1. The first piece of print communication I have chosen is a
brochure from an event at Santa Pod. The design and print of the brochure was
completed by Ocean Print Solutions and the publisher is K.R. Bartlett. The
audience that would be interested in buying this product are people attending
the event as this brochure has been specifically designed for this occasion.
The message the brochure is publicising to the readers is what’s happening
during the weekend, such as the classes that are racing, the events that are
taking place around the area and what times these events take place. The
brochure is a guide to visitors to help them get the most out of the weekend.
Below are pictures of the brochure, including the front cover
and some of the pages inside.
This brochure can be considered to be effective as a piece of
communication, as the use of grids has allowed the reader to digest what is
being communicated to them. By doing this, the information is not cluttered,
and instead it has been presented in a clear and concise way that allows
harmony and balance throughout the pages, along with consistency. It is clear
then the brochure contains good proximity and proportion. Also, the sizes of
the fonts are evident in determining the hierarchy of the pages and do not
over-ride each other. As well as this, having the text aligned to the left
improves the readability of the text and doesn’t make it off-putting. On top of
this, there are not many colours on the page, which will help the reader
understand what is being presented to them.
On the other hand, an area which does hamper this item being
effective as a piece of communication is that the black background and white
font does make it difficult for readers to understand the large blocks of text.
Despite this, the brochure is effective as a piece of
communication as you are able to pick out the images clearly and the text is
not too long that it bores the reader. From my experience; I found the brochure
to be hugely beneficial in getting my way round Santa Pod and picking out the
best drivers and cars when watching the racing.
2. The second piece of print communication I have chosen is another brochure, but this time regarding the 200th anniversary of Neston Ladies Day. The design of the brochure was done by Reasonably Good and Carson Print helped print the brochure. The audience this brochure is directed towards are the Neston community and the people who attended the Ladies Day event. The message this brochure illustrates is the history of the event and how this day has been an important day for the town and the female society.
Below are pictures of the brochure, including the front cover and some of the pages inside.
After analysing the brochure, there are a few areas that showcase this item as being effective as a piece of communication. For instance, I find the pages to be well proportioned as there is plenty of white space on show, which in turn makes the text and images easy to read and understand. Also, text alignment is to the left and having a white background with black text does improve the readability of the text. On top of this, the designer has chosen a suitable serif font to go with this historic event, which makes the text clear to view. It is evident this brochure has been created for an older audience as there looks to be an emphasis on clarity than creativity.
This leads to the areas that suggest this brochure is ineffective as a piece of communication. For example, the grids are boring and lack in imagination. The pages do not stand out and appear bland and ordinary. I also found it difficult to find a consistency in the pages, as their looked to be a different title type size, font and colour background on every page. From that, I found it difficult to see a balance in the pages. On top of this, I noticed on one page there were too many sub-titles within the body of text. I found this difficult to scan through the text.
Overall, I found this brochure great learning about the history of the event, but from a design point of view I did not find it interesting due to the lack of vibrant colours (white and beige too common) and just finding the brochure to be dull. Therefore, I find this brochure to be ineffective as a piece of communication.
3. Moving onto posters, this one is an advert for the Audi S4 Quattro. The agency that created this was Bartle Bogle Hegarty, with the art director being Pete Bradly. The audience this poster is directed towards are people who may be keen in buying this Audi or car enthusiasts who take an interest in new cars. The message the poster advertises to the viewer is that the cheetah does not need to prove itself that it is the quicker animal, as people already know that. In a metaphorical sense for Audi, the advert implies that they do not need to persuade people to buy their car, as the manufacturer is already great. This can link with Audi’s history as they have been successful in motor racing.
In terms of being effective as a piece of communication, the advert does well in using a clever metaphor to grab the viewer’s attention. Having the subtitle “The Audi S4 quattro. Nothing to prove.” next to the image (a suitable choice to back up the metaphor), you are able to determine the correlation between them. From that, the viewers are able to receive the message quickly. Also, having plenty of white space on show allows greater emphasis on the image, which helps it attract attention. As for the typography, the size is good with an excellent colour scheme of black text and white background. This is an ideal contrast for maximum readability.
On the other hand, there are a few points should be considered that make this poster ineffective as a piece of communication. For example, having no picture of the car would create some difficulty for people who might not know what the Audi looks like and the lack of vibrant colours may prove difficult in catching the eye of the viewer. Also, having the text centred could be difficult for people to read.
Despite this, the poster is effective as a piece of communication as the clever metaphor would intrigue potential customers and the simple layout would not lose one’s interest. The agency has done well in creating a poster which is simple, yet effective.
4. The final poster that has been selected for analysis was designed for the Israel Cancer Association and attends to the issue of third hand smoking. The agency that designed this was Gitam BBDO. The main people involved with this agency are executive creative director Shani Gershi, creative director Sagi Blumberg and art director Tamar Dvir. The audience this poster is targeted towards are smokers, with greater focus on smokers who live with their family. The message being conveyed then is that even if you do not smoke near them, you are still endangering their health with third hand smoke, thus proving an incentive to quit smoking.
There are a number of points that consider this poster to be effective as a piece of communication, such as having an image of a living room with the sofa being portrayed as a cigarette. The designer has chosen the best room that can highlight third hand smoking as this an area families congregate round, so will be more likely to be in the presence of a family member who smokes. The proportion between the sofa and text box allows both of them to have equal emphasis and are not cluttered on the poster. The way the text has been presented is another example of effective communication, as the white background and black text is easy to read, along with being at a reasonable size. Also, text is aligned to the left which increases readability and the black box focuses the attention on the bold type.
In terms of areas that are ineffective as a piece of communication, the use of capital letters may be difficult for people trying to read this and having no contact details on show would prove an issue towards viewers without internet.
Undeterred by this, the poster is effective as a piece of communication. In a clear and concise way, it provides a hard hitting message of what third hand smoking can do to people and how it can affect our loved ones.
Screen
1. Moving onto screen communication, digital advertising
company Amscreen are the designers of this screen display (the focus of the
analysis is on these being installed in Tesco petrol stations). The audience Tesco
are targeting using the display are customers who are buying fuel at the petrol
station, with the message being the company that is advertised on the screen (Sky
for example, as seen on the photo).
As a piece of communication, Amscreen displays are effective in showing adverts that would be useful to you. By detecting your gender, age and how long you look at the advert, the display collects the data from that station so upcoming adverts can be targeted at specific locations. This would improve the shopping experience for customers as they will see adverts that could prove useful for them. It will also be beneficial to advertisers too as they would be targeting the right audience. Alongside the Amscreen technology, other advantages of these displays are that it does not become boring for the viewers as the screen is constantly changing. Compared to static displays, seeing the vivid colours and images on screen would be visually interesting for the viewer. Also, editing the advert for screen communication would not be as difficult changing a static display and the cost is lower than advertising on TV.
However, there are issues with Amscreen technology that make this ineffective as a piece of communication. Having them specifically in Tesco means the screens are not going to reach the public outside the petrol station, meaning they are going to reach a limited audience. Also on a personal level, there is a privacy issue as the display is collecting the age and gender of the individual.
Despite this, Amscreen displays are used across the globe and do reach a wide audience outside Tesco petrol stations and they are also a great example of modern technology making adverts interesting for the viewers. From that, these screens are clearly effective as a piece of communication.
2. The next piece of screen communication that will be analysed is the webpage for Amazon Prime Instant Video. After doing some research, it looks like Amazon has designers of their own, so there is no evidence of studios or agencies involved with the design of this page. The audience they are targeting are movie and TV fans that vary in age and relationships (couples, families and single people for example); with the message being that Amazon customers can benefit from streaming as many TV shows and movies they want.
Below are a few screenshots of the webpage.
As a piece of communication, this webpage is effective as the designers have succeeded in equally proportioning the movie and TV titles by using white space and displaying the images in a grid. By doing this, they can be seen clearly on the page and do not put off the viewer. Also having them on show instantly allows the viewer to automatically find any movies and TV shows they would be interested in. Regarding the typography, Amazon has chosen a suitable colour scheme that is readable. Instead of having a black background, Amazon selected a shade of grey that appears classy and professional, and combined with the white font the text stands out well. Also choosing a sans-serif font makes the text easier to read and having it at a reasonable size does not over shadow the images of the movies and TV shows you can watch (the main emphasis). Alongside this, the gold box implying how you can get a ‘free trial’ has been highlighted to a great extent for the viewer, especially against the grey background. The contrast would succeed in catching the viewer’s eye of this interesting offer. On top of this, once you click on a movie or TV poster, you are still greeted by the same layout and design, along with reviews from other users to allow the buyer to make a concise decision whether to rent or watch the movie/TV (screenshot shown below).
What must be considered though is that the movie and TV titles may appear over-crowded to an older audience and could be confusing for them. This in turn does suggest this webpage is ineffective as a piece of communication (but for older users only, who in turn may not use this service).
Despite this issue, Amazon have produced a clear webpage that is easy to use, layered out clearly for the viewers and is interesting enough to keep them intrigued. Because of that, the Amazon Prime Instant Video webpage is effective as a piece of communication.
3. This piece of screen communication is a Youtube advert for WEX Photographic. There was no information available to find out who designed the advert and logo, but the target audience for this company are for photographers at various levels, with the message that photographers can trade in their kit or purchase camera equipment from a dedicated service for photography.
As a piece of communication, this advert is effective as the images chosen reflect what the business buys and sells, with the white space allowing greater emphasis on these items. By using white space, the advert is not too crowded and will not deter viewers. Also having the text aligned to the left and right allows it to be read easier, in comparison to it being centered. Regarding the typography, the main sentence “trade-in your kit” is at a good size that stands out to the viewer. This has combined well with the contrast colour scheme (purple background and white font) as the text is striking. On top of this, once you click on the advert, you are taken to their website. After a brief look at the homepage (seen below), you can tell this is the same company due to the WEX logo appearing again and the consistent layout and design used, such as the same font and the colours purple, white and orange.
However, a major problem with this type of advert that makes it ineffective as a piece of communication is that it is more of a hindrance to people wanting to watch the video, instead of interesting the viewer of the company. Because of this, the advert would be seen as a distraction from what the person originally wanted to watch and would be discarded quickly.
Overall, the layout of the advert is done to a high standard with an excellent colour scheme, white space to let the images and text be understood clearly and enough information to grab the viewer’s attention. The only thing that let’s the advert down is the way it has been presented, as placing it in front of a Youtube video will annoy the viewer than interest them. Because of this, the advert is ineffective as a piece of communication.
4. The final piece of screen communication selected for analysis is an app for Sky Go, an award-winning mobile video service. This was developed by BskyB, with the target audience being Sky TV customers who may want to watch these channels via WiFi. The message is strong with this app, which is that you can watch Sky TV on mobile devices and laptops (including Sky Movies and Sky Sports depending on your TV subscription) at no extra cost.
Below are screenshots of the app.
This app is effective as a piece of communication, as analysing the layout it is clear there is good proximity and proportion as the text and images are positioned well from each other to avoid clashes and are sized equally against each other, with no item being over-powered. BSkyB has done this effectively to create visual interest for the viewer. The app has also got the text aligned to the left, which helps improve the readability. Regarding the typography, this has been done to an effective standard, as the size of the text is readable and also determines the levels of information. Also, there is a good contrast of colours to help make the text understandable, such as using white text on a dark blue background (an elegant colour used). It is also worth pointing out that when you are on a title (i.e. Documentaries), it is highlighted gold which is an ideal contrast to the white text. This does help tell you the channel category you have selected. As well as this, the type used is consistent throughout all the pages and is a similar style to the Sky logo, along with being a clean and modern sans serif font that is suitable for titles and sub-titles. On top of this, having the channel logo and images of the TV programme/movie on show is beneficial to the viewer as it lets them know what they are about to watch and on what channel.
An area that is ineffective as a piece of communication is that there is a lack of white space on show. Despite white text on show, majority of the pages do not have much of this which could be hard on the eye for viewers. The lack of white space could also prove difficult in picking out the TV shows and movies to watch, as the background colour could blend in with the images.
Despite this, BskyB have produced a clear and well-designed app that appears professional to the viewer with the dark blue colours, the organised layout of the TV listings and a consistent design throughout the pages, along with providing a similar composition to the Sky TV guide (photos shown below). Therefore, this app is effective as a piece of communication.
Environment
1. The first
environmental piece of communication that has been analysed is from WWF, with
the slogan “Save Paper, Save The Planet”.
The agency that created this was Saatchi & Saatchi A/S, with the target
audience being people who would use this paper dispenser in the restroom or
environmentally-friendly people. In terms of the message, WWF are implying that
what people consume can effect the survival of the forests. In this case, by
saving paper, people can save the forests of South America.
Regarding how effective this is as a piece of communication, the paper dispenser has plenty of white space on show which adds greater emphasis on the map. The agency have also used the design of the paper dispenser to great effect as placing the map in the middle adds greater focus on the image. As well as this, the slogan “save paper - save the planet” is straight to the point and helps viewers understand the correlation between this and the map. Without either one, the message would not be clear enough. It is also worth pointing out the colour of the paper represents the forests, and with the quantity of paper decreasing in each picture, this helps emphasise that the land is disappearing due to the paper being used. This is a creative and informative way of getting the message across. On top of this, the typography is well though out, as the text is at a good size that can be read at a close distance, the black text and white background is ideal for readability (along with linking with the colours of the WWF logo) and the font is not too fancy, which in turn does not distract the viewer from the map.
As for the poster, there is plenty of white space to showcase the images, aligning the text to the left makes it easier to read for the viewer and placing it close to the images adds a visual connection between the two. Also, the colour of the type is the same as the slogan on the paper dispenser, making it great for readability.
In terms of areas that make it ineffective as a piece of communication, the sans serif font on the poster and paper dispenser would be harder to read compared to a serif font as the letters are not as distinct. Another problem with the text on the poster is that it appears quite small, making it difficult to read.
Despite this, Saatchi & Saatchi A/S have designed an innovative and visionary paper dispenser that has a clear message which is due to an understandable slogan alongside a simple image showcasing the more paper used, more forests of South America dissipate. Therefore, this paper dispenser is effective as a piece of communication.
2. The next environmental piece of communication that has been selected is from Oreo. The advertising agency that created this was Draft FCB from New York. The main people involved with the agency are chief creative officer Chris Becker, executive creative directors Sandy Greenberg and Terri Meyer and art director Jeseok Yi. The audience Oreo are targeting are the shoppers at the mall this was advertised at and also people who enjoy a snack, with the message that Oreo’s and milk are a great combination. This has been highlighted by their slogan “milk’s favourite cookie”.
In terms of how effective this is as a piece of communication, Draft FCB have used the white space on the glass of milk to emphasise the Oreo logo and the slogan to the viewers. The typography of the slogan is at a good size (not being a distraction to the main images) and using black text on a white background is the best combination for readability. Also the sans-serif type used is suitable for the short block of text. However, what stands out most about this design is using the elevator creatively to help replicate the ‘dunking’ of an Oreo into a glass of milk. This is would certainly generate great brand awareness.
As for the poster, there is good proximity between the images and text as there is no conflicts between these and having plenty of white space helps centre the focus on them. As for the text, it is aligned to the left which improves the readability, it is at a good size, has the same font as on the glass of milk which indicates consistency and the colour used does not distract the viewer from the images.
On the other hand, there are areas that are ineffective as a piece of communication, both elevator and poster. For instance, there is no contact details on the elevator which would make it difficult for people to find information about the brand or places that sell Oreo’s. Regarding the poster, the colour of the text is quite pale and would be difficult to read, especially for people with sight problems.
Despite this, Draft FCB had produced a genius way of advertising Oreo and what they are best used for. By using the elevator, the agency did not need to use text to sell this product, and instead use the mall’s surroundings to advertise this creative message. Therefore, this design is effective as a piece of communication.
3. Another piece of environmental communication that has been chosen advertises the Superman movie. The agency that created this was JWT who are from Brazil. The main people involved with JWT are creative directors Ricardo Chester and Roberto Fernandes and art director Silvio Medeiros. The target audience they are advertising to are Superman fans and people who would use this elevator, with the message that there is a new Superman movie coming out.
Analysing what makes this design effective as a piece of communication, there is great emphasis on the Superman logo. People relate the logo to Superman so having this as the stand out feature will tell viewers what the poster is about. The type is at a good size, with very few fonts selected. It is also worth pointing out that the agency used a modern, sans serif font for the title ‘Superman’, which implies that this Superman is an up-to-date version. Also, the agency have used a great contrast in colours (dark yellow text and blue background) which improves the readability of the poster for the viewer. On top of this, JWT have used the elevator effectively in re-creating a classic Superman moment. Designing the elevator doors as a shirt being ripped off to reveal the Superman logo is a clever way of grabbing people’s attention, along with being a scene fans would understand.
However, there are areas that suggest this piece of communication is ineffective. For instance, the lack of white space on the design would make it harder on the eye. Also, a major problem would be people standing in front of the design, as the elevator will be used by people. This would ruin the ingenuity of the Superman elevator.
Overall, this design is a mixture between being effective and ineffective, mainly being due to how busy the elevator is. If it was empty, you would be able to take in the cleverness of the design and how it relates to the Superman movie. But if the elevator was crowded you would not get the same effect. Therefore, this Superman elevator is more ineffective than effective as a piece of communication.
4. Out of all the environmental communication designs I researched, this one was the most interesting for me. The agency who created this Sprite shower was Ogilvy and Mather, with the target audience being attendees at the beaches this was advertised at, along with people who enjoy a refreshing soda. The message Sprite are emphasising is that to cool yourself at a beach, Sprite is the best choice.
This Sprite Shower is effective as a piece of communication as there is consistent repetition of the logo. This allows people to identify who is responsible for the shower. Regarding the typography, it is at a good size for the viewers, with the colours an excellent contrast for readability (white text and blue/green background). Having a bit of white space on show allows the word ‘Sprite’ to emerge from the design and be seen clearly by the viewers. Also, the type has an edginess about it, which links with the zesty and refreshing taste of a Sprite. As for the design of the shower, agency Ogilvy and Mather have done a tremendous job in replicating a soda dispenser (a real one is shown below). Along with combining the shower facilities, users of this would be able to see the ingenious design that advertises Sprite as a refreshing drink in a unique style.
However, areas that are ineffective as a piece of communication include no details of any websites or social media links people could go online to find out more information about Sprite. Also, there does not appear to be any opportunities to taste a Sprite.
Despite this, Ogilvy and Mather have managed to produce a creative design that outlines how Sprite is a refreshing drink without needing to supply taste samples. By placing this shower on a beach where temperatures reach 40˚c, users are able to experience the quenching power of a Sprite in a different way. Because of that, people will relate Sprite to refreshment, making this shower effective as a piece of communication.
5. The final piece of visual communication using the environment promotes the MINI Clubman. This was created by art director Maximillian Pineggar and copywriter Justin Salice-Stephan, who are from Miami Ad School. The audience they would be targeting are airport passengers who would be collecting there luggage, with the message that this MINI has impressive boot space (32.8 cubic feet of cargo space once the rear seats are down).
As a piece of communication, this MINI advert is effective as there is good proximity between the banner and the car. Having the two near each other allows the viewer to make the correlation between these. Also, there is a good proportion between the items as they are spaced out well and organised to promote visual interest to the viewer. As well as this, the text is aligned to the left and right which makes it easier to read and has a strong link with the image of the MINI close by. The levels of information is formed correctly, with the text at the top enticing you to look below to see what is being taken on this ‘trip’. Regarding the typography, the text is at a good, readable size. As for the colours, using white for the font makes this emerge from the banner and grabs the attention of the viewer immediately. The sans-serif type is also ideal for the short block of text and conveys a clean and modern mood. As for placing the MINI on the airport carousel, this is a brilliant way of showing how big the boot space is. The design can work with the luggage coming in or out of the car, as it will still show off how much this MINI can store in the boot.
However, areas that are ineffective on this MINI advert as a piece of communication include using the capital letters. This can make the text hard to read for some viewers. The difficulty in readability can be extended to the colours used for the typography, as the white font and black background is harder for people to understand. Regarding the MINI itself, the advertisers do not show the luggage in the boot realistically, meaning this claim of 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space can be seen as fictional.
Undeterred by this, these advertisers have thought of a creative way of signifying the MINI’s boot space, instead of showing a static display of the luggage in the car which may be seen as boring and uninteresting by the viewers. Also having this placed on the airport carousel is a great way of displaying the practicality of the car to travellers who would be waiting to collect there luggage. Therefore, this advert is effective as a piece of communication.
Mike
References
Santa Pod: The Main Event
Santa Pod: The Main Event brochure.
Neston Ladies Day
200th Anniversary Neston Ladies Day brochure.
Audi S4 Quattro poster
Israel Cancer Association: Third Hand Smoking poster
Amscreen
Amazon Prime Instant Video
WEX Photographic
Sky Go app
Sky Go app on my iPad.
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