Information Architecture--> Branding--> Outlines

Points from the reading are in black.
My responses are in green


Truth in Advertising, Naomi Klein

Naomi's view seems very one-sided. She provides a lot of criticism about advertising, but no facts to back up her claims.


Branding companies attempt to connect with consumers by creating lasting impression.

It is necessity for these companies to produce ads that people will remember. They are selling a product and if they are lacking the ability to connect with potential customers, the product won't sell.

They create an "identity" for the company that is suited solely for them.

Companies are constantly competing with one another for business. They must pinpoint what it is that makes them different from the others and bring out that quality in their ad campaigns.

Branders uncover what moves people (images, feelings, etc). They dig deeper into the philosophical underpinnings of the world.

If the branding companies have an understanding of what is is that makes people "tick" then they will be better at creating ads that people will respond to.

The company's image becomes not about their product, but about a larger philosophical concept: happiness, community, friendship, youth.

The identity that is created for the company is used to make their differences stand out. They need to exploit this idea in order to create a successful and positive image for the company.

Despite these attempts, we are not affected by brands the way they were intended.

I completely disagree with this statement that Naomi makes. People are influenced by brands almost to an excessive state. We are bombarded with branding everyday, and we respond to it vigorously. Branding companies are genius in this way because they have researched everything that gets people going and do everything in their power to exploit that in the brand.

The Case for Brands, Editors of The Economist

Consumers trust big name brands because they produce consistent quality. People want/need more of these products.

People consistently buy from the companies that are known for their quality products. Often these are big name companies that have to follow strict regulations to achieve a certain level of satisfactory inventory.

People will pay more for brands they know and trust.

Even if there is a product that may be less expensive and serve the same function, a consumer will purchase the more expensive one just because they have seen the brand and know that it stands for a certain level of quality. People will also pay more for something that will bring them greater social acceptance (shopping at Abercrombie, American Eagle, etc.)

Companies exploit people's emotional needs and consumers respond.

When people see ads for a certain brand that looks like it will bring them pleasure that they don't have, they immediately go and purchase the product. Many times consumers will buy something they don't even need just because it looked cool. We are all subject to that.

In pre-industrial times, people knew exactly what they were getting. A brand provided a certain guarantee of reliability and quality.

During the pre-industrial times, there were only a handful of companies that people could buy from. By the 21st century however, there are so many companies providing the same kind of service that there is a level of competition that wasn't there before. Companies are fighting for business trying to convince people that their product is better than the competitor's.

Sound and Motion --> Project 4--> Data Presentation Description

I have begun to explore the role that convenience has in relation to cooking, especially in the latter half of the 20th century. The data presentation is an informational piece that will hopefully provoke the viewer to think about the facts and how they relate to their own habits. It is an insight into how convenience has shaped the way Americans think about and consume food, as well as giving a few reasons why they should choose to make their own food.

Visual Language--> Communication Models--> System Postcard

The Silvertone radio was present during a time when people had a greater appreciation for the simple things in life such as coming home in the evening and listening to the radio while reading the evening paper or eating dinner. Today people tend to take advantage of these moments, as rarely as they happen. We have been engulfed in a culture that throws so much at us at one time we can hardly keep up. People are encouraged to consume on a consistent basis, always needing to be satisfied by the latest thing in entertainment, technology, etc. So my question to you is "what will your impulse buy today?"     

Sound and Motion --> Project 4

I am choosing to pursue the data presentation format for the final project. Due to the direction that my cooking theme has taken, I believe the statistical analysis would prove to be very interesting and tie in well with the rest of my portfolio pieces surrounding the cooking theme. I have begun to explore the role that convenience has played in relation to cooking, especially in the latter half of the 20th century. It will serve as an informational piece that will hopefully provoke the viewer to think about the facts as they relate to their own life. In the ideal outcome, it would encourage the viewer to change their habits for the better. There would be a series of facts about or relating to the food industry and how convenience has shaped the way Americans think about and consume food. 

This infomercial would most likely air around prime-time on cable channels such as the food network, and other similar shows that promote cooking as an enjoyable and worthwhile experience. The primary audience would most likely be those who are already watching the Food Network and other related channels. These people are often interested in cooking, but never learned themselves. The infomercial would serve as a reminder of why they are attempting to learn how to cook well.      

Go Vegetarian

Super-size Me

Visual Language--> Communication Models--> Output Object Postcard

Sound and Motion --> Project 3--> Statement

For my cooking environment I wanted to create more of a simultaneous narrative than a sequential one. With the simultaneous environment, the user is able to combine different elements and create their own story. In a sequential narrative, the designer has set up a predetermined story line that the user must follow. Within the simultaneous narrative, the user is able to make their own conclusions. Cooking itself is a simultaneous process, so I attempted to bring that out in the interactive framework. The music, voice and sound effect additions bring an additional level of understanding for the user/viewer. By incorporating these elements, the user not only gets a visual picture, but gains insight into how the action depicted may sound or feel. The qualities brought on by voice relies solely on the ability of the speaker to communicate the feeling of the action or picture. Music qualities rely on the rhythm, pitch, and timbre to create the feeling of the action depicted. Qualities of the sound effect are drawn from the sound it is imitating.     

Sound and Motion --> Project 3--> Process

Screen grabs from the interactive:

Final Direction and interface sketches:

Directional sketches: