For this brief we where asked to team up in groups of two, me and my partner Justin Channel produced the following hoodie for the Hang ten traveling hoddie brief. The Hang Ten brief was a bit of a mind-bender at first. We were shown some interesting videos that gave us a good indication of what the brief was about, which definitely helped us on our way. We tried to wrap our heads around trying to communicate the concept of a journey in a unique and interesting way and wracked our brains until we began to start thinking productively. One of the more useful ideas that came from our individual brainstorming was to get the consumer or customer to interact with their hoodie and personalise it. We came up with the idea of letting the consumer write on the hoodie with a fabric marker that we would supply with the hoodie, encouraging them to take the hoodie with them wherever they go and fill it with their own stories and memories. We had to try and balance this idea of consumer interaction with the overall design of the hoodie, not letting the consumer have too much influence on the aesthetic appeal of the hoodie itself.
At first, we wanted to use semiotics and symbols as pictorial elements, leaving them to communicate the general feel of what the story was about. We would then have a little area that would be dedicated to the story, which would be typed using formal typography. Some of these areas for type would be left blank, which would allow the consumer to fill in their own story relating to the pictorial element. We realised that it would be important to have the individual elements vary in scale to create more of a visual impact and to relieve the design of a monotonous and boring layout. We also thought it was really important to try and draw interesting elements from our surroundings and decided to use various elements that you would only find in Durban/South Africa. After all, local is lekker! We started brainstorming about the unique people and interactions around Durban and tried to find ways to link them up with our overall concept.
The below typeface, called “Miriam”, was derived from your typical domestic helper working in the “new” South Africa. It is based on the little details that serve as evidence that apartheid has not been completely eradicated in South Africa. Many domestic workers, for instance, continue to etch their names onto their crockery and cutlery in order to differentiate them from those of their Western employers. Many helpers also still use “white” names, such as “Miriam” which are easier to pronounce. This confirms that although South Africa is trying to promote equality, societal constraints do still exist.
Ijusi Double Page Spread Option 1
Ijusi Double Page Spread Option 2
Ijusi Single Page Spread
I thenbegan to think of things that Africa has in contrast to other international countries. I then stumbled upon the topic of domestic helpers. The African individuality aspect is derived from the fact that oversea’s they have Au pairs and Butlers to do their domestic work in the households and to take care of their kids, whereby here we have ‘Maids’ and O.C’s that go about the domestic work. No where else do O.C’s wear those typically brightly patturned uniforms and black R10; 00 tommy takkies from PEP clothing stores, with socks that either don't match or that have holes in them, followed with an old school jersey. I then began to think that many westurn households to this very day still have seperate cutlery for their domestic helpers and how their zulu names no longer become applicable in westurn households, but a simple english interpration is given to their names, such as Beauty, Constance, Precious or as in our household Miriam ( when I was a kid ). It was at this point when I realized that I wanted to make a comment on the fact that as much as we are viva freedom here in South Africa the reminiscence of apartheid still exist especially in the older generations. I then thought of a typically African stye of cutlery, milky toned enamel mugs. I then realised that by means of engraving their name into the bottom of their cutlery domestic helpers in some means would find their Identity as South Africans, through their English names and the branding of their cutlery. It is not something I support but in some households it still applies.
The initial part of the brief consisted of the brief consisted with the creation of a One Minute Anti Design Movie.
Secondly we where asked to create a Viral Campaign around the movie. My conceptual reasoning behind my viral campaign began with me wanting to examine and explore consumerism. I wanted to target a well-known and highly consumed brand. I was interested in taking something completely commercial and doing the exact opposite with it, create anti design. I sought after a brand that was known by all classes and cultures alongside having no one direct target market. I did realize for this campaign to be successful it would need to be a brand that is highly recognizable and distinguishable even merely by its colours. That’s when Chappies bubblegum became my focus for my anti viral campaign. I was interested in manipulating the consumer’s eyes into seeing design in a new way, In order to achieve this objective I established a Viral campaign targeting all markets. My posters where placed in public telephone booths, benches, street signs, drains etc.
Anti Design Chappies Logo
In relation to my viral campaign I’m wanting to capture the consumers eyes by using stark bright colours and eye catching images. I took pictures of the original chappies gum once it was chewed and then edited them in Photoshop in order for me to make my viral campaign effective and successful. To a certain extent I wanted the images to seem fake, I wanted the colours to affect the consumers eyes, to seem to juicy, tasty and to resist. My sole aim is for your focus as a consumer to stay with the image which then will lead to a curiosity and a desire to either purchase my product or investigate it further. If you wish to see any further developments of this project such as my packaging, point of sale, or alternative posters please don't hesitate to contact me.
