design « Blue Daring

Posts Tagged ‘design’

2011 Oscar Posters Review

Posted By Amber Zumstein as Art & Design, branding, communications

Posted 02.23.2011

The Oscars are upon us once again. So as I did last year, here is a review of the 2011 Oscar nominees’ posters. Movie posters are an excellent marketing tool. They serve as a visual explanation of what the movie is about and can sometimes make or break a viewer’s decision to go and see it. Unfortunately there is not always a direct correlation between a good movie poster and a good movie. That said, let’s take a look at this year’s cream of the crop.

black_swan Black Swan
There were two very different posters done for this movie. The above is the one released stateside. It is a straight-on shot of a red-eyed Natalie Portman in full black swan regalia with an enigmatic Mona Lisa smile set against a highly contrasting white background. The contrast is interesting, maybe representing being in the spotlight or the innocence of ballet. Or maybe it’s just a juxtaposition of color used to emphasize the heavy make-up and sinister expression. Either way, it’s a good representation of the movie. Rating 4/5

blackswan_01 In addition, there was a second set of limited edition, art deco-inspired posters released internationally. (The film wasn’t released outside of the U.S. until after the new year). There were a total of four posters in this series, all of which I think were beautifully done and a testament to the power of good design. They are simple but well executed with a three-color palette of black, red and cream, interesting typography and clever illustrative use of negative space that captures different aspects of the movie. Rating 5/5

The Fighter Movie Poster The Fighter
This poster was one of my least favorites. With such a powerful title and two big name movie stars, it wasted so much potential. The photography of Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale leaning against the ropes of a ring looking slightly pensive and uninterested is underwhelming. If a picture is worth a thousand words, there is only one that comes to mind, boring. The photography could have been far more interesting and dynamic. The same goes for the typography. With a two word title like this, it could have been more creatively executed with something more bold and unique. The whole look is too safe, uninspiring and lacking a fighting spirit. Rating: 1/5

Inception
The poster for this interesting and mind-bending movie was well-done. It does a good job of capturing the look and feel of the movie with the foreboding use of the grays and blues. The movie title is creatively executed so that it is mimicking the other buildings. This movie had multiple posters, but this one was by far my favorite. It represents the movie well, is smart and well executed. Rating: 5/5

127 Hours
This poster does a great job showcasing the spirit of adventure and creating a visual tension for the protagonist. Caught precariously between two rock formations, its as if to say he is between “a rock and a hard place.” (Which from my understanding is an underlying theme to of movie.) The photography is well chosen with the gorgeous colors of the sunset as a backdrop. I liked the fact that there was tagline of “Every Second Counts;” it is a nice addition. Rating: 4/5

kings_speech The King’s Speech
This poster leaves a lot to be desired. The three main characters are shown, but the fact that they are looking in different directions eliminates any connection between them. The choice of photography is questionable and unflattering. Since the story is based on royalty, they should look far more dignified and refined. I also don’t understand the clouds in the background. Something denoting the war might have been a better choice considering the film is set during war time. I think that this poster lacks any real thoughtfulness or creativity. It looks like a period-piece poster template from the mid-90′s. Rating: 1/5

social_network The Social Network
The “Facebook” movie poster is interesting. The type over the face of the main character makes it look much more like a book cover then a movie poster. The statement is provocative and is a good tease to the movie’s theme. The type over the face may also serve as a visual metaphor for the main character taking up an endeavor that completely overtakes him, for better or worse. The Facebook-branded sidebar on the right of the poster, however, is unnecessary and out of place. If the poster was trying to emulate a Facebook page that would have been a good solution but combining the two different themes certainly doesn’t work. Rating: 2.5/5

The-Kids-Are-All-Right-movie-poster The Kids Are All Right
This poster is all right. The type being front and center is nice and the color palette is smart. The blue and yellow go nicely together and provide an overall cheery outlook. The photo shows the family from the movie gathered around a meal smiling and laughing. This is slightly misleading since the theme of the movie is centered around the “alternative family.” This photo does not really capture that and I can’t help but wonder if that is because they didn’t want to emphasize the sensitive topic of same-sex parents. I think I would have rather seen an illustrated solution for this poster. It could have been a more creative and clever way to explain the premise of two lesbian parents and their children who go looking for their biological dad. Rating: 3/5

Toy Story 3
The Toy Story brand is very well established. For its third installment, the poster is fantastic. It includes all of the toys that are included in the movie with our heroes, Buzz and Woody atop holding the number 3. Visually there is a lot to take in reminding me of one of those arcade games that is a filled with toys and has a mechanical “claw” to pick them up. Overall it is a fun and colorful poster for a beloved movie franchise. Rating: 4/5

true_grit True Grit
The poster is a straightforward typographical solution. The Western theme is clear with the bold use of type and yellowed paper. The bleeding bullet hole is an interesting element, foretelling gun play. The movie type could have gone on the top and the actors’ names could have been smaller and possibly depicted through daguerreotype photography that was common at that time. Overall, it’s a good poster, but it could have been better. Rating: 3/5

winters_bone Winter’s Bone
This independent movie has a very mainstream feel to its poster. The overall mood is dark and serious. The premise of the movie is that the main character is looking for her dad, and I think that is shown well here. She certainly looks like she is in search of something. Overall, I think that the poster is well done. I especially like the silhouette lining of trees as it does a great job of breaking up the space into an interesting v-shape. Rating: 4/5

2011 Oscar Winner of the Best Movie Poster goes to: Black Swan for their illustrated poster series

Tags: 2011 Oscars, Amber Zumstein, blue daring, design, marketing, movie posters review, oscar poster reviews, Review of 2011 Oscars
Posted in Art & Design, branding, communications | No Comments »

The Gap Debacle

Posted By Amber Zumstein as Art & Design, branding, communications, on the web, outreach, strategic planning, strategy

Posted 10.29.2010

In case you missed it, a few weeks ago the Gap quietly released a new logo. The response to it was anything but quiet, it created quite an uproar on the internet, bloggers and social media outlets were swift in their attacks. After less then a week full of missteps, the Gap returned to their original logo with their proverbial tail between their legs. So, how did this mega-brand go so terribly wrong with their effort to re-brand?

The logo
A company’s brand should be a strategic and aesthetic extension of the logo, not the other way around. Gap’s refreshed logo looked an awful like the branding that was launched for their premium jeans line. Which to be honest looks a little bit too much like the American Apparel branding. This was done by their advertising agency, Laird + Partners, who does big name fashion ad campaigns. Should you allow your ad agency to do your identity work? Should you replace your iconic logo with a typeface from your recent ad campaign? Probably not. Advertising lasts for a few seasons and then it is onto the next concept, the same does not apply to a company’s logo. A logo’s purpose is to anchor a brand so that it is can be given the latitude to try different concepts from season to season. It should never be updated to match the current advertising.

The launch
Who launches a logo by simply replacing it on their website? Where was the Gap’s PR department? More importantly, where was the launch plan? In hindsight, their lack of launch speaks volumes of their energy and excitement for their new logo. With even minimal press, it could have helped the Gap tremendously to explain the new brand, instead the complete silence opened it up to speculation which had a snowball effect as people blogged and tweeted, and the comments piled up on their Facebook page.

The response
The Gap’s response to the outcry was unexpected to say the very least. Instead of standing solidly behind their new logo (for even a day), they basically shrugged their shoulders, rolled over and invited the masses to crowdsource their logo. They managed to offend the entire design community while also becoming the butt of their own joke, as the response was met with joyful mockery and satirical “logos.” All logos are subjective, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but at the end of the day, it’s the Gap’s responsibility to take ownership of their work and say we did this, we own it and it’s here to stay–not acquiesce a the first hint of disapproval.

Lessons learned
So after all is said and done, the lessons learned are that you should choose a company that specializes in branding not in fashion advertising. Advertising and branding are two very different beasts with very different thoughts and strategies behind them. They should be handled accordingly, not conveniently. The re-brand should be strategically planned and well executed, it should not be an exercise in trendy typography. When it comes to launching a new brand, announce it, let people know and manage their expectations. Don’t quietly slip it into your website hoping to go unnoticed. Post launch (and announcement) stand by your decision and your brand, don’t be bullied by blogs and Facebook comments. The time and energy that it took to come to the point of launch should be well spent and well thought out, not a flash in the pan that was voted out as a failure.

The silver lining in all of this, is that the Gap has restored it’s old logo to the place where it belongs. Long live the blue box.

Tags: Amber Zumstein, design, Gap, launch, logo, re-brand
Posted in Art & Design, branding, communications, on the web, outreach, strategic planning, strategy | No Comments »

Growing as a Designer – 10 Things I’ve Learned

Posted By Amber Zumstein as strategic planning

Posted 05.24.2010

We have been talking a lot about growth here at Blue Daring. It’s the theme of our latest campaign. This got me thinking about my own growth as a design professional and the different phases my career has taken in the past decade. Looking back, the choice to become a designer was easy, I knew that I wanted to be a designer before I even knew what graphic design was. Ten years ago the landscape of design was completely different, the web was still in its infancy, Apple was just rising out of its own ashes and print was still king. My education taught me the basic principles of design and 10 years of experience – across what is now print, web, and most recently a public display case – taught me the rest.

Here is a compilation of 10 things that I have learned in the past 10 years:

1. Find a good mentor. This is especially important for young designers, because though they may be filled with a lot of knowledge, there is a lot of wisdom and grace involved with working with clients, managing a project, taking criticism and re-working a concept. None of which are taught in school.

2. Form follows function. This statement has always been open to argument. But when it comes to doing branding work for a client, specifically here at Blue Daring, the end goal is to create a design solution that fulfills the client’s strategic goals, not just look good. This solution is usually driven by a marketing strategy or strategic planning session. Without knowing what the client wants, there is nothing to design, it would be like placing the proverbial cart before the horse.

3. Triple check your work. Get in the habit early on of re-reading an email before sending it, reviewing files with a fine tooth comb before releasing to print, and making sure links are working before sending to a client. The devil is in the details, and at some point in every designer’s career, you will likely screw up.

4. Burnout happens to everyone. To think creatively all the time is taxing. Sometimes a project can drag on forever, clients can be difficult or you just get into a rut. Sometimes simply putting on the headphones and listening to some music or going for a walk can be mind clearing. Having another creative outlet other then designing is essential for re-igniting the passion that made you choose the creative path in the first place.

5. Learn the business side to creativity. This is helpful on so many different levels from reading a statement of work to pitching a new client. It is important to have a basic understanding of how businesses run and make money. This understanding sharpens your business acumen which can be a valuable addition to your company. It also helps you to understand strategy which is the driving force behind your design work.

6. Read design blogs. Blogs can be wonderful resources for creative professionals – there are tutorials, talks by well known designers, and interesting perspectives on all things design.

7. Beware of working with friends. It may sound like a good idea to work with a friend on a project, but tread very carefully when working with someone you know. There is always a chance that working together could wreck havoc on your friendship. There are a lot of variables to a project, starting with getting honest feedback. A good rule of thumb is to go by one degree of separation, which brings the risk factor down significantly. And if you do decide to go down this path, having a clear idea of what they want and what they should expect with a agreed upon time line makes for a solid start.

8. Do something different. Inspiration can be found in the strangest of places. A change in scenery allows you to think differently. Getting out of your comfort zone can be difficult but most of the time I have found it to be tremendously rewarding and kick myself for not doing it more often.

9. Learn how to present your work. In whatever field your in, the skill to eloquently present your work with both sound reason and great detail is invaluable. It’s tricky because design is something that takes hours to work out and there are a lot of mouse clicks that need to be accounted for. The phrase “because it looks good” never, I repeat never, goes over well. Clients want reasons and rationale for why something looks the way it does, they usually don’t have as active a right side of the brain as you do. Learn to articulate, it is an essential skill to grow.

10. Be professional at all times. I think that creative professionals get a bad rep and are often portrayed as jeans-wearing, coffee-drinking slackers who can only be found on their iPhones and MacBook pros, which certainly is not the case. Have an understanding of dressing appropriately, speaking in meetings, and communicating with clients and co-workers. Know your boundaries and follow accordingly.

I will be the first to admit that I am a work in progress and feel like I am always learning and trying to improve. I am curious what the next ten years will bring. I can only hope that I will still be doing work that I enjoy so much.

Tags: Amber Zumstein, design, Growth, Lessons Learned
Posted in strategic planning | 1 Comment »