#13
Name_ Ross Francis Student ID_ 102181 Level_ 06 Module Code_ OUG603
Brief Title Type Of Brief Skills
Rudimental Drums
Brief
Live branding for musician
The identity must allow him to portray all aspects of his services in a professional manner.
Branding, Copy Writing, Logo Design, Layout
Collaborators
N/A
Nature of Collaboration
N/A
Create identity materials for Yorkshire based drummer Matthew Townsend. Matthew wants to create an alias in order to assume an identity as a professional drum tutor and session musician.
Background
Considerations
Matt Townsend is a drummer currently coming to his final year as a music student. Matt has already secured employment as a professional drummer, but would like to have an alias in order to teach under and raise a higher profile as a session musician. Originally from Barnsley, Matthew Townsend has played at a range of venues nationally and looks to build upon this in his further career.
Consider the tone of voice for the branding. The branding needs to look approachable by students, but professional to potential clients. Consider the language used within the promotions, will it change according to it’s specific purpose within the identity.
Solution
I created a bold identity that would be make sense to drummers and be a signifier for musicians. Using the word Rudimental is a nod to the drum rudiments, but also asserts the approach of the drummer. The tone is friendly, and inviting as a call to action. I chose to do this as the branding immediately engages the two target audiences independently. Band managers, and musicians, and potential students. Being personable in this way allows the branding to appeal directly to the specific target audience.
Evaluation
This brief was conducted earlier in the year so that I had conducted some briefs from start to finish independently. While I have worked quite solidly in collaborations throughout the year, I have still felt that I have done a substantial amount of independent work. I have often found that working in a collaboration can lead to more independent work than working on a brief on your own. This brief was completed rather quickly. I spent time working to a brief and pleasing a client, however I felt unfulfilled in myself. I feel like I answered the brief well and I effectively applied my own written copy to a professional and engaging standard. The design isn’t particularly bad, but something was lacking for me. I feel it was the application and context of the brief, and perhaps even the audience. I think that I need to be working to a larger audience. I feel that this brief was not substantial enough for me to find particularly interesting. While the client was happy with what I had done, I feel that working in the sector of music and education is something that I need to be careful with. I was certainly not interested in the education side, purely because it does not appeal to me as a career, and the music thing is something that I need to be careful with. I need to find a broader context if I am to work within the music industry.
Research
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
What did I do?
Why did I do it?
What more could I have done?
I thought that this brief required not only a look into the subject matter, but a look into the locale of the business. Matthew is based in Barnsley, so I thought that in order to engage with his clientele from that area it would be good to emulate the local colour palette. I looked into the drums, and what made the drum kit special in the world of musical instruments. I found that the drums is based on Rudiments, and while other instruments are based on a set of techniques, the rudiments were exclusive to the drums.
I wanted to give the identity and brand an unmistakeable aesthetic. There are many different types of musical tuition and from my research I found that there were many people in the local area doing similar things. I wanted to create something extremely strong and bold, that would cut through less inviting visuals. I wanted a starting point, and my initial points of reference opened up pathways for further investigation. For example, I found that drum rudiments were exclusive to the snare drum, which informed me greatly.
I think that this brief would have suited some research into the target audience. The brief was interesting because there were effectively two target audiences for the two different services that Matthew provides. The identity needed to be approachable by students, but professional for the session work that Matthew was looking to get. I could have done surveys and tests, within my design development in order to ensure that my design answered the both problems.
Rudimental Drums Brief #13
Design Direction
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
What direction did I take?
Why did I take this direction?
What influenced me?
I was influenced from the shapes of the snare drum, and more indepthly, the snare rattle. I liked that the shape of the rattle, and the wavy lines had a resonating quality to them. The pattern on the snare drum of the wear is anothing thing I found endearing about the drum. In addition to this I wanted to build around a red, pattern, and bold type.
I decided to build the brand around the most identifiable part of the drum kit, and it was the shapes of the snare drum that I was very interested in developing. I felt that this strengthened the brand to have a name, visual, and brand ethic that was built around the same stimulus. I worked toward a bold type style based around a copy led promotion strategy. I felt that this was the easiest and quickest way to get peoples attention, in schools and bars.
I was influenced by wavy shapes and pattern that have always had a relationship with music, whether it’s from the literal vibration of the strings of an instrument, or the more tech driven media visualiser that always contains some form of wavy lines. I was influenced by the red of the local football team, and the fact that this colour is very high impact. Rather than using black on the red, I decided to use white in order to heighten the contrast.
Rudimental Drums Brief #13
Development
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
How did I develop the brief?
What problems did I have?
Was it successful?
I started with a very poor initial design. There was no concept, and no real design direction. After I decided that I needed to employ my full design process I started to look into the problem I was trying to solve and how I could individualise the branding. This came with a client meeting, and a more thorough understanding of the problem. After I understood the client’s intention, I started to develop the brief from the initial research stage, to design direction, and finally visual development.
You can see from my full development on my blog that the brief started in a very dire state. I had not done the appropriate research before I started designing, and this led to a very poor development of the brief. Being embarassed about my intitial designs spurred me to look into the brief and develop a better design process for the brief. This brief was done earlier in the year when I had not reflected on my design process and fully understood how to refine it. I feel that I now understand how to put together a strong a consistent design process.
I was very happy with how the brief went after I solved a few of my own initial problems. The client was very happy with the result of my development, and I feel that my process became more consistent with a professional design process. I was happy with the work that I did, but I wish that the brief was more substantial in order for me to make further design decisions. As it happened, all that was really needed were business cards, print promotion. I tried to think further about the design direction, but I would have liked to apply it to reality.
Rudimental Drums Brief #13
Presentation
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
Rudimental Drums Brief #13
Branding and Identity
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
Rudimental Drums Brief #13
Business Card
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
Rudimental Drums Brief #13
Flyer
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
Rudimental Drums Brief #13
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
Rudimental Drums Brief #13
Letterhead and Manuscript
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
Rudimental Drums Brief #13
Folder
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
Rudimental Drums Brief #13
Badges
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
Rudimental Drums Brief #13
Snare Skin
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
Rudimental Drums Brief #13
Beer Mat
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
Rudimental Drums Brief #13
Website
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
Rudimental Drums Brief #13
Mobsite
Ross Francis 102181
Extended Practice OUGD603
Rudimental Drums Brief #13