Dangerously Cute: Using Brand Mascots as Political Propaganda

When the Amul Girl mascot was created in 1966 to represent an Indian brand of butter, she  was immediately a hit with households across India. The branding was created to help the Indian company compete with Polson's, a company who had a monopoly on the market until the 1960s. The light skinned, slightly chubby, adorable girl with the blue-haired bowl cut immediately won hearts, and brand loyalty. She quickly became a pop culture icon and came to represent the upper class and liberal politics in India. The messaging on the ads has evolved through the years and over the last six years, the messaging has shifted to pro-state propaganda and Hindu nationalism. Amul is now being used to normalize harsh government laws and pro-surveillance laws.Learn more and see examples here in this video created by artist and designer Kruttika Susarla: https://youtu.be/znMcCUH8aq8Sources:https://designincubation.com/publications/abstracts/utterly-butterly-propaganda-an-analysis-of-illustration-as-a-tool-of-persuasion-in-amul-ads/

Imagine a world without logos

Logorama from Marc Altshuler on Vimeo.The award-winning animated short, Logorama, does a wonderful job of showing how pervasive branding is in our lives in a clever and satirical parody.The art of crafting logos and creating brand identities has long been a mainstay of graphic design. Schooled in creating icons, it's hard to find an advertising or design company that doesn't have a dedicated section in their online portfolio for branding.In 1999 Naomi Klein wrote the bestselling book, "No Logo," where she reported on the dangers of global branding and how while our minds were elsewhere, superbrands ramped up their cannibalization of every aspect of our cultural lives. Klein critiqued the political power of superbrands.Twenty years later, branding is bigger than ever. People are encouraged to create their own personal brands. There are courses offered in it. High school counselors, job coaches, and other well meaning folks all stress how important this is.On the other hand, people are told personal branding is meaningless in an article by Fast Company aimed at Generation X. The article encourages them to seek out their professional ethos rather than their brand.Brands have become even bigger than Klein had predicted, with bespoke design soaring as a discipline, and entire branding companies describing themselves as bespoke brand specialists. Music festivals, charity events, product placement, social media, sports teams, and more are co-opted by logos of the brands they represent as companies strive for "brand engagement."Whether it is embracing our brand, rejecting our brand, or seeking to create a bespoke brand—the common denominator throughout is indeed branding. There's no question that creating the symbols for them—logos—is bigger than ever.Can you even imagine a world without logos?Sources:https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/aug/11/no-logo-naomi-klein-20-years-on-interviewhttps://www.fastcompany.com/90385831/you-are-not-a-brand?partner=rss

Trump-Pen-an-ce

I know the man's name is Pence, but I can't help seeing "Penance," and wondering what we've done wrong as a nation that was so bad to deserve this.As critics and comics alike discussed the pros and cons of the newly revealed logo before social media prompted them to revise it a day after its release and take away the charming monogram, it's wise to keep our minds on the essence of logo design—it stands for a brand. Along with the obvious sexual associations of the "T" penetrating the "P," it may also be prophetic in predicting what may be about to happen to our country.What can graphic designers do about the impending penance? Making signs and posters is one way we can use our skills as they did this past March when they protested outside of Trump Tower holding 40-inch-by-60-inch signs of bold, graphic letters that together spelled "Build Kindness Not Walls."They may also want to take some ideas from the "Black Lives Matter" movement and see how graphic designers have been helping to fight racial injustice. Using data from news reports, some are creating shareable data viz, while others are creating memes to help get the word out.As the GOP Convention launches into full swing today, it's fun to analyze branding in terms of its design qualities and symbolism—but it's even more important for us to look at our social responsibility and see where we can help to combat the impending penance looming in our nation's future.Sources:http://www.wired.com/2016/07/ins-outs-new-trump-pence-logo/http://www.fastcodesign.com/3057904/how-graphic-designers-are-protesting-trumphttp://www.fastcodesign.com/3061779/how-designers-can-help-the-black-lives-matter-movement

Branding the Olympics—“worst practices” in design

While the Olympic games themselves are steeped in excellence and “best practices” in athletics—the design of the 2020 Olympic logo has spiraled into an example “worst practices” in graphic design.This past September the 2020 Tokyo Olympic logo that was designed by Kenjiro Sano was scrapped when he was accused of design plagiarism. Sano’s design has characteristics of a logo designed by Belgian designer Olivier Debie for the Theatre de Liege.Initially, organizers defended Sano, but then changed their minds, asserting that using a logo that is not supported by the public is not in their best interests and the success of the Olympics. Instead, they decided to crowdsource the logo design, opening it up to anyone. The organizers received nearly 15,000 entries from people competing for $8,250 and tickets to the opening ceremonies.This week AIGA firmly stated their position with an open letter to the Tokyo Olympic committee. Executive Director Ric Grefé discussed several reasons why crowdsourcing logos is damaging to designers, the highlights follow:

• Crowdsourcing takes advantage of designers, asking them to work countless hours without a guarantee of any compensation. Furthermore, the amount of the proposed award, is much lower than what the appropriate compensation would be for a brand identity that will have global value, being reproduced millions of times.
• By opening the contest to the general public, the committee demonstrates a complete lack of respect for trained and experienced professionals.
• The valuable collaboration with the client when creating a brand identity is completely ignored with crowdsourcing , compromising the ethics and global standards for professional designers.

U.S. designer Michael Raisch’s response to the controversy echoes AIGA’s stance. With over a decade of experience in sports branding, Raisch thinks that crowdsourcing brand identity devalues creative professional careers and thei contributions to the world. He decided to point to the absurdity of the committee’s decision to crowdsource the logo by opening the contest up to three-year-olds, emphasizing the point that crowdsourcing results in amateur work. Raisch created an endearing video about the experience entitled, “A 3 Year Old Explains the Olympic Logo.”The contest just closed this past week—stay tuned for the results—no doubt more controversy is in store.http://eyeondesign.aiga.org/against-crowdsourcing-logo-design-an-open-letter-from-aiga-to-the-tokyo-olympic-committee/http://edition.cnn.com/2015/09/02/sport/tokyo-olympic-logo-scrapped/index.htmlhttp://www.designweek.co.uk/a-three-year-old-could-have-designed-that-the-olympic-logo-made-by-a-toddler/

Un-branding Columbus Day

For decades, communities and cities have been un-branding Columbus Day. Whether they are appalled at the atrocities committed by Christopher Columbus in his quest to conquer the Americas, or indignant at the idea that their community was “discovered,” the call for the un-branding of Columbus Day has been an angry voice pitted against many passionate supporters.Officially declared a national holiday in 1934, activists seeking to ban celebrations of the day go back as far as the 19th century because of concerns over the Knights of Columbus—an organization thought to be working toward expanding Catholic influence. The call to re-brand it “Indigenous People’s Day” goes back nearly a century ago when the Society of American Indians advocated for change. The city of Berkeley stopped celebrating Columbus day in 1992. Last year cities like Minneapolis and Seattle joined the ranks. This year, at least nine cities across the country will celebrate Indigenous People’s Day instead. In fact, over a dozen states have joined the ranks of those who do not observe it as a national holiday, and each year the number grows.Even if activists manage to convince the opposition to change the name, the bigger battle is likely to be on the consumer front. A quick search for Columbus Day yields tons of deals for shoppers. The Frugal Shopper offers advice on how to navigate the sales over the three-day weekend. There is plenty of advertising ephemera for Columbus Day sales, none for Indigenous People’s Day. Columbus Day has a strong brand identity depicted by a variety of elements: portraits of Christopher Columbus, mighty ships, American flags, stars, and stripes. Indigenous People’s Day has no brand identity, at least that I could find.Which do you think will prove harder, changing the mind-set of those determined to celebrate a famed explorer (aka pirate)? Or those determined to get the best retail deals? Perhaps what we need is a strong brand.Sources:http://digiday.com/brands/columbus-day-rebrand/http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/columbus-day-now-indigenous-peoples-day-seattle-and-minneapolis-180952958/?no-isthttp://theoatmeal.com/comics/columbus_dayhttp://money.usnews.com/money/the-frugal-shopper/2015/10/07/how-to-navigate-columbus-day-saleshttp://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/10/11/more-cities-celebrating-indigenous-peoples-day-as-effort-to-abolish-columbus-day-grows/http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/columbus-day-now-indigenous-peoples-day-seattle-and-minneapolis-180952958/?no-ist 

Branding Whackyweed

While doing research for this blog post, I discovered there are at least 564 nicknames used for marijuana, about 500 more than exist for cigarettes and alcohol. This may be a sign of times to come for brand marketers as they scramble to figure how to brand the newly legal drug.In fact, designers and bloggers are already hard at work branding marijuana. Last month Creative Bloq published an article about the challenges designers face in rebranding marijuana from illegal to legal. They offer advice about the importance of ditching the street names and using scientific language instead.Designers are also challenged when differentiating between service and product types. Similar to alcohol and cigarettes, marijuana comes in many different strengths and flavors—but it also has a wider variety of uses including skincare products and supplements for pets.Brand experts may differ in their process and their outcomes, but they generally agree that branding is a form of story telling. But what is the story they want to tell? Some proponents of marijuana feel it is a recreational drug, similar to alcohol. If this is the story then we can expect to see these products competing with top Super Bowl advertisers like Budweiser, romanticizing the effects of marijuana, presenting it as the ultimate party drug—sure to win you friends, fun, and make all your problems go away. Others feel that marijuana's story should be about it’s medicinal effects and how it can be used for an overall sense of wellness, healing, and proper nutrition—a panacea of sorts. All of these stories collectively indicate big business is on the way. Companies like Aquarius Cannabis are dedicated to branding marijuana. Their website talks about the “cannabusiness” and the challenges of addressing both market sectors—medicinal and recreational.While such business steamrolls ahead, let us not forget the ethical issues involved. Similar to branding cigarettes and alcohol, graphic designers are likely to find themselves on Milton Glaser’s “Road to Hell” when working in this industry sector. Many would argue that much like cigarettes and alcohol, branding marijuana hits #11 on Glaser’s list, “Design an ad for a product whose continued use might cause the user's death?” Although a bit more complex due to proven medicinal effects and other uses, there’s plenty of evidence that the misuse of marijuana that would certainly put it in the same category.Then there’s the impact of growing marijuana on the environment. It’s estimated that 60-70% of marijuana consumed in the U.S. comes from California. Marijuana is a thirsty plant—using twice as much water as wine grapes. Cultivation of this plant, especially during the current drought conditions, needs to be done responsibly. Ecologist Mary Power recently co-authored a paper for the journal of Bioscience that details the destruction of the sensitive watersheds where cultivation is done and stresses how important it is that the environment be included in the debate on marijuana legalization. Power feels that quasi-legalization increases the difficulty to address the harmful environmental effects and full legalization may make things better from an environmental standpoint.Regardless of your opinion on marijuana, there is no disputing the fact that as the debate continues about its legalization, branding efforts will continue to grow right alongside it—and graphic designers will be navigating these murky ethical waters right alongside as well.Sources:http://www.pot-heads.com/what-are-the-nicknames-for-marijuana.aspxhttp://onlineslangdictionary.com/http://www.fastcodesign.com/3024457/6-branding-lessons-from-the-pioneers-of-weed-designhttp://www.creativebloq.com/advertising/how-designers-are-rebranding-marijuana-61515127?utm_source=Design+Indaba+mailing+list&utm_campaign=6e059e5cdf-Weekly_17_jun_20156_18_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_eb8e2b1d91-6e059e5cdf-429312541http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/10-best-ads-super-bowl-xlviii-155441http://www.miltonglaser.com/milton/c:essays/#2http://e360.yale.edu/feature/the_high_environmental_cost_of_illicit_marijuana_cultivation/2895/http://www.livescience.com/42738-marijuana-vs-alcohol-health-effects.html

ISIS—a brand in the making

We see brands in the making every day; either new brands for start-ups, or redesigns for long established companies. However, seeing the branding of a dangerous and powerful terrorist group right before our eyes is something all graphic designers should take note of.These days ISIS has been changing its brand; “ISIL,” “IS,” and “Islamic State” are all variations that are being used. The symbol above, the black banner comprised of a white calligraphic shahada, represents one of the five Pillars of Islam, positioned over the historical seal of Muhammad. (1) And just like all brands—t-shirts, head scarves, dolls, and other brand collateral are available for purchase to help spread their brand message.Like the Nazi swastika symbol whose meaning in ancient sanskrit is “Well-being, Good Existence, or Good Luck,” ISIS has roots in ancient history too. The original Isis is the Egyptian goddess of health, marriage, and love—one of the first and most important goddesses. While few of us that hear the term ISIS today associate it with the Egyptian goddess, it’s interesting to note the underlying reference and wonder whether or not it was a calculated coincidence. Like the Nazis who adopted the swastika as their symbol for the expansion of their race, ISIS could be evoking the Egyptian goddess as they press forward with the inclusion of the symbol for shahada, which means “there is only one god.”As far as the current evolution of its brand name, experts would caution against changing a brand in the midst of its growth to avoid brand confusion. Muslim leaders in the U.S. and around the world are upset by the evolution of the brand to “Islamic State.” It marginalizes the vast majority of Muslims who are disgusted by the group’s un-Islamic actions. (2) However, it’s  no doubt a calculated move and a huge victory for the movement as they seek to recruit young muslims. Using “Islamic State” is a strategic move toward giving the movement religious legitimacy.Compared to the brutal slayings and violence that ISIS is leaving in its wake, the branding efforts may appear to be the least of our problems. However, all we need to do is look at history to see how powerful the branding of evil can be.Notes:1. http://www.printmag.com/daily-heller/branding-isis-isil-is/2. http://www.thesunchronicle.com/vip/opinion/columns/op-ed-why-branding-isis-matters/article_94a652a0-429f-5a1d-9ba9-df375a9f3843.htmlSources:http://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends/symbol-swastika-and-its-12000-year-old-history-001312http://www.fdlreporter.com/story/opinion/2014/09/20/branding-isis-matter/15967959/http://www.egyptartsite.com/isis.htmlhttp://nypost.com/2014/06/24/merchants-peddle-isis-branded-clothing-in-indonesia/http://www.atelierworks.co.uk/blog/the-dividends-of-death.php

Brand (un)control

The London 2012 Olympic logo has been discussed (and criticized) ever since it was unveiled in 2007. With the start of the Olympics only two weeks away, it seemed like a good time to take another look.Branding has always been one of my favorite areas of graphic design. As a graphic designer, I find it to be one of the most challenging areas; as an educator, one of the most interesting. The social implications of branding are often more interesting than the logos themselves. Then of course there is the question of what is "good" branding. Should it be considered a success if it's designed well, made an impact and created brand awareness, or for what it stands for?Before the age of social media the brand experience was carefully crafted and planned. Steven Heller's book, Iron Fists: Branding the 20th Century Totalitarian State, offers a fascinating comparison of corporate branding strategies—slogans, mascots, jingles and the rest—to those adopted by four of the most destructive 20th‐century totalitarian regimes: Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalin, and Mao’s China.Fast forward to the 21st Century and the age of social media. A brand identity is no longer tightly controlled from the top down. As soon as it's introduced it's open to feedback from anywhere; control has reversed—it's now from the bottom up.When Wolff Olins was asked by London's Organizing committee to design a logo for the 2012 Olympics they were asked to "inspire a generation." The brand promise was to put the Olympic and Paralympic Games at the heart of contemporary life. With this goal in mind, many would say they've been successful. The logo has inspired a multitude of criticism, parody, and even paranoia. Iran's National Olympic Committee threatened to boycott the Olympics because they said the logo was racist because some believed they could see the word "Zion" in the abstract design. IOC President Jacques Rogge dismissed the criticism. The one thing that everyone would agree on is that since its release in 2007 the logo has been a hotbed of controversy.  It's been deconstructed and reconfigured to suggest everything from a swastika to Lisa and Bart Simpson having sex.What do you think? Is the logo "good," and how important has social media been in building the brand?Sources:http://www.davidairey.com/london-2012-olympic-logo-disaster/http://imprint.printmag.com/uncategorized/the-eye-of-the-beholders/http://imprint.printmag.com/branding/spoof-protest-and-conspiracy-london-2012-anti-logos/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=spoof-protest-and-conspiracy-london-2012-anti-logos&et_mid=566392&rid=23821332http://www.wolffolins.com/work/london-2012http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympic_games/9410046.stmhttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/arts/31iht-IDLEDE2.1.14885119.html?_r=3http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/critics-slam-london-olympic-logo-193526099--oly.html 

Is Kony 2012 tony, or phony?

Kony 2012—the slick and emotional video by Invisible Children that has been circling the internet through Facebook posts, reblogs, and other forms of viral marketing—has been under attack this week. Critics are claiming that is irresponsible, self-serving, and a ploy for mass merchandising.With a campaign that asks supporters to "get the kit," some feel that Kony 2012 has become more than a campaign for justice—it's also become a source of revenue for its founders. Posters, bracelets, hoodies, and t-shirts are also for sale there and other places online. Questions about how much money is going to Jason Russell (its co-founder and filmmaker) vs. how much is actually going to the children have been raised. In response to this criticism Invisible Children has posted a response which includes a breakdown of expenses along with their financials.College student Grant Oyston never expected he would get over 2.3 unique views when he wrote the blog post Visible Children: Criticizing Kony 2012. Oyston says he wrote about the issue because he felt that people were jumping on the bandwagon to follow this campaign without doing research into either the organization Invisible Children or the war in Uganda. He said that up until his blog post came up he could find very little written about these issues.The poet Suli Breaks thinks the backlash against the Kony campaign is more a matter of cynicism. In a short response on YouTube he asserts that if the civil rights movement was going on now his generation wouldn't buy it. Suli goes on to say people have jumped from the Kony campaign to the anti-Kony campaign—without researching either stance.Many people, including Op-Ed NY Times columnist Nicholas Kristoff, have come out in favor of the campaign, saying that over the years he has seen that public attention can create an environment in which solutions are more likely. The top education official in Gulu, Uganda, Vincent Ochieng Ocen confirms this view as he explains the complexities of the war that has been waged for 20 years and affects not only Uganda, but other areas of Africa.Oysten and others, including Chris Blattman, a sociologist at Yale University, would argue differently. Blattman says, “There’s also something inherently misleading, naive, maybe even dangerous, about the idea of rescuing children or saving of Africa. […] It hints uncomfortably of the White Man’s Burden. Worse, sometimes it does more than hint. The savior attitude is pervasive in advocacy, and it inevitably shapes programming. Usually misconceived programming.”Another concern voiced by critics is that the campaign capitalizes on people's short attention spans; people will think they have done enough simply by posting one link or wearing a bracelet.When I discussed the campaign with my graphic design students most of them had heard about it, seen the video, and knew of the controversy that it had stirred up. There was a general consensus that they should support the cause, but not the campaign. They also agreed it was an excellent example of branding—acknowledging the slick and well executed video had powerful emotional appeal. This led to a discussion that included brand stretching, greenwashing, and social responsibility. At the very least, the campaign is a catalyst for the discussion of many of the ethical issues involved in graphic design.Sources:http://africasacountry.com/2012/03/07/phony-2012-risible-children/http://www.kony2012.com/http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dtYhk0K_WcEhttps://vimeo.com/38609658http://www.invisiblechildren.com/critiques.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/opinion/kristof-viral-video-vicious-warlord.html?scp=1&sq=kony%202012&st=csehttp://visiblechildren.tumblr.com/post/18890947431/we-got-troublehttp://www.usatodayeducate.com/staging/index.php/ccp/college-students-blog-post-opposing-kony-2012-campaign-goes-viral

Does Super Tuesday = Super Branding?

Super (aka—very good; pleasant; excellent; extreme; huge; superficial)This Super Tuesday is "make it or break" for the Republican primary candidates. With elections in 10 states across the country they've pulled out all the stops and there's been a huge surge in branding for each of them.The budgets are definitely super — the ad spending alone has nearly topped $10 million with Romney having the most "super" budget with more than half that total coming from the Mitt Romney-backing Restore Our Future. (Read more about ad spending here.)But what about the design side of branding these candidates? Is it super, or superficial?Branding experts Steven Heller (author of Iron Fists: Branding the 20th-Century Totalitarian State,) Debbie Millman (Sterling Brands, President Design Group), and Alice Twemlow (Design Critic) shared their thoughts on a School of Visual Arts Brief last month. All three offer humorous observations, especially Twemlow's comparison of the swash in Newt's logo to a slimy salamandar. Twemlow also remarks that the further right you get, the less care seems to have been taken with the visual presentation of a candidate’s image, with Santorum's logo looking like it could have been created by a DIY business card machine. (Read the full article here.)What do you think? Were the super budgets spent on super branding?Sources:http://jump.dexigner.com/news/24605http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/04/2674789/super-tuesday-ad-spending-nearly.htmlhttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/super-

Political Branding—Masterful or Monstrous?

The 2008 Obama branding campaign has been deemed one of the most successful branding campaigns for a political candidate and cause. In an interview by Steven Heller for the NY Times, branding expert Brian Collins asserts it’s because they used a single-minded visual strategy to deliver their campaign’s message with greater consistency and, as a result, greater collective impact.The design strategy focused on multiple platforms— cell phones, mobile devices, websites, e-mail, social networks, iPods, laptops, billboards, print ads and campaign events. Using shape, type, and color, the design team created a campaign successfully visualizing emotional messages that conveyed “hope” and “change we can believe in” across the nation and subsequently gained mindshare of the American people.In his book Iron Fists: Branding the 20th-Century Totalitarian State, author Steven Heller asks, “how did a practice as vile as branding become so valued, indeed, the very mark of value?” Heller writes how in the past branding was used for slaves and criminals. Today, cities and colleges have joined toothpastes and soft drinks in the battle for “brand loyalty.”Heller compares corporate branding strategies—slogans, mascots, jingles and the rest—to those adopted by four of the most destructive 20th-century totalitarian regimes: Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalin, and Mao’s China. Heller asserts that design and marketing methods used to inculcate doctrine and guarantee consumption are fundamentally similar.What do you think about political branding and how can you tell if it's masterful or monstrous?Sources:http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/to-the-letter-born/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/arts/31iht-IDLEDE2.1.14885119.html?_r=2