COP 3 / End of Module Evaluation / OUGD601

COP3 / Design Boards / Synthesis

SYNTHESIS.

GRAPHIC DESIGN, ETHICS &SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY.
To what extent are graphic designers ethically responsible for accurately portraying their clients?

Most designers today would deem it unacceptable to work for a tobacco company on the grounds that it is immoral and unethical. However, working for an alcohol-based company would be seen as completely acceptable.

Through research taken to inform the corresponding critical piece of writing, there is growing opinion and mounting evidence showing that alcohol has a greater negative effect on society than that of tobacco. These effects are seen though unnecessary burdens to NHS, as well as behavioural issues and destructive consequences induced upon society as a result of this behaviour.

This practical piece represents the power Graphic Designers have in today’s society in two different ways, as well as the difficulties many designers can have regarding the balance of ethical and profitable practice.

The first representation is offered through the outer packaging through a form of manipulation. The sense of luxury and prestige disregards the negative consequences alcohol can have on a person. The second representation is revealed underneath this packaging where these negative consequence’s are addressed  in the aesthetic and information. This bare truth and realisation would perhaps stop the consumer buying this product again.

This then presents a third message regarding a designers balence between moral decisions and financial gain. The repulsiveness of the bottle reflects an ethical stand point which in turn defeats the object of selling this poduct in the consumerist culture.

COP 3 - Finished Practical

COP3 / OUGD601

PRACTICAL PEICE / FINISHED PRODUCT.

ETHICALE.

COP 3 / Packaging Progress 3

COP 3 / OUGD601
PACKING PROGRESS.
BOTTLE & FINISHING.

Because the option of having the images on the inside of the bottle did not work how i hoped. I came up with an adapted idea as I was starting to run out of time.

This idea had the bottle sprayed nearly half with the paint with the other half open. This way I could list the possible illness down this side, but you could still see the ale in the bottle.

The graphic images would then be shown on labels and other accents on the bottle in order to create a consistent aesthetic that has been applied in an organised way yet present horrible images of reality.

To make the texture of the bottle look more like a rashy, spotty surface, i decided to cover the bottle in glue gun blobs. This way I can spray over the top of the glass once it had been taped.

 I made sure that i left a gap around the bottom where the ale could be seen. This is so that I could still use the foiled tissue paper for its original intent of covering up the negatives on the bottle. 

By giving a glimpse of the ale underneath this aesthetically pleasing outer packaging gives a sense of trustability an you can see the produce you are buying.

 I did the same with the can, however because it was already a branded product. i spray painted it white first. This ties in the aesthetics to to e gold and white used in the outer packaging.

I painted the cans and the bottles after taping and glueing and left them to dry. You could see how the glue helped raise the surface and create the look of spotty skin.

*  *  *  *

LABLES & IMAGES

I was starting to run low on time, so this nest step was a little rushed and I forgot to take as many screenshot and progress images as I was suppose to.

I started by making the shape of the label. I used the same shape as the logo to influence the shape of the label. I think that this gives the aesthetic even more consistency. 

This is the shape I created for the label. Now I started to look at how I could apply the relevant images to this platform.

I looked at adding in one of the experimental images I created when looking at possible logo designs. i liked how this overlapped the graphic images and how sitting it in the middle enforced the boldness of the message being portrayed.

I did feel that this logo image was a little too similar yet different from the main logo. So rather than adding to the over all aesthetic it almost looked to replace the original logo.

'Discouraging Drinkers' is a slogan I came up with as it fit with the way in which many beer companies promoted their products. A catchy slogan helps the brand become more memorable to the consumer. Usually the statements say positive things about the brand and show when the beer was established.

I played on this when creating the slogan but kept in in the concept of negative enforcement.

 I created this little icon in the same way the logo was created. I feel that this addition, accompanied with the type, clearly gives the feeling of negative enforcement. Because the language used in the type is lighthearted yet the content is bold and forceful, I feel that this strengthens the feel of realisation.

I placed this image into the label shape and it fit really well.

I applied some more of the images that I found. I also created a tag that could run down the neck of the bottle to keep the aesthetic running throughout and adding more colour.

I printed the labels on thick photograph paper so the images remained vivid and powerful. I also made sure that both of the labels measured up properly and fit the bottle nicely.

*  *  *  *

BOTTLE PAINTING.

To test the idea of painting spots onto the bottles, I sprayed a spare bottle and practiced with different colours.

Once I felt comfortable with the painting, I moved onto the actual bottles.

Im really happy how these visuals turned out!

COP 3 / Interview / Stephen Woowat / Something More

COP 3 / OUGD601
STEPHEN WOOWAT FROM SOMETHING MORE.
PRIMARY RESEARCH / EMAIL INTERVIEW.

1).  How ethical are your design practices?

We do everything in a way which is as ethically sound as knowingly as we can make it.

2).  How do ethics effect your design practices?

As a designer, it should be your job to solve problems, not to create new ones. It’s not a fairytale value to hold that everything you do should make the world better. Why shouldn't it?

Being ethical, and the values you hold, set the tone for everything you do as a design studio. Do I work for X client? How do I approach this brief? A big part of it is about making sure you constantly ask questions at every step of the way. Interrogate the brief that's before you, really think about all the nuts and bots of what it is you are being asked to do – not taking things for granted. Is the brief right on a fundamental level, is there a better way to think about it altogether?

It’s important to consider the entire life of a design you are creating too – from how it’s made, to how it’s used, and what happens after that. It’s easy to think of that model applying to product design – but it applies to all forms of design. If you are creating an identity, it’s much more than how it looks, sounds and feels. What’s the reality of interacting with it? Does it make people’s lives easier? Can you understand it? Does it make things better, not worse? Is it joyful and engaging? You need to make sure you are happy with what you are putting your name to.

Apple has a mantra which perfectly captures this duty before a designer – a question that should be asked in every design process: “Does it deserve to exist?”. 

The way we speak about ourselves [as a studio] is that we believe every brand should be a wonderful experience. Its our check to make sure everything we do can make things better.

3).  Is there a type of client/company that you wouldn't design for?

There are plenty of obvious ones, like tobacco – but some industries are not quite so easy to ethically define. Designers will individually draw their own boundaries of right and wrong and what they are comfortable with. I think it’s important though, to be able to recognise the opportunities when design can make things better. For example – you might not like a particular business, but what if they come to you open minded and want to change, what if you can help them change and be better? It could be your opportunity to try and do something about it. Creativity and ‘design thinking' is finding itself increasingly more at the heart of businesses – and it is giving designers an opportunity to solve problems that are much deeper within organisations – rather than just getting at the stuff around the edges. This can only be a good thing.

The challenge that lives alongside these descisions is having an ethical stance with the work you take on – alongside the need to make money and survive as a design studio. It’s important you don’t compromise your values and principles, even in hard or desperate times.

4).  When working for a large design company, is there a process included that protects your own individual morals and ethical stand points in case you refuse to work for a particular client?

Every design company should value the individual ethics of the people who work there!

I like how this company was open to helping companies who may be looking to change their ways for the better. I also like the comment that stated that designers should solve problems and not to create them. I feel that it is this approach that should be followed by a lot more designers in todays industry.

COP 3 / Packaging Progress 2

COP 3 / OUGD601
PACKAGING PROGRESS.
BOTTLE.


Since the issue with the sticker not working, I decided to take a trip to the Range for some inspiration. I was running out of time to make something that truly embodied the concept I wanted to apply.

I found some spray paint that I think was suppose to look a bit like sand, however I felt i looked quite a bit like rough skin.

**** SPRAY PAINT****


Since I had bee struggling to print and apply things straight to the bottle, I thought that spray paint may be the best solution. Because this paint looked a lot like skin, I though I could take advantage of this an enhance it even more to look like the skin conditions often caused by alcohol that I had found through research.

On the way home I looked through the shelves in Tesco and found these two products. Even though they are different brands i felt that the shape and style were quite consistent with each other. The lid and top were also gold which will tie in well with the foiling I want to do for the outside. 

I feel that the can and bottle will help to show the range in which this aesthetic could work. I did want to get a keg also but these were around 15-20 pounds. If I get change i might look at mocking up this kind of product however I do feel that i am running out of time.

I sorted a few sketches to see what i could make from this paint and how I could apply it to the bottle. i liked this idea because 

I was thinking that the skin on the outside could be backed up by graphic organ based images on the inside. I thought about adding these images face down on the bottle so that you could see this through the ale and glass. This is the gap I have left at the back of the bottle so that these images can be seen underneath the skin and through the bottle.

Before I looked at this possibility, I felt that i had to test the spray paint first.

I wrapped the bottle in electrical tape accordingly. This is so I can remove these after the painting and have the glass stay clean.

I painted the bottle at evenly as possible then left it to dry before peeling away the tape.

I was very happy with the outcome of the paint test. However I do feel that i will have to add more texture in order to make the surface look more like a rash.

I stated looking at the labelling of this mock up to see how i could make them work.

in all honesty, I wasn't really pleased with any of these labels. I decided to turn my attention to the inside imagery i wanted to apply because this is one of the main concepts. I also felt that this might also help to figure out what the outside of this label could look like.

 I tried to see what these images looked like when shown through the bottle. 
The bottle glass actually distorted the images a lot. Because of this I had to adjust the images and squash them in order for them to look normal.

As you can see, the images had to really be compressed to look normal through the glass. Even though the composition of the image looked right, the ale in the bottle made the image loose focus and it was hard to see what the image actually was.

In addition to this, once the beer was consumed, the squashed image would be present but would just look daft and out of place. 

It was pretty obvious that this idea wasn't going to work.