OUGD401 - Study Task 03 - Consumerism

What is the relationship between branding and the consumer self?

I have been given the task to create a hypothesis for this question based on my chosen topic of consumerism.

I think that branding definitely has an effect on the consumer choice on a daily basis, every time a consumer is in action they are being constantly pulled each way in  a consumer environment, constantly making new decisions and choices, consciously and 

sub-consciously based on how a product looks, feels, is shaped, its popularity and the type of product in the consumers interest. How the the brand is advertised has a great effect on consumers, different advertisement appeals to different types of consumers, which could be relate to how a consumer thinks and decides, or how it relates to a certain lifestyle.

I think branding has its own image to begin with as well as the consumer having their own image about a certain brand, based on how it looks and its ability to advertise itself. 

Based on what a consumer takes in mentally about a certain brand to some point, it almost identifies the consumer themselves based on the mass choices they are making whenever they purchase a known or familiar brand or when the consumer discovers and makes the decision to try something new or different.
The consumer will most likely buy into a brand that they are familiar with because they have experienced it, therefore the brand is either good or bad, if the brand is good then it gains it reputation along with its advertisement to be seen as a known brand towards consumers.

My hypothetical conclusion is that branding can be used as the definition of the consumer, based on how a consumer is taken in by the advertising and experience, the type of brand or product, the way it is portrayed along with the thought and decision process made by the consumer. Different brands attract different people based on there lifestyle and experience. 


Based on my conclusion I have read an extraction from a book relating to my question based on consumerism.

This extraction talks about 'The experience economy',

"Goods and services are no longer enough, and the commodity status of objects limits their economic potential. From now on it's all about you and your experience. The experience is the marketing, and goods become the tangible artefacts or souvenirs of experience'. Commodities are just too interchangeable, goods are tangible and services are intangible. But experiences are memorable. Experiences can affect you on an emotional, physical and intellectual level". 'NAV HAQ, pages 3-4'

(Nav Haq and Tom Trevor, 2008, Art Consumerism and the Experience Economy, 1st edition, Bristol, Arnolfini)

This extraction tells me that a brand gains it's popularity by the experience and the decisions and choices made by consumers, 'based on the experience'. That once a brand becomes a known brand and has connected to the consumer on a personal level, the product just becomes a symbol or 'souvenir' of the brand. The consumer is no longer buying the product but is really buying the brand based on the product and the experience.

OUGD401 - Study Task 02 - Modernism & Postmodernism

Modernism 

Is taking away the 'confusing, 'messy looking' 'busy' and old fashioned style of thinking in art and design. We replace it with 'simple' 'clear' 'refreshing' 'to the point' way of design. 

Typography is the perfect example to explain the age of Modernism.

Typography in a modern style should relate to 'neutralism' and an eye pleasing design. Helvetica being the perfect example of a modernist typeface. 

http://hdw.eweb4.com/out/982194.html 

Looking back in time to advertisement, we come across the busy, messy, colourful splash of mixed fonts, images and colour all over a piece of work. from our our point of view now in this modernist age we see this way of thinking to be messy and unclear, almost fake in a way. Now we see that most advertisement work will use some style of crisp, bold and clear typeface to really get to the point of what is being advertised. Helvetica being the perfect example.

Below is a an image of Modernist work by Massimo Vignelli 

(Massimo Vignelli, Bob Noorda. New York City Subway Guide. 1970)

http://www.moma.org/collection

It is perfect example of simple, clear and understandable informative design work. The fact that we can instantly tell what this is by glancing proves that it is. the Helvetica font used for the title strait away tells us what the piece of information is and what will be inside. 

Post Modernism 

Is the idea of the style coming after Modernism.

It is the style of design that relates to the modernism age but at the same time 'rejects it', Post Modernism is a reaction to modernism, it carries the same principles of being 'new', 'modern' and 'fresh'. It takes on both individuality and the logic of Modernism. So really we are experimenting with the idea of modernism, because we are wanting to express ourselves through out work but at the same time trying to stick to the current more preferred modernistic way of thinking. 

Below is an example of Post Modernistic design work.

(San Antonio, Public library, Texas, designed by architect Ricardo Legorreta Vilchis)

https://www.boundless.com/art-history/ 

This is a perfect example of individuality and Modernism together, The building is the definition of Modernism but at the same time is still rejecting the idea of complete basic clarity and neutralism. 

OUGD401 - Study Task 01

The Uncle Sam Range (1876) Advertising image:

This is an advertisement to sell a cooker based in the year 1876, which is the year of the American Independence Day, it is shown in the ad more than once. The advertisement is based on American culture judging by the colour (red, white and blue), the illustration used to make the dinner party scene and the type of font that is used at the bottom of the ad (a gold slab serif font, very bold and dominating), a typical western American style font and colour. The purpose is to sell a large cooker to an audience of upper class people, although most of the space in the ad is taken over by a dinner party scene. The meaning of the image seems to show that America is some type of superior culture which has the ability to provide for the entire world based on the use of a new American cooker. We can tell this is true because of the upper class style of life shown, the image of a servant cooking food for the higher class people at the dinner party, the image of a 'globe man' sat at the table reviewing all types of food from every country in the world, the image of a 'balled eagle' perched on a man's shoulder, an image of a woman serving the food and the overall decore used.

Poster by Savile Lumley (1915):

This image is a poster based in British culture, referring to the duties of men during the end first world war that may or may have not been taken on. The poster shows a father sat in a chair with his daughter sat on his knee asking him 'daddy, what did YOU do in the Great War?' written in an italic personal style of font to relate better to the audience, and his son sat playing with red and black British toy soldiers. The illustration used in the poster shows that these people live in an upper social class in Britain which we can tell because of the formal style of clothing and the British symbols used, the image of the fleur de lis repeatedly printed on long draped curtains and the image of a red rose repeatedly printed on the British style chair the father is resting in. also the colour of the small toy soldiers (red and black) the same as the Queens castle guard uniform. The man's expression shows he is thinking about an answer to the question of his role in the 'Great War'. The poster seems to show that this man did not have a roll in the war due to his upper class lifestyle, the purpose is to ask everyone to take part in the war.

The advertisement and the poster are both targeted at men and the fixation of the male duty to provide and take lead or control in some way.Both are forms of propaganda, through symbols, colour and images they show their own individual country superiority.Both images relate to an upper higher class of people.