All in ConTEXT

Though technology has had many positive impacts on our life-styles, it has also had negative implications.  Texting, specifically has become an issue.  Let's face it, we cannot live without our cell phones.  In fact, we can't even remember what we did without them.  It's hard to believe that something that was introduced within our lifetime has changed the world we live in so much.  Although cell phones help us to keep in touch, in some ways, they harm our face to face interactions.


First, it has surely changed how we interact socially with one another.  Before cell phones, we had no choice but to focus on the person, or people, we were with.  Now, people go to dinner with one friend only to text another the entire time.  In COMM 118, we discussed a phenomenon where two people are interacting and one person gets a text message.  They begin ignoring the person they are with and focusing on their phone.  The other person then checks their phone because they are being neglected by the other person.  This is something that I have noticed in life after discussing it in class.  As someone who is a little old fashioned compared to most of my peers, I find it particularly frustrating when I am trying to talk to someone and they are too busy texting someone else (or playing Angry Birds) to listen to what I am saying.  I have heard of a couple methods to combat this.  One, everyone places their phone face down in the middle of the table when at a restaurant.  The first one to cheat and look at their phone covers the check.  Another option is to collect everyone's phone at the beginning of a gathering and place them in a container as seen below.  

Though these ideas seem a little extreme, I do believe it is the only way to get someone's full attention in today's world.  When you really think about it, we're all so "connected," but at the same time, we really aren't at all.  

Another issue that has come with the increasing popularity of texting is the danger that arises when this type of communication is done while driving.  Pennsylvania recently passed a law making this act illegal, but it remains dangerous as this type of law is very difficult to enforce.  Many people think that they have somehow mastered this "skill."  I'm sure you've heard it a thousand times: "But I'm good at texting and driving, nothing will happen to me."  Check out this video where Oprah puts three avid texters to the test behind the wheel.  It just may change your outlook on this activity.  


Text responsibly.  It's important for both your well-being and your relationships. 

Change: For Better or Worse

Social media has without a doubt changed the way we make and maintain friendships.  The question is, is this change positive, negative, or perhaps a mix of both? 

In my opinion, it is a mix of both.  Lisa Reichelt, a user experience consultant, created the expression, “ambient intimacy.”  According to Reichelt, ambient intimacy describes how social media allows us “to keep in touch with people with a level of regularity and intimacy that you wouldn’t usually have access to, because time and space conspire to make it impossible.”  I’m sure you can think of an example of how social media has improved your connection with someone that you can’t see or speak with on a regular basis.  Personally, I know that social media has helped me to improve my relationship with long distance relatives as well as maintain contact with some of my friends from high school. 

Though social media undeniably has its benefits, it also has negative aspects.  In the clip below, the changing definition of “friend” is discussed.  Though circles of friends are growing, they are becoming segmented into separate groups, which can make it difficult to integrate all groups into “real-life.” The news clip also discusses how to tell true friends from fake friends in a world where the definition of “friend.”

    Modern day friendships: Social media's influence: MyFoxBOSTON.com

Social media has also changed the way we present ourselves to the world.  In the movie, “He’s Just Not That Into You,”  Mary (Drew Barrymore) discusses her frustration with how social media has changed the dating scene.  She says: “Things have changed. People don’t just meet organically anymore.  If I want to make myself more attractive to the opposite sex, I don’t go get a new haircut, I update my profile.  That’s just how it is.”  Though this is especially true for dating websites, it is also true in other forms of social media.

The bottom line is that social media has changed the world, for better or worse.

The Art Within the Marketing

As a marketing major, I have always recognized the importance of creativity when approaching potential customers.  In this class, I have come to realize that marketing involves a lot more art than I originally realized.  Human beings are visual people.  They are drawn to things by their visual appeal, not only a slogan.  In order to get people to listen to or read what you have to say, you must first get them to look!  Art helps us do this.  Creativity is as important as I always imagined, but it must always be accompanied by great art.

This video gives a great description of what graphic design is and why it is so essential to any marketing campaign.  The video itself is a great example of art used as an ad.  The message is compelling, but the visual aspect of it draws people in and gets them to pay attention.  This is true in mostly all advertising and marketing situations.

Art is involved in every step of a company’s communication with a consumer.  The ads distributed the packaging and even the font on each of these items effects the consumer’s perception of the brand.  Typography is one of my personal interests.  I’m certainly not an expert, but it is something that I like to look into.  I especially love seeing posters that utilize type such as this one. 

It is also interesting to me how a particular font can become synonymous with a company, like Coca-Cola.

This class has given me a new appreciation for the art behind the AdveRTising.  

Design's in the Details

It is easy to forget that the websites that appeal to us are created by individuals or groups of individuals.  Everyday online, we see hundreds of pages that people have poured their hearts and souls into.  


I stumbled upon Visual Republic, a company who specializes in web design as well as other marketing functions.  This collaborative's slogan is "We're a little obsessed with the details."  After taking a look at their visual resume, I agree!   

Out of all the work associated with Visual Republic, I like their own website the most.  It has a vintage feel along with organization akin to that of an infographic.  Being a person who loves infographics, this style really appeals to me.  I like that they used a simple color scheme for consistency. 

I’d imagine one of the most challenging aspects of designing sites professionally would be balancing the style of your firm along with the style of your clients.  For example, the work done by Wailing Woo looks very similar to the company’s own site, while the work for Streamline Media takes a different approach to website design.  As a designer with a passion for a more quirky style, I think it would be difficult to design something with a serious look.  The fact that Visual Republic can design such a broad range of websites indicates their professionalism and attention to detail.  I think that the variance in style of their work is an inspiring quality. 

Wailing Woo

Streamline Media

  

Designs Of Our Lives

A creative cultural producer finds ways to convey the essence of a culture in a creative manner.  This can take many forms including but not limited to video, blogs, images, and a whole slew of other ways.  In a way, the content generated by creative cultural producers doesn't only reflect the culture, but shapes it as well.  The creative projects let the culture know what they should like while also utilizing things that appeal to them.


Visual culture focuses on cultural meaning of a piece as opposed to its aesthetic value.  This post discusses how infographics are becoming a trend in today's visual culture.  The blogger mentions how infographics are being used in product packaging because they make boring information more interesting.  An example of a milk carton using this tactic is provided below. 

Fast forward to 4:10 in the video below for a little history on infographics and a discussion of their popularity today by a couple of people who design them. 

In the video above, the designers describe their role in deciding which information is most important and expressing that data creatively.  In a way this is the role/responsibility of all artist-designers in the digital media culture.  Whether creating an infographic or some other visual online, the designer chooses what they feel would be useful to convey.  Sometimes this comes in the way of information, in infographics, and sometimes it comes in the color chosen or even font.  Every choice a designer makes conveys some aspect of the culture they are a part of. 


I think contemporary art and design practice is very interesting in that the people in the occupation of designer somehow determine the culture's perception of the world.  No matter where you go, whether in real life or online, you are exposed to the work of a designer.   Designers shape the world we live in and thus shape our lives and experiences. 

Now and Then

In the recent past, technology has become increasingly available to the masses.  Blogging has become an expanding trend.  Anyone anywhere in the world can share anything they want at any time.  The increasing availability of technologies has allowed anyone who wants to be an author become one.

Publishing in the past has been a long and involved process.  Today, this very blog post will have gone from the writing process to "published" in a matter of minutes.  In years gone by writings were pitched to publishing houses, proofread extensively, run by editors, and finally sent to print.  At this point, individuals control their own publishing without much outside help. 

Designers and artists were hired to create not only covers for books, but also interiors.  This obviously still occurs in the book industry.  E-books have also altered this role of designers.  Rather than designing a physical book, designers must consider how a design will translate into a digital version.  This book designer discusses the process. 

Easy to use blogging software has allowed individual novices to design their own blog pages.  Technology has created the ability for people to become their own publisher in essence.  In some ways, the development of technology has allowed for more opportunities.  The introduction of the app market and other new technologies have created more things that need designing.  Apps are published and designed similar to the way books were.  It just involves more technology than in the past.  In the future, I suspect print will decline, but other new entries to the market will continue to present the need for artistic design. 

Gimme a Break!

This is one of my all-time favorite creative ads.  It really ties in with Kit Kat's brand capsule, "Have a break."  The top of the bench looks like the candy bar itself as well.  Though this is a little less eye-catching than the other examples I've included in this series, it's simple and ingenious all at the same time.  Have a seat, "have a break," and for goodness' sake, have a Kit Kat!