Advertising Design! MCA 2012: November 2012

A few notes from our presentation yesterday...
Firstly, I think overall you did a great job presenting as a group last night and the ideas were all solid. However, I do feel that regarding feedback, we still have a lot of design work to do before our campaign is ready to roll.

**NOTE: If you haven't put your working files into the Campaign Development folder in the server (I think I only see be baller in there right), please share those files so everyone has access to work completed so far**

Some things to think about as you refine...

1. Design, design, design. I think the overall artwork and aesthetic / imagery needs more energy and excitement. We talked a lot about patterns, imagery, more happy (less sad) face. We talked about repeating shapes / patterns from the environments. This might be a good time to thinking about how Design System 1 might attack the problem :) I like keeping the figural aspect in the design but perhaps it is smaller (becoming one aspect of the design) with more attention placed on the artwork surrounding the figure. I think these pieces should be smart but also should be beautiful and engaging to passerbyers - How can we amp up the visuals so each location we place this in becomes inspired and more beautiful?

2. Stencil language. On one aspect, I want y'all to think about the design / composition of each boarded up window (almost like a poster design). On the other hand, there is still some work to do regarding the stencil language. Christina (director of Urban Art Commission) emailed me the S.Memphis Charette information (which we have on the server) and asked that we examine "the architecture preservation outcome" that lists important architecture which would offer language for developing the stencil language.

2. Copy. Keep massaging copy - some ideas from crit might work ... like our instead of your... maybe, we can mix in the "make memphis matter" if it makes sense. It may be good to brainstorm a few more line ideas (along the same lines) to discuss Monday. The message should be strong and memorable. Is there a better way to say the same thing?

3. Typography. Does the message always live on the bottom "lower-third" of the panel or could it be in different areas? Does the scale change across each board or is size consistent? Could we use typography like patterns into the design or should it always sit on a solid color? Could the type crop off the edges? I think however the copy is treated into the design, it should live on each piece in some manner.

4. Color. Try some different color schemes. We talked about pulling color schemes from the neighborhood but it could be other color schemes as well. I feel like nude palletes might work well... try a bunch. I have some color books I can bring in Monday. There are a bunch of color resources on the blog in the sidebar also - https://kuler.adobe.com/#themes/rating?time=30

5. Review. Go back to some of the work we looked at during the research phase of the project. Go back and look at the photos from south memphis... Are we on track with what the Mayor's INnovation Team and "The Stewardship Campaign" want/need?