RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS
This week's resource material and lectures have provided me with the tools, insight and understanding to communicate who I am. Design is the vehicle of expression and creativity that forms the very essence of one's self. In my case, the person and the designer are the same, defined by my character, actions (practice) and values.
Character
My character is an ever-evolving entity that is shaped from birth to old age through life, family, religion, emotions and experiences. Both nature and nurture have left an imprint and influenced the result (Hosken, n.d.).
I am aspirational and determined, never content to simply be. An understanding of Anthony Giddens Trajectory of The Self key themes allows me to reflect on my character and process, enabling my personal growth.
- I alone am responsible for my development. Through reflection and awareness of what I do today, I can grow and improve. This process is continuous and ever-evolving (Thompson, 2016).
- Living in and focusing on the present creates self-understanding to plan and construct a life plan according to one's goals and aspirations (Hosken, n.d.). Since high-school and well into my adult career, I have had a three to five-year rolling plan. It continuously evolves and adapts to my aspirations and has kept me motivated to reach higher and consistently achieve.
- Your life and character have a voice or narrative that needs continuous creative input to grow (Hosken, n.d.). I see my website and business social media as a design autobiography through which I can track my design journey, achievements, disappointments, client and consumer feedback. I can reflect on my past work, listen to what my followers have to say, and implement this into new projects, ensuring I'm continuously improving.
- I do worry about not having enough time to achieve and create a lasting legacy before I die. I fear technology may, at some, point render my occupation obsolete or that I will age and become unfashionable in a society that values youth and trendiness. Giddens teaches us to appreciate and revel in the present and not focus on the future and things beyond our control (Hosken, n.d.). By following his advice, I redirect my energy to today instead of worrying about tomorrow.
- Stress, long working hours and lack of sleep due to client demands and deadlines, business, staff and financial burdens can harm my physical and mental health and well-being. Awareness and care for my body, health and overall well-being are essential for prolonged success and productivity (Hosken, n.d.).
- Self-actualisation is about understanding and taking risks which in turn open us up to opportunities and possibilities (Thompson, 2016). I have a company in Cape Town that makes a decent profit, and I have the luxury of living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. South Africa, however, is possibly heading towards a failed state and by stepping out of my comfort zone and applying for work abroad, I could potentially open myself up to more significant work opportunities and a safer living environment. The risks are however substantial. Will I be successful, what will it be like working for someone else and not running the show?
- To be authentic, we need to acknowledge and recover from old habits and mistakes so that we don't repeat them (Hosken, n.d.). Instead of beating myself up about mistakes I have made in business, I instead try to learn from them. I recently had a reputable company refuse to pay their bills, and due to some creative international business registration, the legal costs to fight them would have bankrupt me. The costs accumulated over months to near on R200 000.00 and had a substantial impact on my business and cashflow. I am also far more reluctant to take on work from international companies again for fear of this reaccuring. I gave myself a day or two to cry and then set up a new process where-by every client, regardless of size or reputation, must pay a 50% deposit upfront.
- The more we can focus on our present relationships, with no expectations of the future, the healthier and happier we will be (Thompson, 2016). Instead of trying to force and control the relationship, focus instead on the value created today. Clients stay with me because it’s a good fit, together with my loud, passionate personality and quality of work. If clients do leave, I also choose to see it as an opportunity for something new and exciting to take its place. If they are a suboptimal client, sometimes its better to give my time and attention to clients that pay well, engage with me and allow me the freedom to create without dictation.
- Accumulated wisdom cultivated through self-awareness, self-reflection and an intention to learn from your mistakes allow you to make choices based on your own experience and judgements rather than the opinions of others (Thompson, 2016). I know who I am and what I want. If I listened to business advisors, I would have a company of thirty-something staff and spend my days miserably knee-deep in administration instead of designing. Success comes from confidence and trust in the validity of your instincts and intuitive knowledge (Hosken, n.d.).
Practice/ Actions
In the olden days, life was more straightforward with more rules and boundaries around relationships, labour, religion and one's role in society. We now live in a modern world where the influence of science is more substantial than that of religion, and technology has created a confusing relationship between our actual, social and professional selves (Hosken, n.d.). We now need to navigate unknown territory, devoid of rules and guidelines. We have boundless freedom, choice, different perspectives and opinions (Thompson, 2016). To stay true to one's authentic character, values, belief structure, and design ethics requires a strong sense of fortitude (Adams, 2003).
It is interesting to note that we were asked to describe our character and application of design when the resource material has presented us with two morally contradicting paths. Margaret Mark and Carol S. Pearson's insight into using cultural archetypes for more significant impact in identity design, brand messaging and marketing based on Carl Jung's study of the unconscious are wildly insightful. I will most certainly use those principals to become a stronger designer and build a more powerful brand for myself and my clients (Yow, 2019). Then, by contrast, The Century of the Self portrays an ugly dystopian truth of the influence and power of design and advertising (Reidbord, 2013). The work of Sigmund Freud's nephew, Edward Bernay, who created modern marketing, uses the unconscious to manipulate one's sense of choice (Hosken, n.d.). It begs the question of a designers ethical and moral responsibility in a capitalist society.
Margaret Mark and Carol S. Pearson's The Hero and the Outlaw: Building Brands Through the Power of Archetypes (McGraw-Hill, 2001) has presented me with a new approach and understanding to effective branding that I want to implement in my design process and that of my clients. An archetype is a mental image or pattern inherited from our earliest human ancestors, present in the collective unconscious. Advertising and branding use the emotional response these projections enlist on our unconscious to sell goods and services (Yow, 2019).
I have documented these archetypes so I can better understand and implement them in my design process.
The framework or foundations of a brand archetype are Independence, Stability, Mastery and Belonging. Twelve brand archetypes use visuals, language and feelings to build on and reflect the essence of the brand (Yow, 2019). The Innocent, The Explorer, The Sage, The Hero, The Outlaw, The Magician, The Regular Guy, The Lover, The Jester, The Caregiver, The Creator and The Ruler. I remember an old South African advert for Black Cat peanut butter where a little kid eats his peanut butter sandwich and gains strength to defeat criminals. The aspirational hero complex had children patrolling their neighbourhoods on bicycles in black capes and eating peanut butter for strength to defeat any possible threats (Black Cat Peanut Butter, 2014).
Your Archetypal Brand Positioning and Brand Story are made up of five components together with the 12 archetypes that are used to create the brand strategy, promise, essence, character and personality which should be well constructed and articulated so that it is not diluted over time. Brand Soul, Brand Substance, Competitive Analysis, Target Analysis and Brand Story. A business with core value and purpose ensures enduring success in a changing world. These principals can be used to create a meaningful legacy while also selling products. Managing the meaning behind imagery and the written word used to build brands and tell their story allows me to execute my craft in a way that at the very least does no harm and at best enables the customers I serve with a more effective brand story, structure and communication (Yow, 2019).
The darker side to design and advertising originates with Freud and Young. "Design and advertising are selling self-image, emotional aspirations instead of rational goods and services. Lehman Brothers Paul Mazur said, "We must shift America from a needs to a desires culture." Man's desires must overshadow his needs because people don't make decisions; their desires do (Hosken, n.d.). I remember a Coca-Cola experiment done in movie theatres where a visual of the product would flash on the screen for a fraction of a second so that only the subconscious would pick it up. During the interval, everyone went to buy Coca-Cola. I didn't see this as smart marketing, but instead as an unethical, manipulation of choice.
Fig. 1: Digital Agency Network, 2020.
The famous words of Uncle Ben in Spiderman, "With great power comes great responsibility" springs to mind (Academy, 2020). This knowledge of design’s capabilities of manipulation has made me reassess and ensure that my process is a responsible one that benefits society. I am a capitalist and do need to use my skills to make money. However, I do have ethical boundaries in place thanks to a religious upbringing which I feel keep me in check. The cliental I choose and how I execute work also has a more positive impact on consumers and the environment. Skin Creamery makes use of sustainable packaging and organic ingredients. Honest chocolates use authentic and sustainable farming, sourcing and trade practice together with real, 'right for you' components.
Fig. 2: Extreme Tech, 2018.
My Values
Who I am as a designer? My personality, work process, client and collaborator interaction, business savvy and lifestyle all communicate and are made up or attribute to my values.
Determined, Diligent, Driven, Aspirational
Both nurture and nature have shaped who I am as a person and designer today. I grew up in a strict, religious, loving and hands-on family. My parents sacrificed and went without so that I could have a good education which they valued substantially. I can attribute this to my sense of determination, diligence and drive. I don't want to squander the opportunities afforded me, which only motivates my aspirations more.
Loud, Passionate, Enthusiastic, Vivacious, Fun-Loving, Positive
Anyone who knows me would describe me as loud, and I have heard friends and clients say they can listen to me a mile away. I don't see loud as a negative trait but instead, one that encompasses passion, enthusiasm and vivaciousness. My over the top self is an endearing, unique quality to clients and collaborators who want to work with me because of my fun-loving attitude and energy. If that is the essence of my personality, it makes sense that it is then reflected in my work as well.
Perfectionist, Reliable
I operate my life and work at full throttle and because of this I find I require periods of down time and quite. I am a perfectionist who straddles the line of OCD. This does make my design process slower, but the precision and craft in my execution is what sets me apart from everyone else and has grown my legacy to date. I am also reliable in the delivery of work and promises to clients and collaborators, a key trait in a lasting and successful design business.
Strong, Independent, Self-Assured
I am a healthy, independent, self-assured person who attributes her success to the trust and confidence in my instincts, conceptual and executed work as well as life and business direction. If I don't second guess my work and business decisions, I can only move forward.
WORKSHOP CHALLENGE
Words that describe my values as a designer.
Determined, Strong, Diligent, Independent, Driven, Energetic, Aspirational, Self-Assured, Loud, Fun-Loving, Passionate, Reliable, Enthusiastic, Stubborn, Vivacious, Opinionated, Positive, Boisterous, Perfectionist and Confident.
Five words that best describe my core values as a designer.
Loud, Vivacious, Confident, Determined and Perfectionist.
Moodboards illustrating my core values.
I need to cut down the time I spend on resource revision and writing substantially while moving through the design work at a faster pace. My inner perfectionist is hampering this progress. I am my awareness of the situation will speed up its resolution.
Brand archetypes were the most thought-provoking element of this week as I sought to align them to work and strategies I had previously seen. The Innocent, The Explorer, The Sage, The Hero, The Outlaw, The Magician, The Regular Guy, The Lover, The Jester, The Caregiver, The Creator and The Ruler. I remember an old South African advert for Black Cat peanut butter where a little kid eats his peanut butter sandwich and gains strength to defeat criminals. The aspirational hero complex had children patrolling their neighbourhoods on bicycles in black capes and eating peanut butter for strength to defeat any possible threats.
I found the comprehensive insight into character development and self-actualisation insightful. Awareness lays the foundations for improvement, and I feel I have grown as a designer and individual this week.
Reference: Hosken, M., n.d. The Self. MA Graphic Design, Module GDE710 Contemporary Practice.
Reference: Adams, M., 2003. The Reflexive Self and Culture: A Critique. British Journal of Sociology, [online] 54(2), pp.221-38. Available at: <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/10591100_The_Reflexive_Self_and_Culture_A_Critique> [Accessed 12 October 2020].
Reference: Thompson, K., 2016. Giddens – The Trajectory Of The Self. [online] ReviseSociology. Available at: <https://revisesociology.com/2016/08/29/giddens-modernity-and-self-identity-chapter-three/> [Accessed 12 October 2020].
Reference: Yow, M., 2019. The Power Of Brand Archetypes. [online] US Collective. Available at: <https://uxdesign.cc/brand-archetypes-c09771774c1a> [Accessed 12 October 2020].
Reference: Reidbord, S., 2013. Review Of _Century Of The Self_, A BBC Documentary. [online] Psychology Today. Available at: <https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sacramento-street-psychiatry/201308/review-century-the-self-bbc-documentary> [Accessed 12 October 2020].
Reference: Academy, T., 2020. With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility - The Star Academy. [online] The Star Academy. Available at: <https://thestaracademy.co.za/with-great-power-comes-great-responsibility/> [Accessed 13 October 2020].
Reference: Margaret Mark and Carol S. Pearson, The Hero and the Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of Archetypes (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001).
Reference: Black Cat Peanut Butter, 2014. Black Cat Peanut Butter - The Boy With Nine Lives Advert. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgzbKsqDxl4> [Accessed 13 October 2020].
Figure 1: Digital Agency Network, 2020. What You Can See From Coco-Cola's Digital Marketing Strategy. [image] Available at: <https://digitalagencynetwork.com/what-you-can-see-from-coca-colas-digital-marketing-strategy/> [Accessed 15 October 2020].
Figure 2: Extreme Tech, 2018. Performance Analysis: Spider-Man Kills It On PS24 Pro. [image] Available at: <http://(Digital Agency Network, 2020)> [Accessed 15 October 2020].