Monday, March 8, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Unesco's Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. (from Wikipedia)
"The idea for the project came from people concerned about Morocco’s Jeema’ el Fna Square in Marrakesh. The locality is known for its active concentration of traditional activities by storytellers, musicians and performers, but it was threatened by economic development pressures."
"The spectacle of Djemaa el Fna is repeated daily and each day it is different. Everything changes – voices, sounds, gestures, the public which sees, listens, smells, tastes, touches. The oral tradition is framed by one much vaster – that we can call intangible. The Square, as a physical space, shelters a rich oral and intangible tradition."
Juan Goytisolo, in a speech delivered at the opening meeting for the First Proclamation, 15 May 2001
HOW: "States Parties shall take the necessary measures to ensure the safeguarding of their intangible heritage; within the framework of their safeguarding activities they shall endeavour to ensure the widest possible participation of communities, groups and, where appropriate, individuals, that create, maintain and transmit such heritage, and to involve them actively in its management. They shall also endeavour to promote the function of this heritage in society and to ensure recognition of, respect for and enhancement of the intangible cultural heritage in society." (from UNESCO)
"The idea for the project came from people concerned about Morocco’s Jeema’ el Fna Square in Marrakesh. The locality is known for its active concentration of traditional activities by storytellers, musicians and performers, but it was threatened by economic development pressures."
"The spectacle of Djemaa el Fna is repeated daily and each day it is different. Everything changes – voices, sounds, gestures, the public which sees, listens, smells, tastes, touches. The oral tradition is framed by one much vaster – that we can call intangible. The Square, as a physical space, shelters a rich oral and intangible tradition."
Juan Goytisolo, in a speech delivered at the opening meeting for the First Proclamation, 15 May 2001
HOW: "States Parties shall take the necessary measures to ensure the safeguarding of their intangible heritage; within the framework of their safeguarding activities they shall endeavour to ensure the widest possible participation of communities, groups and, where appropriate, individuals, that create, maintain and transmit such heritage, and to involve them actively in its management. They shall also endeavour to promote the function of this heritage in society and to ensure recognition of, respect for and enhancement of the intangible cultural heritage in society." (from UNESCO)
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Brands are using social media to promote social causes and involve consumers.
The Pepsi Refresh Project is a (large scale) example of the path that brands will follow. The product is in the background. (The only element that can vaguely remind us of Pepsi soda is the word "Refresh"). Still, we do not see any Pepsi drink or anyone quenching their thirst with the popular beverage. Pepsi promotes human values instead of product value. The public has a saying as to what causes Pepsi will support. That way the brand is not limited to supporting a specific cause, but gives the opportunity for several issues to b addressed. Anyone and any NGO can propose a good cause and bit for an amount of funding from Pepsi. The final decision lies on the public. The website encourages anyone to vote for his favorite cause. The website offered the opportunity to eople or organizations who submitted their idea, to advertise it in Facebook.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Project Description 1
Communication designers were traditional the "bridge" between corporations and consumers. We are the ones that give brands their visual voice. Designer's are employed by companies to design advertising material, visual identifiers (logo's) and corporate identities. And we are asked to create scenarios, construct concepts, promises and characters, around products and services; we create the visual and conceptual elements of brands, using new products and services ready for consumption, as a starting point.
(As corporations want to ensure profits and get their products sold to the consumer public, they have to connect themselves with their customers. Designers have to find solutions to real problems, drawing from real people and their experiences.)
Financial recession has created a new consumer "breed". Unlimited consumption of the 1990's is starting to become mindful consumption. The consumer is in power, he can have access to all the necessary information and communicate with brands through consumer communities (72% is the recent count of corporate consumerism). Consumers can customize their brands and services, and have complete knowledge between what they really need. Accumulation of knowledge is higher than never before, with 68% of Americans being library card owners.
Brands, in order to survive and to maintain long term popularity with the excellently informed consumer, they have to focus on quality and not quantity. "Better", instead of "more". Lately, over-consumerism has become "un-fashionable", not classy at all. Sustainability, "Green Design", social causes, corporate ethics and human rights, is what companies are trying to communicate, under the "umbrella" of their powerful logos.
A brand's visual communication will become more about ambiquitous feelings and emotional states, rather then constantly evolving consumer goods. A brand's content will not be of physical substance but of invisible feelings and values of its consumers. The designer's role will be to transform the "dry" and old-fashioned "brand" to a "movement" formed by the consumer communities' "voices. Consumers will be the movement's advocates and designer the movement's editors, the ones who filter and organize the brand's content.
These movements will not have a fixed, consistent logo and visual identity. They will have a consistent value, emotional state and beliefs.
(As corporations want to ensure profits and get their products sold to the consumer public, they have to connect themselves with their customers. Designers have to find solutions to real problems, drawing from real people and their experiences.)
Financial recession has created a new consumer "breed". Unlimited consumption of the 1990's is starting to become mindful consumption. The consumer is in power, he can have access to all the necessary information and communicate with brands through consumer communities (72% is the recent count of corporate consumerism). Consumers can customize their brands and services, and have complete knowledge between what they really need. Accumulation of knowledge is higher than never before, with 68% of Americans being library card owners.
Brands, in order to survive and to maintain long term popularity with the excellently informed consumer, they have to focus on quality and not quantity. "Better", instead of "more". Lately, over-consumerism has become "un-fashionable", not classy at all. Sustainability, "Green Design", social causes, corporate ethics and human rights, is what companies are trying to communicate, under the "umbrella" of their powerful logos.
A brand's visual communication will become more about ambiquitous feelings and emotional states, rather then constantly evolving consumer goods. A brand's content will not be of physical substance but of invisible feelings and values of its consumers. The designer's role will be to transform the "dry" and old-fashioned "brand" to a "movement" formed by the consumer communities' "voices. Consumers will be the movement's advocates and designer the movement's editors, the ones who filter and organize the brand's content.
These movements will not have a fixed, consistent logo and visual identity. They will have a consistent value, emotional state and beliefs.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Advertising in the post internet era
Interesting comments and facts taken from Lurzer's Archive - Vol. 6 - 2009. Generally the publication hosts extremely cool examples of the latest creative advertising, both in print and motion.
In the latest volume, Amir Kassaei, Chief Creative Officer and Associate Partner of DDB Group in Germany is answering questions on the implications of the digital era in advertising, while discussing the future of successful branding and the social and moral outcomes of this digital, non-analog reality.
As the Internet meant the "shift of competence and power to the public", consumers became even more opinionated and "wise" as to what they chose to consume. A fundamental change of thinking and perception has taken place, especially in the minds of younger generations, that were born and currently growing up with the vast information of the Internet. The World Wide Web, according to the Kassaei, stops being just a tool that helps explore the world; it becomes The World (something that older generations that are just "nomads" of the Internet. Traditional advertising was all about screaming. Now that the Internet allows consumer interaction more than ever, it is the responses that are faster and louder than ever. "One has to think of more solutions and less advertising ideas". People are smarter than before and can interact and experience brands, products and services with the click of a mouse. Therefore, "Relevance beats awareness, and content beats media".
In the latest volume, Amir Kassaei, Chief Creative Officer and Associate Partner of DDB Group in Germany is answering questions on the implications of the digital era in advertising, while discussing the future of successful branding and the social and moral outcomes of this digital, non-analog reality.
As the Internet meant the "shift of competence and power to the public", consumers became even more opinionated and "wise" as to what they chose to consume. A fundamental change of thinking and perception has taken place, especially in the minds of younger generations, that were born and currently growing up with the vast information of the Internet. The World Wide Web, according to the Kassaei, stops being just a tool that helps explore the world; it becomes The World (something that older generations that are just "nomads" of the Internet. Traditional advertising was all about screaming. Now that the Internet allows consumer interaction more than ever, it is the responses that are faster and louder than ever. "One has to think of more solutions and less advertising ideas". People are smarter than before and can interact and experience brands, products and services with the click of a mouse. Therefore, "Relevance beats awareness, and content beats media".
A relevant and entertaining example that he mentions is the creative screensaver/clock by Uniqlo, called "UNIQLOCK". Another example that is mentioned in the interview is that of British chocolatiers CADBURY'S.
Check out those videos, such an entertaining way to promote a brand. And what a refreshing concept: a brand that seems cool, not too serious.
"If the content is right, people will act as the channels and carry the thing from A to B..."
"Advertising as a new form of advertising or marketing that is not advertising". Consumers have had enough with advertising and any promotional activity has to happen in an entertaining and subtle way, that will seamlessly become a very welcomed break or part of the audiences everyday life.
By all means, brands like Apple, Swatch, Mini, prove that the product, (the content of the company ) are the best communication media. These innovative products that really solve practical and even aesthetic problems, are the ones that have the power to create strong consumer communities and fans that can really becope the top advertisers of the brand. Power to the people!
Another interesting comment is that the financial crisis will bring human values to the surface, and short-term success will loose its importance. Creative minds will focus in finding "an alternative concept which is a bit closer to real life."
Customization the exact phenomenon of giving power to the hands of the consumer. Television and broadcast media, due to the moving nature of their outcomes, are adjusting to the new digital media and Internet easier than print. How can print be saved in this new digital advertising situation?
Generally, advertising according to the interviewee has to stop being purely a communication tool, but a problem solver, a solution seeker. Just like the designer, whose role is continuesly changing nowadays.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
experience design - Nathan Shedroff
" one aspect of an experience that can make it surprising and amazing is that of confronting one's beliefs"
"Data is not information."
"Information is the beginning of meaning"
"Information is data put into context"
"We all create information on some level, though most of us aren't consciously aware of doing so."
"We feel a difference when we feel understood, and frustration if we are not."
"A definition of knowledge cold be "sufficiently generalized solutions gained through experience".
"Knowledge is increasingly personal" and easy to access.
"Knowledge also builds upon itself, making it increasingly easier to acquire more knowledge."
Saturday, November 14, 2009
"The Persuaders" a Timeline documentary
- In terms of advertising and how exposed we are to new messages and symbols everyday, we are definitely experiencing a "clutter crisis". The more ads, slogans, posters and other "flashy" material around us, the more immune we become to them. We stop paying attention, and advertisers have to create more clutter, in their attempt to keep us focused. The more messages they create, the more they have to follow that up with new messages, to keep us to reach us. It is a vicious circle of clutter. Most attempts to break through from the clutter, results to more clutter. They have blurred the line between programming and product. It is not about the quality of a specific brand, but on the amount of time we are exposed to it. It reminds a bit of brainwashing. So we have this battle of so many promotional material, fighting for our attention. Again, most attempts to break through from the clutter, fail; they become part of the clutter! (Song airlines example)
- When a culture becomes advertising friendly, there is no culture at all. Advertising does not want to fill the atmosphere with branding, but wants to become the atmosphere.
- Brands nowadays communicate on another lever, beyond the self explanatory. In the 50's and 60's it was about what the product did. ("cleaner", "brighter", "better"), while in the 90's it started to be about what the product meant. The creation os "Superbrands" was the result. (what was it about? Benetton / Nike / etc.). Marketing was engaging a pseudo-spiritual sense)
The brand manager had to create and maintain a whole meaning. There are examples that some marketers studies the dynamics and characteristics of cults, and applied them to brands. (sense of belonging, joining in, family). (Saturn homecoming example). That lead to emotional branding. A brand was inviting people to a whole lifestyle (iPod, white earphones etc.)
- Nineties - Kevin Roberts of Saatchi & Saatchi claimed that he had the magic solution for successful and always profitable brands. He created the term "lovemarks" for brands whose followers show "loyalty beyond reason". These brands project a sense of mystery, sensuality and they live in an iconic place within our consciousness. And any marketing, design and advertising effort can build a mystery as long as they believe in it. We are moving from brands to experiences.
- TV ads are staring to become a less popular platform of brand communication. We do not like neither do we see a lot of ads anymore; we can even customize our TV cable providers not to show ads. So the ad business had to find new ways to penetrate their messages to us. That happened through product placement in entertainment shows, and marked the beginning of a business venture between the branding world and the a advertising business. (Absolut vodka / storyline behind it / integrate products into TV programs). Branding executives even have access to the pilot scenarios of TV shows, so they know in advance in what TV show and when, their brand would look good and become more profitable. But the public is not always convinced with these techniques and does not always consider them dignified. The key to successful integration of branding in entertainment is that it has to be seamless and look natural. The next step was the creation of a hybrid between ad and movie, the "webisode" that was artistically great and made a good impact. It had a "to be continued" feel and was distributed online (BMW example). Consumers want to be entertained!
- Consumers want to get what they want and that is why brands are starting to exercise the technique of listening. Data analysts know what people want and what they will probably want in the years to come (Acxiom example). But now the providing of information is passed on the consumer. This will give him a voice, and a feeling that brands need him. We need to feel useful and smart. And by giving us "voice", we get attached to brands and become loyal followers.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Public Branding
Seth Godin's "Brands in Public", (a website that allows consumers to make comments about brands, and where brands have their own individualized "hubs" within the site) and Microsoft's reaction. We are always talking about brands, but what happens if everyone talks in public?
Something to consider: People are talking about the products and services; the vital parts of a brand. Do consumers care about design?
The Information Revolution and the New Consumer
With the Internet providing a mass amount of free information, there is a question on what the future of traditional media companies would be. If we can access online newspapers and magazines, an other information websites (like user generated content websites like Wikipedia) for free, why would we buy traditional print media and even books. Students are using less the library facilities available to them, in favor of the Internet, where free information is in abundance. This information revolution is also seen in the visual aspects of branding and advertising. All the information a consumer needs about a brand or a product is online. The website is undoubtedly the main information provider. A brands presence in print media, radio, television, outdoor branding etc., has to be purely connotative. It has to attract attention, and once this is gained, the customer candidate will collect all the information regarding the product or brand online.
HTC is a mobile device company that does exactly the same. The new TV ad focuses on attracting the public's attention through personalized features and common experiences people face when opting to use their mobile phones. All the information is on their website.
Branding and simplicity
Maybe an element of future branding, simplicity can have two meanings. Our brand does not scream, it focuses on the substance. But, although it may look strict and non personal. If a brand needs to be relevant to peoples lives, it has to contribute to the easing of the busy and loud branding world, and leaves room for customization.
Maybe brands will need to quiet down and listen.
"When designed correctly, the brand experience should feel completely seamless and natural for its audience" - Steve Liska
Brand as a standard, as an authority.
Big brands claim their success as being the leaders in a market. Starbucks is the authority of coffee, Coco Cola of soft drinks, Dell of personal computers and so on. The public will trust them, due to their expertise, and let us not forget that it feels good to follow the leader! But the public gets easily bored. Maybe the most popular becomes a usual commodity. Consumers will need a refreshed version. Being underground, especially for young consumers, is desirable. Especially in big city centers where the need for differentiation is evident, the outsider may be considered more "hip" and modern. A fresh approach that contradicts the well known, established brands. It is all about the "anti-standardization" of brands.
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