Sunday, 14 December 2014

COP 3 - Cigarettes & Alcohol / Research

COP 3 / OUGD601
CIGARETTE PACKAGING
RESEARCH.

In my critical writing I want to use cigarette packaging as an example of how moral and ethical stances have been made to the packing, promotion and marketing and what effects and perceptions this has had on graphic designer.


Cigarettes and the stigma attached to smoking developed through research taken by health professionals that showed definite proof of the direct influence and deterioration smoking had on a persons health and well being.



Even though this timeline is based on changes made in Uruguay, they still show the type of changes made to the packaging of tobacco. The fact that type based and image based health warning have gradually limited and replaced the space for branding.

The whole reason in having an aesthetically driven brand and promotion is rot gain consumer consumption. So when you are making something damaging look appealing and desirable, where is the marls in that. What is the difference when designing for alcohol.

'Direct, concrete evidence of plain packaging’s effectiveness was unavailable until its release in Australia. On 24 May 2011, Cancer Council Australia released a review of the evidence supporting the introduction of plain packaging to reduce youth uptake. The review had been conducted by Quit Victoria and Cancer Council Victoria. The review includes 24 peer-reviewed studies conducted over two decades, suggesting that packaging plays an important role in encouraging young people to try cigarettes.'

This information states the reasoning behind these changes.

If you are a smoker, and want to smoke, you are going to continue, no matter what the packaging looks like. In this respect, packaging and branding isn't so much of an influence. However, the main reason for the packaging overhaul is to deter others, mainly children, from taking up such a detrimental habit.


Below are videos from Cancer Research UK.



The first one is a shock video that explains how the younger generation are effected and take up smoking. Seeing a child smoke is hard to watch as they are taking an a very adult responsibility at an age were they are not knowledgeable or responsible enough to do so. It is als due to the ver adult environment that soaking is usually apart of.




This video shows the perception children ha when it comes to aesthetics. the way in which these children associate imagery, type and colour to positive experiences is how the gain interest in certain things. When you realise they are making child like associations to such a detrimental and dangerous product.

Now if you simply swapped out the cigarettes and packaging for an alcoholic product, the reaction would be exactly the same. Even more so when you think about the immediate effects alcohol has on the seances and ability to process what is going on.


Not only has the packaging and promotion of cigarettes that have been effected, Advertising of tobacco products are now banned. Tobacco now has to be kept and sold from behind a cupboard door behind the counter and there is a massive stigma attached to the act of smoking as it is now banned inside of in confined areas.



Compared to this very limited approach to marketing and selling cigarettes, Alcohol is freely presented in an overwhelming amount in supermarkets and stores alike. The only health warnings that are apart of these products are small, often colourless type based awnings, that don't really live up to the potential such products have in damaging health.



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ALCOHOL STATISTICS & EFFECTS.

If I wanted to compare and contrast the use and effects of alcohol and cigarettes on society, I had to research valid points and statistics regarding the negatives.

During research for my critical writing I found a government website that contained information and statistical research that was conducted in 2014. This means that the evidence found was very relevant to this day and also meant that it was trustworthy finding as they were conducted by a government source.

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_338863.pdf

There are multiple points raised within this document that were helpful to build a picture of the relationship society has with alcohol.



  • Young people (those aged 16-24) were more likely to have drunk very heavily (more than 12 units for men and 9 units for women) at least once during the week (27%), with similar proportions for men (26%) and women (28%). Only 3% of those aged 65 and over were very heavy drinkers.


    This point raised backs up the statements and stances made concerning the limitations on tobacco products. The fact that it is the younger generations are most likely to drink in heavier amounts is the reason why making alcohol packaging and promotion less appealing may help to bring down this percentage like how the regulations in the tobacco packaging aim to do.

    Also, the fact that it ha been proven through this research that men drink more tan women will help me to determine the audience for my product and target it to those that perhaps need to be deterred the most.

  • Very heavy drinkers were five times more likely than other drinkers to have drunk strong beer/ stout/lager/cider, and more than twice as likely to have drunk spirits or liqueurs, on their heaviest drinking day in the week before interview.

    This point states that beer and other ale products ar the most popular beverages to those that drink the most heavily. this may be an incentive to me when it comes to choosing a product to brand.

    'Beer is the world's most widely consumed alcoholic beverage, and is the third-most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is thought by some to be the oldest fermented beverage.' - SOURCE

    This interesting fact that I also found backed up this decision to focus on beer to start with as it is the most popular alcoholic beverage in the world. I was also shocked to discover that beer is the 3rd most popular only after tea and water.




  • Smokers (25%) were more than twice as likely as non-smokers (11%) to have drunk very heavily at least once during the week. 

    I found this statement very interesting considering the relationship between alcohol and cigarettes I am focusing on. The fact that those that smoke are most likely to drink more and as well, the fact that many smoke while under the influence due to a lack of judgment.


This statistic actually countered some of the queries raised in the last crit were many related miss-use and issues with alcohol to those that were home-less and unemployed. This research states otherwise and it is those that are employed and can afford choice in beverage that actually have the most issues with alcohol and that consume to much.

This links to another point raised in my written piece given by John Berger that relates to the fact that we are lulled into thinking that we are given choices to define ourselves yet are actually controlled through a false sense of choice.

‘Publicity turns consumption into a substitute for democracy'.

‘Capitalism survives by forcing the majority, whom it exploits, to define their own interests as narrowly as possible. This was once achieved by extensive depravation. Today in the developing countries it is being achieved by imposing a false standard of what is and what is not desirable.’ 


'Most people who have alcohol-related health problems aren’t alcoholics. They're simply people who have regularly drunk more than the recommended levels for some years.'

This is a statement from the NHS website and also backs up the realisation that it is normal, everyday people that mostly develop health issues as a result of uninformed judgment and lack of education on the subject.

Tuesday, 9 December 2014

COP3 / Critical Writing / Talk with John

CRITICAL WRITING / COP
TALK WITH JOHN WATTERS.
RECOMMENDATIONS & RESEARCH 

During the group crit that I attended, on of the suggestions was to talk to john about his experiences and his views on ethics. During the PPP session the next day I found time to talk to John briefly about my dissertation subject.

He explained how he has had a couple of jobs that maybe at the tim the didn't really take in to consideration the ethical side of some projects until after he had completed the brief. He talked about some work he had carried out for, I think it was, the ministry of defence or some company that had dealings with weaponry and defence systems. He explained how he was involved with typical brochure and editorial designs that explained and presented the relevant facilities. After he had worked with this, he mentioned that he the got contacted from a similar institute in the US were he designed similar editorial material. Again he was contacted to work on 'Branding a Missile' and at this he said that he could not take up this job offer. The previous jobs had paid very well and even though it was related to weaponry and defence systems, he kind of knew that these facilities would only be used in a defensive situations such as foiling terrorist attacks, where as the branding of a missile, this is something that was more purposeful in an attacking situation. He explained that he was almost taken a back with the way he felt when asked about this project, and realised that this was his personal moral standing took more importance than taking up this kind of job. In this instance, he took a responsible decision depending on his own ethics.

I asked about the example of taking the clients word for it when using information on packaging and branding and using the details given or taking extra time and investigation a little further into whether these details re the truth. He said that there would be no harm in asking for a certificate of proof as companies should have this anyway when placing a product on the market, so if they are genuine they should already have the necessary documentation of regulation procedures.

John started to talk about larger companies and whether or not individual designers with in these companies would be able to decline working on a project on moral grounds. I then explained that this is something that I have wanted to do through interviews as part of a case study. I told him about my plans to conduct an interview with DSM as the have had previous experiences in working for a large branding company in Elmwood. He agreed that this would give a good insight to how these kind of studios worked and he said that he would have thought that declining a job on moral grounds shouldn't be a problem but it depends on contract agreements.

He suggested that I try and gather contacts made up by design studios that should include details on this and what agreements are made and signed off on by the individual designer and the employer. He said that this should be pretty straight forward to find on the internet.

Another suggestion that John made was for me to get a Linkedin account. This way I can contact multiple professionals i order to gain different insights and opinions on the situation of ethical practice.



This talk with John was very helpful and I feel that I have gained a few more sources on interest in regards to the gathering of primary research as well as more diverse sorces rather than just books.

I am defiantly going to look into joining some linkedin forums as well as looking at contracts online in order to gain insight on the workings of different companies.


Monday, 8 December 2014

COP 3 / Critical Writing / Group crit

CRITICAL WRITING / COP
GROUP CRIT.

There were 8 people present in this crit and we all sat and took turns in explaining our concepts and issues, then we all casually gave opinions and sources that we felt would be helpful.


When I explained what I wanted to do in terms of writing as well as practical ideas, this is the feedback I received and initial things I have found through them.


LIFTING THE LID ON BRANDING



CIGARETTE PACKAGING
How this base been adjusted and reformed to not look appealing.
How this could be applied to alcohol.

ALCOHOL - We want to make the product look desirable.

WHAT IS AN ISNT ETHICAL TO OTHE PEOPLE.



JOHN WATTERS
Ask John about what he thinks about ethics as well as any other connections he could have.


Friday, 5 December 2014

COP 3 / Practical / Group Crit

COP3 / OUGD601
PRACTICAL PEICE.
1ST GROUP CRIT.

Because this was the first crit for practical, all I had so far was a few vague ideas, however I was looking forward to this session as I felt it would help to focus and direct my work with help from outside perspective. 

I explained how I was struggling to settle and hone an idea that would be fitting with the plan of my writing. I then listed my initial ideas and how I was planning on how I could focus this in a practical sense.


FEEDBACK:

- Concerning the classy packaging and tacky packaging idea.
I need to be careful when comparing high end alcohol and cheap alcohol as people that usually drink in addiction do not think about the price or brand, they just want the high.

- Its better to brand and package something than making an info-graphic.

- Packaging alcohol in a similar way to how cigarettes are now presented with the health warnings and plain packaging would be an interesting interpretation.



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I am happy with the feed back that I gained as I was leaning to take on the project that concentrates on the negative effects of alcohol and how a designers own morals can interfere with a job that can put food on their table. 

Wednesday, 3 December 2014

COP 3 / Practical / Initial ideas.

COP 3 / OUGD601
GRAPHIC DESIGN, ETHICS & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
PRACTICAL / INITIAL IDEAS.

Because the subject of my critical writing was that of ethics and responsibility of Graphic design, I felt that I wanted to create something the gave example to the power the professionals have when it comes to the way they promote and present products and clients they work with.

The main question regarding my piece of writing is based on the responsibility designers had when it cam to accurately portraying their clients. Through the planning of my writing I am aiming to look at the effects of alcohol on society and how there is almost this love affair for designers when designing for alcohol companies. When looking into the topic I will also be looking into tobacco products and how the presentation of these products have been changed in recent years and what the reaction has been from designers regarding morals and who they would and wouldn't work with.

Due to this focus on alcohol and all the negative consequences that come with it, I wanted to brand or package an alcohol company focussing on this responsibility and ethical practice. 



Initial Ideas: 

- Create an info-graphic that shows the effects of alcohol on society. Gives a realisation of the effects and influences alcohol has on society. Maybe compare this to cigarettes.

- Take the concept of pain packaging tobacco products (researched through my critical writing) and package a rage of alcohol products in in the same way.

- Design a bottle and packaging that is packaged in away that shows the negatives of drinking. The aesthetic puts off the consumer from purchasing and drinking the product. tHis defeats the object of selling the product and could represent that difficulties between ethical, moral stances and the profitability of a designer.

- Take a very glamourous bottle and brand, package and design is in a very tacky and cheap way. Then take a cheap, plastic Bottle and design it in a way that gives of a luxurious and expensive feel. This could show the power of aesthetic and Graphic design.




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