Studio Brief 2 - Collaborative Practice Outcome

To begin finalising the project, the last step was to apply to designs to the mock up templates and then analyse whether the designs were successful in reaching the intended audience. By applying different designs to the same advertisement, it would then be possible to see which ones work better than others for the environment in which they are placed. For example, some advertisements will be placed in crowded public places, meaning they must be quick and easy to understand to those passing by.

1. 1 x London underground advert - 6 sheet (1200mm x 1800mm) - For this advertisement the ad would need to be placed in a portrait position. 

After discussing with the project partner, we decided to use these two designs for the London Underground mock up, as they both show relatively short quotes by iconic female figures of today. Within the space that they are found, the designs work well because they are easy to understand when glancing at them and the text within them stands out well against the saturated background images. The simplicity also brings attention to the bottom of the posters, which gives viewers an idea of what the advertisement is, while providing them with a link to where they can download the app. 

The design could have potentially been improved further by linking a scannable code or web address for the audience to follow. This could have also provided viewers with links to the Beehive website, were they could find out more information.

2. 1 x bus advert - superside (658mm x 6108mm)

From the design aimed at festivalgoers, the mock up on a bus would require a different layout in order to display the designs. This meant removing the quote from the photographic background and placing it to the left of the design. Sectioning the design into two parts, then allowed viewers to read the text from the left of the layout to the right, where they would see the photo. As the text on the original design was white, it meant placing it over a black background that would make it visible from a distance. With the public placement of the advertisement in mind, this design needed to be visible from short to medium distance, which was possible through the rearrangement of the design and text.

Alternatively, the design could have been improved by darkening the colours used in the photograph, or by adding the colour of Bumble BFF to the background of the text. However, this could potentially have limited the legibility of the text and in turn weakened the advertisement.

3. 1 x billboard - 96 sheet (1219.2cm x 304.8cm)

This advertising billboard also required the design to be altered in order for it to fit the layout. Where the text was once placed central to the background image, the space was opened up. This allowed the background image to be more visible, as the text would be made smaller and placed above the people in the image. Considering where the billboard would be in public, this design works well as it is placed next to a public walkway. This means that people walking towards the billboard would have enough distance to read the quote as they pass by it. 

Alternatively, the billboard would also work in a central street within a town centre or busy shopping location. To add to this, the design could have also been improved by either shortening the quote or by adding a link for viewers to follow.

4. 1 x 30s video advert (storyboard acceptable) - Story board layout

5. 1 x 10s video advert (storyboard acceptable)

As a result of the storyboard for a video, it was possible to imitate some of the ideas that we had about the app and how users might utilise its potential. In this case, we considered what many students would do when meeting a friend, where they may go and how they would communicate with one another. As the focus of the app is to help people communicate, we believe that by showing the interaction between two people in minute details would resonate with viewers and how they act when contacting people. It also sets a scene in the viewers mind about how they could relate to the situation themselves and what they would do during a coffee date with a friend.

Alternatively, had there been more time put into this idea, there could have been a video produced to replicate the scenario and show viewers exactly how the storyboard would work out. 

6. Instagram/snapchat story advert, in gif or video format - aspect ratio 9:16 (1080mm x 1920mm) - For this a gif was made. 

Much in the same way that the designs showed celebrations, the gif showed snapshots of friends at a nightclub. This would remind viewers of the nights out they may have had with friends, as well as the nights out they will have in future, potentially with people they could meet through Bumble. The idea behind the gif was to replicate how people post compilation videos of themselves and their friends, using mostly photographs. 

Alternatively, the video could have shown a series of photographs taken in one location and then split up using a strobe effect. This would show the photographs as moving between each frame and make the people within the pictures look as though they are moving or dancing. This would have been a better development option, had we provided ourselves with more time for improvements to be made at the end of the project.