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.