Creative Concepts

This ad from Nivea has a creative concept. I think this is an ad for anti-cellulite cream or something. This plays off the concept that some couches have dimples in relation to the "imperfections" that cellulite on someone's body can show. This ad was very clever.

This is an anti-drunk driving ad from Guinness beer. The caption reads, "The more you drink, the slower you react. Please drink responsibly." I like this ad because it actually shows the effects of drunk driving. A regular stop sign really looks like this when you are drunk behind the wheel. This ad is creative in a way that makes you think and realize that driving under the influence is dangerous.

My first experiences with InDesign

I can definitely tell that this type of software is ideal for design purposes. I like InDesign but I know I will like it even more when I master it. In these intro classes, it seems very over-whelming with all of the buttons and gadgets that are plastered on the screen. I used it recently totally by myself in the Design Lab and I was ok until I saw other people around me doing masterpieces! In a way, it was intimidating seeing all of the other people actually knowing what they are doing. On the same token, I am inspired and confident that I will be able to use InDesign with ease in the future. I just hope that it will be in the NEAR future! I think it is just a matter of getting more comfortable and familiar with the software.

Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Design

This poster for the movie, "The Butterfly Effect" is an example of symmetrical design. The butterfly itself is a very symmetrical insect so it would make sense for the poster to be reminiscent of a butterfly. I found it harder to find images of symmetrical design because maybe people find asymmetrical design more interesting.

This Nike ad caught my eye because of the contrast in color and the contrast of the text versus the image. In most cases, color carries more weight but in this ad the  black and white image carries more weight than the text.  This also makes sense because images carry more weight than text, regardless of color. Your eye goes to the image first and coincides with the message of the ad. 

CRAP!

This flyer for a MICA event has elements of CRAP in it. Contrast is shown on many levels in this flyer. There is a contrast of color, size and weight in the typefaces and arrows against the black background. There is also contrast in the types of typefaces in the text. The yellow, red and blue arrows show repetition. This repetitious border draws the eye into the context of the flyer. All of the words on the flyer are aligned vertically in the center. This flyer also shows proximity. It is easier to achieve proximity in this case because it is not a big flyer. The small space keeps everything related; short, sweet and to the point. 

Figure/Ground

Familiar logo right?

Now look closer. Do you see the arrow between the "E" and the "x"? One of my teachers in high school pointed this out to me. Now, I know it actually has a name, figure/ground. The letters act as the figure and the arrow is the ground but it also acts as an image in itself. You will never look at another FedEx truck the same way, will you?

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...

The following two examples are ads from magazines. The two ads have few words but they get their messages across without confusing the reader/viewer.

This ad from Car and Driver magazine really caught my eye. For the concept and the message to be so simple, the design aspect is very original and detailed. I like how Suzuki shows their brand to be above the rest.  It shows the competitive nature of the car industry in a visually appealing way. Good job, Suzuki!

This ad by Hillshire Farm makes the product do all of the advertising. This is a good example of graphic design because of the use of imagery. The product is likened to a magnet, attracting all of the different flavors and ingredients. This ad uses a limited amount of text but the message is strong.

Now for the not so good. Though I am a writer at heart, I believe the next two examples are extremely wordy and/or the designs could be a lot better.

This two-page ad from Weather Tech (sorry for the bad merging) is very wordy. The designers of this ad were trying to include a letter from CEO and a very busy picture. The white font is hard to read through the photo. For the lengthy amount of text with this ad, I think another picture or a more solid background would be more appropriate.


 

This ad for Pearl Izumi shoes was featured in Runner's World magazine some years back. I found this ad to be very interesting. Like many of you, the heading grabbed my attention. Before I get into the content, the ad is very wordy. Magazine ads are meant to catch your eye. If you are like me, pictures and designs always catch my attention. I think that the content of the ad is very morbid. Though the ad was memorable, I think that the company's vision was missed. The consumer will remember the "dead bodies" aspect before they even think about buying the shoes.  A little creepy.