MY INSPIRATION JOURNAL By Raye Kimberlin Franklin University – MCM Student Logos Adidas created a classic logo that shows symmetry in design. The leaves or pedals are placed to create a three-fold shape. The logo also has the three lines which are also a part of the shoe design. The text below the element extends to the tip of the outside leaves creating unity. The modern logo focuses on the stripes and the angle of the stripes show movement creating a triangle shape. The use of black as the primary color for the logo allows it work in many applications. These logos inspire me to think of how to connect the test to the element or image.
I visited the Science Center in Cleveland over the summer with my son. We purchased items that had the NASA logo because he was so drawn to the t-shirt and other items because they had the “official” logo. It functions for the purpose of branding the agency because it has the patriotic color palette, the cluster of stars that represent space and the other elements that symbolize space travel and aeronautics. When designing logos, you can create elements that symbolize or have significant meaning for the organization.
Print ads COMEDY CENTRAL This ad appeared in a trade magazine that targets ad buyers for television commercials. The design speaks to the target audience of the buyer demonstrating through a very creative visual about the ratings increase and audience growth of Comedy Central. The background of the ad is graph paper with simply text create a visual is very clever. The designer placed emphasis on the HAHAHA element to stress the importance of the increase in audience. The use of color also keeps the design clean with only using orange. This message has a clear strategy and inspires me to keep the strategy as a focus in my designs.
CHILDREN’S DAY AT COSI This ad appeared as a quarter page ad in a tabloid newspaper. It is eye catching with the colorful decorative event title and your eye is drawn to the date that appears in the blue circle. However, there is information overload with a long list of activities and multiple logos. I believe they took a poster or flyer and reduced it to the quarter page print ad. This as a larger ad would be better. It inspires me to have eye catching graphics that grabs attention and it reminds me not to clutter a print ad with too many details.
Website http://scarletbits.com/2010/top-13-worst-vs13-best-logos/
This website offered a look at designs that were used by companies. It inspires me to always be aware of how images look and it is a great source on “how NOT to design logos.”
Mini-Magazine Diet Coke created a mini magazine to promote the new can design for the relaunch of Diet Coke. Diet Coke teamed up with StyleCaster to highlight fashion and beauty in an 8 page mini magazine that can fit easily into your purse. At the back is a section of coupons including Diet Coke and other products such as Oil of Olay, Pantene, Cover Girl and other P&G products, one of their promotional partners. The cover art is a great use of both the back and the front to make you start to examine the magazine more closely. This alternative marketing tactic is an unexpected way to target women interested in fashion and beauty as well as diet sodas.
Website I selected this website because I believe it has excellent design. The use of color and contrast with the washed out white background attract your eye to the headline. The font style going from bold to regular also grabs your attention. O also feel that they achieved excellent design because the full screen of the website appears above the fold. You do not have to scroll down to read more. the logo is simple and coordinates nicely with the website. The navigation buttons at the top have the same font colors and style as the headline. The call to action section at the bottom of the screen shot allows you to check hotel availability and rates from the home page without hunting for the right navigation or another page. This website reminds me of entertainment pages for cable shows and TV celebrity news programs. It is very engaging and shows a lot of action with the various photos. I look forward to going to Toronto with my son hopefully in the next year or so. http://www.torontolooksgoodonyou.com/
Email This email is a great call to action for the Boxing Pay Per View event. It uses the hierarchy with the photo of the boxers being the focal point of the ad. The headline of the championship match is placed next to the photo and creates a unified message. Time Warner Cable placed all of the important information above and below the photo including how to order, the channel number, the date and time of the event. The banner ad below is use to pre-promote an upcoming hockey event. The colors selected are simple with the monochrome photo and headline incorporated into the traditional Time Warner Cable blue. The logo appears at the top and the fonts used throughout the ad are similar to the font of the logo.
Print Ad
This is an ad for a retirement village. As the trend to be known as a retirement village verses a nursing home, companies like Maple Knoll are creating new services and they are using images and messages to market their facilities. The target market is retirees and senior citizens. The use of the photo is a great compliment to the headline both which is unexpected. The ad includes the logo which is prominently placed at the top. The contact information is also strategically placed boldly at the bottom of the ad. This informational ad includes details in a white space that makes it very legible. The list of services are also arranged in columns that add to the readability. This ad inspires me to remember all of the elements in designing and layout a print ad including target market, headline, image and information.
Poster
I like this poster a lot. I think that it would grab the attention of people from a distance and draw them in to see what it is all about. The modern design and use of the color splashes is very appealing. The silhouettes of families at the bottom also clearly define that this is a family friendly event. The logo is placed in the upper right corner. The title of the organization is also used in the event title. The event title font is very similar to the logo font so it ties in nicely. The details area could have been less wordy to allow for a larger font and bolder typeface. The use of the columns below is nicely placed but also a little wordy. The contact information is lost by not being prominently placed. This poster inspires me to use color but also not to overload the poster with too many words.
Brochure
This brochure for Western & Southern Life Insurance company is a very clean piece. This piece is targeting adults for the purchase of insurance and financial services. The use of the colors to mirror the logo is good. The logo is placed at the bottom of the brochure with the icon at the top right corner. Western & Southern has been branding the icon very successfully in the Cincinnati area by sponsoring event such as the U.S. Open. The photo is the focal point of the ad. The models used are attractive that adds to the influence of liking and the use of professional clothing creates the influence of Western & Southern being experts. The word choices such as “world class” and “heritage” allude to prestige and success. The use of Fortune 500 and Standard & Poor’s AA+ rating creates credibility and expertise. This brochure reminds me to keep the target market in mind when selecting word choices, images and colors.