Critical Debates in Design | Task 7: Advertising

After reading Ken Garland's manifesto (1984 and 2000 versions) I couldn't agree more. It is interesting to see how the manifesto got more serious and urgent with time meaning that designers haven’t done much about it. The text is urging them to put their talent and skills into more important matters than selling unnecessary products or services. Consumerism is getting faster and faster and bigger and bigger causing a lot of environmental and social side effects. There are also many serious, global cultural political or economic issues that require designers' attention and problem-solving skills. I believe designers in any sector have enough power to make a significant change for good in our society. It is foolish to think that designers can do it all by themselves but it is a good start. Designers working in advertising or communication can make a big impact by influencing masses of people's behaviour.

Knowing that we have to recognize that it is extremely important to regulate what is advertised but at the same time be cautious about who and how does that. I have known of this campaign advertising ghd hair-styling equipment that used part of the Lord's Prayer alongside  “eroticised” female imagery that have been judged as offensive to Christian and therefore forbidden from being screened on Tv again. In my opinion, though regulation is needed, we are at risk of being over-sensitive and consequently fall into censorship, very limited freedom of expression and alienation that it is not an easy task to draw the boundaries and impossible to keep everybody happy. 

 
Sources:

Ken Garland's manifesto

Critical Debates in Desing | Task 6: Product Packaging

The role of packaging is to protect and promote the product besides providing information to the consumer. It protects the product from germs, manipulation, external agents and transport; promotes the product within a shop by being different from the competitors or similar to the leader; and provides important information to the consumer like ingredients, instructions, precautions, etc.

The problem with packaging nowadays is the huge amount of rubbish it generates. Many of the material used in packaging are not recyclable like plastic film or polystyrene. In order to make the product more appealing to the customers, packaging is often fancy and redundant. 

I found a very good example of what I call packaging well designed. It is a TV packaging stand made by Tom Ballhatchet. It protects the screen while you move it and when you finish with this purpose, it becomes a stand for your TV. It is made of only one material and claims to be 100% recyclable.

 

  

Another example of good design, not only packaging but also the overall product, is represented by the Ecover brand. They produce cleaning products that are more environmentally friendly than most of their competitors by eliminating or reducing toxic or harsh chemicals. The packaging materials are recyclable and/or made of recycled ones. What makes the difference between this brand and the others is that they also encourage consumers to reuse the packaging by going to the shop and refilling them. I think it is a very good idea but the problem it is that it is not easy to find a shop or supermarket where you can refill them. I hope that is improved with time.

 

Ecover products

Refills

Sources:

http://www.tomballhatchet.com/tvpackagingstand1.html  

http://www.ecover.com/gb/en/default.aspx 

Business for design | Creating letterheads and business cards

Some ideas for the stationary of my design studio.

Letterheads

Business card horizontal

Business card vertical

Critical Debates in Design | Task 5: Two Responsible Designers

Valerie Casey

In my search of designers with strong ethics I came across the founder of an international coalition I heard of before which is the Design Accord. Her name is Valerie Casey.

Valerie Casey is a globally recognized designer and innovator. Casey consults with start-ups, governments, and companies all over the world on challenges ranging from creating new products and services, to transforming organizational processes and behaviors. She had workded with industry leaders like Microsoft, Samsung, Cisco and Johnson & Johnson among others.

Adopters of the Design Accord commit to the idea of creating positive social and environmental impact. They must publicly declare their participation in the accord, initiate a dialogue about environmental responsibility with every client, put programs in place to reduce their carbon footprint annually, and teach employees about the importance of sustainable values in design.

Consultancies that have adopted the Designers Accord must research and suggest more environmentally friendly solutions to their clients and try to convince them of the importance of using them. 

The Designers Accord, in addition to specific guidelines for firms and companies, has a five-point code of conduct: 

 

• Do no harm
• communicate and collaborate
• Keep learning, keep teaching
• Instigate meaningful change
• Make theory action
  
  

Casey says: “I hope that in next few years, these principles will be so integrated into the way people think about and practice design that it won't be necessary to have the Designers Accord. As a designer, I feel a responsibility to make positive social impact. Designers are a community of activists, not aestheticians.”

Sources:

http://www.designersaccord.org/

http://www.good.is/post/designs_on_the_future/

http://www.valcasey.com/

http://www.core77.com/blog/featured_items/the_designers_accord_a_conversation_with_valerie_casey_9401.asp

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/129/100000-and-counting.html

Dimitris Kanellopoulos

He is a graphic designer from Greece who has created several posters that show his views in different social issues. His opinion is expressed in a very simple, powerful way. The message does come across showing his compromise.

Sources:

http://www.b-positive.gr