural values and beliefs and engages in fair and balanced communication design that fosters and encourages mutual understanding” (AIGA, 2009, p. 35).

 

Final Post

Specifically, what did you learn from this discussion assignment that you will take with you when going forward in your career as a media designer?

I learned the most from the case studies. Learning where others have failed or how others dealt with ethical issues gave me an idea of what issues I may face and how to approach them. This research also showed me how ethics are more than just doing the right thing. If a designer paints a brand as uncaring or unethical, it impacts how the public will treat it or if they will distance themselves from it. In the case I studied about the “Wal-Marting Across America” blog, it talked about the ethical implications, but it also talked about how to make up for these stumbles. It discussed how to placate the public long enough to gather information and how to create an effective apology. Since I am human, mistakes are always a possibility. So, being able to apologize and fix relations will be a useful skill to keep under my sleeve. It would also be handy with working on brands that have made stumbles in the past.

 

References

AIGA. (2009). Design Business Ethics. New York, NY: Richard Grefé, AIGA. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document/47555891/Design-Business-and-Ethics#fullscreen&from_embed

Christians, C. G., Fackler, M., & McKee, K. B. (2017). Media Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning (10th ed.). New York ; London: Routledge, Taylor et Francis Group.

Harris, J. (2014, April 9). Carl’s Jr. thinks women can’t handle its meaty burgers in new ad. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-carls-jr-women-cant-handle-burgers-20140409-story.html

Huber, A. M. (2017, November 22). Telling the Design Story. New York, NY: Routledge. Retrieved from https://ce.safaribooksonline.com/book/design/9781351849210

Hsu, T. (2019, November 13). Carl’s Jr.’s Marketing Plan: Pitch Burgers, Not Sex. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/13/business/media/new-carls-jr-ads.html

Snyder, W. (2011). Making the Case for Enhanced Advertising Ethics. Journal of Advertising Research, 51(3), 477–483. doi: 10.2501/jar-51-3-477-483

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Ethics and Moral Reasoning in Design Initial Post

1. What ethical and or moral issues in the practice of media design did you uncover in your research paper for this course that connect with the standards of professional practice and business expectations for a professional media designer as outlined in the AIGA publication?

One issue involved doing no harm to the community. AIGA (2009) states that a designer “shall not knowingly do or fail to do anything that constitutes a deliberate or reckless disregard for health and safety of the communities” (p. 35). This is not always a clear-cut issue though, as shown in the case of Truvada. Truvada is a drug developed to help prevent contracting HIV. It is criticized for both advertising and not advertising enough. The drug could lower the risk of thousands of people. Because it only protects against HIV though, the worry was that it was “encouraging the continuation of unsafe sex and most likely contributing to the spread of other sexually transmitted infections” (Christians, Fackler, & McKee, 2017, p. 167). So, Gilead Sciences was left with a conundrum of how to get the message to those that needed it without accidently promoting unsafe sex practices. Their solution was to aim their marketing efforts on HIV specialists rather than primary care physicians. Another issue was about being clear and truthful to the public. There was a blog called “Wal-Marting Across America” where the author interviewed and photograph Wal-Mart employees. The site “appears to be a grassroots effort in support of Wal-Mart but is actually a front group created by Edelman”, the public relations firm that was working for Wal-Mart (Burns, 2008, p. 46). This is unethical because it tricks the public into reading an advertisement while disguising it as something else. This violates AIGA’s guideline where a designer “shall communicate the truth in all situations and at all times; his or her work shall not make false claims nor knowingly misinform” (AIGA, 2009, p. 34).

 

2. How could the issues you uncovered in your research paper have been avoided by following the AIGA guidelines?

The main solution to the problems that were found could be solved if the designers remembered their duty to others. In one case, a commercial for Groupon advertised that despite the turmoil in Tibet, they make an amazing fish curry and customers of Groupon can get a deal on it. This violates the guideline that states a “designer shall strive to be sensitive to cultural values and beliefs and engages in fair and balanced communication design that fosters and encourages mutual understanding” (AIGA, 2009, pg. 35). If the designers that made this commercial had taken into consideration the hardships of the Tibetan people, then it would not have received the backlash that it got. This commercial also failed at being an effective ad because, “it is the role of the ad agency to develop trust for the brand…however, [that trust] cannot be built by advertising that is viewed as improper or unethical by the consumer” (Snyder, 2011, p. 481). So, this agency failed in not only its duty to society but also in its duty to the client. In the case of The Philadelphia Inquirer they failed in their duty to other creatives, their employees. In its glory days, the paper had achieved many accolades and awards. Employees were said to “talk, wistfully, of the possibilities that awaited them each day they came to work” (Christians, Fackler, & McKee, 2017, p. 50). As the paper became popular, stakeholders wished to increase their profits which meant a decrease in the staff. When changes in the industry and the city came, they were ill prepared to deal with them because they did not have the manpower. If the stakeholders had more respect for their employees, they perhaps could have withstood the changing environment better.

 

3. Which 3 guidelines from the AIGA stood out to you as being the most important that you will be mindful of as you advance in your career as a media designer?

The first guideline is to “not knowingly do or fail to do anything that constitutes a deliberate or reckless disregard for the health and safety of the communities” (AIGA, 2009, p. 35). This one stood out to me because before the research paper I thought this would be the most obvious and easiest one to uphold. After reading about the case with Truvada though, I learned that doing the most good does not always have the clearest solution. The second guideline is to not undermine another designer. This struck a chord because of a book I read previous to this class that stated the “foundation of all successful design is solid relationships, whether that’s with your client and his/her team, with illustrators, photographers, or copywriters you work alongside, or the designers you choose to pass leads onto” (Airey, 2012). This is part of a warning not to waste a fellow designer’s time with a bad client/job or insult other designers. A lot of this business is built on connections and if we burn bridges, we could ruin our careers. The third guideline is that a “designer does not work on assignments that crate potential conflicts of interest” (AIGA, 2009, p. 38). This matters to me because Wichita is the air capital so there are a lot of aviation related companies. My father works for FlightSafety International and I have helped him with proprietary work at the company. So, when I apply to other aviation companies, I have to be careful how much information I divulge when explaining the work that makes me qualified. Saying the wrong thing could ruin my reputation and get my father in trouble.

 

References

AIGA. (2009). Design Business Ethics. New York, NY: Richard Grefé, AIGA. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document/47555891/Design-Business-and-Ethics#fullscreen&from_embed

Airey, D. (2012, November). Work for Money, Design for Love. Pearson Education (us). Retrieved from https://ce.safaribooksonline.com/book/design/9780133052794

Burns, K. S. (2008). The Misuse of Social Media: Reactions to and Important Lessons from a Blog Fiasco. Journal of New Communications Research, 3(1), 41–54. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.oclc.fullsail.edu:81/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=43818148&site=ehost-live

Christians, C. G., Fackler, M., & McKee, K. B. (2017). Media Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning (10th ed.). New York ; London: Routledge, Taylor et Francis Group.

Snyder, W. (2011). Making the Case for Enhanced Advertising Ethics. Journal of Advertising Research, 51(3), 477–483. doi: 10.2501/jar-51-3-477-483

Legal Problems in Design Response & Final Post

Response Post

1. What additional kinds of legal problems can arise for media designers when they create content that incorporates images created by others, and how can they be avoided?

While using work from the public domain is the safest route and usually the best solution, there are some cases where you may have to use work that is not in the public domain. On bigger projects you may need to bring in other designers or if the client wants a website featuring their workplace or a work event you may need to bring in a professional photographer. As you state in your answer to the third question, these issues can be diverted with a clear and specific contract agreed to before the photoshoot. And while the photographer retains rights to the actual photo, you can still get some rights for your client. AIGA (2009) suggests adding a clause to the contract stating: “The photographer agrees not to license the design or images contained therein to competitors of the client” (p. 87). Gaining all rights to an image can be expensive but gaining production rights and protecting your client from competitive use can be enough.

 

2. What additional ways can media designers protect their own work from being used in other projects by their clients or by other designers, if that wasn’t the intention when creating the work?

Having a contract is a good way to protect yourself when working with a client but simply adding the copyright notice may not always be enough. Registering the design is required for legal actions but it also “allows the artist to make a record of the design and have that record held by a neutral party-the Copyright Office” (AIGA, 2009, p. 84). If you host images on a social media site, you should read their terms and conditions. Sites like Tumblr and Deviantart add clauses to their terms and conditions that give them some rights so they can use your work in thumbnails and suggestions. So, if a piece is “important enough to protect, it’s important enough to invest in that protection” (Weaver, 2017). The copyright notice is a good start, but official registration will give you even more protection.

 

3. What are some of the copyright issues to be concerned about when answering an RFP that haven’t been identified by your classmate?

Setting up a contract ahead of time helps to establish expectations like you said but it can also weed out shady clients. A designer featured in Work for Money, Design for Love talks about how clients that balk at paying upfront often will not pay at all and if “they want you, they’ll pay, and standing your ground is much better than caving in and finding your ideas being implemented by your client, or another designer, without you seeing a dime” (Airey, 2012). If your potential client raises an issue against basic securities when you present the contract, then it can warn you of red flags and save you from a potential headache. This method works well if you are able to get a client to agree to a contract ahead of time. Some RFPs will have you competing against other designers and will not sign anything until they pick a designer to move forward with. While you want to layout the scope of the project, the price, and the relationship you don’t want to reveal your niche or secret sauce. The client can spot this secret sauce and ask other bidders if they can do it which “educates your competitors on what you do; and…gives the competitor the chance to say, ‘Sure we can do that!’ whether or not its people were actually planning to do that in their initial response” (Deeb, 2012). Depending on what information you divulge, it can either kill or maintain your competitive edge.

 

Final Post

Specifically, what did you learn from this discussion assignment that you will take with you when going forward in your career as a media designer?

The two main things I will take away from this assignment is what rights to secure for myself and my client and how to set up the paperwork. I knew going in that copyrights and usage rights can make collaborations a potential minefield. The resource from AIGA helped me understand how to best provide for my client without making them spend exorbitant amounts on buying the complete rights or using only public domain. The research for this assignment also helped me learn how to better deal with the paperwork side of it. Many of the sources I looked at had excerpts or examples of terms and conditions that I can apply to my own work. This will help me both better communicate with the client and protect myself and my work. I have saved the AIGA source in my bookmarks for future reference. For Work for Money, Design for Love and Creative Truth I have taken notes of pertinent parts and I am going to check to see if my local library has copies.

 

References

AIGA. (2009). Design Business Ethics. New York, NY: Richard Grefé, AIGA. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document/47555891/Design-Business-and-Ethics#fullscreen&from_embed.

Airey, D. (2012, November). Work for Money, Design for Love. Pearson Education (us). Retrieved from https://ce.safaribooksonline.com/book/design/9780133052794.

Deeb, G. (2015, October 27). The 10 Things You Need to Know When Responding to RFPs. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/252061.

Weaver, B. (2017). Creative Truth. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. Retrieved from https://ce.safaribooksonline.com/book/career-development/9781317541554.

Legal Problems in Design Initial Post

1. What kinds of legal problems can emerge and in what ways can media designers avoid them when creating work that incorporates images created by the designer or acquired from other sources, including photographers and illustrators?

The main legal issues that occur are who owns what and how can they be used. The number one way to avoid issues is to make sure all parties involved have the same understanding and that everything is written down. This is especially important if a project changes along the way. Having specifications written down helps to settle disagreements and “if the changes aren’t written down, it is easier to forget exactly what was discussed or misinterpret what was intended” (AIGA, 2009, p. 91). Specifying what a client has ownership to is also important to protect the designer. This means writing out that they only have rights to the reproduction of the final work. In Creative Truth the author states that the reason for this “is that if you become known for a particular style, a past client could come after you for copyright infringement since you’ve turned that work over to them” (Weaver, 2017). So rather than giving the entirety of the rights to the client, licensing the project to them provides more protections because the piece never really stops being yours. It is just a case of how you are sharing it with them.

 

2. How can media designers protect their own work from being used in other projects by their clients or by other designers, if that wasn’t the intention when creating the work?

One protection is keeping native files. Native files essentially open up the tools and process to the client cutting the designer off from future work. Another issue with handing over native files is in disputes. Creative Truth warns of clients that pay with a credit card and dispute the charges once they have the files. They suggest to only hand over native files when the designer is “being compensated appropriately, and your contracts cover what can be done with the files” (Weaver, 2017). A practice that a designer suggests in Work for Money, Design for Love is to create a custom work agreement or contract. The designer was quoted as saying that having a custom contract is “an investment worth its weight in gold in terms of protecting you from those who have no integrity and would seek to exploit your work for their gain at your expense” (Airey, 2012). By working with a lawyer to create a custom contract it helps to create a physical acknowledgment that the designer, client, and anyone else involved are under the same understanding.

 

3. What are some of the copyright issues to be concerned about when answering an RFP for a potential client?

The main concern is about handing over an idea or design before a formal agreement has been made. Responding to an RFP with a contract is the best way to set up for a successful interaction. Weaver (2017) explains that Discovery, “is essentially a paid workshop with the client to determine the right response to each of their needs or project requirements”. Discovery helps to identify the actual client problem and then settle on a way to best achieve that. The proposal needs the client situation, a description of the scope of the work and specific objectives, the time frame, and at least a price bracket if not a fixed price. A proposal should respect “the fact that most clients are overwhelmed with information and frequently received voluminous proposals” and that anything done to “make it easier for the client to understand the way you will work together can only help you seal the deal and initiate a successful project” (Airey, 2012). Another issue is time frame. AIGA (2009) suggests adding an expiration clause that specifies how long the offer will remain valid. If a client sits on a proposal for a long period, the designer can change the agreement based on changes in their pricing or availability.

 

References

AIGA. (2009). Design Business Ethics. New York, NY: Richard Grefé, AIGA. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document/47555891/Design-Business-and-Ethics#fullscreen&from_embed.

Airey, D. (2012, November). Work for Money, Design for Love. Pearson Education (us). Retrieved from https://ce.safaribooksonline.com/book/design/9780133052794.

Weaver, B. (2017). Creative Truth. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. Retrieved from https://ce.safaribooksonline.com/book/career-development/9781317541554.

Thesis Site and Portfolio Entry

MFA Thesis Site:

https://hcsilvia.wixsite.com/thesis-presentation

 

Portfolio Entry:

https://hollysilviamedia.wordpress.com/project-andover-strip-academic-project/

Andover Strip Brand Guide

Design Brief Updated

Here is an updated version of the design brief for the Andover Strip.

SilviaH_DesignBrief

Andover Strip Media Assets Draft 01

Bumper Sticker/Magnet

This uses the characteristics warm and authentic. It is warm by using the sun as the focal point. It also does this by making the tagline a prominent part of the design. The tagline implies that the Andover Strip is the center for business. But the heart can also imply that it is the emotional or more caring side of business. It is a warm and friendly place. They care so business owners will be authentic and up front.

The visual identity of this asset is compliant with the brand because of the form and color. The form is kept consistent with the brand fonts and with the use of similar shapes (like the sun). The colors also help tie it in because it is able to utilize the full color palette.

This asset is similar to the tote bag, the pen, and the notebook. Because of the limit on space it was important to just put the most important aspects of the brand on display. This provides the logo, the tagline, the number to the information center, and a general location. Due to their small size and manufacturing cost, these would be an ideal item to include in a mailing campaign to introduce the area. Since the brand will have little recognition power at first it is important to provide information that people can quickly deduce about the location. And since this can be printed in full color like the notebook the brand color palette can be incorporated.

Using these kinds of assets are a benefit because they are often cheap to make and can be mailed out. Near the launch of the brand it would be beneficial to mail residents in the surrounding area about the new district. This would bring attention to the area and act as an introduction. In an article written by Ott she states that “[a]dding a reasonably priced promotional product to a direct mail promotion usually generates far greater response rates, which reduces the cost per unit of the mailing and increases your success”. Adding a tangible item like the bumper sticker or magnet would help give the start of the brand a bigger impact.

 

Pen

This asset promotes the characteristic dynamic. This design can be applied to any pen product but the pen I have picked out here also doubles as a stylus. It not only adds to the usefulness of the asset, but this represents how dynamic the Strip can be.

After looking at various sites that make custom promotional items, the pens only allow the use of one kind of ink. So, I had to convey the visual identity through shapes and forms. By picking a blue pen, it will still stay in the color palette. Space is also limited on this item, so it is important to get the point across. This item promotes the logo, the name, and the tagline. Since this is not an established brand yet, it is also important to give people a way to find out more. The number will connect them with the information center in Andover where they can learn about the district.

The pen is visually similar to the tote bag, the notebook, and the bumper sticker/magnet. All these assets had limited space. So, they all feature similar arrangements of the important information for the brand.

This pen can be paired with the notebooks or handed out on their own. The article, The Pros and Cons of Promotional Products states that pens are often shared so they are passed around between many hands (Richard, 2017). This helps with exposure which will help the brand get on its feet within the surrounding communities. Pens are also one of the cheaper promotional items to make so it will be easy to make a large amount.

 

Pole Banners

These banners stick to the brand by employing the familiar and warm characteristics. It shows that the strip is a place of business, but Family is put in a different color to give it importance. Yes, the Strip wants your business but it also values family, so owners won’t screw you over just to make a buck. It also uses dynamic because of the winding road. It implies movement and that there are places to go.

One way they stick to the visual identity is through their focus on business. The left side uses imagery of the businesses. The right talks out how there are shops and there are restaurants to spend your time at. Another way is that they tie in characteristics of the road itself. They have the road winding through the image and the logo plays as a focal point.

The pole banners are closely related to the signage. Since the pole banners and the signage had a chance of being displayed close together, it was important they shared a similar visual identity. They use gradients and the same road motifs.

This type of asset is handy because once the hardware is set up, they can become places to advertise dedicated to the district. At the start these banners can be used to map out the district so people know how far into Andover the district stretches. This will help people understand the district. And since the hardware is installed the banners can easily be switched to be a highly visible advertisement for special events, tent sales, or individual business (AMI Graphics, 2017). This type of flexibility will allow the advertising to change as the brand changes. For these particular designs they would act as an introduction to the brand/area. They can either be displayed together or the green one can be displayed on its own. The green one acts as a “Hello my name is…” and the orange one explains the strengths of the area.

 

Signage

The characteristic warm is shown through the use of the bright coloring and the emphasis on family in the word set. Familiar plays a part by using images of the area so that you already have an idea of the districts look before you get there. The winding road plays on dynamic by implying motion.

This communicates the visual identity by its use of color and the imagery. The colors are bright and warm. It also uses the road motif and the asphalt texture to help tie in the strip of road. The images of the area focus mostly on the business part of the community.

The billboard most resembles the pole banners and the notebook. The banners both use the road motif. It is similar to the notebook because they use the same background and they both incorporate images from the area to help with recognition.

Signage like a billboard has the ability to advertise to people while they are one the move or while they are stuck at a light. The way this advertising works differently from other forms though is that creativity is not enough. A study found that because the viewer’s attention can easily be focused somewhere else, the signage needs to also be conspicuous (Wilson, Baack, & Till, 2015, p. 255). This design does this by using a bright yellow to draw the eye.

 

Tote Bag

The tote bag shows the brand characteristics authentic and familiar. Again, this design can be applied to any bag but the bag I have chosen for the example (and often the cheaper of the options without losing quality) is a canvas bag. Using quality fibers helps promote the idea that the district deals in authentic, natural products. It plays on familiar by offering a service where it can. It can be used for events in the Andover Strip but it can also be used in other aspects in people’s lives.

This stays within the visual identity of the brand by using fonts and forms that are used throughout other design elements. Since space was limited, and this is an item that will have a lot of exposure, it uses the logo in a prominent place to help give the logo exposure and eventually recognition.

This item is visually related to the pen, the notebook, and the bumper sticker/magnet. It is mostly closely related to the pen because they share similar limitations. Both can only be printed in one ink color. But since this asset’s dominate color is white, this imagery is a reverse of the pen which has blue as the dominate color.

Andover Strip offers many events like festivals, tent sales, farmers markets, etc. Individual stalls will sometimes offer their own bags but by the end of an event, you can be left carrying over a dozen of bags. This tote bag solves this problem by providing a single vessel to carry all these products. It is also a popular freebie item because people have use for them in other parts of their life. This is especially true in states that are getting rid of plastic bags. Alderton (2010) writes that the tote bag is such an effective branding opportunity because people use them so often at other events/meetings or as everyday briefcases. This leads to other people seeing the brand outside of the district. This then leads to better exposure.

 

Notebook

This asset promotes the characteristic of dynamic and familiar. The inside cover of this notebook can have a calendar printed on it. So not only does the journal part have dynamic uses but it can also double as a calendar where they can mark special dates. In an ideal situation, they would use the calendar to mark special dates for events happening in the Strip. It uses the characteristic familiar by keeping notes for the user and by being an asset that is used often.

This asset is able to be printed in a full color so is it is able to incorporate the full brand color palette. It also incorporates images that promote the business side of the area. The asphalt texture and the banding helps incorporate imagery of the strip of road.

This asset is visually similar to the pen, the bumper sticker/magnet, and the tote bag in the arrangements of the logo, tagline, and number. But this asset does not have the same printing limitations as the other products. This product allows for full color printing. So, I was able to incorporate elements from the other assets. It is able to tie in the gradients and textured backgrounds.

The advantage of the notebook is that it combines traditional advertising with functionality. McMarthy and Fram (2008) conducted a study where promotional items that integrated traditional print advertising into their forms had increased brand engagement and retention. The cover of the notebook features images of the area with an emphasis on the businesses. So, it acts as an advertisement and a visual reminder of those areas. Another benefit is that it incorporates a calendar into the cover. The problem with promoting a calendar on its own is that it only has a certain window of usefulness. By putting it into a notebook, even if the calendar expires the notebook can still be used. This will cut down on wastage in case they do not unload the items quickly.

 

References

Alderton, M. (2010). Conference Bags Top List of Promotional Items at Events. Successful Meetings, 59(8), 8. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.oclc.fullsail.edu:81/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=64436992&site=ehost-live

AMI Graphics. (2017, March 16). Practical Branding with Pole Banners. Retrieved from https://amigraphics.com/blog/practical-branding-with-pole-banners

McCarthy, M., & Fram, E. (2008). Synergies of Promotional Products and Print Advertising in Building Brand Equity for a New Brand. Journal of Promotion Management, 14(1/2), 3–15. https://doi-org.oclc.fullsail.edu/10.1080/10496490802501661

Ott, B. (2001). Keep Your Name out Front. On Wall Street, 11(2), 62. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.oclc.fullsail.edu:81/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=4292693&site=ehost-live

Richard. (2017, August 17). The Pros and Cons of Promotional Products. Retrieved from https://www.customlogocases.com/blog/pros-cons-promotional-products/

Wilson, R. T., Baack, D. W., & Till, B. D. (2015). Creativity, attention and the memory for brands: an outdoor advertising field study. International Journal of Advertising, 34(2), 232–261. https://doi-org.oclc.fullsail.edu/10.1080/02650487.2014.996117

Andover Strip Logo

Single Color Logo

CMYK Logo

Logo Rationale

This logo features the sun cresting over Andover Road. This was inspired by the view in the mornings when the sunlight shoots down the Strip. The sun is also to tie in the city of Andover which features a sun on their logo. Tying the district to the city is to help give the people in Andover ownership of the area. Adding blue to the road also does this. The strip of road and the curving font is meant to play on the characteristic dynamic. They imply movement and fluidity. The characteristic warm is shown through the sun cresting over the road to create the feeling of a new day. This is also shown in the sun’s warm coloring. The yellow and orange help create a bright cheery mood. Familiar and authentic is shown by using a depiction of a view common to the area.

Andover Strip Logo Refinements

 

09 Rationale

This logo was chosen because it ties the district to Andover. Airey (2015) explains that making a logo relevant is important for creating connections to the client and differentiating it from competitors. The city of Andover uses a sun as the main part of its logo. By combining the sun with the strip of road it helps to establish the connection between the road and the city. Even if the words are removed the imagery still has the Andover sun raising over Andover Road. So, the design is not dependent on having the title there to explain the location. It also uses Airey’s (2015) concepts of thinking small and keeping it simple. Since this logo will be reproduced over a variety of products it still needs to be recognizable at different scales. The way that the road is set up, it is meant to also double as another set of rays for the sun. So even if it is scaled down, the overall shape still stays intact and does not get muddled. It also uses simple shapes to not over complicate the piece. This way it is easy to reproduce. And as Airey (2015) explains simplicity helps with recognition and gives the design a better chance at enduring quality. This logo communicates the brand characteristic warm by using the sun. By having the sun peaking over the road, it helps create the sense of new beginnings. It also helps the characteristic of being dynamic by adding the road. This implies movement and that there are places to travel. In Essential Elements for Brand Identity: 100 Principles for designing logos and Building Brands it explains how “the overall shape of a logo becomes a recognizable identifier for a brand” (Budelmann, Kim, & Wozniak, p. 32). Logos in Wichita primarily use circular logos. The logo for Andover though and many businesses in the district use rectangular logos. So, by using a logo that uses more of a diamond shape, it helps tie it to the area. The three competencies I used for this project include using simple shapes for communicating ideas, how to use primary external shapes to tie in the brand identity, and how to make a logo relevant to not only the community in the district but to the community in the city.

 

11 Rationale

This logo focuses on the district. The A is there to tie in the identity, Andover Strip. The strip of road is drawn so that when combined with the A is looks like an R. Both the imagery and the abbreviation of Andover Road help tie in the location. This set up helps with supporting one of Airey’s design guidelines, commit to memory. By tying in the location visual and with the abbreviation it helps the viewer remember not only the brand but the location of the brand. The simple shapes also help the viewer remember the logo and it focuses on one thing, the physical attributes of the area, to avoid confusing the viewer (Airey, 2015). It promotes the characteristic of being dynamic by using curves and a winding road. The curves help move the viewers eye through the piece and the road helps to imply movement. This logo combines using an icon and a wordmark to help combine abstract imagery with a descriptive medium. As Adams (2015) states in his lecture the goal of combing icons and wordmarks is to create “a unified logo that feels harmonious and connected”. The icon uses imagery to help promote the brand as stated before. The wordmark continues this by using similar shapes and curving lines to imply motion in a similar way that the imagery does. So, not only do they both comply with the brand, but they are also cohesive with each other. This logo stays distinctive from other logos in the area by depicting the area without using a frame. In both Wichita’s Old Town logo and the logo for the city of Andover they use frames to create a type of crest look. The Old Town logo draws the area inside a circle. The Andover logo uses a trapezoid to frame in the sun and cloud. This depicts the road by incorporating it into the overall silhouette. This creates more of a unique silhouette that will not be confused with other areas. The three competencies I practiced in this logo was how to combine the old identity (Andover Road) with the new one, how to incorporate icons and wordmarks in a cohesive fashion, and how to use silhouettes to the logo’s advantage.

 

37 Rationale

In many of the interviews conducted, one of the common reasons people came to the area was for the human factor. This was reflected in other research like online reviews for the local businesses. If someone forgot their wallet sometimes a business would take an IOU. In another case, a customer spoke about how they enjoy the craft store because it offers workshops where they can socialize with other crafters. Other reviews mention how they enjoy certain restaurants because it is close to the local YMCA. So, after working out with their friends they can then go get lunch or coffee together. This logo was chosen because it incorporates the compassion in the area. Müller (1996) writes that through a “handling of visual input it is possible to convey enormous amounts of information in a very condensed space by distributing it on conceptually and visually different levels” (p. 9). It represents the name by having the A and the S. The way that the A and the S are connected though helps to create a heart shape. This promotes the brand characteristics that show the district is warm, familiar, and authentic. The people here care. By representing these characteristics with a heart, it keeps the logo flexible so that if the types of businesses change or if a new one comes in, they can be incorporated into the brand. All businesses want to have good customer service so by targeting the logo on compassion it makes it so community businesses don’t have to change their own identities to be cohesive with the district’s brand. It also ties in the characteristic of dynamic by using curving lines and using the combination of shapes to convey three things at once. Poulin (2018) explains how the use of curves can lead the viewer’s eye through the piece. So, using curves in the logo and the font help create this dynamically. This logo uses Airey’s principle by keeping it simple, being distinct, and making it relevant. The logo only uses lines to create simple shapes that will be easy for viewers to remember. It is also distinct because it communicates compassion and togetherness without using a circle as the primary shape. In the lecture Branding for Designers, it explains that almost everyone wants to communicate community and interconnectivity, because of this an over saturation of merging circle logos have emerged in logo design (Adams, 2015). This logo is able to communicate the idea of a caring community by using a line that weaves into itself. This primary shape also stays consistent with the primary shape for the city of Andover. This keeps the logo relevant. By keeping these two consistent it helps give the city a sense of ownership over the area. Yes, the Andover Strip needs to be a distinct district but at the end of the day it is the city and the surrounding area that needs to promote the identity. The Strip itself won’t have the budget or the power to do it by themselves. The three main competencies I practiced in this assignment was being able to use design as a short hand for communicating many concepts, being able to communicate a common brand characteristic without being repetitive, and keeping the brand flexible by using an incorporeal value.

The A in the logo.

The heart in the logo.

The S in the logo.

 

References

Adams, S. (2015, March 27). Branding For Designers. Lecture. Retrieved from https://www.lynda.com/Design-Color-tutorials/Foundations-Branding-Designers/363131-2.html?org=fullsail.edu

Airey, D. (2015). Logo design love: A guide to creating iconic brand identities. Berkeley, Ca.: New Riders.

Budelmann, K., Kim, Y., & Wozniak, C. (2010). Essential elements for brand identity: 100 principles for designing logos and building brands. Beverly: Rockport.

Müller, P. (1996). Communication through Graphic Design. Cross-cultural Communications. Retrieved from http://www.prmueller.de/downloads/GraphicCommunication.pdf

Poulin, R. (2018). The language of graphic design: An illustrated handbook for understanding fundamental design principles. Beverly, MA, USA: Rockport.