Task 6

I am going to focus on Gary's first post on his blog relating to Surveillance, the Panopticon and Foucault and relate this to my first project of level five. For this project of 'what is good' I decided to focus on a children's hospice, I wanted to give them a brand new logo, poster campaign and package to send out to customers. As within the graphic design industry you must always think about who your target audience would be, of which may lead you to creating stereotypes of people of whom may be your stereotypical target audience.

 For example within this project I had targeted students between 20 - 28 looking to do something different and productive, and therefore using this stereotype, it gave me a design path to follow. As I went onto stereotype the people of which I thought would relate to this subject most to be out-going/fun active students, of which I would then adapt my design to.  Which then goes onto influence colours you use, as i related oranges and blues and quite a fun combination to attract the 'fun' students. This then relates to Foulcaults theory of adapting your behaviour to that of others, I am being controlled by the stereotype i have created to target my designs at. 

Task 5 - Sustainability & Capitalism


How is sustainability defined in the text?
What are the main characteristics or tendencies of Capitalism?
Define a 'crisis of Capitalism'. Offer an example
What solution have been offered to the sustainability question? 
Are these successful or realistic? - If not why are they flawed?
Is the concept of sustainability compatible with Capitalism?


Sustainability is defined in the text as 'inter and intra generational equity in the social, environmental,  economic, moral and political spheres of society' suggesting it needs everyone as an individual to take part for it to collectively work together, it is for a future investment for future generations, yet cannot be done by just one person.

Capitalism is described as 'constantly looking for new things to commodify'. It is forever growing and adapting to new things and expanding those new discoveries, reliant on making money. A crisis of Capitalism is "a passage, which is the turning point in every systematic cycle of accumulation, from a first phase of material expansion (investment in production) to a second phase of financial expansion". Therefore they would have to keep up with the expectations and demands of customers for the next 'big thing' what comes next. The first stage is creating a product then as the times and to carry on making a profit, you must adapt and expand the product to keep interest and sales. 


There are four main points outlined for business to become more environmentally conscious to help with the matter of sustainability, two of which would work successfully together, increasing productivity yet having production with no waste. One main solution of achieving sustainable practice would be that of the 'BIOX Corporation Scheme' a production of bio diesel that would be an alternative "clean fuel' and 'renewable because of the short life cycle of the com plants its made from". Although the idea of using 'clean fuel' is becoming an increasingly popular alternative, it is being built on a poor communities green space in the North End of Hamilton in Canada. It did not think of the social effects of exposing the homes close to the plan to noise, light and air pollution.


Sustainability and Capitalism are not be compatible with each other as there means are different. Capitalism thrives of finding new ideas and uses them to make money, of which sustainability could be one of. However sustainability blames capitalism for the current state we are in. Yet sustainability can not hide from capitalism.  

Task 4 - Communication Theory.


Shannon and Weaver's Mathematic Theory of Communication was developed through the Second World War as they were trying to find new ways in which the 'channels' of communication could be more efficient. They mainly used the telephone and radio waves to do so. This theory was created to show the way in which it works, of which they claimed could be used in any form of social communication. They broke the theory down into 5 different sections: Information/Source - Transmitter (Encoder) - Channel - Receiver (Decoder) - Destination.

The idea of The Shannon Weaver model can be used to look at the social relationships within communication in graphic design. It begins with the initial transmission of the message and how the receiver will interpret/decode the message, which relies on the way in which the message is communicated through the channel/media you chose.

For example the brand 'Yorkshire Tea' their initial message they want to transmit is the idea of comforting, genuine, wholesome tea and therefore relates it to a 'good' channel/media of relating it to Yorkshire of which the receiver they are aiming to target can relate the message.

Also like the design of the packaging below for Kettle Crisps, the message they are trying to portray is the idea they are 'better' quality crisps/ healthier. They have done this through using what we would call natural colours which suggest that the contents are also natural. Which would successfully target their audience of people whom are either conscious of their weight and want to be healthier or the upper class people all of which who enjoy crisps.

Designs for anti smoking ads also fit into the Shannon & Weaver model as they are transmitting the idea of getting 'hooked' once you start smoking. They have done this in a negative way through using the semiotic of being a fish and the imagery portrays a negative/painful image of what it is like. They have successfully targeted their receiver as they can relate to the feeling of the campaign therefor it is works as a piece of graphic design and communicates well. 

Feedback on Essay
Thinks to look at:

- Re-structure the essay and start with defining hyperreality
- Take out 'slang' phrase
- Try not to make it a conversational essay

My Essay on Hyperreality

Options for my essay title: 

• A society heavily influenced by the hyperreal.
• A society built upon the hyperreal.
• the effects of hyperreality on a modern day consumer society
• a 'fake' society built on hyperreality
• an interpretation of the real. - i think this one is my favourite.

I want to talk about hyperreality and link in the writers views/ opinions, and also how the hyperreal creates/enlarges the consumer societies expectations and wants. 

Change of idea!! 

I have decided to look on how the hyperreal has created a whole new 'world' as it were, how the real has been interpreted to create a hyperreal of which is then effecting the real and the society living in it.

Also how the consumer society is affecting the hyper real and how the hyper real is then making the consumer society want more from it.