Thirsty Planet key components

'pump it'- describing the water pumps
'do good'- the ammount of people your donation will help and 5000 litres per bottle
'making waves'- progress of thirsy planet
'hydrate, donate'- every bottle donates
'change a life'- knock on effects of having the aid for facilities
'more than just water'-saving lives quenching that thirst
'one bottle, 5000 litres'- emphasis on positive impact

powerful typeface to impact the visual language, making the words an encouragement
trustworthy sincere typeface to work within companies ethics and goals
Blobrush,komica axis, AS carter, cocogoose
Baskerville is considered the most persuasive trustworthy font

flag colour scheme
palm tree leaves trend for aesthetic attention of the generation 18-24
handwrendered detail to emphasize honest ethics of the company

The design process of making a new user interface for vinyl marketplace

Want to make Discogs vinyl specific as there are so many problems users have experienced specifically from this website so this is where I am taking forward my inspiration from to create a completely new interface for a vinyl marketplace made more tailored to the target audiences buying/selling/searching user experience

-emphasis on the emotions/experience buyers and sellers have about vinyl as it is a specific analog trend that has come back, and using record stores and the website
-try and input aesthetic experience of those who prefer record stores and the anticipation of finding a vinyl they feel (need to speak to record store goers to get the other side to try and tie in with the new user interface)

SWOT
Strengths of Discogs-can see buyer ratings, strong trust in the community, can filter specifications, can buy/sell,updated regularly, seller ratings,

Weaknesses of Discogs-'time consuming', becoming less reliable, 'unecessary' interface evolution,doesn't include tax in price, clunky interface,

Opportunities of Discogs- to invest, make money, find the missing vinyl of your collection,

Threats- people diverted away due to confusing interface first time users, vinyl buyers preferring the record store experience due to vibrancy and love of not knowing what theyre getting,

Motivation-search for or upload vinyls for sale, invest in vinyls that will increase in value, collect, collection is expression of your character,

Goal- to purchase or sell desired vinyl

Positives of record stores- workers are (usually) happy to chat, you can listen to the vinyl, discovery, excitement, clutter, artwork everywhere, colourful,discoveries, split in to categories

Negatives of record stores- don't always have what you want, a lot of clutter to get through


Discogs statistics-

Personas of vinyl buyers-large age range, international (12 different currencies)
male student building up collection
middle aged record store business owner
classics fan and collector of different versions/presses
dj who makes a living mixing passionate about specific genres
teenage daughter buying for parent


-the fact it has an international user experience will inform the interface design process to be clear and direct without any connotations to specific countries popularities. using record stores as an input would be useful as these are placed internationally and are a shared experience, as is the passion for music.

-is used by businesses making it an essential, however to buyers is more of a luxury opportunity to buy and sell vinyls in various conditions to save money and earn money and obtain the hard to find vinyls that would be very frustrating to find in record stores in most cases due to huge stacks. this interface is used more specifically for those who know what they want, but a wishlist notification or recommendations tie back to the experience of going to a record store so this will be included

Information needed-homepage which can show recommendations based on previous interaction displayed incase you don't know where to begin and a login that remembers you for ease of experience, buying page with search engine to find vinyls with a distinct filter of condition/rating of seller/country it is in(which would impact shipping cost), selling page with your uploads with options to revise etc, genres page if you don't know what you are looking for but know what style which can involve soundtracks to dubstep, history section, notifications input for wishlists and when they become available for sale with your filters and specifications you get an email/app notification, artists page to browse their vinyls and related artists on the side such as spotify has, people also bought feature, help page for first time users who are not familiar, however I aim to make this interface as simple to navigate as possible and much less cluttered than the existing examples such as discogs and musicstack

What makes this better- is an opportunity to group all vinyl buyers and sellers wether they prefer stores or not, taking to one place where they can find the particular vinyl they want without having to sort through mass ammounts of stacks and at possibly a bargain price or having the opportunity to buy a sold out limited vinyl or a present they can't find between various record stores. allows the user to search specifically for what they want through artist pages, genres, condition, in their currency, finding the nearest to them, and for them to be notified when a vinyl on their wishlist becomes available. Within research asking a user of Discogs and a curator of an exhibition specifically on record stores, he said Discogs marketplace needed to be a larger feature of the site, and now this will be larger and catered specifically to the broad target audience in one place.

Need to ask for research:
Why do these people buy vinyl over cd's or mp3?

Overall feedback was that vinyls sound better and they are an investment, and owning vinyl has a true ownership compared to digital mp3s or cds. Also, those asked working at record stores in Leeds all agreed a vinyl collection is a reflection of who you are.

What could be adjusted to make the interface more engaging and easier to use for the purpose of buying/selling/searching vinyl?

Less clunky, a way to randomize vinyl like in the shops to keep the excitement and discovery, more simple and less time consuming to search.

Favourite part of the analog experience of collecting and playing vinyl, how could I incorporate this digitally to enhance user experience and bring the two audiences in?

Ownership of the vinyl and finding hidden gems in record stores, can recreate this with vinyl randomizer, and also quick and easy searching with preview player and larger artwork, more visual like the stores compared to Discogs marketplace.

Studio Brief 1 update

-glitchy screenprinting of text inside represents neon signages famous flickers whilst being luminous like the photographs against darkness of the night

-pink as it is the most common and was the only one out of the 3 fluorescent inks that wouldn't give my book a horror/halloween element

-bookrum painted black to contain the spirit of encouraging people to go out and take photographs aim of my publication, DIY theme relating back to analog themes and to give the book a specialised creative feel and black shine. bookrum seemed too vintage, although this would go with the original old looking photography, my editing has shown neon lighting in a new modern light of increased sharpness and absoloute darkness. The sheen of the paint is detailed and darker than the bookrum

-was going to use vinyl for this dark shiny effect but no glue strong enough to attach to my book

-board was spread slightly too far meaning the casing has a photo album feel, although at first annoyed with myself this could add a photo album element enhancing the photography content.

Thirsty Planet campaign strategy and initial visual

http://www.campaignstrategy.org/articles/12basicguidelines.pdf
-campaigns need to be motivating the audience,
- know what needs to change and the opportunity to do so
-'Campaigns are needed because there is an urgent problem which has to be made public in order to be resolved. Effective motivation needs simplicity in message and purpose.'
-'Pictures are far more powerful than words. Good ones tell the story and the best need no caption. And pictures cannot be interrogated or argued with. Make your campaign speak in characters and symbols that are larger-than-life. The only things stronger than images are face to face contact and direct engagement in doing the campaign.'

http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/lucozade-find-flow-grey-london/1358635
'Lucozade's new campaign seeks to reposition the brand less as a hangover cure and more as the drink of choice for busy people on the move who want to be on top form.'

http://www.primesight.co.uk/effectiveness/lucozade-energy-find-your-flow-network/

The Objective (make less of a hangover cure, and more of a drink for those on the move to cure their dips in energy)

Lucozade’s ‘Find Your Flow’ was one of the biggest campaigns in 2015, targeting a wide audience of ‘everyday strivers’ with a combination of TV, Radio and OOH. Everyday strivers comprised people who work hard, play hard and pack their days full. Looking to make a big impact and position Lucozade as relevant to everyday dips in energy levels, a further campaign objective was to target a more specific audience of those strivers who are ‘on the move’.

The Strategy (targeting commuters through radio peak times and large billboards)

We knew that Lucozade had to do something completely original and that our large format DOOH sites would provide the solution in targeting the everyday strivers on the move. But more crucially, this message could be amplified using another powerful medium, radio, to create a standout audio-visual experience...Together, we established the idea of synchronising Lucozade’s radio schedule spot times, which were running adjacent to traffic bulletins on all major radio groups, with our portfolio of national digital roadside panels. This would create a unique, emotive and engaging experience for drivers in need of a Lucozade Energy boost.

Playful, light hearted fresh bold designs that grab attention from far away due to their fizziness created by these motivated taglines which I think are perfect for the 18-24 year old target audiences of the Thirsty Planet competition.

Aim to create an attractive looking brand whilst also making the nourishment of these countries important, showing the beauty of where the donations are going to and its potential with light hearted statements with the focus being on the two countries focused on by Thirsty Planet as they make it clear their ethics and focus are on the donations and is what sets them apart from other brands.

Palm leaves patterns are a trend right now popping up from on prints to dresses, and is a beauty from these countries. If this is already a trend, an attractive campaign involving these could prompt more interest in sales which is all good for the donations!

waves representing nourishment and refreshment their water is and does

could go more minimal/abstract done in the flags colours

handmade detail to add to their ethical/transparent aims and allowing the countries it donates to, to help build their tools themselves to encourage pride and prosperity. adds honesty.

reflect flag colours gradient?

Discogs user/vinyl buyer research

Jumbo Records- Leeds
Walking in to a store like this is always a pleasure due to the excitement and the anticipation of finding a gem between the stacks and stacks of amazing album artworks boldly displayed on the larger diameter. The new interface needs to combine the feeling of walking in to a record store, as many only go in to record stores, to celebrate the long history and revival of vinyls and tie the two generations together whilst with the opportunity Discogs brings to allow people to sell and buy any vinyl found with a quick simple search, which I intend to refine for a slick user experience

Points made from Jumbo when asked
'What do they think about Discogs experience? what problems have they faced?'
'What is it about vinyl that has brought it back and why people collect them?'
'What components of a record store could I encorporate for the new interface?'
-a positive of Discogs is that it is updated regularly
-the sound quality of vinyl is better, go up in value,owning vinyl is an investment
-a weakness of discogs is accounts being disabled due to not paying tax should be included on pricing straight away

Relics Records

This was from a business perspective as they are active sellers on Discogs
-positives are you can see the ratings of buyers to know wether they are trustworthy or not
-would be beneficial for the self proclaimed 'nosey' business owners to see what others have sold,and the prices to judge competition
-set up originally as a site for vinyl enthusiasts, still has a strong community ethos promoting trust
-agreed the interface was very clunky
-vinyls sound better, are far nicer/feel better in your hands,different world altogether
-in the modern day we are persuaded we dont want the clutter of vinyls but this is changing
-vinyl collections are an expression of your character,identifies who you are
-in a record shop, the strengths that should be included in the interface in some way are the happy to chat attitude you get from (some) record shops,you can listen to the vinyl,dont know what youre going in for most of the time

Tried Crash records but they were very rude about my project and patronising

Simple search for Drive soundtrack gives complex and confusing search results

Screenshot from when searching on their much more slick direct app, highlighting to problem of inconsistency with Discogs' interface

Comments from speaking to friends and various people outside music venues-
'directed to the wrong format, can come up with the mp3's and not the actual vinyl I want to buy'
-useful information on the product but first time users are put off by too much text
-especially first time users can mistake conditions of the vinyl as being good enough
-doesnt show shipping which can vary a lot between different sellers
-when selling products the functionality of the website can be problematic

From a curator of the exhibition I went to of photography of inside vinyl stores up and down the country, valuable to speak to due to their passion for speaking to the owners and also buy vinyl on discogs themselves

'Well i don't think it gets recognised enough because of its layout & branding, its more like a database rather than an music/vinyl specialist website- it's like an eBay for records. I don't it should be branded like eBay though, probably more to cater its specialism ! ' Fellow LCA creative who regularly buys vinyl and has complained to someone in my class about Discogs before, so I thought asking him would be ideal! His point made of it looking more like a database is correct, considering the amount of people using selling and buying on Discogs internationally needs a universal interface from young adults to the older vinyl generation,that resolves the issue of inconsistencies in function and replenishing the user interface to boost the sites large potential.

research like this from various vinyl buyers, who use discogs or just enjoy the mystery and anticipation of record stores have given me different personas to base my interface off

Studio Brief 2: Written brief and competition

Problem- Discog users are finding it increasingly irritating and difficult to use the interface describing it as 'time consuming', 'diluted' and having a 'unnecessary interface evolution', with inconsistency of search results and none of the excitement of record stores which is a long standing love of vinyl buyers and is coming back.

How can buying vinyl online be as enjoyable as a record store but more direct for increased user experience?
How can Discogs interface be redesigned to be more simple and less problematic for its wide target audience?
How can buying vinyl on Discogs have a more efficient user experience with a less time consuming interface?

Client- Discogs
Target audience- primarily males from young adult to middle aged

Aim- Reducing problems users experience on Discogs such as complex search results and messy confusing layout and time consuming directory, whilst adding a record store feeling to input that enjoyable experience of discovery and visual experience entering a record store connectijng the benefit of the online market place having more direct choice.

Create a website that is consistent, non confusing/messy and direct, connecting old and new vinyl buyers and the experiences combined to maximise user experience for all of the target audience of young adult males to middle aged

Existing competition- after browsing top sites directed by Google, a large majority have a very basic interface without user experience being taken into consideration as I aim my project to do

http://www.decks.de/shop
has record music player and implements themes of vinyl shops such as tabs and vinyl player, however still very full/messy.

http://www.recordstore.co.uk/

a lot clearer and cohesive design, home page outlines sections with popular vinyl covers to familiarise users and feel at ease with the experience. fast search engine that discogs lacks in very much so, due to muddles of search results and no filter. the bigger visuals of the vinyl celebrate the resonance music lovers feel when buying vinyl due to their increased cover size.

http://invisiblecityeditions.bigcartel.com/
a more slick design that others, found easy to navigate straight away

The Vinyl District powered by Shoutem

Inspiration from interfaces for music not just vinylItunes 8/9 versions displayed artwork in an easy visually pleasing way which displayed your music collection in glorious presentation. I remember going to friends houses and them showing me music, and i'd notice certain album covers in which I remembered to go check it out. Listing visually. and is when genius was created.




Spotify- consistency across devices,format of releases, clear and concise with your own music and then recommendations, like you would get from those working in vinyl shops

Adobe 'Show What You Know'

'Three poster designs or prints (submitted digitally), landscape or portrait, dimensions 578 x 370mm (for potential publication). ' and all need to be titled but not explained as it needs to visually communicate (from the brief)

1.Using personal film photographs from my experiences this year adding mixed media to create atmosphere/emotion, such as glitter/monoprint/lino/marbling
2. Try or collaborate with an illustrator to outline main thing to learn as a student

UK Greetings initial ideas

'Mandatories
collection of greeting cards, notecards, notepads, gift bags and wrapping paper.

• 4 x Single greeting cards: size 105 x 159mm, 121 x 184mm or 140 x 140mm — consider the designs of the envelope and the inside of the card too

• 1x Boxed notecard set: size 110 x 132mm

• 1x Gift bag: size 267x330mm

• 1x Repeating pattern for wrapping paper: show one or two swatch samples

• 1x Notepad Cover: A5 or A4

• Design sheet demonstrating how your ideas work as a collection. '

1.lino print owl for congrats on results, graduation, etc

2. floral for birthday/easter/christmas

3.diwali pattern themed for the celebration, not as obvious a choice

4.Valentines theme /girly OTT designs

silky

5.marbled designs for a more mature feminine approach to birthday/special occasion gift wraps

6.Halloween, a rather new option for greeting cards and bags etc

Different take on happy birthday for young girls

Thirsty Planet Campaign research and initial visual ideas

Their humble aim as a company of wanting to 'give back' to the world which makes them different from other water bottle companies, the idea of using a subtle calm colour scheme of blue, incorporating a figure that is liked by the target audience of 18-24 and representing their main aim of charitable donations with every bottle to hydrate the world is an idea I am excited about.

'How we go about achieving it is by sticking to what we're good at and ensuring total transparency.'could be transparent cover working in ethics with this blue tint with silver/blue foiling representing to glisten of water which is so valuable and appreciated by disadvantaged parts of the world? environmentally friendly stock? would buy their bottles to contribute and also to photograph and show the results with various designs.

1.Research on Greek Gods as symbol for love/compassion/peace prosperity. Depicting a goddess will give the design a classic feel giving the impression the companies roots are perhaps older than 2007 when it started, adding trust. Also, would be an elegant design which is appropriate for the target audience depending also on medias used. Using blue colours can balance the gender neutrality. Would ideally want these to be illustrated.

Demeter: Goddess of grain, agriculture, harvest, growth, and nourishment.

Gaia: Personification of the Earth (Mother Earth); mother of the Titans.

Depictions of her on google images, would want these to be simplified to represent the companies humble charitable aims and ethics and not be too parading. Idea comes from wanting to represent peace and humanity/compassion on the design.

Symbol of Gaia

Eirene: "Peace"),^[1] more commonly known in English as Peace, was one of the Horae, the personification of peace. She was depicted in art as a beautiful young woman carrying acornucopia, sceptre, and a torch or rhyton.

2.In relation to existing logo of water drop holding the planet, new branding could be the world being filled up. they use a symbol of hydration, the drop of water. could be waves? Mirages of those thirsty in deserts is a tale that is said to make people see glistening oceans in the distance, and this could celebrate the fact the world is mostly water and that it is such a luxury, and that it should flow to hydrate in every country. some inspiring imagery from google. Ocean world? Blue flower/ocean as a world representing the blossoming and hydration intended by the company? A better world?

3. Similar to greek gods/goddesses, mermaids in relation to that they are mythical creatures from the water and there is a trend and selling point using mermaids that is seen recently. Nostalgic for the 18-24 generation. Perhaps too feminine however, and if related to greek mythology this would be bad as they were fatales. Can be a faceless god of the sea relating to the humanity of charity donations and representing the peace needed in humanity.

Ouzo design that was gifted to me representing Greece, and although illustrative it had a classic more mature appeal despite it being a mermaid displayed in the more light way opposed to the femme fatale classic mermaids.

One of my favourite companies Paperchase has had a trend using Mermaids which arent just aimed at younger audiences, have seen 18+ excited about these. Would want mine more mature and less flashy to reflect the companies ethics.

These designs are certainly too feminine and not humble at all but are chosen to show how it is a trend currently. However, on the brief their target audience stated:
'The core bottled water market is 18 – 40 year olds, with a female bias. The target audience for this campaign is 18 – 24 year olds.'

4. stay true to their African rooted aims and use African symbols and figures to also allow the buyer to resonate with the culture they are helping.

http://www.siliconafrica.com/african-symbols-for-creative-design/

“chain link”

symbol of unity and human relations A reminder to

contribute to the community, that in unity lies strength

“time changes ” symbol of change, life’s dynamics Source:

Cloth AsMetaphor by G.F. Kojo Arthur

“Help me and let me help you” symbol of

cooperation and interdependence Source:“Cloth As Metaphor” by

G.F. Kojo Arthur

African rain goddess image is inspiring in terms of showing the rich beauty of Africa when nourished

Mami Wata 'the water spirit Mami Wata (Mother Water) is celebrated throughout much of Africa and the African Atlantic. A rich array of arts surrounds her, as well as a host of other aquatic spirits--all honoring the essential, sacred nature of water. Mami Wata is often portrayed as a mermaid, a snake charmer, or a combination of both.'

'...art both reflects and actively contributes to beliefs and religious practices, globalization, and capitalism. Most of all, it reveals the potency of images and ideas to shape the lives of people, communities, and societies. '
https://africa.si.edu/exhibits/mamiwata/intro.html

The snake is a symbol of divinity and divnation but am aware this could be confusing to british culture

About the Starbucks mermaid logo that uses negative space effectively which I will need to do if I am foiling...

'Let’s go all the way back to 1971, to when Starbucks was first coming to be. In a search for a way to capture the seafaring history of coffee and Seattle’s strong seaport roots, there was a lot of poring over old marine books going on. Suddenly, there she was: a 16th century Norse woodcut of a twin-tailed mermaid, or Siren. There was something about her – a seductive mystery mixed with a nautical theme that was exactly what the founders were looking for. A logo was designed around her, and our long relationship with the Siren began.'
https://www.starbucks.com/blog/so-who-is-the-siren

Although I know this company has better ethics than Starbucks is known for, and having too similar of a design could ruin my chances of winning, it is inspirational for the route I am taking. 'We undertook extensive consumer research that showed that Thirsty Planet was seen to be trusted, described as ‘earnest’ and ‘friendly’ but needed to have a stronger tone of voice, to become the authority in the sector and give consumers a single easy reason to choose it… basically, we’ve not been bold enough to communicate what we do and the great things we’ve achieved. ' YCN competition website


5. African flag colour waves and gold foiling celebrating the 'flowing' beautiful rich tapestry of African culture tying the hydration and Thirsty Planet's aim to help African countries flourish.

Can be painted/monoprinted/foiled/collage combination

Inspired walking past this competition poster in our corridor which caught my attention with its bold waves, is a mix of previous ideas integrating with Africa's tapestry which I think the company would enjoy visually and theoretically.

'has been able to provide a lifetime’s supply of clean water to over 1 million people across Zimbabwe and Malawi.' Pump Aid Website

Can use the colours of these countries flags

Malawi: 

Zimbabwe: