i was reviewing the photocopy pieces over the weekend (create a photocopy piece that demonstrates your relationship to a brand) and thought of a few ideas. i thought i might post three questions in relation to the assignment, with hopes that you might blog back.
> these pieces mostly demonstrate relationships to P R O D U C T S.
how do you define "brand"?
(as demonstrated by your approaches to the assignment, it is easy to demonstrate your physical relationship to a product using a photocopier, but not as simple to communicate the relationship to a brand.)
> moira spoke on friday about designers' ability to create value and meaning for the user.
How does the brand change the value or meaning of a product?
(i think molly took this on in her discussion of why it is *coke* rather than *pepsi* that she chose to demonstrate.
> how is a *brand* represented on a photocopier?
(does it look like a cup, a package, a logo, etc.)
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Brand: a breed of product or service that somehow differentiates itself from other similar services or products. i think we demonstrate our relationship to a specific brand very well, but it is different to demonstrate "brand". since we can specify which brand, things are made much easier.
Value and Meaning: designers are the sole communicators of these social emotions. they (we) determione how a product or service fits into a niche in society. we create value by differentiating it from other products, and certain users, and offer a new standard of living that-one you cannot touch or see-with our products or services. Meaning is also associated with this standard of living. we can materialze a need or desire from practically nothing for a user, viewer, or consumer, and express its importance to a certain goal (which can change depending on the audience and product).
> how is a *brand* represented on a photocopier?
(does it look like a cup, a package, a logo, etc.)-
*a brand* can be represented very easily on a photocopier. it can be as simple as a logo or specific product. *brand* is not so easy. we try to communicate how it makes us feel or think, act, react, and move. it is a more personal visualization, so i think it is very difficult. but i think just trying to put an emotion into words or images is enough. putting into words or images for a specific audience or person is a whole 'nother ballgame.
BRAND DEFINITION(s)
brand Pronunciation Key (brnd)
n.
1. A trademark or distinctive name identifying a product or a manufacturer.
2. A product line so identified: a popular brand of soap.
3. A distinctive category; a particular kind: a brand of comedy that I do not care for.
4. A mark indicating identity or ownership, burned on the hide of an animal with a hot iron.
5. A mark burned into the flesh of criminals.
6. A mark of disgrace or notoriety; a stigma. See Synonyms at stain.
7. A branding iron.
8. A piece of burning or charred wood.
9. A sword: “So flashed and fell the brand Excalibur” (Tennyson).
tr.v. brand·ed, brand·ing, brands
1. To mark with or as if with a hot iron. See Synonyms at mark1.
2. To mark to show ownership.
3. To mark with disgrace or infamy; stigmatize.
4. To impress firmly; fix ineradicably: Imagery of the war has branded itself into the national consciousness.
from dictionary.com
It seems the term "brand" is quite loaded when looking at even these most basic of definitions. As it relates to design and the identity, the BRAND seems to include aspects from multiple definitions.
It can be visualized in a "trademark or distinctive name" (1) on a product as we seemed to key in on in our photocopy exercise.
But this trademark/name, this identification (2) can become more than just a name. The "visual" has the ability to seer itself into our lives (4 & 5). The mark/experience (in other words, the visualization/materialization of the brand) acting like a 7, 8 or, 9.
What these definitions (as well as Jenks and GKP) seem to suggest broadly, is a fundamental value inherent in the term brand. Identity as currency. What seems to be forgotten is the violent nature of the brand. I would argue that branding is the forcing of your identity on someone else. Yes, identities are essential; they are what make humans (and human organizations) unique from each other. To deny this, is to deny our humanity. But there is a point when "being yourself" crosses a threshold that hinders others from "being themselves." I call this point the brand.
hi! a useful link about defining:
branding
http://www.brandingbranding.com/
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