OUGD505: Studio Brief 2 - Module Evaluation

OUGD505: Studio Brief 2/ Product, Range and Distribution  

Module Evaluation 

OUGD505 builds on a range of new skills and challenges as a designer that feeds into the level 6 programme. There is a stronger sense of independence within the module due to the open interpretation of the briefs and the ability to self-direct these projects to appeal to individual design interests. The independent nature of the brief allows a developed and more intimate research process between the designer and subject that provides a holistic and extended understanding of the brief that can then inform these design decisions to ensure the resolution is appropriate and effective for its purpose.

Brief 1 challenged an investigation into a conceptual problem regarding the concept of money and more critically an investigation into the future of the banknote. Developed specifically for an exhibition in the grade two listed building in heart of Leeds the resolution would be featured alongside a range of other proposals and could act as a good opportunity for exposure within Leeds creative field. This problem could be interpreted in any way and prompted a body of research to understand the origins, development and design of currency. With this critical understanding of the subject one could then begin to develop a series of design proposals that would answer the problem of a new banknote design. Based on this research I proposed that the best hope for tactile 'real' money to remain viable within society is for it to be used as a tactile celebration of culture. I took inspiration from the ecology of the exhibition venue to propose a banknote to act as a celebration of the Brutalist Architecture movement within the UK. The resolution takes inspiration from the unique form of Bank House, the production of the exhibition piece combines traditional print methods with technical production features using laser cute elements for added aesthetic engagement.

This informed research and development culminates into a strong aesthetic resolution for a future banknote design. The tactile nature of the screen printed resolution works effectively with the aesthetic of the design to creates a contextual resolution that engagingly represents my interpretation on the future of the banknote. 

Brief 2 acted as an in-depth research investigation that was vaguely written to allow a high extent of creative freedom, this research project would culminate into a practical resolution that appropriately creates opportunity for social or political change. Identifying the topic of localized farming/ local produce for the basis of the research project I investigated the topic and identified a client that’s ethos acted as pinnacle of this social issue. Contacting the client directly and given permission to base my research project around their estate invited an extended nature to this research to ensure the practical resolution would be appropriate to the client’s target audience and the environment in which this practical resolution would be distributed. This adds clear distribution values to work towards and can be developed into an extended live project. Through the extended nature of the design process, taking informed conclusions developed from primary and secondary research, I established a project proposal to celebrate the use of local produce within a community environment as a viable alternative to mass super market produce. Celebrating this use of local produce further promotes its availability via the client and educates the target audience regarding this on the doorstep availability.

The aesthetic style of the campaign is developed through peer feedback and extended research taking inspiration from illustrative components frequently used in other adverting campaigns with a similar target audience. This aesthetic is then developed in a playful illustrative style that uses an engaging blend of pattern and colour inspired by the natural produce found within the Hawarden Estate. To extend the project a style guide was created to add a critical consistency within these resolutions. This ensures that if the campaign was taken live I could hand the style guide over to the client’s design team to further develop and ensure their maintenance of the campaign kept a unified distinct aesthetic style throughout.

The campaign is a strong resolution to the brief that identifies a clear social issue and is developed into a promotional campaign for a client that’s ethos is inline with the projects concept. This use of a client adds significant distribution values that allow me to design for a specific target audience and environment that ensures the resolution is appropriate and effective in communicating with its audience.

The Design Practice 2 module has allowed me to apply my own personality within my resolutions making a broader statement regarding the style of design I want to produce. Stepping away slightly from the more corporate and serious resolutions produced within other modules allowed greater experimentation and self expression, this didn’t always result in success such as the production of my tote bags within brief 2 however allowed me to experiment with new media and processes that an be refined and developed throughout level 6. Making advance bookings and developing a significant body of work to meet these deadlines demonstrates effective time management skills and engaging with clients and independent establishments reflects my ambition to start developing a live series of portfolio pieces, I have contacted the Hawarden Estate from Brief 2 and have arranged a meeting to pitch my campaign proposal on the 1^st of June which will hopefully result in live paid work to extend the project.

OUGD505: Studio Brief 2 - Campaign Evaluation

OUGD505: Studio Brief 2/ Product, Range and Distribution  

Campaign Evaluation 

Through the extended nature of the design process taking informed conclusions developed from primary and secondary research my project proposal was established to celebrate the use of local produce within a community environment as a viable alternative to mass super market produce. Identifying a client, The Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, whose ethos acts as a pinnacle of the social issue identifies a clear distribution system creating a commercial need for the resolution that can be informed by the client’s ethos and centred around a specific target audience. This research holistically allowed me to understand the social issue and more broadly researched the client, target audience and environment in which this campaign would be presented within, Primary research helped identify specific areas of interest for the campaign and ensured the resolutions would appeal to this audience.

Through peer feedback it was established that this bold colourful aesthetic was engaging and would work well for the concept of the campaign. This takes inspiration from the illustrative components frequently used in other adverting campaigns with a similar target audience identified within extended research.  This aesthetic was then developed in a playful illustrative style that uses an engaging blend of pattern and colour inspired by the natural produce found within the Hawarden Estate. This aesthetic was then individually developed to best suit each piece of campaign promotion from the bold poster series to more specialist pieces of promotion such as the bar coaster to be promoted in the client’s sister business demonstrating a consideration for its environment that more commercially can be advertised for free. These examples of campaign promotion will engage the target audience through the bold engaging use of imagery, the simple aesthetic confidently articulates the concept of the campaign and demonstrates a contextual insight into the target audience’s community values.

To ensure the campaign was holistic and creates a clear sense of continuity between the individual promotional materials a style guide was created to add a critical consistency within the resolutions, this ensured that if the campaign was taken live I could hand the style guide over to the client’s design team to further develop and ensure their maintenance of the campaign kept a unified distinct aesthetic style throughout. The campaign is presented in the form of a pitch proposal which concentrates the breadth of the campaign into a succinct campaign wallet that further creates synergy surrounding the whole campaign. This will add a sense of professionalism to the client of myself as a designer and the overall cameoing image, which will hopefully result in the client choosing to take this further into a live context. A meeting has been arranged for the 1^st of June to pitch these ideas to the client and the use of the campaign folder will make this far simpler to present as a pitch as this use of printed collateral gives a physical example of how each piece of campaign promotion works individually and attributes to the series to create a clear set of continuity across the campaign. 

Overall the campaign is a strong resolution to the brief that identifies a clear social issue and is developed into a promotional campaign for a client that’s ethos is inline with the projects concept. This use of a client adds significant distribution values that allow me to design for a specific target audience and environment that ensures the resolution is appropriate and effective in communicating with its audience. This is demonstrated through the appropriate use of aesthetic developed through extended research and unified through a style guide to ensure a succinct sense of cross campaign continuity that further extends the professionalism of the project. 

OUGD505: Studio Brief 2 - Distribution

OUGD505: Studio Brief 2/ Product, Range and Distribution  

Distribution 

The use of a live client within my project ads clear distribution values to the campaign using the clients target audience and in-store environment as a guide this ensures the resolutions are considered and appropriately designed for this audience was to fit specifically into this environment. This results in a focused and engaging resolution that could be implemented into a live extended context. I have arranged a meeting with the client for the 1st of June to pitch my ideas in the hope they will take this campaign further and it can develop into paid work with a real life application. 

OUGD505: Studio Brief 2 - Print

OUGD505: Studio Brief 2/ Product, Range and Distribution  

Print 

Booking a printslot three weeks ahead in advance of when I needed to print demonstrates time management skills due to last year seeing how busy the print room got towards deadlines, This also gave me a strict deadlines to have all the prints collateral finished by. This worked well in providing a key day to structure my time around. Printing the final resolutions, the overall quality of these were very high using the perforator to fold the posters and avoid cracking. A minimal design flaw of the pitch folder caused the paper to tear slightly into the fold reducing its overall quality however this was too large to fit into the perforating machine and I achieved the best by hand result possible, If producing this commercially would source these directly from GF smith as the paper is colour plan therefore would take advantage of their bespoke making service if quantities reached over 25. This printed collateral gives a physical example of how each piece of campaign promotion works individually and attributes to the series to create a clear set of continuity across the campaign. 

OUGD505: Studio Brief 2 - Campaign Pitch

OUGD505: Studio Brief 2/ Product, Range and Distribution  

Campaign Pitch 

I chose to present my final resolution as a concept pitch as this creates the most succinct and appropriate form to present my campaign, as I plan to officially pitch this proposal to the Hawarden Estate this will present the most professional freelance interpretation of myself and the campaign. To fully implement this pitch style I creates an A4 folder to present the body of work in, this will give a strong professional first impression to the client and succinctly collate the whole campaign into one place. I sourced a net online and made this unique to the campaign applying the Clients branding, Campaign logo and my own branding/ contact details on the reverse to make it easy to contact me if they want to take forth this proposal. This inside is split into who section for the style guide and sample materials that will house printed campaign materials as samples for the client to get a physical idea of how the campaign would look and feel to scale. 

The camapaign pitch is a strong concept to present my resolution and will add further professional connotations to the campaign and myself as a designer, that will hopefully result in the client choosing to make the campaign live. 

OUGD505: Studio Brief 2 - Style Guide

OUGD505: Studio Brief 2/ Product, Range and Distribution  

Style Guide 

I was pleased with my style guide as the tone of voice is professional and informative, all of the key topics are covered within this guide and would be appropriate to distribute to a design team for them to extend and curate the campaign. 

Style Guide PDF