IMAGES
(A)
(B)
IMAGE ANALYSIS
In modern society, we live under a system rules by big
businesses and corporations. As they have the money, they have the power, power
which allows them to influence politics, avoid laws and even escape
prosecution. The system which has allowed corporations gain such control is capitalism,
a structure ruled by economics that allows private companies to control trade
and industry for profit. Essentially, the basic ideology behind the capitalist
system is of good nature as profit is owned by the people rather than the state.
However the greed of men has perverted the system, evolving it into the corrupt
mess of underhand deals and deceitful endeavours that are practiced to maximise
corporate profit by any means nessicary.
To ensure that the capitalist system is sustained a
consumerist ideology has been created amongst the majority of the earth’s
inhabitants. Through the inescapable influence of manipulative advertisements
corporations have been able to inset an ideology that promotes the continual
desire to consume meaningless commodities. Often, these commodities have no
immediate function or use, and so advertisers and designer are tasked with
making said products appealing.
On one hand, it could be said that consumerism and the
supporting capitalist system are beneficial as they create economic growth in
countries within which the system is in place. However, when we assess the damaging
effects that the continual production and consumption of products has on the
environment some of negative aspects of capitalism start to become apparent. We
live on a plant of finite resources, resources which are continually utilised
to create products that are used on a daily basis on a global scale. The unsustainable
nature of the system is further enhanced by the often unethical ideologies
practiced by corporations. For companies that focus on maximising profit
sustainable solutions are often the most expensive and unappealing. Therefore,
measures are often taken by businesses to cut corners with regards to ethical
choices but still appear as they are a thoughtful, approachable brand.
Unfortunately, it is often graphic designers that are
approached by large corporations looking for a green-washed company image. So,
not only are they employed to make meaningless goods appeal to people they are
also approached to brand unethical businesses. Greenwashing is essentially
where a designer is employed to create a company identity that portrays them as
an ethical brand despite their unethical business practices. A clear example of
this can be seen within the image A. Bp is a huge oil company who, unsurprisingly,
have had some severely damaging affects on the environment. From an
environmental point of view, BP’s logo should be an image of the goat headed
Baphomet himself with an underlying pentagram icon. However, upon reviewing
their logo it is easy to see that the company is portrayed as an ethically
minded, approachable corporation. The colour pallet of greens and yellow’s
applied to the logo are characteristic of ethically minded companies who make
the effort to stay sustainable. Moreover, the new, geometric icon created for
the company has a striking aesthetic likeness to a flower, commonly found in the
environment in which the company are helping to destroy. Essentially, designers
who engage with unethical projects like the greenwashing of BP and the aesthetic
development of meaningless products are employed to polish turds.
(finish & add supporting quotes)
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