Symbolizing Despair and Inspiring Hope

I overheard one of my students talking recently about how he has a friend who only contacts him through memes. In fact, he questioned whether this person even exists, since they don't ever actually speak, they only converse through memes.Once a topic of copyright discussion and image usage rights, memes have spread too fast to control them; they've become a language in our contemporary culture. As close to half of us in the U.S. (half of those who voted) celebrate our recent election—the other half is expressing their despair. Whatever you're feeling, there's sure to be a meme to express it.There are plenty of other ways to express yourself too.Wear a pin:Post a note:Be a nasty woman and support a cause:Just do something—and next time you get the chance, vote.Sources:https://www.facebook.com/OccupyDemocrats/https://twitter.com/luckytran/status/796809929847963648/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttp://gothamist.com/2016/11/10/subway_therapy_messages.php#photo-1https://www.omaze.com/made/nasty-woman?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=paid&utm_content&utm_campaign=made.nasty-woman&utm_term=Omaze_WomensRights_F_DT&oa_h=96q8ce

Graphic Designers Get Political

As Americans await the second debate this weekend with less than a month to go to election day, there are some graphic designers who are taking a stand.Iconic graphic designer Milton Glaser, known for the iconic and ubiquitous I Love NY Logo, wants to get the message out about voting. In this interview with Tina Roth Eisenberg of Swissmiss, he asserts, "not voting is selfish and stupid."Glaser has been passionate about this election. Last spring he created an election poster that is an echo of Descartes' "I think, therefore I am,"—"To vote is to exist"—challenging people to vote. Glaser makes it clear he's not trying to advocate for one side or the other, but emphasizing how critical it is for people to cast their vote for whom they believe in.Other designers, like Jessica Walsh and Stefan Saigmeister, are taking a more aggressive stand, and asking them to reject Trump and vote for Hillary with their latest project, "Pins Won't Save the World."We can only hope they do.Sources:http://www.timegoesby.net/weblog/2016/09/interesting-stuff-10-september-2016.htmlhttps://www.swiss-miss.com/2016/08/milton-glaser-wants-your-vote.htmlhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-06/milton-glaser-wants-you-to-prove-you-existhttp://adcglobal.org/pins-wont-save-the-world-jessica-walsh/

Fashion Week: When Does It Become Dangerous?

Fashion week is here again. It's fun, it's festive, often ludicrous, but is it also dangerous?During her presentation this summer at "Here London 2016," visual artist Yolanda Domínguez talks about how we define ourselves by the images we see. Domínguez points to the abundance of images that are young, white, and female and asks what happened to everyone else? She goes on to point out the ridiculous poses that we see in fashion advertising and the adjectives that go with them: docile, submissive, available, and violated. Advertising as shown in the image above serves to reinforce a society where violence against women is perpetuated and accepted. It's not just ludicrous, it's dangerous.In 2015 Domínguez decided to show fashion brand launch images to a group of 8 year-olds with her project, "Children vs. Fashion." The results were very revealing. The children decoded the images and exposed the differences in how women and men are portrayed. They thought the women were scared, sick or drunk and many wanted to help them. Men on the contrary were seen as happy and heroic.In other projects, Yolanda Domínguez engages her audience to participate and asking for volunteers to take part in staging events to raise awareness. Her current project is called "Little Black Dress." She is looking for volunteers; she asks participants to pose in this classic fashion icon—regardless of their size and ethnicity. Domínguez calls upon us to shatter the existing fashion tropes, and create new images that are representative of actual women.As you catch a glimpse of the beautiful, amazing, and ridiculous outfits that are revealed this week, also consider the dangerous side effects of consuming these images.Contact Yolanda Domínguez if you'd like to participate in "Little Black Dress" and watch the full "Here London 2016" presentation here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNnR2aQoefk 

Subverting the Narrative

It won't come as news to most of us that Photoshop and the multitude of photo apps that alter images have led to unrealistic views of ourselves. Women and men alike face body image issues in an era when taking selfies at every possible moment has become the norm. The objectification of women in advertising is a serious problem that has been hotly debated for years. Showing flawless and anatomically impossible bodies is harmful on many levels, and unfortunately it has become even more ubiquitous.Many of us consider it a welcome sight when advertisers challenge this narrative. The Dove Real Beauty campaign was among these. Their efforts to show women as they are were widely praised, though some critics felt that ad campaigns for products like Axe and Slimfast should be altered or cancelled as well if Unilever (the owner of these brands) was genuinely concerned.Justin Dingwall is a commercial photographer from South Africa who is using his skills to make work that subverts the standard narrative of what beauty is. In his fine art series Albus, Dingwall tackles the stigma associated with albinism. Worldwide, it's estimated that 1 in 20,000 people are born with albinism; in South Africa, the estimate is 1 in 4000. Those who live with albinism in Africa are often discriminated against and subjected superstition and violence.In a series of over 40 portraits featuring Thando Hopa and Sanele Xaba, Dingwall uses lighting and styling to question traditional ideas of femininity and masculinity and accepted standards of beauty. He includes religious symbolism; butterflies to convey transformation and The Madonna to convey comfort, acceptance, provision, and compassion. His beautiful portraits set a new standard, while also challenging us to consider how we perceive beauty.What have you seen that subverts the stereotypical narrative of beauty?Sources:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/21/dove-real-beauty-campaign-turns-10_n_4575940.htmlhttp://www.designindaba.com/articles/creative-work/albus-photo-series-challenging-established-standards-beautyhttp://www.justindingwall.com/https://www.thebalance.com/advertising-women-and-objectification-38754

White lies—unethical, or an act of kindness?

Visual persuasion is at the heart of a graphic designer’s job. Taking information and ideas and forming them into communication that engages and invokes is what we do. Regardless of whether our client is selling a product or ideology, our quest is to help them do it. Some would argue that we are like lawyers. It is our responsibility to use our skills to get the best possible outcome for them and not let our own personal views influence us.Yet, like lawyers, we also face certain ethical and moral challenges along the way.  The graphic designer’s moral dilemma becomes apparent pretty quickly—in our quest to do “good” design, how many “bad” things do we do? This debate comes up often. Milton Glaser’s essay, “Road to Hell”  is one of the most famous, but it was not the first and won’t be the last.In a recent article for A List Apart, “Design, White Lies & Ethics,” Dan Turner discusses some of the choices Interaction Designers face. He also raises the question of whether or not deliberate miscommunication is sometimes actually an act of “good,” reassuring and helping users along their way.The case study that Turner uses involves a mobile timebanking app. Its goal is to help neighbors share services and build supportive relationships. During the design process the team found that transportation was high on the list of services requested. With that in mind they focused on designing a new feature, TransportShare, which would help connect users and drivers. Early prototypes focused on honesty and the team decided that showing one specific route would not be honest as drivers would likely be running other errands along the way and the route would not be direct. As a result no connecting Start and End points were shown, but initial testing did not show high marks for usability. Once a line that showed Start and End points was included, regardless of whether or not it was accurate, testing showed that users were comforted and usability marks increased. It appeared that in this case the white lie helped the user and increased adoption and satisfaction with the app, “good” design.Turner is asking for feedback and wants to open the conversation. He is asking for a framework that we can use to judge when design decisions are ethical. It’s an excellent question, and one that is at the core of our professional practice.Join the conversation and read the full article here:http://alistapart.com/article/design-white-lies-ethics 

Black Friday—Alternative Options for Designers

Black Friday is not an official holiday in the U.S., but California and some other states observe “The Day After Thanksgiving” as a holiday—substituting it for another official holiday, like Columbus Day. In America, it’s gotten to be almost as big as Thanksgiving Day itself. While most retailers are deeply involved in this day of unbridled consumerism, graphic designers often play an important role too; using their skills for everything from advertising to product design. Others voluntarily join the melee, spending Thanksgiving Day carefully planning their shopping strategy and making a day (or night) out of it with friends and family. Many of us may prefer to opt out. Here are some alternatives:

• Join the protest and help publicize it using your skills to spread the word:https://www.facebook.com/events/921009677936471/permalink/921010711269701/
• Use your design skills for good like this company does in giving back profits to the homeless:https://designedbygoodpeople.wordpress.com/
• Concentrate on shopping for items that enhance your skills and profitability rather than drain your pocketbook:https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/5-new-classic-games-that-help-you-play-your-way-to-becoming-a-better-designer/?utm_source=Eye+on+Design+newsletter&utm_campaign=6162ad40b6-Eye_on_Design_37&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6a9dfd84e5-6162ad40b6-25672817
• Follow California’s lead, they are offering another alternative to their residents, instead of conspicuously consuming goods on the day after conspicuously consuming food, why not go outside and commune with nature: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/49-California-parks-will-be-free-on-Black-Friday-6641298.php

What will you choose to do with your Black Friday?

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 

Fashion Week: It’s Complicated

New York Fashion Week kicked off this past Thursday, and with it some complicated topics graphic designers are very familiar with:

Design Plagiarism

High fashion brand Saint Laurent is showcasing a dress with graphic lipstick prints that retails for $3,490 - but looks a lot like a dress from Forever 21’s 2013 collection that sold for $23. Saint Laurent is most likely safe from being sued for copyright infringement because copyright law prohibits the protection of a design if it can only be depicted in a limited number of ways— tubes of lipstick may fall into this category. However, it doesn't protect them from being called out for it.

Social Awareness

As New York Fashion Week Live reports, “one of the great ironies of fashion is the disconnect between the beauty of the products, and the way the materials are often sourced.” Consumers are increasingly demanding more humane treatment of animals and people, as well as the use of more eco-friendly materials. Fashion designers are responding and young designers like Max Gengos, are embracing the concept of “responsible luxury” when deciding on which materials to use and the conditions in which their products are produced.

Sustainability

We live in a culture of disposability. This extends to “fast fashion,” where cheap garments are produced quickly to keep up with trends. America buys 20 billion garments a year, 1 item per person per week. This results in 12.7 million tons of clothing thrown away each year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that textile waste occupies nearly 5% of all landfill space and 85% of textile waste is not recycled. Ultimately this leads to overtime, overcrowding, and unsafe conditions for overseas workers employed to keep up with the demand.

Cultural Influence

Celebrities like Emma Watson and fashion designer Stella McCartney are speaking out in campaigns like this recent one for British Vogue on Fashion and Gender Equality, demanding empowerment for women and a better message for women of all ages and sizes, allowing them to feel good about who they are.As we enjoy the glamor of New York Fashion Week, we may also do well to consider the complicated relationships surrounding beauty and image.Sources:http://newyorkfashionweeklive.com/http://www.thefashionlaw.com/https://www.notjustalabel.comhttp://www.ecouterre.com/http://www.elle.com/http://www.weardonaterecycle.org/

Consumed by Consumerism

Most graphic designers associate Photoshop wizardry with making visual magic to engage consumers. One of my favorite digital artists, Erik Almas, is a master at this. His campaigns for Absolut and other products are amazing and award-winning, and his work epitomizes the power of digital imaging tools to make people and places flawless, and products larger than life.It’s a much rarer occasion when we see these tools being used for anti-consumerism, which is exactly the point with the image “Decorum,” by visual artist Margeaux Walter. A visually stunning image, at first glance “Decorum” wows the viewer with the sheer abundance of luxurious leopard fur. Yet upon further inspection, we realize the irony of the photo as the leopard gazes back out on a of scene conspicuous consumption and total suffocation.Walter says about her work, “I'm interested in how ads, technology, and consumerism are changing our lives. We are becoming products of our products, being suffocated by our materials.”Resources:http://www.chronogram.com/hudsonvalley/on-the-cover/Content?oid=2322822http://www.erikalmas.com/#campaigns

Racism, then, and now

Almost twenty years ago, Benetton Clothing’s “Hearts” Print Ad won the Cannes Lions 1996 Press Gold award when it featured these 3 hearts in an effort to open people’s eyes and speak to the “heart” of the matter.Steven Heller’s recent post for the Daily Heller, Institutional Racism, featured ads from the past century, including a beautifully rendered wood-cut illustration of a slave worker in front of a steamship for “Old Plantation” coffee. Heller talked about how commonplace these stereotypical images were in consumer advertising and packaging and how they undoubtedly influenced the perceptions of many white adults and children.Heller’s post shows ads from the first half of the twentieth century, all prior to the 1970s. An article published just a few years ago on Business Insider, “The 10 Most Racist Ads of the Modern Era,” lists the most offensive ads in contemporary times. Among the winners are Ashton Kutcher’s “Brownface” debacle for PopChips, Sony’s “White is Coming” PSP billboard, and Mary J. Blige’s offensive Burger King commercial for fried chicken.Last week’s Daily Heller post, “Jews Need Not Apply,” is about an ad placed this past week by a Paris-based SNL studio looking for a graphic designer which said, “if possible not be a Jew.”Unfortunately, sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same.Sources:http://www.printmag.com/daily-heller/institutional-racism/http://www.businessinsider.com/the-10-most-racist-ads-of-the-modern-era-2012-6?op=1http://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/the-14-strongest-anti-racism-ads-of-the-last-20-years#.xeoGoDWdKhttp://www.printmag.com/daily-heller/jews-need-not-apply/http://www.coloribus.com/adsarchive/prints/benetton-clothing-hearts-429905/

Je suis Charlie

“Je suis Charlie” (I am Charlie) has become the mantra for many across the world who are gathering to protest the slaughter of Charlie Hebdo’s editor and cartoonists.Provocation, satire, and commentary are some of the sharpest tools that graphic designers possess. Our ability to pair words and images to create a dialogue—however controversial it may be—is at the core of what we do. Cartoonists across the world are standing up to terrorism by drawing their outrage at this attack on freedom of speech.Others, like Bill Donohue, president of the US Catholic League, have angered many when he issued a statement saying that the Muslims have a right to be angry. Donohue also said the killing should be condemned, but that we should not tolerate the actions that provoked the attack.How about you? Are you willing to say, “Je suis Charlie?”See more, #jesuischarlie, #charliehebdo.Sources:http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/01/07/cartoonists-react-to-charlie-hebdo-massacre-in-paris/?hpid=z2http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/heartbreaking-cartoons-from-artists-in-response-to-the-ch#.qmyrvywBDhttps://twitter.com/jean_jullien/status/552829637215408128/photo/1http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/01/07/after-charlie-hebdo-attack-u-s-catholic-group-says-cartoonists-provoked-slaughter/

The Perfect Response

Three students from Leeds University in Great Britain recently had the perfect response to Victoria's Secret ‘Perfect Body’ Campaign when the company introduced a new bra collection called “Body by Victoria” with an ad campaign featuring ultra thin models with the words “The Perfect Body” running across the image.The students were outraged by the campaign, claiming the ads perpetuate low self-esteem and negative body image in women. They asserted, as does the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), that this contributes to a culture ridden with unhealthy eating habits and disorders. They created an online petition on Change.org and requested that Victoria’s Secret apologize and amend their irresponsible advertising. They racked up nearly 30,000 supporters. Images that celebrate the amazing diversity among women were posted online by supporters like Dear Kate and to the Twitter hashtag #iamperfect in response to the campaign.The three young women, Frances Black, Gabriella Kountourides, and Laura Ferris, talked about the influence that the hugely popular company has on young women and called upon them to take their responsibility seriously. In addition to raising awareness and gaining support, the students’ efforts paid off. Victoria’s Secret quietly replaced the ad with another. The wording was amended to say, “A Body For Every Body.” Although as many will note, even though the words have changed, the perfect body images remain the same. The students’ response may have been perfect, however Victoria’s Secret still falls a bit short.Sources:http://www.jrn.com/kmtv/now-trending/Victorias-Secret-quietly-changes-Perfect-Body-slogan-after-criticism-281993701.html?lc=Smarthttps://www.change.org/p/victoriassecret-apologise-for-your-damaging-perfect-body-campaign-iamperfecthttp://nypost.com/2014/10/31/victorias-secret-perfect-body-campaign-sparks-backlash/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11213078/Victorias-Secret-lingerie-advert-changed-from-perfect-body-after-internet-storm.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

A “not so subtle” controversy

If you got a chance to see the recent Kara Walker exhibit in an abandoned Domino Sugar Factory in Brooklyn, you may have found yourself on one side or the other of a heated debate about art and racism.Walker’s installation, A Subtlety, or the Marvelous Sugar Baby, a 75.5 feet long, 35.5 feet tall and 26 feet wide sculpture of a mammy/sphinx made out of white sugar and molasses was anything but subtle. Walker says the work was “an homage to the unpaid and overworked Artisans who have refined our Sweet tastes from the cane fields to the Kitchens of the New World.” (1)Purposefully sweet and charming, the exhibit was designed to draw you in and then make you think about the horror of the Carribbean slave trade that fueled the Western market for sugar. Walker says it was blood sugar and the process was very dangerous with many slaves losing arms, legs, and their lives.After the exhibit opened in May critics claimed is was a racist piece of art. Some black visitors were appalled to observe some white visitors laughing and joking as they posed in front of the sculpture. SUNY Westbury Professor Nicholas Powers wrote an essay entitled, “Why I Yelled at the Kara Walker Exhibit,” where he speaks about his outburst at the exhibit and anger at Walker. Powers questions her responsibility as an artist.Powers visited the exhibit three times and by the third visit he was happy to see a team present handing out stickers reading “We Are Here.” Their presence was to remind white visitors about the seriousness of the exhibit and that descendants of slaves were in the room they should curb their disrespectful acts. Charing Bell offers an opposing point of view in her article entitled, “Why the Behavior of White People Shouldn’t be Policed at the Kara Walker ‘Sugar Baby’ Exhibit.” Bell asserts that art—no matter how painful—should not be directed.In an interview with Complex Art & Design, Walker talks in depth about the research that she did and the many complexities involved in the work. Intertwined in this “not so subtle” exhibit, are many subtleties that deal with themes of race, power, and sexuality.For me, Walker’s work calls to mind graphic designer James Victore’s quote, “Graphic design is a big *&#! club with spikes in it and I want to wield it.” Substitute “art” for “graphic design” and A Subtlety packs the same kind of punch, only it’s sugar-coated.What do you think, was the exhibit subtle, racist, or brilliant?Notes:(1) http://creativetime.org/projects/karawalker/Sources:http://creativetime.org/projects/karawalker/http://www.npr.org/2014/05/16/313017716/artist-kara-walker-draws-us-into-bitter-history-with-something-sweethttp://www.indypendent.org/2014/06/30/why-i-yelled-kara-walker-exhibithttp://charlesrubinoff.com/2008/06/favorite-quote-about-graphic-design/http://madamenoire.com/444739/white-people-policed-kara-walker-exhibit/http://www.complex.com/art-design/2014/05/kara-walker-interviewhttp://colorlines.com/archives/2014/06/kara_walkers_sugar_sphinx_evokes_call_from_black_women_we_are_here.html

Design and Violence

Paola Antonelli, senior curator of Architecture and Design at MoMA, begins her talk at the DLD Conference about Design and Violence by discussing how contrary to what many designers want to hear, design can be used not only for good, but for evil. Antonelli discusses the shock she felt when she saw the first 3D gun. She goes on to talk about how design can help us understand violence.Designs like Mine Kafon show the stark contrasts and incongruencies that exist. At first glance, Mine Kafon exhibits beautiful objects with a meditative and radial balance assemblage. Then we learn that it is a film about the prevalence and horrors of land mines along with a solution to help clear them.Another recent post, “Hacked Protest Objects (Anon),” features everyday objects that have been “hacked” to take on a different role—one involved in protest and violence. Innocuous objects like toilet bowl brushes and common household cleaning supplies are raised in arms.Projects are grouped into categories such as Hack/Infect, Constrain, Stun, Penetrate, Manipulate/Control, Intimidate, and Explode. Experts from all fields are invited to respond to the design objects and engage with readers. The experimental web project asks questions like, “Is execution always ugly?” Or, “Is euthanasia an act of violence or an act of compassion?”The goal of the project is to create a conversation about the relationship between design and violence, and in that process gain an understanding of the complex relationship that design has in the role of violence in contemporary culture.Go ahead and take a look at the much less discussed side of design—see if you have the stomach for it. It’s a very provocative and relevant conversation.Sources:http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/watch-paola-antonelli-discuss-design-and-violence_b33777http://designandviolence.moma.org/

Mad men (and women), how do they fare today?

If you haven't seen the poster design for the final season of Mad Men by Milton Glaser yet, I'm sure you will consider it a treat. The poster not only references Glaser's signature Bob Dylan poster, but also loops back to Glaser’s career with Push Pin Studios, one of the biggest New York design firms to serve the advertising world during the real Mad Men era. Glaser was a founding member of Push Pin Studios along with Seymour Chwast, Edward Sorel, and Reynold Ruffins. Together, they helped shape, define, and set the direction of modern visual style.So besides this season’s poster design, how else does this critically acclaimed show—now in its seventh and final season—mirror the world of advertising on Madison Avenue? Some say some things have changed dramatically, while others adhere to the adage, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”Though technology has altered everyone’s lives dramatically, advertisers and the graphic designers that work with them have gained access to tons of data that helps them target, test, and monitor campaigns much more accurately. Designers still scramble to produce comps or prototypes that will win accounts, they just use much more technology to do it and face even tighter deadlines.Many argue that woman have it considerably better today and don’t face the sexism that Joan and Peggy have encountered throughout the show's run. However many others feel there is still a long way to go—including President Obama, who just last week called for equal pay for women. In terms of how woman are portrayed in advertising, an article for Business Insider in 2012 showed how many modern ads are even more sexist than their Mad Men counterparts.The three martini lunch is now (thankfully) gone, but the business of selling products and services by gaining an edge against your competitors is still the name of the game. Graphic designers who work in advertising are still charged with creating work that sells. In that role, they still face the same questions that Milton Glaser asks in the article he wrote in 2002, “The Road to Hell.” Glaser asks designers to examine their own personal ethics and establish their own level of discomfort. He starts off with a question that may seem a bit innocuous, asking designers if they have ever designed a package to look bigger on the shelf. The questions then get progressively more difficult, ending with the question, “have you ever designed an ad for a product whose frequent use might cause the user’s death? Glaser admits that he personally has taken a number of them during his long and illustrious career.Those of us who wait in great anticipation for the next Mad Men episode can’t help but notice parallels between the past and the present, and wonder at how “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”Sources:http://www.fastcocreate.com/3027412/image-of-the-day/milton-glasers-psychedelic-poster-for-final-season-of-mad-menhttp://www.wtop.com/41/3601295/Advertising-after-Mad-Men-How-the-show-compares-to-real-lifehttp://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/obama-reiterates-call-equal-pay-women-23301061http://www.designlessbetter.com/blogless/posts/the-road-to-hellhttp://www.businessinsider.com/these-modern-ads-are-even-more-sexist-than-their-mad-men-era-counterparts-2012-4#this-old-ad-took-the-whole-walking-all-over-women-thing-to-the-next-level-1

Celebrating “The Boss”

This Google doodle for International Women’s Day shows how women around the globe are being celebrated all month long for Women’s History Month. There are also a number of efforts underway to not only celebrate women, but to empower them.In the U.S. the design community is on par statistically with other industry sectors in terms of women in leadership positions. Unfortunately, these numbers are not very high with only 18% of design leadership positions held by women. In her article for Communication Arts, “Designing Women: Mothers of the Earth unite,” DK Holland writes about why women are not well represented in leadership roles in the creative profession. Holland asserts that women are shaped by cultural norms that make them strive for harmony and sublimate their own needs for the greater good. Cheryl Heller, AIGA medalist and founder of the School of Visual Art’s Design for Social Innovation MFA program, says, “Women are good at relationships and seeing the world from perspectives other than their own. These are critical skills, and now we have to figure out how to maintain them while introducing the kind of disruption that leads to a healthier reality.”Equality for women also manifests itself in how women are featured in design history books. The blog Women of Graphic Design is dedicated to exhibiting design work by women in graphic design. It was started by Tori Hinn at the Rhode Island School of Design when it was discovered that despite the fact that 71% of the Graphic Design department were women, only 6% of the designers students were learning about were women. The blog showcases some of the best work in graphic design in the world that has been created by women.See Jane is an organization founded by actress Geena Davis with a mission to change how women are portrayed in the media. Their research shows that in family programming there is only one female character for every three male characters; in group scenes only 17% of characters are female. The Institute is working hard to create gender balance, reduce stereotypes, and create female characters starting with entertainment that targets children 11 and under. Their goal is to become a blueprint for a gender-balanced media landscape. The effort is succinctly summed up with their tagline, “If she can see it, she can be it.”The Representation Project is another effort that uses film and media to expose the injustices created by gender stereotypes. The film Miss Representation pulls back the curtain on how mainstream media contributes to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence.The Ban Bossy campaign founded by Lean In and The Girls Scouts is aimed at changing the perception of women as being bossy. The campaign aims to change the negative connotation of bossy, to one of empowerment, where women are admired and revered for their leadership skills. Beyonce delivers the message perfectly in the newly released PSA for the campaign, where she proudly declares she’s not bossy, she IS “The Boss.”Girl Rising is a global campaign for girls’ education and also the title of the documentary film produced by the organization. Around the world millions of girls are met with barriers to education that boys do not face. The Girl Rising campaign asserts that educated girls are able to stand up for their rights, and subsequently grow up and educate their children, families, and communities. Educated girls will not only transform their own lives, but societies as well.In addition to changing perceptions of women in leadership roles and how they are portrayed in the media, we need to change how they are valued economically. The AAUW report, “The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap (2014),” states that in the United States women were paid 77 percent of what men were paid. The gap exists in nearly every occupation, grows with age, and is worse for women of color. The gap persists outside of the U.S. and is worse in some countries. The Times of India reported in 2013 that the pay gap for women ranges from 25% to 44%.What have you see this month that celebrates women? Share it with your both your sons and daughters. Celebrate women—and empower them.Sources:http://www.aauw.org/research/the-simple-truth-about-the-gender-pay-gap/http://www.commarts.com/columns/designing-women-part-one.htmlhttp://www.commarts.com/columns/designing-women-part-two.htmlhttp://film.missrepresentation.org/synopsishttp://girlrising.com/http://www.missrepresentation.org/about-us/resources/leadership/http://seejane.org/http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/08/international-womens-day-google-doodle-yousafzaihttp://therepresentationproject.org/about/mission/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Single-or-married-women-get-paid-less-than-men-IIM-survey/articleshow/22240925.cmshttp://womenofgraphicdesign.org/abouthttp://womenshistorymonth.gov/

Coca-cola: Ingredients vs. Aspirations

http://youtu.be/443Vy3I0gJsWas anyone else as conflicted about Coke's Superbowl ad as I was? I want to applaud them for representing America as the land of diversity that it truly is. I want to stand behind them and boo the right-wing conservatives who hated it. But I also want to know when their ingredients and practices will measure up to the aspirations of their advertising.After last week's ad aired, some Coke critics directed people to #boycottcoke, not because of its portrayal of America in the commercial, but because Coke has too much sugar and destroys our environment. The website killercoke.org holds Coca-cola accountable for crimes in many countries. Articles like "Overexploitation and over use of water sources in India" abound.What about those ingredients? The commercial shows the smiling and happy faces of a culturally diverse America. Studies show that drinking just one soda per day can raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 22 percent. Research also shows that the burden of diabetes is much higher for racial/ethnic minorities than for whites. So while their beautiful commercial brings a tear to my eye, I can't help but be angry at an ad that appears to be targeting minorities to get them hooked on soda.Of course if you work in marketing, you can't help but admire what a genius move it was. It may have inflamed controversy and alienated conservatives, but for advertisers, it's always about expanding market share. Coke did a great job of targeting their heavy users — those who drink several sodas every day. They also directed it squarely at an expanding demographic, the rapidly growing Latino market and other minorities. In fact, as Jill Fillopovic wrote in an article for The Guardian, "Coke's targeting of Latino and other immigrant populations is about as progressive as RJ Reynolds marketing menthol cigarettes to African-Americans or Phillip Morris hawking Virginia Slims to women – that is, not very. Before we applaud Coke's advertising diversity, we should ask: do we really want Coke to diversify?" (1)How do you feel about the commercial, love it or hate it, or are you somewhere in the middle?Notes:(1) http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/03/coca-cola-america-is-beautiful-adSources:http://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/factsheets/diabetes/diabdisp/index.htmlhttp://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/04/25/one-soda-per-day-raises-diabetes-risk-study-suggests/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/03/coca-cola-america-is-beautiful-ad

A great big club with spikes

In a video interview with Hillman Curtis, graphic designer James Victore likens graphic design to a great big club with spikes on it, best used to hit people over the head with.Graphic Design Advocacy—International Posters for the Digital Age: 2001-2012, is a traveling exhibit that does just that. Curated by Elizabeth Resnick from MassArt, the exhibit features 122 posters spanning the first decade of this century that address some of the most controversial and heart-breaking issues of our time. War, 9-11, the Gulf oil spill, global warming, human trafficking, and the tsunami in Japan are just some of the moments captured. In an interview for Print Magazine with Steven Heller, Resnick talks about the effect the internet has had on poster design, “the Internet has enabled designers to make and post visual commentaries without concern for the costs of labor, printing, and posting their work to air their opinions.”The exhibit has traveled across the globe for the past year, both on site and online, and is still traveling. While many lament the disappearance of print, it’s comforting to know that one of the strongest visual vehicles for protest and dissent—the poster—is still a powerful agent of advocacy. It’s inspiring to see what graphic designers can create as they wield their great big clubs with spikes.Sources:http://graphicadvocacyposters.org/posters/http://www.printmag.com/design-inspiration/graphic-advocacy-takes-a-stand/

Affluenza or alcohol advertising?

Many are outraged at the ten year probation sentence that sixteen-year-old Ethan Couch received for killing four pedestrians while driving drunk. Couch’s legal team introduced the nation to the “affluenza defense,” citing too much money and parental indulgence as the cause of his behavior.With the prevalence of alcohol advertising that is targeted at the teen market, why is the focus on affluenza instead of laying blame on the countless commercials that sixteen-year-olds are exposed to?Research shows that in addition to parents and peers, alcohol advertising and marketing have a significant impact on whether or not youths decide to drink. Research also shows that alcohol advertising and marketing influence expectations and attitudes and creates an environment that promotes underage drinking. In addition, research shows that a reduction in alcohol advertising would reduce adolescent alcohol participation.Ethan Couch may have lived a privileged life, but it didn't protect him from alcohol advertising. Why has the focus of the public’s outrage missed this obvious target?Sources:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/12/affluenza-defense-probation-for-deadly-dwi_n_4430807.htmlhttp://www.camy.org/factsheets/sheets/alcohol_advertising_and_youth.htmlhttp://alcoholism.about.com/od/prevention/a/Teen-Drinking-Influenced-By-Alcohol-Advertising.htmhttp://www.camy.org/gallery/ad/1266B4CEC282AED54EFF1013A48E2467