Study Task 02- Triangulation exercise

Above are my notes from the seminar today

For this study task I have decided to look at the red bull adverts as I think it links well with some of the discussions that are made within the seminar texts. First things first 1964 discusses how advertising is a wasted talent, how they don't want to 'take the fun out of life' but we should prioritise more useful and lasting forms of communication. 'We have reached a saturation point at which the high pitched scream of consumer selling is no more than sheer noise' this statement is quite true everyday we get bombarded with tones of graphic design and forms of advertising when we don't even realise, but it is all there for a good reason because without advertising and graphic design nothing would sell. They think that there is other things worth more using their skill and experience on, but they as graphic designers, photographers and advertisers shape our visual world. The first things first manifesto got re visited in 2000 and there is a difference in the tone of voice, the 2000 manifesto has more urgent tone of voice with the attitude of 'we need to sort this out', it has an ethical change. In the 2000 manifesto it explains that we use our skill and imagination to sell things that are inessential, this joins well with the red bull adverts 'red bull gives you wings' red bull is not a necessary in everyones life it has a target audience for people who want to perform at their best. Study note 6 from the 10 footnotes to a manifesto discusses how we as graphic designers make things look desirable for the customers to consume. It also questions that if we don't do the work and make things look good then who will? There will always be a hierarchy within design and if there was no designers it would just create a hierarchy of bad design. Footnote 6 also states that all we do is make things look pretty/good for the consumer to want it, the red bull adverts certainly do that, they use good visuals in the form of illustrations and make the product relatable to the target audience. 

References :

Garland, K. (1964) 'First Things First Manifesto', self published

Lasn, K. et al (2000) 'First Things First Manifesto', Adbusters

Beirut, M. (2007) 'Ten Footnotes To A Manifesto', in 'Seventy Nine Short essays On Design'