A new way to see?

[smashmiester]

A discussion in class the other day prompted me to ask professional designers who have been in the field longer this question.

How do you see the world differently, now that you are a designer?

Myself, I am more critical of stuff that I don't like- crappy over filled layouts, bad type treatments, 'subliminal' messaging in almost all advertizing (making you feel a, b, c, to sell the product ect), as well as the power of branding and identities in general.

This discussion was followed by the next assignment- create a small 'one of a kind publication' that describes my new way to see. I have been struggling with this for a few days now, but I think I am nailed down an idea. I was thinking how ads always have that signature tag line. Beer for example always has hot women. What if i changed the tag line to "beer will get you laid"? But make it subtle enough that it is still part of the ad? Because really, that is all I see now, the hidden message of the ad, comerical ect.

[colonel5]

your idea reminds me of the opening of a family guy episode...

::TV (showing two bikini clad women oiling eachother up) "If you drink Pawtucket Patriot, hot women will have sex in your back yard"

::Lois: ..."I'll bet anything a man made that commercial"

::Peter: "of course a man made it, it's not a delicious thanksgiving dinner"

[Rocketpig]

Watch Crazy People... The tag lines in that movie are hilarious (it's about an ad exec who is in an insane asylum and enlists the help of the inmates for advertising).

Volvo... Boxy, but good.

Sony... Because caucasians are just too damn big.

Jaguar... For guys who want handjobs from beautiful women they hardly know (with accompanying "Yes! I want a hand job!" tear off flyers).

Paramount Pictures presents 'The Freak.' This movie won't just scare you, it will **** you up for life.

Ah... Truth in advertising.

[reuber1]

::Peter: "of course a man made it, it's not a delicious thanksgiving dinner"One of my favorite lines, and that was an early episode too.

I don't know, but I have grown more agitated by commercials. Maybe it's just me, or maybe they have truly become more annoying.

One thing I'm sick of is how every commercial anymore has to be PC by showing someone from every race on every corner of the planet, no matter what you are advertising. It's like they have a scorecard on standby to check off how many whites, blacks, hispanics, etc. they have to meet the required "Do not get angry letters" quota. I think having to remind ourselves of our planet's "diversity" (a.k.a., to the marketing department, people who look different) all the time is not a good sign.

The only commercials I like anymore are the one's that are deemed really stupid or that don't make sense at all, like the Burger King ones. Those BK football ads are goddamn hilarious, I don't care what anyone says. If a commercial can make me laugh, I'll go with it. Axe body spray commercials were funny, but then TAG came along and did the exact same thing...and does anybody find that extremely fast dialog and the end of each of those commercials funny? I think not. And McDonalds can cram their urban youth marketing and shove it. Which makes me wonder, why is everything directed towards urban lifestyle now? I don't live in the streets...I don't identify with wearing baggy clothes, listening to an iPod, while "tagging" the walls of publicly owned property to the beat of the Black Eyed Peas. I don't drive a SCION. I drive a car that looks like a car, not a box on wheels.

(TANGENT ALERT!!!) True creativity and originality no longer flourishes. We want the same thing. We're only comfortable with what we're familiar with. Look at American Idol. Watch it tomorrow, and I guarantee it will be the same damn thing every year. Lets show a few singers that will make it to the finals cause this is pre-recorded, then show a bevy of horrible ones and Simon's "hilarious" comebacks. Make me gag already. Or the recent onslaught of sitcoms that are coming. Same old sh!t.

Arrested Development on the other hand? CANCELLED. Pfft. People are stupid.

[smashmiester]

Thanks for the input. Pig you really got me thinking with your post, but I am still having a hard time deciding.

Does anyone else have some experiences that they would like to share about seeing the world differently now that they are a 'designer'?

[captain spanky]

i used to be under the impression that graphic designers were well respected and paid handsomely... hmmmmm ;)

[that mike guy]

I think by developing our skills as a designer we come to see the world a little differently everyday.

I think we can all agree that there is no point where we suddenly 'become' a designer, it kinda evolves, just as our way of seeing the world does.

For me, the things I see differently now are more about how to apply good design in real life situations and the different effects it will have.

For example, the 'hot chicks in beer commercials' example given. From my experience with marketing and design, I look at more how an ad like this will influence society as a whole, at what age, and at what time of the day. And how the very fine details of the ad will influence people differently.

For example, there was one beer ad that showed a quick clip of a fashion model walking down a runway. She wore a bikini top with long pants with suspenders. But when the ad aired after 8:00 pm, everything in the ad was the same except she had no bikini top and the suspenders were just covering her.

I probably wouldn't have noticed this if I wasnt a designer, nor would I question the 'whys' that the advertisers would make this small little change.

strange..... I feel like having a beer now.

[Drorain]

well yes, you do start looking for companies that follow good design rules in their marketing/ads.

If a company has crappy advertising, that makes me question their level of service and integrity, basically it makes me think of them as being a bunch of hacks.

[bon]

Crikey! I had to do an essay on something similar to this. All that Barthes, mythology, semiology and ways of seeing does my head in now! If you're going to do advertising than a good book to read is:

Decoding advertisments - Judith Williamson. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0714526150/qid=1137516576/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/202-2656083-4179823)

Website link on beer advert:
Decoding bear adverts. A semiotic analyse. (http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/mvs9501.html)

Even though you're not writing an essay on it, I still think these theories are interesting to see how you normally decode things to begin with before you apply it to your own ideas.

[style]

i think u becum more aware, notice more around you.
like bill boards, newspapers, flyers, commercials, etc etc....