Week 15: Visit to Ngee Ann Poly's Open House 2014

Time for another field trip! This time, it is to Ngee Ann Polytechnic's Open House 2014! And boy, was it an eye-opener!

From the moment we entered the school premises, we were amazed by how spacious the compound looked. 

Coupled with bright and sunny weather, it truly was a sight to behold. As we walked further in, we caught our first glimpses of the colorful schemes of their Open House.

To add on to the feast for the eyes, there was also a DJ booth, where they played all sorts of hip music, and really got everybody's spirits up!

Another thing we noticed was the Poly's usage of big and bold headlines, along with the vivid colors in their posters. We felt that this was a smart technique used to attract the attention of visitors.

Their directional boards were also clear and concise, making it easy for visitors to find their destinations and not get lost in the vast compound.

Next up, we went around to look at the various courses on display. And there were that many of them! From Pets Care and Management to Biological sciences, it was all so very interesting, and different from what we usually see and do.

There were also CCA performances as well!

Another good concept we noticed was the easily accessible seats for resting. One is sure to get tired after traversing all around the school, and being able to find places to sit and take a rest is much needed and appreciated by visitors. Thumbs up to Ngee Ann for such a consideration!

We also noticed the interesting design concepts for some of their buildings and structures, such as this Radio Tower. Perhaps they are built this way to seem as similar to the real deal as possible, or to make things look more quirky and fun. Either way, it definitely piques visitors' interests, and garners their attention.

Last but not least, there was food! A great way to recharge our energy after all the walking. Besides, what other way to relax than simply sitting down and looking at all the colorful scenery?

In conclusion, the trip to Ngee Ann Poly was surely as interesting as it can be. We learnt many new things about visual communications and design concepts, and at the same time enjoyed ourselves thoroughly as well. And this is all made possible by our beloved lecturers who gave us this opportunity to come visit this fun event together as a group! Kudos to you lecturers!

Visual Comms Field Trip

This outing marked our first field trip as a class! Yay! We went to Orchard ION, along with some other classes, and our mission was to learn more about branding, logos and advertisements, and how the incorporation of different creative colors and fonts all contribute to making for great designs.

Our first task was to look at the brands of some well-known retail brands. We started off by examining Prada, which is a luxury goods brand that I'm sure everyone is familiar with.

Our opinion of its logo was that its unsophisticated design and plain black coloring signified that its a Classy and Simple brand. Notice also how the gold beams represent Luxury and Class, while the logo itself is in Capital Letters and stand out enough to catch passers-by's attention.

My personal opinion: Simplicity and the right color combinations make for a great Logo Design

Moving on, we decided to evaluate another extremely renowned brand that we saw: Louis Vuitton. Once again, it is a Luxury Fashion and Clothing brand. 

The first thing we noticed about it that was rather unique was its use of tainted glass, to give off a Mysterious feel to it, as customers will be more likely to wonder what is inside the store. The font is also brightly lit to attract passers-by's attention. The logo is set on a black background, to once again give off a Luxurious and Classy feel. The interior, as we noticed, was also designed in an Artistic and Modern way.

My personal opinion: Definitely lives up to its reputation as a luxurious fashion store.

Next up was Dior, selling luxury goods.

The logo had a black, business-style background with brightly-lit signboard font to attract attention and broadcast its location to passers-by. One thing unique about Dior was its usage of a mirror layout outside its store. This gives off a air of Uniqueness and Class, and is kind of telling its customers, " Come and take a look at yourself wearing our goods. Don't you think you look nice?" The store design is also very orderly and clean, pleasing to the eyes.

My personal opinion: Definitely scores high in the "specialties" department, and attracts my attention such that I would want to at least step into the store to take a look.

Following up was Dolce and Gabbana, a Luxury goods and Fashion brand.

Once again, the store design is very modern, but with a slight local twist to it.

Other than that, the general outlook is also very stylish, and the clothing and goods are displayed via clear glass panels to attract passers-by's attention.

My personal opinion: Perfectly combining elements of western Class and local Culture.

The next store we evaluated was Cartier, the luxury watches brand.

A very homely and classy interior design, incorporating various elements of the common household such as the wooden tables. The watches displays are also very organised and clear to showcase the products in a positive way.

My personal opinion: Interesting, but could improvise by displaying a few products outside the shop as well,  in glass columns, to attract people's attention.

The final store for the day was yet another renowned brand: Giorgio Armani

We felt that the interior design was not focused on a particular concept, and gave off a mysterious feel that intrigues and mesmerises customers. The door design was also unique as it uses the logo as the door handles. There were also pillar columns displaying the mannequins with the shop's products, to attract passers-by's attention.

My personal opinion: Great and unique design, can feel a luxurious atmosphere the minute one steps inside the shop.

After this task, we decided to walk along the streets, and take note of whatever interesting forms of design we come across. And I was surprised to find that there were actually quite many of them.

The usage of geometrical shapes and colored, life-sized statue figurines in these designs added effects to the lighting, as well attracted people's attention

After walking for a further distance, we arrived at our second location: the Wisma Atria. One of the first things we noticed was the escalator advertisements. We thought this was quite an ingenious plan, as while you are on the escalator waiting to reach another floor, why not kill time by looking at the interesting advertisement designs on the escalator?

The next interesting design we saw was the Ticket Cube Booth to purchase Sistic tickets.

As you can see, the entire booth was built with brightly-lit cubes to attract attention. The fact that it is located on the main walking street also serves to encourage customers to enter the booth. However, we feel that it could be improved further by placing a spokesperson at the booth, to entertain potential customers who are walking past. There could also be some interactive floor stickers to further liven things up and garner attention to the booth.

Moving on, our next location was Takashimaya.

A shop we saw there

The white vertical stripes on the billboard gave the shop a striking yet vintage look. A good point to note is that the shop also include a bit of its history on the signboard, as by reflecting on its history the customers can be enticed and led to have a good impression of the brand.

Location four was the Mandarin Orchard Singapore. A striking sight immediately greeted our eyes, and that was the Inhabit Exhibition, displaying an array of rather creepy-looking dolls.

The dolls create a different atmosphere in the area, setting it apart from the evidently jovial mood of the rest of the street. The dolls were also well-displayed in clear glass containers, and successfully arouse curiosity in passers-by. The venue, as we noted, was also very suitable, as the entire display was placed under shelter, and in front of prominent shops, thus attracting much attention to this little area.

Last but not least, our final location was the 313@Somerset. 

We visited this novelty stationary shop called "made with love". The first thing we noticed was the use of small letter for the entirety of the shop name. This was a first today, as all the previous stores we mentioned had striking capital letters for its entire logo. We thus attributed this particular store's design concept to be one of informality, as it wanted to portray a friendly image where the customers can come in and relax, and make shopping decisions under such an atmosphere.

Overall, however, we felt that the general direction that the store was taking was still towards a more prominent stationary boutique.

The next shop we saw was the Smoothie King

A good design concept here is the figurine of the store hallmark item-flavored smoothies. For those who might not be very familiar with what a smoothie is, the minute they see the standing figurine, their questions will all be answered. Thus, we felt that this was a interesting and efficient way to broadcast one's product to customers. The logo also has a crown that symbolises the store status as a "king", and the general ambiance was also relaxed and fun.

The final shop we visited was Dolce Tokyo, a Japanese-themed cafe.

The general art direction taken by this store was that of a modern and contemporary one, thereby creating an impression that the cafe is moving towards such a goal.

And that concludes our VC Field Trip. At the end of the day, we can definitely say that we had great fun there, bonding and learning new and interesting things at the same time. It was insightful, and I certainly wish that there will be more opportunities such as this. Until then, goodbye!

Sem 2, Week 2: Creative Processes

As you may recall, last week we learnt about Marketing Communications, and how the Creative Brief is a important part of it. This week, we are going to take a look at some of the Creative Processes behind a successful Creative Brief.



Source: http://images.mises.org/3461/Figure6.jpg

CREATIVE PROCESS (Part 1)

Creative Team
We'll start off by introducing the team in-charge itself. This group is directly responsible for the origination of advertising ideas and concepts from a Creative Brief supplied by the Strategy Planner and Account Teams (Remember last week?). The members of this team usually consists of  a Creative Director, and Art Director and a Copywriter. There can also be some Designers in the team. What do these people do? Why, be creative, of course! They generate relevant ideas, and brainstorm together to solve the Client's problems and achieve his agenda. They are also able to reach their target audience by understanding the consumer behaviour and various media channels available to the advertisers. So as you can see, the Creative Team is like the "Brain" of the Creative Process, and is the key source of creativity for a project.




Source: http://chrissonksen.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/creative-meeting2.png

Direct and Indirect Inspiration
At first glance, you may find this term pretty hard to understand. But in all honesty, it is actually quite a simple process. A key point to take note of is that great ideas are usually not instantaneous. Meaning more often than not, you are not going to be able to settle on a brilliant final plan for the Creative Brief. This is where brainstorming as a group and mind-mapping comes in. Instead of focusing all on the final results, start small ask yourself some simple questions, such as what do you want to achieve, why do you want to achieve this, how to go about achieving this. Basically, the 5 W's and 1 H. Once you have started on these basic questions, you can then proceed to brainstorm for ideas, and another point to take note of is that, like what our lecturer said, do pen down all the ideas that goes through your head, no matter how ridiculous! After all, there is always the possibility that by looking at these initial ideas on paper, you can eventually "layer" them up and link them together to form a grander plan! In short, explore all available options with an open mind.



Source: http://mathieujang.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/inspiration-light-bulb.jpg


Research and Familiarisation
Very simple ideas. Familiarise yourself with the situation and the Client Brief, and do additional research on the task at hand. Some directions you can take include finding out about the Product/Service, the Manufacturer, the Sellers and the Consumer Audience. Also be sure to research on whatever interesting facts there are, that may not be well know by the market. Surprise them, and the Target Audience will be sure to remember the Client the next time they see your ad.



Source: http://spectrumcenter.umich.edu/sites/spectrumcenter.umich.edu/files/field/image/research.png



CREATIVE PROCESS ( Part 2)

Ideas Generation
A Key component of the Creative Process, is none other than the process of creating ideas itself! There are 5 short and proven steps to effective Idea Generation.
Step 1 is to list down any simple idea that may cross your mind as you are pondering over the task (Refer to Direct and Indirect Inspiration). Remember not to judge your own ideas, and truly let your creativity run wild!

Step 2 is to try to incorporate the element of "surprise" into your ideas ( Refer to Research and Familiarisation).

Step 3 is to be observant of human behaviour, such as anticipating how the target audience and the media is going to react to your ideas. Fell free to make use of personal experiences to guide you.

Step 4 is to keep a record of all your ideas and observations so far, as they may all help you to achieve new inspirations.

Step 5, the last step, is to actually test out your ideas in reality. Access and evaluate the results collected, and if the need arises, revisit your idea again. And remember to revise on the Client Brief, always!




Source: http://artpetty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ideas.jpg



Concept Development
You may ask yourself, "what is the difference between an Idea and an Concept". Well, to put things simply, an Idea mostly exists individually, while a Concept is often a collection of different Ideas in a more complex and interesting way. Basically, Concept Development is the process of generating multiple ideas after an analysis of the task or product. It is important to note that after developing a concept, do make sure that you can represent it in a visual form, such as a diagram, thumbnails or mood board, so as to allow the Creative Director and the rest of the team to better understand your concept.



Source: http://13thirtyone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/1331Design_ConceptDevelopment_Title.jpg



Copy-writing
Next up on the list is Copy-writing. This is the process of writing text, be it a Media Release or Advertisement, for the purpose of advertising and marketing. The Copywriter is the one who will be putting down the ideas into words, and try to sell them to the target audience and media. Thus, it is important for the copywriter to know the market well, and write in such a way that the recipient can easily understand the concept. Some important tips: Make sure the Headline is big and attractive enough. The text body should also be able to drive the pace and momentum created by the headline. Also remember to use words that an average person can understand. After all, you are not trying to show off your language skills here!

Source: http://www.eacsoft.com/images/seo-copywriting.jpg



Brainstorming
And finally, we have one of the most important skills ever in group work. Brainstorming is when you get together as a group to produce ideas and strategy. In this case, the entire Creative Team gets to work with one another to do this. And as such, it is important to have responsibility to do your share of work, and be able to cooperate with other team members well. Brainstorming is a very efficient tool as well because it helps you to break out of the stale, established ways of thinking, and see things from a new perspective. Moreover, when used as a team, the amount of ideas generated can be so many, such that it increases the richness of the ideas explored, allowing you to find solutions to any problems you may face. Last but not least, it allows team members to bond, and work together in a positive group environment.



Source: http://mindspower.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/brainstorming.jpg



As you can see, this week was really content- heavy. But since I have learnt so many useful terms and techniques to better facilitate my future endeavors, I have absolutely no regrets!

Sem 2, Week 1: Introduction to Marketing Communications

This week marks the beginning of Semester 2, and to start the term off, we learnt about something slightly different from what we have been doing so far for Visual Communications. This week's lesson was all about learning about Marketing Communications and its components.

Turns out, there are actually many parts and factors to consider when one wants to have effective and efficient marketing communications. I will now be listing down each individual component, as well as what is their main objective.

1) The Agency-The company is obviously what the client will be working with closely to achieve what he wants. There are many components to The Agency, and all of them work together to achieve the most optimal results in favor of the client.

2) Strategy Planner team- who access the target market and does various other important research to better understand the situation and to plan ahead.

3) Account team- This team works closely with the Strategy Planner team, and supervises the processes going on in the agency, and also deals with administrative issues. This team is also mainly responsible for lionizing with the client.

4) Creative Department- deals with ad ideas, art direction and copy-writing,

5) Production department- turns ideas into reality, and has to be able to work under tight deadlines.

6) Media Buying and Planning department- deals with the media to reach intended target audience and negotiate terms and prices for buying and planning.

So as you can see, there is alot of work going on behind closed doors, and that's also what makes learning about Marketing Communications so interesting!




Before The Agency can begin working on a client's project, it first needs to have an idea of who the client is and what he wants to achieve. This necessary information is known best by the client himself, and thus it is no wonder that it is the client that must first hand over the Client Brief to The Agency. Well, to the Account Team, to be precise.



Source: http://yokasara.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/3-client-brief.jpg

The Client Brief is, in summary:
 A statement of the problem/opportunity. There is an distinct emphasis on clarity and a clear and precise summary of the brand's current position, its marketing strategy and what it wants to achieve. 

Every project has to start with a Client Brief, which clearly states the the objectives of the campaign. A important note to take is that the client should never tell The Agency what to do, but should instead give as much guidance and information as possible in order to arrive at the best possible solution. The Agency's Account Team should in turn pay utmost attention to the Client Brief, and be prepared with their own research and "homework" done prior. Some important components to a good Client Brief include
Where do the clients want to be,
Who do they need to talk to, 
What are they doing to get to the point they want to be, etc.


Last but not least, we have the Creative Brief.

The Creative Brief is, in summary:
The beginnings of the creative solution. There's a strong emphasis on crystallising the strategic ideas to provide a platform that will inform and inspire creative ideas. 



Source: http://www.mohawkconnects.com/feltandwire/wpcontent/uploads/2011/02/WhoUsesACreativeBrief.jpg

The Creative Brief is done by the Account team and the Strategy Planner team, and is based on the information provided in the Client Brief PLUS the teams' own additional research. This is the information about the all that The Agency has done for the Client over the past few months, and must thus be of utmost perfection, so as to impress the Client, and not to waste everyone's efforts. Some simple tips to a good Creative Brief are simplicity, clarity, problem-solving and agenda-achieving. You must also remember to present your work to the client politely and professionally!

This week's lesson has been very insightful, and opened my eyes to the world of marketing communications. The teacher was clear and easy to understand, and made the whole tutorial interesting with hands-on activities.

Week 16: Typography post!

This week was all about learning the different aspects to making good texts in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Indesign. And boy, was it content-heavy!

To start things off, we were taught about Character and Word Spacing. A key concept to take note of was the word "kerning". Kerning is the adding and subtracting of space between a particular pair of characters.   There are apparently many types of kerning, and you can choose to either automatically kern type using metrics kerning or optical kerning, or even kern type manually. To give an idea to kerning, here's a useful diagram:


Before applying the optical kerning option to the “W” and “a” pair (top), and after (bottom)

Source: http://help.adobe.com/en_US/indesign/cs/using/images/op_06.png

And, here's a fun and interactive website for you to get a rough idea of kerning, as well as trying it out!

Link: http://type.method.ac/


Next, we have Paragraph Formatting. Remember how in fairy tale storybooks, the first alphabet of the chapter would be larger and more fanciful than the rest?

Does this ring a bell?



Source: http://www.biljanakroll.com/images/projects/project_24_item_74.jpg

Well, this is made possible by Paragraph Formatting. Basically, this tool allows you to control the amount of space between paragraphs. There are also various aspects to this tool, such as using "drop caps" to increase the size of the first letter, etc., just like as shown in the picture above.
You can read more about paragraph formatting here:
 http://help.adobe.com/en_US/indesign/cs/using/WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-6dd2a.html


Following that, we learnt how to apply line (stroke) settings. Adobe InDesign allows you to apply various types and sizes of your strokes, all via the Stroke Panel, which grants you the ability to control the "density" and appearance of your strokes. This function is definitely very interesting, as you can even set various shapes to the start and end of your lines, with such shapes ranging from circles to arrows. These are all available in the Stroke panel. You can also save your very own custom strokes, along with many other options to make your text look nicer and befitting your style!

Sample start and end shapes:



Source:http://help.adobe.com/en_US/indesign/cs/using/images/as_46.png


Last but not least, we learnt about "leading". No, not leading as in leadership, this particular "leading" indicates the vertical space between lines of text. Leading is measured from the baseline of one line of text to the baseline of the line above it. Baseline is the "invisible line" on which most letters sit. This tool is important as I'm sure you wouldn't want your lines of words to be too close to one another, making it seemed "clumped" together, and difficult to read. Well, whatever your needs, changing the leading is the way to go!

An example of leading:



Source: http://help.adobe.com/en_US/indesign/cs/using/images/op_15.png

And here is a link for you to learn more about leading:
http://www.wikihow.com/Adjust-Leading-in-InDesign

These were just some of the stuff we learnt this week, as it was so very content-heavy. But nevertheless, everything we learnt was useful for sure, and it was quite interesting as well. For example, I did not even know that there were so many kind of strokes available for own own use. Well, I suppose everyday we learn something new!









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