OUGD601 - Module Evaluation

Module Evaluation

The COP 3 Module is particularly engaging providing a refined focus upon the theory of practice within Graphic Design. This exploration of contextual issues allows a more informed practice to develop as a result of this research investigation. The process of conducting such an informed and extensive exploration into the effects of Brand Psychology on a Consumer-Band Relationship allows a more sophisticated design process to develop as a result, informing further personal development as a designer. The development of the research paper identified a range of new skills that were established in order to conform with academic conventions, this includes a comprehension of established design theory and applying an analytical synthesis back to the papers title. The most insightful conclusion I take from this research paper is the results of the interviews conducted as part of the Ketel One case study. Firstly this is particularly engaging in demonstrating a confident ability to conduct primary research that engages with a new means of academic practice. Secondly this conclusion directly instigates the application of theory within practice, establishing a boarder social dialogue regarding its ethics within the contemporary practice of Graphic Design. 

The Practical investigation extends upon the suggestions for further research identified within the conclusion of the research paper in exploring whether the constructs of Brand Psychology are applicable to a broader framework than that of the Vodka market isolated within the papers case studies. This justifies a practical exploration of a significantly different area of commerce, exploring the role of Brand Psychology within a millennial uncertainty of a post-Brexit society. The brand proposal is successful in utilising these constructs to positively position a Consumer-Brand Relationship. This is informed through primary and secondary research investigations that ascertains a holistic understanding of the millennial demographic, which can be extended upon within the Extended Practice module. The scale of this practical investigation informs new levels of time management due to the brief running over an extended period. The created Time Plan (see Figure 1) articulates the projects planned schedule compared to its actual schedule. From this it can be established that these brand extensions required significantly more development than first anticipated which caused them to over run, however allowing myself to be versatile within this design process allowed these elements to be completed on time, requiring a stricter approach to time management to ensure I met production deadlines. The results of immersing myself within the exploration of the design practice allowed me to experiment with new techniques and processes, actively pushing how I could engage with contextual links to the brief. In developing the flag as a tangible symbol of the movement, this required an understanding of new production methods using the fabric printers to successfully manufacture complicated deliverables. Creating contextual links to industry, the pocket guide is copiously informed through commercial print processes to ensure the outcome is as appropriate as possible to  an industry process, utilising spot colours and cost effective layouts. Finally the continuity within the brand proposal allows these individual extensions to work cohesively as a set, generating a strong sense of Brand Equity through an identifiable design strategy that significantly attributed to the success of this proposal. 

The conclusion of the COP3 module evaluates that this has been essential to my development as a designer, generating a strong challenge that required a significant step up from Level 5. This provides inspiration to engage with the Extended Practice module with a  similar determination in order to generate a strong portfolio of aesthetically and contextually appropriate work. The development of the dissertation reflectively, is considered a process that will sufficient time management and determination creates a critically relevant research paper that presents fresh ideas regarding the contemporary practice of Graphic Design. 

OUGD601 - Synthesis

Project Synthesis

The concept of the practical brief explores the future of travel within a post-Brexit society, creating a third party corporation that facilitates a new ‘visa-style’ application process as a convenience for the modern millennial travelling within the EU, utilising Brand Psychology constructs within this  practical exploration. The brand is constructed to connote freedom and convenience, which are defined as a key purchase motivator’s for the millennial demographic and is appropriately considered within the naming of the brand ‘Wander’ as an extension of these ideologies.  The brand identity is developed through an understanding of Aaker’s brand personality framework (1997), utilising display type constructed of interconnected characters to conceptually symbolise the freedom and lack of boundaries the service provides. These geometric forms identified within this logo’s characters are used as a framework to which the brand extensions are developed from, using this design direction to reinforce the brand identity in constructing a unified Brand Image. To succinctly articulate this continuity within the practical exploration a visual synthesis guide is developed to acknowledge how the brand proposal is constructed with a clear narrative that generates positive brand connotations through a unified and easily identifiable brand strategy. 

The ‘Wander Travel Diaries’ campaign generates strong Brand Equity with this target demographic through the use of influencer marketing. This strategy is particularly successful as research identifies that 60% of Millennials would try a product suggested by a YouTuber. The campaign generates a legitimate Brand Personality manipulated through the use of brand advocates and exploits the target audience by associating this experience with the brands service. It is inferred the user can emulate this experience however this is valued at £6,800 making it unobtainable for the majority of the target audience. In a similar manner to Bernay’s exploitation of suffragettes (1929), the campaign is used to exploit the anxieties of a millennial demographic post Brexit, questioning its design ethics. Extended collateral is used to reinforce the legitimacy of the brand creating a balance between its digital and print communications. Developing a poster series and pocket guide which adopt an aspirational Tone of Voice extends the brand personality through connotations of convenience, freedom and adventure while the aesthetic of these outputs reinforces the Brand Image as contemporary, liberal, and engaging to a millennial audience. The flag is appropriately developed as a tangible symbol of the movement, generating connotations of national identity and protest, that will appeal to the consumers liberal attitudes as 75% of voters aged between 18 and 24 voted to remain part of the EU. This further extends the Brand Personality, generating a stronger Consumer-Brand Relationship by association of mutual interests as discussed by Klein (2005) who states marketers strive to infuse their brands with deep, meaningful messages for cumulative psychological effect. 

This practical investigation retains a strong level of contextual synthesis by applying theoretical knowledge into a practical context, demonstrating the relevance of the research title within a contemporary design practice. Acknowledging the limitations of the research in isolating the alcohol industry within the papers case studies, it becomes relevant to produce the campaign for a significantly different area of commerce, to demonstrate the cancerous nature of this framework and act upon the papers suggestions for further research. The practical outcomes begin to suggest how this framework can be universally applied across brand theory utilising Graphic Design to manipulate a Consumer-Brand relationship. The brief defines a similar qualitative methodology to the research paper, as applying a set of artificial ideologies on a brand requires a deep and holistic understanding of the target demographic in order to evoke a conditioned consumer response. In exploring this millennial demographic, Marketing strategies are implemented to directly engage with this target audience, including user generated content and influencer marketing strategies, inspired by the Ketel One case study.

OUGD601 - Practical - Brand Proposal Publication

Establishing continuity as such as large element of the brand proposal I felt it was appropriate to create a separate publication for hand in that succinctly embeds all of these brand extensions into one place, to clearly articulate these sense of continuity within this collateral. Extending this I also created a tracing paper insert to run through the publication to act as a visual synthesis as the project synthesis of 500 words didnt go into enough detail for the amoun of contextual synthesis embedded within these brand extensions. Testing a range of different scales (a4, and a5) I found a5 was most appropriate for the scale of this publication to create a succinct project overview that highlights the critical consistency and ongoing synthesis within this practical exploration.  The production values of the book could be improved as I have cropped it too close to the edge which is evident on the poster series page and the margins of the inserts could have been positioned more centrally however I can work of the improvement of these production values within the Extended Practice module. 

OUGD601 - Practical / Flag - Photoshoots

Following a design board workshop it was suggested that having good quality pictures presents a significant advantage in presenting the resolutions from the brief. From this I decided to set up 2 photoshoots one to show the flag in context depicting an environment where it would be used and the second within a studio environment to show off its production. 

Photoshoot One 

Finding a location for this contextual photoshoot was difficult as the environment in which the flag will typically be used will be abroad in exotic locations to create a 'Fear of Missing Out' and desire to visit these places. Used my bloggers to reinforce their association with the brand the flag needed to have a high impact. Asking tutors and students from around the Leeds area I received a number of suggestions for the locations of the shoot. The most appropriate was Tropical World, due to its core proximity and display of second largest exotic plants in the UK (first outside of London). 

I was really happy with the outcome of this shoot managing to find a suitable location within Tropical World that feel natural and not constructed, like you're in a tourist attraction. Editing the image with improve the brightness of the colour and cropping the flag to a central focus creates a strong final image that works well to depict the flag in context. 

Photoshoot Two: 

The second photoshoot was established to show off the form of the flag, depicting its high production values and accentuating its form. This was a tricky shot to set up, with help from the technicians  I created an appropriate st up utilising the wind machine, fishing wire, and patience to get a really approbate image what shows the movement within the flags fabric creating a dynamic image that will works particularly well. Extending on this I used Jack as a model to interact with the flag, this was a process of experimentation with a minimal art direction from myself however am happy with the resolutions. 

OUGD601 - Practical - Continuity

It is established within the development of the practical exploration that continuity is vital to the success of brand positioning in order to evoke a positive Consumer-Brand Relationship.  The design direction is united across all brand collateral in order to reinforce the brand identity through the use of geometric forms which are re-interpreted from the logo’s characters to create a consistency within Brand Image. The use of rhetoric within the campaign uses a consistent tone of voice to connote ‘Freedom’, ‘Excitement’ and ‘Liberation’ and is used to emphasise the Brand Personality constructing an inclusive tone of voice that can engage directly with the millennial demographic. 

This consistency is implemented within every element of the brands visual communication to ensure that this becomes instantly identifiable in generating Brand Equity, from this the consumer can easily attribute positive experiences associated with this constructed brand identity, which reinforces this Consumer-Brand Relationship. This informs the creation of a visual synthesis publication in order to ascertain a succinct understanding how these elements of brand collateral work together to inform the application of Brand Psychology in manipulating a Consumer-Brand Relationship.

OUGD601 - Practical / Poster - Evaluation and Synthesis

The poster series creates a sense of critical consistency with the rest of the brands campaign elements, utilising the geometric arrangement from the logo and implementing it within the posters design direction, reinforcing the brands identity and strengthening the brand image. Utilising a single shape from the identity is appropriate in utilising the the flag iconography it connotes within the rest of the collateral, this symbolise the variety of countries one can travel to through the Wander Service, and with the posters use imagery from a singular destination it would is appropriate to use this singular character an as extension of this theory.

The series is developed to covey the main reasons for travel, categorised into 4 sections; Cities and Urban Travel, Adventure, Culture and Relaxation. The photography used within the poster series, is engaging and aspirational to inspire its audience to want to travel and reach a maximum audience acknowledging different travel motivations based on lifestyle and interest. The imagery used within the poster series is all user generated content as until practical research identified that User Generated Content is a key marketing strategy in appealing to the Millennial demographic. This creates connotation of authenticity and personality in taking inspiration from the Apple 'shot on iPhone' campaign which credits the photographer within the advertisement. Similarly crediting the contents creator identifies the mindset of phenomenon of a 'Fear Of Missing Out' which was a key purchase motivator identified within this millennial demographic as it is real people with genuine travel experiences taking the images within the poster series generating the longing to see experience these incredible adventures as well. The use of text within the series is used to reinforce the brands personality which is defined as constant, liberal and aspirational. This content is created with the same tone of voice used within the brands pocket guide to create a consistency within this brand personality generating memorable constructed features of the brands communication that begin to generate a sense of Brand Equity through these positive marketed experiences. The use of colour within the series is again taken from the brands identified colour palette derived from commonalities between the flags within the EU, thus reinforcing the brand image consistently within the brands collateral. Furthermore the logo within the individual posters are paired with the spit colour within the geometric shape and complemented with another of the brands defined colours. This is used with black on a two colour separation to create a consistency with the aesthetic of the flag which all use two colours for the individual rectangles within the flags arrangement. 

Synthesis: 

The poster series is successful in relating the theory of brand psychology within a practical context, Having developed a range of collateral the focus of the aesthetic begins to rely on a consistency within this aesthetic style so to be able to identify a clear brand image that becomes easily identifiable to the target consumer, tying in all of these brand extensions. The series works well in generating a consistent brand image through the use of geometric shapes found taken from the logos characters and implemented with user generated content to reinforce the brands personality. The poster series is effective in extending this brand personality using an identical tone of voice to the pocket guide to again reinforce this sense of consistency with the brand extensions with the use of rhetoric used to construct a brand personality of aspiration, freedom and excitement. This use of consistency within the design direction of the poster series creates a memorable brand experience when thinking about the experiences the consumer could have within this trip generating a positive brand equity which in turn attributes to a positive Consumer-Brand relationship, which is further extended through the use of consistency within these brand extensions. 

OUGD601 - Practical / Poster - New Direction and Final Series

Informed through tutor feedback which suggested I should simplify the design of the posters aesthetic to more holistically represent the brand image in that the ethos of the brand focuses on simplicity and convenience, which was contrasted through the busy nature of the previous design direction. Focusing on this I reworked the design through further development deciding to utilise a single geometric shape within the rectangular composition of the flags aesthetic, Complementing this with the User Generated Imagery. Contextually this works more appropriately that the previous direction as using an singular square from the flags composition as these all connote individual flags symbolising the variety of countries one can travel to through the Wander Service, therefore with the posters using imagery from a singular destination it would be appropriate to use this singular character an as extension of this theory. 

Further development including generating a new image for the city poster as it was commented on as standing out, My housemate provided his own image of Berlin, which uses strong geometric forms which complement the brands identity and connotes a sense of  strength which can be used to symbolise the brands competence. Overlaying this with a square from the flags arrangements allows this implementation of photography and shape in a more cohesive manner that feels less separated. Finally the fluidity of the logo is colour matched to the shape present within the poster and complemented with a second colour from the brands palette to reinforce this fluid identity as discussed within the branding. 

Final Series: 

The Final series work much more appropriately utilising a single geometric form used to symbolise a flag creating a strong sense of continuity with the Tangible symbol of the movement. This creates a simplified aesthetic that creates a balanced resolution between the photography and vector images. This variety of colour and photography style within the series ensures each poster is unique and has its own personality representing the different motivations to travel and is not a carbon copy of one another. This series is effective in promoting the brand through a print lead marketing strategy to complement the brands digital marketing and is successful in implementing facets of brand psychology within its design direction. 

OUGD601 - Tutorial 5

This being the first real point of contact with my dissertation supervisor since before the Christmas break, I was excited to show him the development I had made with my practical response to the brief. Firstly He suggested there was no significant changes needed to the essay since amending the draft sent over christmas and suggested concluding my synthesis and mentioning the work of Bernays within this. 

With regard to the practical elements within the COP 3 Module, my tutor was impressed with the progress I had made over the Christmas break, the development of the Brand Identity is finished to an appropriate and contextual standard and works well to be reinforced throughout the extended brand collateral. With these finished elements including the pocket guide and flag being finished and produced it was suggested these work well to implement the effects of brand psychology within a practical context. With relation to the posters, still being in the developmental process, Tutors suggested the use of User Generated content works appropriate informed by specific research and utilised to engage a form of brand psychology however suggested implementing a new city image as this one that doesn't quite fit with the series, even though they all utilise different photography styles. He further stated the aesthetic should be simplified as the volume of shapes within the posters composition is distracting and creates a busy almost over complicated aesthetic that doesn't reinforce the ethos of the brands service. From this tutorial he suggested simplifying the poster design to ensure it is representative of the brand image, other than that felt everything was on track to be finished on time for hand in. 

OUGD601 - Practical / Poster - Further Development

Developing this design direction further I trailed the use of overlaid gestures within the geometric shapes however found this was too busy with the use of photography in the background, making it visually jarring therefore unsuccessful in communicating the simplicity of the brands service. 

Not wanting to overcomplicate the overall aesthetic of the poster I reverted back to the initial design direction which features the main user generated photography overlaid with geometric forms of taken form the logo design and filled with colours from the brands specified palette to reinforce this brand identity and extend the brand image to be consistent with the other forms of collateral. The images were edited individually with minimal brightening and contrast enhancements and the culture image was re-created in monotone to create a sharper focus in the face within the rock. The application of the shapes was developed to be unique over each design yet when brought together as seen below it is identifiable how well they work as a set creating an instantly identifiable series that is easily identifiable with the brand image of freedom, liberty and adventure. 

OUGD601 - Practical / Poster - Photography & Content

With a final direction identified I began at looking how to implement this direction into a series of posters. Taking inspiration from the Apple 'Shot on iPhone" campaign I wanted to utilise user generated content within my series as this was identified as a strong millennial marketing strategy within my initial practical research. This also defines the brand personality as creative and adds connotations of authenticity through using un-manipualted images. This identifies a mindset of 'I want to see these amazing places' as it is real people with genuine travel experiences taking the images within the poster series generating the phenomenon of a 'Fear Of Missing Out' which was a key purchase motivator identified within this millennial demographic. 

Applying this practically I had to consider my personal design ethics as I could not create a campaign stating to use user generated content then for the visual proposal use stock imagery. This felt appropriate to use my own imagery or that of friends who give image rights. However limitations of this means images of counties that weren't in Europe, where the concept is based had to be used and portrayed as europe for the purpose of the campaign. I chose to focus the series around different themes of travel to engage the largest audience possible within the series, These categories were defined as; Cities, Adventure, Culture, and Beaches to connote the different reasons for travel, high quality imagery is used to inspire the audience to want to visit these places and create their own travel experiences, which is reinforced by the fact these are user generated imagery meaning this portrayal of each image is available for the individual to experience. 

The use of content is created to extend the aspirational Tone of Voice within the  Brand Personality, This use of rhetoric is constructed to engage with the target audience encoring a Fear of Missing Out, which is identified as a consumer purchase motivator, working appropriately with the content to insprie the audience in wanting to travel and attributing these experiences with the brand through the consistnet reinforcement of the phrase "Enjoy these experiences stress free with Wanders smart travel service" to really hit the audience wth the brands USP. 

City Imagery, Hong Kong

"Experience Europes dynamic and cosmopolitan cities. New architecture defines the future of these landscapes while a multicultural diversity reflects this authentic culture and history through top museums, exciting street art, and endless eateries which infuse these electric atmospheres. Enjoy these experiences stress free with Wanders smart travel service." 

Adventure Imagery, London

"Explore the thrilling adventures Europe has to offer. Home to some of the best natural landscapes in the world, Europe has so much to offer any culture seeking traveller. Trek rich jungle ecosystems, discover serene natural wonders, and immerse yourself in high octane adrenaline fuelled activities. Enjoy these experiences stress free with Wanders smart travel service."

Culture Imagery, Cambodia 

"Embark on a euphoric discovery across this diverse continent, exploring the rich heritage and traditions of different societies dating back thousands of years. Uncover lost tribes, learn about unique cultures, and develop a strong enriched perspective about these ever-changing landscapes. Enjoy these experiences stress free with Wanders smart travel service."  

Beach Imagery, Maldives

"Enjoy the sunshine and serenity of some of the best beaches in the world, relax under shady palms or drink in the sun soaked scenery Europe’s coastal regions have to offer. Revitalise your whole body, unwind in award winning spas, and discover new horizons with a range of marine day trips.  Enjoy these experiences stress free with Wanders smart travel service."

OUGD601 - Practical / Poster - Feedback

Asking a sample of students for feedback as to which coconut would be the most appropriate to develop into a final direction and thus extend into a series was particularly relevant as these students double up to make part of my target audience, being from a millennial demographic. 

Concept 1: The sample liked the use of imagery within this design with comments including 'its edgy and appealing to us as art students but I don't know if it would engage with a mass market', it was further suggested the use of rhetoric within this poster would be effective in creating synthesis with my dissertation. 

Concept 2: Students didn't react positively to this design at all stating it was too complicated and didn't create connotations of travel, this was the least well received direction. 

Concept 3: This concept received the most positive feedback with students commenting on the "strong associative links with the flag" that works well in creating continuity between these pieces of collateral. It was also suggested the final design direction should definitely include the typed paragraph as it reinforces the brand personality within the image. 

Concept 4: This was praised for its contemporary aesthetic however similarly to the first design direction it was questioned as to whether this would be appropriate for a mass market. Furthermore it was commented that this aesthetic feels more editorial that poster design concluding diversity within this sample as a range of students showed support for the aesthetic. 

From the result of this feedback session it is concluded concept 3 will be developed further into the final design direction for the poster series due to its extension of the Brand Image creating a strong and appropriate sense of continuity between these branded campaign extensions.

OUGD601 - Practical / Poster - Initial Development

Creating this initial digital development allows these concepts to take shape in a more sophisticated digital form that will generate stronger feedback when presented to a sample of the brands target demographic as to which they feel is the most approbate to be developed into the posters campaigns final design direction. 

Concept 1

The first concept uses a single image manipulated by repositioning the portions of the original image over one another this creates a distorted effect that is visual engaging and feels contemporary in the way it presents the image to its audience. I feel this will engage with the target audience through the visual variation making it stand out as opposed to other travel posters that commonly feature a generic landscape image. This is juxtaposed with the brands logo to reinforce the brand identity and a short location description using a similar aspirational and exciting rhetoric as the Pocket guide reinforcing the brand personality through this consistent tone of voice. 

Concept 2

Concept 2 extends the theory of concept one using a chopped up image used to represent a structured collage creating a visual puzzle that will engage the audience in looking at the image for enjoyment, striving to find out what the image is as a means of ensuring the poster is eye-catching and fun. This design however I feel it too complicated making it less related to travel through this imagery that is not instantly recognisable. The use of the larger logo reinforces the brand identity and would begin to associate the brand image with  quirky and untraditional connotations. 

Concept 3

Concept 3 is the only design to reference the geometric shapes utilised within the characters of the logo within the posters design direction. This is relevant as it reinforced the brand identity and image while creating a visual consistency with the other forms of collateral within the brands proposal, This is important as it will generate a stronger brand image that begins to define a brand direction which will develop a brand equity through this consistent visual style. The use of logo and supporting text balance the boarder appropriately and provide more relevance to the poster design in articulating the brand personality. 

Concept 4 

The final design direction follows a contemporary design aesthetic that uses large imagery to catch the eye of it's audience which juxtaposed against a large vibrant backdrop colour picked from the brand identities colour palette. The use of location description is placed vertically for visual consistency and allows a contemporary aesthetic to begin to be defined within the brands image. 

OUGD601 - Practical / Poster - Initial Sketches

In starting the design process for this poster series I created a range of very simple sketches to articulate initial design directions that could later be defined and developed more critically, this worked positively in generating a physical form of my initial ideas that could then be seen on develop and developed accordingly. Typically at this state of my design process I would ask other students for their feedback regarding which concept I should develop further however in this instance due to the simplicity of the 'wireframes' felt it more approbate to generate some simple digital development so that these concepts could take more of a visual form before evaluating which one should be developed further. 

OUGD601 - Practical / Poster - Inspiration

Having already designed the flag and pocket guide to create reference to the brand identity this visual style is starting to become associated with the campaign therefore a similar visual style should be generated within the design direction of the poster design to ensure this sense of consistency throughout which will reinforce the brand image and allow this to attribute to an easily identifiable brand personality. Establishing that photographs are the cornerstone of millennial culture. With smartphones often on them 24/7, this demographic never misses the opportunity to take pictures therefore photography should be strongly incorporated within the posters visual aesthetic. Further this is a convention of travel advertising using idealised imagery to inspire the audience in wanting to experience these foreign cultures. 

With this established as a keen focus for the poster campaign, I was inspired by a previous apple campaign that featured a similar ethos. Their 'Shot on iPhone' was launched in 2014 is utilised as strong outdoor advertising to promote the capabilities the iPhone can offer. The 2016 iteration of the campaign for the launch of the iPhone is themed around colour, featuring images focusing of bright vibrant aesthetic that was rolled out across the globe with hand deleted images for individual locations. This campaign utilises a similar brand psychology to that I intended to implement into my poster campaign in the sense that this campaign suggests if you own an iPhone you can take these incredible pictures (when they are taken by photographers) similarly to my campaign which will suggest using the Wander service allows you to visit these amazing places (if you can afford to do so.) An element that I really like from the campaign is that is credits the photographer within the image, which is unusual of an ad campaign however this creates a sense of personality that I can implement within my own campaign. Including the name of the photographer within my campaign will create a stronger brand personality connoting an "if they can do it, so can i" mindset, that reinforces this notion anyone can be featured within the brands marketing strategy and visit these incredible places seen within these images. 

OUGD601 - Practical / Poster - Introduction

With a strong digital campaign proposal I acknowledged that solely digital brands are perceived as less legitimate than brands that use multichannel adverting strategies due to this notion that the internet is not as truthful as print. Creating a range of printed collateral helps to engage the audience in other environments that the internet as well as improving the brand image creating a sense of authenticity and legitimacy through this use of printed marketing. This reinforcement of the brand in other environments helps to strengthen the brand image and promote the product or service to a wider audience. This printed collateral will be placed appropriately in environments with high levels of millennial engagement as well as locations that connote travel, therefore train stations, city centres and airports will be the primary locations for this marketing collateral in which a poster campaign will sit prominently. 

OUGD601 - Practical / Pocket Guide - Evaluations and Synthesis

Evaluation: 

The design direction is inspired by the use of geometric forms used within the flags design and utilises the E character from the logo and incorporated it within the rectangle to reinforce this flag styled aesthetic and reinforces the brands Image through this extended brand identity. The implementation of a strict grid allowed a visual consistency to run through the pocket guide with titles and links colour matched to the cover to ensure a sense of fluidity throughout the publication. The reverse of the pocket guide is utilised to maximise the available space creating a pull out poster thats use of rhetoric is used to promote the brands service while the contemporary aesthetic will engage the millennial demographic and reinforce this appropriate Brand Image. The use of rhetoric within the content of the pocket guide establishes a competent,  aspirational, and inclusive tone of voice through the use of collective pronouns and concise information. 

The commercial considerations are particularly important to consider within the design process of this piece of branded collateral due to its function as a free promotional resource that is required to be mass produced due to its distribution environment. Using a Hot Dog fold to create the booklet allows the form of the guide to maximise the available space creating an eight page publication from a single sheet of A4 stock that is self contained requiring no need to binding, reducing the overall print cost. It is suggested that within a commercial porcess lithography printing would be the most cost effective due to its mass production.  Refining the design direction to be produced from two colours plus black, utilises the application of spot colours within a commercial printing process, this allows less plates and ink to be used reducing production costs as opposed to a full CMYK run, These colours are again taken from the brand colour palette that is detriment from the commonalities found within the flags that make up the EU reinforcing this contextual synthesis and providing a bold and contemporary brand image. 

The final design works appropriately, both contextually and aesthetically in creating a visually engaging resolution that works effectively in engaging the target audience and reinforcing the contract of brand psychology within a practical context. The production of this final design identifies a number of limitations that are a result of producing the outcome with the facilities available within the college, for example finishing the design by hand caused cause the ink of the full bleed cover to clack slightly however this cannot be avoided with the facilities and production techniques available to me. Overall the pocket guide works effectively in considering the aesthetic and contextual problems faced within the design process and generates a simple yet bold aesthetic that will grab the eye of the target audience through the of contemporary pastel colours and engage them further with the brands identify through this re-occuirng use of the logos characters within the brands collateral. 

Synthesis:

While creating an aesthetically and contextually approbate resolution to the brief, the pocket guide also succeeds in tying in the constructs of Brand Psychology within its design process. For example the use of geometric forms extended from the brands identity reinforces the Brand Image and begins to create brand extensions through this identifiable aesthetic that begins to form the basis of Brand Equity. The most notable form of synthesis within the Pocket Guide is the use of rhetoric to articulate the Brand Personality. Generating content with a particular tone of voice extends this liberal, aspirational, and inclusive tone of voice through collective pronouns and memorable phrases such as 'we are the wanderers' inviting the consumer to be part of this collective lifestyle. 

OUGD601 - Practical / Pocket Guide - Commercial Considerations

Throughout the design process of the pocket guide the commercial considerations have been considered throughout this development of the design direction. It is appropriate to consider these considerations due to the context of the pocket guide acting as a free promotional resource that is required to be mass produced to its distribution environment. The form of the pocket guide is developed from a Hot Dog folding method as this allows the guide to take the full advantage of the available space transforming one sheet of A4 stock into an eight page publication that is self contained requiring to binding. The blank side of this A4 sheet is also utilised creating a pull out poster to reinforce the brand personality and to ensure the guide makes the most of the available space.  

The stock used within the mock up is 90GSM recycled paper, this is FSC approved generating a more positive environmental impact and allowing this be be attributed to the brands equity. Commercially a similar stock will be used due to its cheap production costs and versatility in creating a thin and easily transported guide. The printing process commercially would be litho printed due to its mass production requiring only one set of plates to be produced which is the cheapest printing form for the scale of production. Refining the design direction to be produced from two colours plus black, utilises the application of spot colours within a commercial printing process, this allows less plates and ink to be used reducing production costs as opposed to a full CMYK run. 

OUGD601 - Practical / Pocket Guide - Production

The final design works appropriately, both contextually and aesthetically in creating a visually engaging resolution that works effectively in engaging the target audience and reinforcing the contract of brand psychology within a practical context. The two colour palette works well in reducing the overall production costs while remaining visually consistent with the other forms of collateral extending the brands image. The production of this final design created a number of limitations that are a result of producing the outcome with the facilities available within the college as opposed to professional production techniques. For example only inkjet printing is available so for a bespoke mock up this didn't reduce any print cost however this is in place considering this mass production. The pocket guide is printed on a 90GSM recycled satin stock to ensure the resolution is environmentally aware and representative of an professional outcome. The thin weight of the stock created a minimal margin that is taken up through the folding process however folding by hand did cause the ink of the full bleed cover to clack slightly however this cannot be avoided with the facilities and production techniques available to me. Overall the resolution is finished to a high standard for a college produced mock up to simulate how a mass produced pocket guide would look and feel. 

OUGD601 - Practical / Pocket Guide - Further Development

The most interesting suggestion made within the feedback of my initial mock up was that restricting the pocket guides colour palette would further reduce print costs which is particularly relevant due to this informing the form of the pocket guide and its context to be used as a free promotional resource that needs to be produced through mass production. 

Taking inspiration from the flags aesthetic and the use of geometric forms connoting individual flags, I took the E character from the logo incorporated it within the rectangle and to reinforce this flag style aesthetic. Considering reducing this colour palette further however this wasn't appropriate as the flag and logo variants all use a two colour palette therefore for consistency and visual aesthetic it made sense to extended this into the pocket guide, which still reduces print costs down from the previous full CMYK design. These colours are again taken from the brand colour palette that is detriment from the commonalities found within the flags that make up the EU reinforcing this contextual synthesis and providing a bold and contemporary brand image. This as the convert is a simple yet bold aesthetic that will grab the eye of the target audience through the of contemporary pastel colours and engage them further with the brands identify through this re-occuirng use of the logos characters within the brands collateral. 

Responding to further feedback I implemented a stricter grid that includes centred columns which will increase the tolerances for visible error within the production of the pocket guide. I reduced the size of the text to 8pt which although looked small of screen in a quick printed mock up is approbate to the pocket gaudies scale and is still easily legible due to the simplicity of the design. The titles and links are colour matched to the cover providing visual variation in the contents design and creates consistency from between the cover and the content. 

Finally the inside design is kept the same in terms of physical components as this was praised within feedback for its contemporary and engage extension of the brand image, the colours are developed to again match the cover creating a visual consistency throughout and reducing this commercial production cost through the minimal colour palette. This creates a successful aesthetic that works both conceptually with the context of the collateral and creates consistency within the collateral extending this sophisticated brand image. 

OUGD601 - Practical / Pocket Guide - Testing Feedback

Printing this initial design direction to design its physical appropriately identified a range of further development that would be essential in ensuring the final resolution is finished to the highest standard available with the colleges facilities. Engaging with tutor feedback allowed me to establish more critical improvements that would lead to a more holistic design approach representative of an industry awareness. 

Although the type is set to 10pt it was suggested this felt too large within the spread and could be resized even smaller in order to give a more balanced aesthetic and better ratio of text to white space. It was further suggested by tutors that there should be the implementation of a stricter grid in order to standardise each page creating a stronger sense of consistency and overall flow within the composition of the pocket guide. 

Positive feedback was received regarding the aesthetic of the reverse design stating it works well in appealing to the millennial demographic through the use of contemporary and engaging design trends. Acknowledging the commercial process within this design process it was suggested extending this even further, as current the form of the guide is utilised to reduce print costs and produce on a mass scale. To further this it is suggested by tutors that I could reduce this colour scheme further to a two colour palette or even make the design work in grey scale, this way when printed commercially this will reduce the litho printing costs using tow spot colours as opposed as a full CMYK set up that will increase said production costs.

This feedback is positive in its critical commentary of how to improve the current direction and furthers my understanding of critical processes which can be implemented into further development to create a more contextual final resolution. The use of testing within the design process is exponentially beneficial as on screen differs significantly to a printed outcome informing this further development. 

OUGD601 - Practical / Pocket Guide - Aesthetic Development

The aesthetic was initially difficult to develop due to the simplicity and scale of the pocket guide, being produced at an A6 scale left little room for extravagant aesthetic detailing as the type filled the majority of each spread. To Begin this development I used the arrangement of characters from the logo fill the cover and began implementing text with accented titles each matched with a colour from the brands identified colour palette. 

A primary function of the hot dog fold was to utilise the available space therefore it felt inappropriate to leave the reverse side of the folded booklet blank. Working with this available space I created a small poster that can be unfolded from the pocket guide to suggest some of the experiences that the service can provide. This uses an aspirational tone of voice that empowers the audience to engage with these experiences enforcing an adventurous brand personality. The aesthetic of this reverse image feels contemporary within its composition, overlapping colour and shape with carefully positioned text in order to make the most of this space. 

Looking back on this initial design direction it appeared to busy with the use of coloured shapes and photography, to simplify this down I trailed duo-tone image however concluded greyscale worked appropriately in balancing the composition allowing the coloured characters to create a stronger visual dynamic for this reverse poster. The use of rhetoric 'join the wanderers' is almost reminiscent of propagandist techniques, creating a movement that inspires a sub-culture to be a part of which generates a strong equity and personality for the brand.