Definite essay question decision

Definite essay question decision

After having a quick talk with Simon today about the current state of my essay question I have finally narrowed down to a specific question. The question I am progressing with is:

What is the role of ethics in creating an effective brand image. 

The word "effective" is a much better alternative to "good" as good can be quite broad, effective has more direction. 

Outlined a good idea to work on for the practical side of things, as my essay is based on good ethical practice I think its a good idea to look at Kickstarter and produce a brand image for a project that has a blank slate to work from and runs business's and services I see as reasonably ethical. 

Other key things to consider:

Ethics should play a role in establishing a brand image.  

Look at companies like BP showing a sense of greenness and consideration for the environment through there branding, when intact its not green at all due to nature of petroleum business's. 

How branding is a mode of distracting bad elements of a business like slave labour in the manufacture of sporting goods. 

Books to look at:

On Brand - Wolly Ollen 

Branded. 

Naiomi Klien - No logo

"What makes a good brand image" essay & practical project crit

"What makes a good brand image" essay & practical project crit

Question & Practical plan

Today we had a crit to give us some useful feedback on how to tackle our research question and how we plan on approaching it in terms of the practical project at the end.

My proposed question is based around my current interest in branding, I want to resolve the question "what makes a good brand image?"

Possible current reference points 
Look back on and expand on insightful lectures, mainly:
The lecture on ethics, take into account what makes an ethical designer based on a criteria for a workable ethical theory.

The lecture on consumerism; persuasion, society & brand culture.

Identity lecture. 

Read texts like Naomi Klien - No logo to give strong influence to the essay.

Watch the documentary The Century of the self to expand on current knowledge on consumerism & capitalism, learning how to avoid this obvious consumerism drive within the branding of a company is a good starting point for ethical branding.

Current thoughts for the practical side of the project are:

To produce a re-brand of something that I see as a particular bad brand, taking into account all the aspects I cover in my essay that highlights how to go about creating a good brand image. 

Or 

Create a brand image & collateral on something that interests me.

Or 

Create a brand image for products that are often neglected in terms of creatives using there creative skill set to promote the product or chose a brand image that could be seen by some as a consumerist driven piece of work and turn it into something more ethical.

Feedback & progression plan
Feedback suggested I had made a good start and consideration on what I wanted to carry out in my essay, I just need to be more specific within the question. What do I mean by "good brand image", what makes something good?

It was suggested to focus down on something I suggested within the possible current reference points in terms of what makes a "good brand image" when taking things like ethics into account. (Enviromentaly friendly, anti capitalist)

Or focus on a particular target market to take into consideration the intentions of the brand image and its communication with its target audience. 

To get around this I have 3 new proposed question formats to possibly work on:

What makes an good brand image for a [insert specific market area e.g. fast food chain]?

What makes an ethical brand image? (Compare & contrast an ethical and un-ethical brand learn from mistakes and positivity's from both)

What makes a [insert specific market area] ethical.

Ethics - What is Good?

Ethics - What is Good?

Extension on consumerism.

Consider ethics to highlight and strengthen my research question  "what makes a good brand image"

How to be a "good" visual communicator based on ancient greek philosophies. 

First things first manifesto - Ken Garland 1964

Explains waste of talent back then by taking on consumerist driven jobs, like advertising washing detergents and dog foods.

Republished in Adbuster, an anti capitalist journal, changed original manifesto to something more political. 

It suggests that designers are encouraging people to get into debt by promoting credit card through there persuasive creative skill sets, cigarettes kill people, sneakers are produced by workers who get paid penny's and the product is sold on for hundreds of dollars. 

"Consumerism is running uncontested" Adbuster suggests use your talents to destroy capitalism, they suggest the only ethical designer is the anti capitalist/anti consumerist designer.

Victor Papanek 

He suggests things aren't created to benefit the world, its for the profit margins and finical advantage for big business's.

He suggests a theory called the Design Problem. 

Designers never really consider the real issue there addressing, just concentrate on promoting the product and not considering its background, how its made and its effect on the environment or social factors.

How do we determine what is good?

Consider these aspects to create ethically sound branding or what makes good brand image.  

Subjective Relativism

There are no universal moral norms of right and wrong

All persons decide right and wrong for themselves

What if everyone in society does everything they see is the right thing to do? Things would turn into chaos. 

Cultural Relativism

The ethical theory that whats right or wrong depends on place and/or time

Different cultures have different views on things so an obvious clash can happen, so all cultural view points need to be considered to achieve an overall brand image that suites multiple audiences.

Divine Command Theory

Good actions are aligned with the will of God

Bad actions are contrary to the will of God

The holy book helps make impressions

Kantianism (Deontological ethics)

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) a German philosopher. 

He suggests that:

Peoples decisions within life should be based on moral rules.

Therefor its important that our actions are based on appropriate moral rules

To determine when a moral rule is appropriate he proposed two categorical imperatives 

Two formulations of the Categorical Imperative

Act only from rules that you can at the same time universalize (If you act on a moral rule that would cause problems if everyone followed it then your actions are not moral)

Act so that you always treat both yourself and other people as ends in themselves, and never only as a means to and end (If you use people for your own benefit that is not moral)

Utilitarianism, or Consequentialist approach to ethics (John Stuart Mill)

Principle of utility 

An action is right to the extent that it increases the total happiness of the affected parties (Target audience, and company your rebranding would be a consideration here when it comes to successful branding)

An action is wrong to the extent that it decreases the total happiness of the affected parties.

Happiness may have many definitions such as; advantage, benefit, good or pleasure.

Rules are based on the Principle of Utility

A rule is right & accepted to the extent that it increases the total happiness of the affected parties.

The great happiness principle is applied to moral rules.

Similar to Kantianism - both are based on rules

But Kantianism uses the categorical imperative to decide which rules to follow. 

All commercial work isn't unethical, Adbusters paint a very negative picture of it and its slightly contradictory considering the people making these statements are very financially well off from making these statements & arguments. 

Criteria for a workable Ethical Theory?

Moral decisions and rules

Based on logic decisions and reasoning

Come from facts and commonly held or shared values

Cultural neutral 

Benefits the world & planet rather than promote obvious harm

Advertising is not Evil.

Consider the effects on everything I produce based on social, environmental and political issues.

Thoughts from this lecture to influence my practice
As with the lecture on consumerism I see lots of opportunity within analysing key points made in this lecture on ethics and the last lecture on consumerism as a good starting point for highlighting key points on what could potentially go towards "creating a good brand image" and will help form a basis to answering this essay question. 

Consumerism: Persuasion, Society, Brand & Culture

Consumerism: Persuasion, Society, Brand & Culture

Relevance to my question on what makes a good brand image. 

Based more on historical references. 

Based on commercialism emerging in early 20th century. 

False, irrational desire for things is the basic concept behind consumerism. 

No Logo Naomi Klien 1999 (Book)

Rise of consumerism

Ways to challenge it.

Adam Curtis Century of Self Adam Curtis 2002 (Film)

Worth watching to add relevance and influence to my essay on branding. 

Consumerist aspects

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)

Father of disciplinary "psychoanalysis"

1930 Civilization and its discontent

Fraud argues that we have animal base instincts within our unconscious, sexual desires, violence against authorities and people we see a threat. Instinctual desires.

 

He argues that these instances create a society and civilization that is incompatible, laws and discipline keep things together as a community.   

The pleasure principle = you feel good, content, happy with your life when you act upon these instinct desires. 

WW1 1914-18

Sigmund Fraud argues that this was a result of a global form of release of human instincts of violence, against threats.

Edward Bernays (1891-1995)

Press agent

Employed as a propagandist during WW1 

He took an understanding of our hidden desired, translated it to the american consumerism and capitalist. 

He argued that if we can make people feel like there instinctual desires are been met when they buy things, creating a demand for consumer good to keep people feeling content and happy.

Works with business's to make there products seem more desirable. 

Torches of Freedom 

Organized a PR stunt on 1929 Easter parade, young society recognized woman were payed to perform in this stunt to simultaneously take out a cigarette and light it and smoke in-front of the whole crowds and tipping off newspapers of whats going to happen created a media storm based on the girls lighting up "torches of freedom" a symbolic display of contemporary female power. 

From this it became socially accepted for woman to smoke, it became almost sexual desirable, a strange turnaround from previous views on the matter of smoking. 

Attach products to instinctual human desires. 

In 1924 this was done by product placement, celebrity endorsements, the use of fake pseudo-scientific reports. 

Linking a celebrity to a product made people believe they would be free, and there needs met through the purchase and use of consumerist pushed products. 
 

Fordism

Method of manufacturing, the way of making things on the production line in terms of mass production. 

Trebles rate of productivity (production rate) and profit.

Created wages for workers, allowing them to spend this money on consumerist goods and needs. A double edged sword. 

  

Model T ford 1908 - 1927 

Shows the rate of development within the improvement of the production process and subsequent profits.

Branding aspects brought in

Hartleys Jam made out to be something more special than it actually is, making it feel home made. Its still mass produced though!

1909 Oldsmobile

Cars were marketed to make males seem more sexual desirable, pushing the meeting of subconscious instincts through these products and services.

1919

The car is a secondary element of the advert, the main concept is the upper-class home in the backdrop, making the consumer think that they are entering this upperclass section of society. 

Desire

Brands make people desire, and need that product. Make them feel in-superior if they don't have that product, make them feel complete if they do use this product or service.

 

The Hidden Persuader by Vance Packard 1957 highlights main marketing techniques used to create this desire:

Selling emotional security

Selling reassurance of worth

Selling ego-gratification

Selling creative outlets

Selling love objects

Selling sense of power

Selling a sense of roots 

Selling immortality 

Selling false promises.

Celebrity endorsement, ego gratifications makes you feel on a similar level to that person. 

Aunt Jemima Pancake Flour made people feel creative, they felt like they were cooking, using ingredients. 

They could just buy the sport ingredients wich is simple enough to do. Or buy instant pancake liquid, but instead they buy the middle product wich is the same as the instant liquid just with the egg removed. 

They feel like this is a product that will satisfy there needs more and as mentioned feel creative and feel like there doing something. 

1920 Public Opinion Walter Lippmman 

Argues that a new elite is needed to manage the bewildered herd. 

He argues that the political class has no idea how to manage the society and people they should be managing and looking after. 

Idea of consumerism is used as a tool allowing control of society.

Highlights that a system has been created that their animal/subconscious needs are been met. Giving society an illusion of freedom. 

Politics think that if people don't feel there needs are been met, a revolution will arise and the money and financial advantage they have over society will disappear. 

Russian Revolution 1917

Rise of communism.

Birth of soviet union. 

Oct 24 1929 'Black Tuesday'

Stock market crash, the crash of capitalism

Profits can't rise anymore, causing them to crash.

Lead to the great depression 

Political class finally released through this that if big business carry on to push consumerism, (robbing peoples money, brainwashing people, all for there financial gain) that big changed can happen causing wide spread problems. 

New York Worlds Fair 

A result of a giant PR stunt, 1.45 mile wide.

Pioneered by Edward Berne's.

Was meant to be a celebration of what makes America unique, what makes them unique and free compared to the communist structures within the Soviet Union. 

Its a celebration of American Consumerism. 

A message passed on that you're a free citizen, you can buy what you like, buy a car that makes you more attractive, buy food products that make you feel like your creative, buy clothing that makes you appear more wealthier than you are. 

That America has a future. 

'Democracity'

"The consumer system presented as the ultimate expression of human freedom"

A giant vision of the future. 

In actual fact its an illusion of democracy, you have no freedom, the only freedom you have is what type of product you can buy out of the many unnecessary products out there within the consumerist market. 

 

Consumerism is an ideological project 

We believe that through consumption our desires can be met.

The consumer self

The legacy of Bernays/PR can be felt in all aspects of 21st century society

The conflicts between alternative models of social society. 

Point to take forward

Make branding out to be less consumerist and capitalist pushed, put it in a better light. 

Making Connections & Establishing a Research Question

Making Connections & Establishing a Research Question 

Aims Drawing connections between theory and practice.

Using deconstruction & pastiche techniques. 

This session will help establish my research question. 

Deconstruction

Jacques Derrida observed a tendency in western philosophy and critical theory to 'create dualistic oppositions and install a hierarchy that unfortunately privileges one term of each dichotomy (presence before absence, speech before writing. and so on)' 

Derrida created 'deconstruction' which is a mode of questioning these assumed hierarchies and structures. 

Like many theories and texts that enveloved from structuralism/post-structuralism (Barthes, Baudrillard, Fauccault etc) in the 1970's & 80s. Derrida thinking was disseminated through universities and art schools in Europe and the US. 

Uses semiotics to understand these aspects. 

'Design, Writing, Research' Lupton and Miller 1996:

Ellen Lupton explores aspects and methods of deconstruction and how it had an impact on Graphic Design Practice. 

Ellen Lupton's interpretation of Jacque Derrida. 

Graphic Desin specific.

Not based on philosophy and critical thinking. 

'Deconstruction, like critical strategies based on Marxism, feminism, semiotics and anthropology. Focuses not on the themes and imagery of its objects but rather on the linguistic and institutional systems that frame there production' 

'Deconstruction asks how representation inhabits reality'

'Western culture has been governed by such oppositions as reality/representation, inside/outside, original/copy and mind/body. The intellectual achievements of the west have valued on side of these pairs over the other' 

'Deconstruction attacks such oppositions by showing how the devalued concept inhabits the values' 

The devalued part of opposition already exists within the valued part, devalued part gives balance and substance to the valued part. 

'Derrida assured that an intellectual system built on the opposition between reality and representation has in face depended on representation to build itself' 

Our ability to be a human being our identity is based on a foundation of language.

Something that has exists before us.

One of the oppositions that factors significantly in Derrida's discussions is that of speech/writing where speech is privileged over writing 'speech draws on interior consciousness, but writing is dead and abstract' 

Reality is described within representation. 

Post-structuralist on language. Focuses on visual word and image rather than spoken language. 

Writing is dead. 

'The spoken language itself shares writings characteristics alienation from interior consciousness, since its function depends on the repeatability of signs and thus on a split between thought and expression'

Casting doubts. 

If writing is but a copy of a spoken language, typography is a mode of representation even farther removed from the primal source of meaning in the mind of the author.

Speech/writing - writing/typography - seeing/reading. 

Swiss opinion, the written word is more important than the design. The design is only a method of function so the reader can understand what is delivered. 

Typography supported context. Inhibits the written word. 

Design and typography work at the edges of writing, determining the shape and style of letters, the spaced between them, and there placement on the page. Typography from its position at the margins of communications has moved away from speech. 

Digital or analogue typography is within words however you look at it. So typography is important in communication o f language. 

Alan Hori expects the reader to work to understand the message.

Challenges the traditional presentation of function outlined by the swiss.

Using abstract textures and manipulations distortion is presented in the layout to subvert the written word, use the design aesthetic to try understand whats going on.

Makes you think. 

'Deconstruction shows us that typographic adjustments can impact grateful on the meaning of the written word'

GLAS by Jaques Derrida (designed by Richard Eckersley) 

Deconstruction within typography and layout. 

Academic text for Academic people designed by an Academic published within a University. 

Highlights the role typography plays within the communication of written words.

The Telephone book by Avital Ronal (designed by Richard Eckersley)

Highlighted rivers within the typography causing illegibility. 

House of Leaves.

Uses layout to emphasize certain aspects of the story. 

Mother was in a mental hospital so aesthetics & layout suit this message. 

All examples demonstrate book layout in a synthesized outcome relevant to the text and communication within the books content. Layout and aesthetics relevant to concepts. 

Pastiche

Strange & Stranger demonstrates Pastiche in some of there work, referencing history and the past through aesthetic references. If the concept fits then this is a good way to go about things. 

Styles adopted from the past, giving it historical significance in a modern day market.

Other examples: 

Movie poster's denote the concept of the film through there aesthetics, if its a historical film they will hint at Pastiche idea's. 

Soap & Glory branding, referencing 1940's & 50's. 

Stealing aspects to give off this aesthetics. 

Keep calm & carry on reinterpretations.

Forming a research question.

To help form my question this set of parameters will help define a more solid question with potential contextual and visual exploration.  

What is the general theme? (Editorial, printmaking, typography)

My general theme is Branding, I want to progress in this area due to it having lots of sub categories to explore & create a relevant brand image. I can experiment with a lot of methods, materials and process's within these ares to create diverse outcomes that fit the concept and reflect the product or services of the company through a successful well informed brand image. 

These sub-categories that can be explored and used in relevant situations to create a brand image are:

Typographic considerations & typography design.

Print based media outcomes.

Digital & web based outcomes. 

Editorial and publication design. 

All the above can be analyzed within an essay format while aiming towards influencing a practical project deriving from influence of the essay. 

What are the current/contextual/historical issues of the general theme (Do Mind maps & Lists)

How to communicate a brand image across multiple Target Audiences.

Target Audiences personas when considering the target market of the brand and how to communicate the intended product or service through the branding. 

Age, culture, social issues, hobbies & interests. 

Pastiche & how it is used to communicate historical elements.

Connotations & semiotics.

Fine line between producing consumerist work and ethical work when branding a company.

What do I want to know or be able to do in regard to this theme? 

Look into how movement's like The Bauhaus influences these specialist sub categories (Like typography design, layout etc) within the brand image process.

Along with other supporting movements that had specific influence on each sub category within the process of a branding project. 

Learn from, compare and contrast historical branding and modern day branding identifying how things have changed in the way a message is communicated through consideration of target market personas (age, hobbies & interests, culture, social, political issues), connotations & semiotics through conceptual visual & contextual elements within a branding project. 

What makes a successful brand and what makes a bad brand image, learn from there mistakes and what they did well. 

Where branding came from and what its original intentions were.

How pastiche is used to brand something historical in a contemporary way to help influence my practical work. 

Form this into a question that has focus towards a conclusive point

How do you construct a successful brand image?

This would be a good question to base an essay on, it would allow me to look into what makes a good brand and what makes a bad brand analyzing historical, contemporary, contextual and conceptual influences within the brand image. Not only would this provide an interesting essay it will also influence my own practice. 

As mentioned the question would allow me to look into the influences of brands and re-brands, meaning I can identify and look into specific moments that provide influence on the project along with potentially learning how different methods of design (editorial, typography, digital etc) can benefit certain aspects of a brand image. 

Analyzing what makes a good brand and a bad brand and focusing on one brand in detail will allow me to explore its many conceptual, contextual, aesthetic & historical influences rather than branching out into other areas in detail and losing focus on the original purpose of the essay question "branding".

Potential practical projects will be influenced by the essay and the anysis of what makes a good brand image and carried out over a potential rebrand of something that may be unsuccessfully branded or maybe just a rebrand of a product or service that I have interest in or has creative potential. 

How does this relate to my practice (Or my progressing speciality area of practice)

Answering this question in an essay response will help influence my design practice within the branding sector which is a current and growing area I want to specialize in at the moment basing live briefs and extension of projects around creating brands and producing design work that fits across a whole brand image.

It will also give me the opportunity for an open brief, a blank canvas on producing a branding project on whatever subject, product, or service experimenting with whatever mediums, materials, methods & process's with support from what I have learnt in the essay.