A revision of one of my posters regarding nicotine benefits.

Summary

­At the beginning of the academic year I sought out to undertake a project which would allow me to highlight and develop existing skills.  However, I also wanted a project which would challenge my existing skills and which would test and enhance my ability to think creatively.  I wanted a project which would push my skills and which required me to develop creative solutions to overcome obstacles.

I decided to explore visual persuasion in advertising.  I believed this area of research presented a genuine opportunity to develop new skills and enhance my existing skills.  The project excited me because I realised that it was also an opportunity to not only develop new skills and enhance existing skills, it also presented a real opportunity to explore why these techniques are effective. 

In previous years of study I have experimented with various visual techniques with varying degrees of success.  However, I have never before thought about why.  Why do I use certain techniques?  What is it about these techniques which make them persuasive?  I feel that previously I have been more focused on development of skills rather than developing of my understanding of new and existing skills.

I believe over the course of the project I began more and more to develop an understanding of the various techniques I was implementing.  This understanding helped me to identify problems and overcome them.  I believe this understanding has enabled me to produce more effective visuals and displays itself in the work I produced.

  

Smoking

I decided that the practical work I developed during my honours project would be focused on a hypothetical pro-smoking campaign.  I would use my research to develop pieces of work which would attempt to change the negative public opinion on smoking.  This was attractive to me because:

1.       It presented a massive challenge to change public opinion of smoking.  It was a challenge I felt would push my development.

2.       The many restrictions which govern the marketing of tobacco products meant that I would have to develop creative solutions.

3.       It’s unexpected.  No one expects anyone to openly promote smoking so it would gain attention.

Skills

During the project many examples for my smoking campaign were created using a variety of different media.

Firstly I created what I feel is a highly effective logo.  Due to the controversial subject matter, the logo for the pro smoking campaign had to be very carefully considered. The Gotham font was used for the logo to utilise many of the characteristics of the font.  Gotham is a modern, yet classic font which is no-nonsense and unselfconscious.  The font also exploits it a sense of trustworthiness.  Of all the work created during the project I am most pleased with my logo.

Many pieces of work for print were created which required me to develop my Photoshop and Illustrator skills.  However, with the pieces for print, more than any other type of media, I wanted to really develop my understanding of visual persuasion.  I am already familiar with the programs so I knew creating something aesthetically pleasing wouldn’t be too difficult.  What I wanted to show was that I understood how to turn a simple piece of print into an effective persuasive tool.

A few videos were created for the project.  I felt it was important that the project had a digital aspect and the videos were an attempt to develop this.  The videos required me to develop my Flash skills but again, like the print work, I was more focused on developing and displaying an enhanced understanding of visual persuasion.

I created many non-traditional advertising pieces which utilised techniques such as guerrilla and ambush marketing.  I felt it was important to explore non-traditional advertising in order to overcome the restrictions placed on tobacco marketing.  These examples required me to develop my creative thinking.  I began to develop a way of thinking which enabled me to overcome obstacles by identifying and exploiting opportunities which aren’t necessarily obvious at first glance. 

I also explored cigarette packaging to exploit previously missed opportunities for persuasive advertising.  I realised that the packaging is being used to deter smokers, yet there is space of the packet to counter such deterrents and, as far as I am aware, no regulations which would stop tobacco companies placing persuasive marketing on the packaging.  These examples required me to develop my Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash and Maya skills.

Ethics

During the project I aimed to keep the work I created as ethical as possible.  The subject matter already raises questions regarding ethics and I didn’t want to fuel this.  I attempted to create my project without exploiting lies, deceit, misinformation, etc.  I wanted to exploit persuasive advertising to make the public question what they thought they already knew about smoking.  I am happy that the project is as ethical as I feel it could be.

Poster with the scales updated with the QR code which links to the video based on the poster.  Feel free to scan it :)

I have created another example of guerrilla marketing based on the fact the the hormone DHEAS, which is higher in smokers, increases sex drive.

This example involves printing information regarding the association between DHEAS and increased sex drive onto condom wrappers along with the campaign logo and then handing them out to members of the public.

This example attempts to appeal to consumer's sence of humour.  Also, condoms are actually useful, therefore people might be inclined to keep a condom in there wallet or handbag.  This will result in the consumer being exposed to the marketing on multiple occasions.  It also sends out a message about safe sex which will make the campaign seem caring and interested in the wellfare of the consumer, which will help the consumer to associate the campaign with trustworthiness.

Another video.  This video is based on the poster with the scales and I will place a QR code on the poster to link to this video.

http://youtu.be/cwJEpHIso-Y

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX-7YvyylKQ&feature=youtu.be

I have created a mock up of a video game. The video shows a rabbit character collecting carrots which give the rabbit a smoker's cough when he eats them.  In the end the rabbit dies and the viewer/gamer is shown a message which explains that carrots contain nicotine.  I have attempted to appeal to the viewer's humor. The idea of carrots killing us with nicotine is ridiculous and I hope to provoke the same feeling towards passive smoking.

The video can be used as an ad on it's own or as a demo to show how a finish flash game may look.

Another way I intend to make my project more digital is to take the cigarette packet I designed and use a programme, perhaps Maya, to create a digital 3D version which allows viewers to rotate the packet and see all sides.