Blog Assignment #7 take a photograph of a product and create a visual “little world” or “story” around it.
Let Me Manifest This Mystic Mood
Come in closer, mortals. I’ve been cultivating my spirit realm vibes again through curated decor. This photo captures some meaningful artifacts for awakening our inner ancient pasts. Everything ties back to preparation, protection and eternal possibility.
Centered is Lush’s Karma blend which reminds us that all energies eventually return full circle. I sourced the perfect engraved leather backdrop signifying past life memories buried within our DNA. Don’t the etched symbols seem faintly recognizable? Like you’ve been initiated before…
Fanning shadows nearby: slivers of selenite, beaming silver. Representative of lunar cycles, death/rebirth and spirit communing. They beckon softly.
My beloved crystal ball asserts future sight – if you have the gift to Scry like ancients. Coiled around, an enchanted uraeus serpent guards this visionary power. Behind, wings of Horus as the golden beetle promises renewal when we honor natural law.
And so I’ve composed an altarscape both elegant and storied. Its details should resonate with your soul as well. After all, the occult hides in plain sight 🧿🔮
2024’s Top Super Bowl Ads: Nostalgia Reigns, But Do Brands Finally See Us 40-Somethings?
M&M’s leans into beloved SNL icon Maya Rudolph for some wacky candy mascot drama. We’re here for the satire, but could this jesting alienate those timeless candy brand devotees?
Pepsi Zero mines our 80s Dodgeball nostalgia with Ben Stiller and Steve Martin. We enjoy the throwback laughs, but shouldn’t brands evolve beyond our aging pop culture glory days already?
Bud Light gives us another worn out wedding gag with Miles Teller. We get it…we’re the settle down demographic. But we still have some edge leftover from our youth!
Workday’s odd couple Billy Idol and Ozzy screams try-hard to middle-aged skeptics like us. Enterprise tech will never seem hip, no matter how hard you Gen Z gussy it!
Michelob Ultra trots out active athletes again. Yet our dad bods now thirst for more fantasy and escapism when kicking back, not just sweaty fitness inspo!
Doritos attempts music mashups with today’s artists to push…new BBQ chips? Our Spotify playlists may need some updating too then!
Heineken shrinks forever-young Paul Rudd into silly beer can hijinks. We adore our Gen X icon, but shouldn’t 45+ viewers see some graduate level storylines occasionally?
Booking.com serves us another trite hotels dot com song and dance routine. We dig Melissa McCarthy’s fearless comedy, but give us some substance! Maybe deals for our middle income travel budgets??
Hey brands – while we remain hip to digital buzz, isn’t it high time you look beyond millennials and zoomers to see the spending power and savviness of Generation X? We’re the tastemakers who paved the way! Just a thought from some still kickin’ elder influencers here!
BONUS REVIEW: When Sobriety Meets Super Bowl Ads: A Skeptic’s Take
Confessions of a Non-Sports Elder Millennial Assignmented to Review Budweiser’s 2013 “Brotherhood” Commercial
As someone who has only watched part of one Super Bowl in my 41 years, professional American football is hardly my specialist subject. But as a reforming participant in late stage capitalism and 5-years sober ex-beer drinker, critiquing an emotional Budweiser ad for a class assignment did force some unexpected personal introspection.
Could a cinematic story about the bond between Budweiser’s classic Clydesdale horses and their returning trainer transcend my usual corporate advertising cynicism and disdain for mega beer brands? I pressed play on YouTube, tissues at the ready just in case those manly Super Bowl tears needed dabbing.
As a non-drinker for going on 5 years now and complete sober person for over a year now, I’m no longer Bud’s target demographic. And this ad supporting a mega alcohol brand gives me pause in my efforts to disengage from late-stage capitalism.
However, I found this cinematic story of a trainer surprising Budweiser’s Clydesdale horses with their old friend rather emotionally affecting. The soaring orchestral score and slow motion capture of the horses recognizing and galloping towards their long-lost buddy got me, I’ll admit it!
Maybe it was the sweeping views of horses running free. Or the basic story bringing up memories of my own treasured friendships. Regardless, sneaky ad-makers…you caught this anti-Super Bowl elder millennial off guard by striking a heart string with timeless themes of undying friendship. R.I.P AYLA BUGGY…
I still believe we must thoughtfully examine the messages and worldviews corporate advertising can instill. But artful visions reminding us of love’s enduring power can momentarily transcend the sales pitch, for skeptics and sports-haters alike. Well played, Budweiser. Now back to my usual media diet of YouTube graphic design tutorials and listening the this song Red Lorry Yellow Lorry ‘Heaven’ 1989 on repeat for 3, or is it day 4? I need some sleep././.
Background: Over fall break between first and second quarter, I took on a freelance design project for a popular post punk goth punk band from Portland, Oregon. The band reached out needing branding and promotional materials to establish their identity and promote their second album release. This included designing their logo, merch, and visual assets for their website and social media.
Actions: I had complete creative freedom over the concept and direction, so I carefully reviewed the band’s lyrics and musical style to understand their aesthetic and vibe. This inspired me to create a timeless, versatile logo design that aligned with their edgy yet poetic punk sound. I sketched out ideas combining symbolic visuals with their band name in a way that would stand out. After rounds of iteration, I landed on a final logo concept using Illustrator. I then applied this logo to create merch and digital assets using Photoshop and InDesign that were cohesive with the branding.
VISIONS POSTERIZED GRUNGE PHOTO TREATMENT
Results: The band absolutely loved the final designs and felt I completely nailed capturing their vision and brand identity. The logo visuals connect deeply with their music and who they are as artists. Since revealing the designs, they have been receiving an enthusiastic response from fans who are excited to sport their merch. They were so satisfied that they posted about my work on their popular social pages. This promotion led to a fair paycheck of $750 and interest from other bands looking for design work. Overall this project shows my ability to design impactful branding and is something I am proud to include in my portfolio
VISIONS T SHIRT DESIGN 1VISIONS LOGO TSHIRT DESIGN 2
