Kodacolour Gold

Whilst working in a Radio Station over the past eight months I have heard many radio adverts and have been lucky enough to witness so many being written and produced. This example, for Kodacolour Gold, was not the work of someone here at Radio Aire but has been widely recognised as one of the best radio adverts and won countless awards.

The advert answers a question that has been posed in many of our brainstorms, a question that is essential to radio advert writing, How do you represent pictures with sound? It's the question that outlines what radio adverts have to do. Visual work is the role of a graphic designer but for a radio creative their canvas is the airwaves and they have to use the power of sound to sell a product/service.

The advert for me successfully engages the listener to take part and imagine that they can hear colour. It's written well, voiced well, sounds fantastic and even has a comedy element.

This advert has even formed a great foundation for my dissertation where I want to focus on "Non-Visual Media" and perhaps investigate whether as a Graphic industry there is a fear of the non-visual. After all, all you need is copyrighting skills and Microsoft Word or Notepad...doesn't it just go against pretty much everything we've been taught as graphic designers...well maybe not as much as you think...

Enjoy!

Schindler's List

I was told that when my Dad and brother went to see Schindler's List when it first came out in the cinema they drove all the way home and did not say a word to each other, after watching it this weekend I can see why.

I am by no means an avid film goer and in no way would I call myself a film lover. But recently I have tried to make myself watch more and more films and in particular watch those movies that have always been recommended to me. Schindler's List lived up to all the hype.

The use of Black and White film was a fantastic choice by Spielberg, immediately tapping into not only the era but giving the movie a strange quality that made you feel as if everyone was equal, the same. There were no overpowering uniforms or the like, everyone was the same, although of course they weren't. Following on from that choice was of course the powerful image of the one girl in red whose very presence seems to change Schindler's outlook on everything and leads him to save the very people he was exploiting. Her death seems to spark Schindler's conscience and it is this single element of the film that for me makes it stunningly breathtaking.

It is not a movie I would watch again in a hurry though. The powerful and graphic nature of it for me makes it unique but it is this that makes it so hard to watch it. It's a struggle but if you've never seen it believe the hype, it is a well deserved Oscar winner.

Insignia launch showcases new Vauxhall logo

"Vauxhall’s new-look griffin badge will be unveiled later today at the launch of its Insignia car, its first redesign in five years.

The bold, sleek black-and-chrome boiler-plate is part of a complete overhaul of Vauxhall’s corporate identity by the car manufacturer’s in-house design team led by vice-president of design Mark Adams, launched last April.

It is hoped that the new logo will ‘send a message that something is happening with this brand’, said Alain Visser, chief marketing officer at General Motors Europe.

Visser believes that by giving the logo a more modern look, it will underline Vauxhall’s recent emphasis on technology, culminating with today’s launch of the new Insignia mid-sized car.

Vauxhall is the latest in a succession of carmakers to update their look, including Volvo, Fiat, Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz, all seeking to change their brand perception in a challenging market.

The Insignia, sporting the new logo, will be exhibited at this week’s London Motor Show, opening on Wednesday 23 July. "

http://www.designweek.co.uk/Articles/139041/Insignia+launch+showcases+new+Vauxhall+logo.html



My thoughts are that Vauxhalls new identity certainly brings it into the 21st century but has done very well to keep it's roots. The fact that the launch co-insides with the relegation of the Vectra, one of Vauxhalls signature cars, from their range I think does give the clear message of a company that is looking to the future.

It is interesting actually that even on this weeks Top Gear Vauxhall were said to be the only car manufacturer who's whole range looks cool. Perhaps this Great British car manufacturer is benefiting from a very stable and skillful in-house design team.



Even from this timeline of their logo through the years it is clear to see how fresh looking this design is and personally how dull their old badge was. I am also pleased they have dropped the red and gone for a sleek chrome and black palette.