Unit 2.3 Visual Summary

Visual Summary Unit 2.3

Gabriel Soto MA Graphic Branding and Identity London College of Communication University of the Arts London 2011

INDEX 01 INTRODUCTION 02 RESEARCH SUBJECTS 03 DREAMS 04 VISUAL REFERENCES 05 POSTERS 34 NOTES AND SKETCHES 36 METHODOLOGY PLANNING SKETCHES 41 COLOMBIAN ICONOGRAPHY 46 HUMAN BRAND PLATFORM 48

UNIT 2.3 – VISUAL SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION This Visual Summary contains the process of visual research that lead to the Major Project Proposal (Unit 2.4).

Research was done on three initial areas of interest in order to define which one had the most potential to be the starting point for the Major Project. The ideas were evaluated and revised throughout a series of tutorials and seminars by presenting and discussing them with tutors and peers. As a result, a particular field of study was selected and more specific research was undertaken.

The initial research subjects were “Dreams”, “Colombian Identity” and “Human Brand Platform”.

The subject of “Dreams” was chosen. As the research went further more questions came up and new opportunities were found when relating it to branding. It is also a very intriguing subject, which makes the process of researching and working with it an enjoyable experience.

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RESEARCH SUBJECTS

DREAMS AND BRANDS

The decision of choosing “Dreams” as the main subject of research was made early in the process, reason why most of the content of this Visual Summary is related to it.

COLOMBIAN ICONOGRAPHY

HUMAN BRAND

PLATFORM

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DREAMS

For centuries people have been fascinated with dreams. Why do we dream? What is the meaning of dreams? Why do we forget dreams?

And other related questions remain unanswered, but many theories have been proposed from religion to science.

I got interested in the experiential aspect of dreams and how its content is generated by the mind, creating unexpected connections between pieces of information kept in the conscious, subconscious and unconscious.

While doing research, I found about dream incubation techniques, which are about “planting the seed” in the mind for a specific topic to occur in dreams.

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Brands are constantly looking for new ways to deliver experiences to the consumer, and the consumer wants that kind of interaction.

Nowadays, virtual life is the closest experience to reality. What would happen if dreams were incorporated to the brand experience? How could it be done?

My research was focused on the psychology and physiology of dreaming and how dreams, dream memories and imagination have been visually represented in culture, mainly in art and films.

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“The dream” (1931) Salvador Dalí

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“The Temptation of St. Anthony” (1946) Salvador Dalí

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“Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening” (1944) Salvador Dalí

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“Study for the Dream Sequence in Spellbound” (1945) Salvador Dalí

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“This is the colour of my dreams” (1925) Joan Miró

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“Siesta” (1925) Joan Miró

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“Elephant of Celebes” (1921) Max Ernst

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“The Dream” (1935) Paul Delvaux

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“The Dream” (1883) Pierre-Cécile Puvis de Chavannes

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“The Dream of St Joseph” (1650) Rembrandt

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Above: Sam Taylor-Wood’s video portrait of David Beckham (2004) displayed at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Right: Andy Warhol’s movie “Sleep” (1963), five hour footage of his friend John Giorno sleeping.

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Poster and stills from the movie “Inception” (2010) Directed by Christopher Nolan

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Previous pages and top: poster and stills from the movies “The Science of Sleep” (2006) and “Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind” (2004) directed by Michael Gondry.

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Above and right: still and poster from the movie “What Dreams May Come” (1998) directed by Vincent Ward.

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Poster and stills from the movie “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” (2009) Directed by Terry Gilliam.

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Previous page: “Boys flying dream” (1971) Arthur Tress

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Next page: “Girl with dunce cap” (1972) and “Flood Dream” (1971) - Arthur Tress

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“Future dreamcatchers” (2011) by the colombian designer Isabel Pradilla.

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“New human: Embodiment of the Unconscious Mind” (2011)

by Ann-Kristin Abel

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“The Surreal House” (2010) constructed at the Barbican Gallery by Carmody Groarke architects.

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Futuristic animated series show their vision of the influence that technology could have on dreams.

In Futurama’s “A fishful of money” episode (1999) commercials are broadcasted into peoples dreams via gamma radiation.

In The Jetsons’ “Elroy meets Orbity” episode (1984) there’s a machine called the Dream-o-matic, that provides pre-programmed dreams.

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First A2 poster presented on the subject.

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Second A2 poster presenting the initial research question and methodology.

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Notes and sketches from my notebook.

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Understandimg the subject.

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First approximation to defining the research question.

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Questions and ideas during the research.

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Initial research methodology sketches.

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Diagram of the field of study sketches.

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Experiment planning.

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Defining the research methodology for the MPP. 44

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COLOMBIAN ICONOGRAPY

While working on a project for the Colombian Ministry of Culture, to develop the visual identity for one of its cultural programs, I realized how diverse this country is. The research for the project led me to notice and learn about many aspects of Colombian culture that most Colombians don’t know about.

More than a decade ago, Colombia’s brand campaign was launched, as "Colombia is Passion." Passion: an intangible concept chosen by a foreign company which has been very unpopular amongst most Colombians.

Although, I understand the difficulty of finding a physical element that could represent a population and a country as diverse as Colombia.

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My proposal was to create an iconographic system, in which significant elements of the Colombian identity and diversity existing in its various regions are reflected.

Ethnics, traditions, symbols, gastronomy, music, landmarks, nature, flora, fauna, outstanding people, myths, festivals, sports, history, etc.

Through research, the elements that best identify each of the regions and subcultures of the country and its people were to be identified. After selecting the most relevant, each of these elements were to be studied in particular to get essential information for the design process.

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HUMAN BRAND PLATFORM

Humans are social; we interact, have relationships, and communicate; we are rational and emotional beings; we love, we hate and feel the need of being part of social groups, but still be recognized as unique individuals.

It is our nature to interact with other humans.

Brands are an artificial creation configured to appeal to consumers and establish interactions with them.

Several methodologies for brand development exist. Almost every agency has their own, or a version of another’s. Every branding book comes up with a new approach.

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The idea was to create a brand development platform for creating and analysing brands based in the physical and psychological characteristics of a human being, in order to find out if it would produce more engaging brands to the consumer, as the configuration of the brand would be similar to the configuration of a human in some aspects.

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Other notes, sketches and ideas.

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Gabriel Soto MA Graphic Branding and Identity London College of Communication University of the Arts London 2011