CONTEXT OF PRACTICE 2 - BRIEF 2 - PARENT QUESTIONNAIRE

As outlined on my research plan I also want to create a short survey which will be distributed to the target audience of my outcome, parents with children attending primary school.

The primary aim of the survey will be to find out if parents are aware of the manipulative techniques applied by the advertisers to influence their children. Moreover, a secondary aim of the survey will be to discover if parents would be interested in engaging with a campaign that educates about such techniques giving them a chance to protect their children from them.  

Results will allow me to see if parents are already aware of the techniques currently practiced by the industry subsequently outlining the relevance of my response to the brief. If parents are already knowledgeable with the topic then I will need to redefine my concept for the physical outcome. 

QUESTIONS

Firstly, I started the process of creation by writing a short introduction to help parents understand the survey questions in context. Additionally, a set of four simple questions were also defined to form the main content of the questionnaire.

The introduction and questions were created in Microsoft word to ensure that no spelling mistakes were made.

CREATING THE SURVEY 

After the introduction and range of questions had been finalised the survey was composed using an online website called SurveyMonkey which allows users to create mullti-question surveys and distribute them via a web-link online. 

DISTRIBUTION

After finishing the survey online a web-link was made available allowing me to distribute the questionnaire via internet based sources. As my target audience consists of parents with children attending primary school I searched the internet for forums relevant to my target audience that had a lot of user activity. By finding forums where my target audience regularly visit I can disseminate my survey online and receive informed responses from the outlined audience. 

I found a website called 'netmums' which is a forum based site linking up mothers from around the country. I signed up as a member and disseminated my survey on the various notice boards available.

Supporting my link I created a short introduction to grab the audiences attention and hopefully engage them with my survey.

SUPPORTING MESSAGE;

Mothers of the UK! 
I am currently collecting a body of research for a university project and I need your help. Please complete the survey by following the link below and help me to understand your views regarding the manipulation of your children by the advertising industry. 
Survey Link - https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KJ5SSK8

Once I became a Netmum I was free to add posts to the noticeboards available on site. 

RESULTS

I left the survey for a few weeks while progressing with other aspects of the project to accumulate some responses.

Unfortunately, despite disseminating the survey around the internet I only received a dismal six responses to the questionnaire meaning that I could only gain a very limited insight into the target audiences existing thoughts and feelings surrounding the topic.  

Despite the limited amount of responses a basic idea of parental knowledge surrounding subject could still be defined by analysing the results gained.

• Of the six people the responded to the survey four had no idea how advertisers come into contact with their children.
• One participant answered other, specifying 'Adverts?' in the comment box, this indicates they have some knowledge but are unsure as to whether they are right. 

• 80% of the participants who completed the survey were unaware of the techniques used to manipulate children.
• The results from this question indicate that there is a need for an educational outcome to inform parents of the methods applied by advertisers.

• 100% of survey participants want to know more about the subject.
• Establishes there is a definite need for an educational outcome aimed at parents.

• Finally, 100% of survey participants were also interested in knowing how to protect their children from manipulative advertising.

RESPONSES

After analysing the results from the survey I established that the majority of parents are completely unaware of the methods used by advertisers to manipulate children indicating that there is a need for an education outcome. Moreover, this idea is further supported by the results from the last two questions which indicate that 100% of survey participants would be interested in knowing more about the subject. 

One thing that I will do differently next time relates to the surveys distribution, instead of relying on online methods of distributing I will disseminate future surveys personally. In doing so, I will be able to go to an environment in which the target audience are found and physically collect responses in person, this will allow me to collect a number of responses and improve the quality of the insight derived from analysing the surveys results. 

CONTEXT OF PRACTICE 2 - BRIEF 2 - SCHOOL DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH

My response to the brief is taking the form of a simple leaflet aimed at parents of the children who often fall victim to the manipulative techniques of the modern day advertiser. While collecting research for my essay I discovered that the group of children usually targeted are aged between 6 and 12. 

Due to the age range of children targeted by advertising schemes I outlined the ideal distribution point as a primary school, as both parents and children are present within the environment.

I am very unfamiliar with the rules and regulations surrounding the distribution of information from schools so decided to collect some primary research to see if the outcome could potentially be distributed a primary learning environment. 

THE MESSAGE;

I decided to contact the schools via email so that I could distribute a large volume of inquiries and increase my chance of receiving and informed response. The message was composed within Microsoft word to ensure that there were no spelling or punctuation mistakes before distributing the email.

MESSAGE CONTENTS;

Dear Sir or Madam,

My name is Jordan Harrison Reader and I am a second year Graphic Design student currently studying at Leeds College of Art.

The reason I am contacting you is to ask a few quick questions to help gather primary sourced information for an on-going brief.  

The project looks at the various techniques used by advertising firms on child based target audiences and the products they promote.

In response to the brief I have created an information pack aimed at parents. The pack disseminates important knowledge about the manipulative techniques used by advertisers and offers parents’ guidance as to how to protect their children from the range of methods used.

The hypothetical pack would ideally be disseminated from a primary school learning environment as the age range of children targeted by the industry lies between 6 and 12 years old.

Due to the school based environment from which I would like to distribute the hypothetical pack, I would like to ask for information regarding the rules and regulations surrounding the distribution of leaflet based documents from school. Additionally, I would also like to enquire about the rules and regulations surrounding the display of posters within the school environment.

Any information you can provide me with will be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Jordan Harrison Reader. 

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

To increase my changes of getting a response to the message I decided to first send it to the head teacher of the primary school I attended as a child.

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION 

Additionally, I also decided to distribute the message to a number of additional primary schools incase my initial message received no response. 

As a feature of Google maps the location of all primary and secondary schools are shown as a standard. Moreover, the program also distributes links to the personal webpages of each school allowing me to access the contact information of almost every school in England. 

Using the information available on Google maps I found the contact emails for around 20 additional schools located around the country and disseminated my message to them. 

RESPONSES;

DESIGN PRACTICE 2 - STUDIO BRIEF 1 - FURTHER RESEARCH

Once I had collected a body of information heavy research into the two interlinked research subjects I felt I was informed enough to move away from collecting data based information. Therefore, I started to collect a body of aesthetic research relevant to the booklet style outcome that will be submitted as part of the module hand in. While collecting research I looked at both traditional style alchemcal texts as well as more modern renditions which mix both the old style illustrations with modern design and layout. 

As outlined at the start of study task one I will be creating a publication that focuses on acting as an introduction to the mysterious substance ORMUS. 

Link

Ripley Scroll - George Ripley (1415 -1490) did not let his Augustinian monk role in Yorkshire prevent him from furthering his education in alchemy by travelling in Europe. After spending time in France and Germany, Ripley settled in Rome for about twenty years with Papal support. At the time of his return to England in 1477, it is alleged that Ripley was already in possession of the secret of transmutation from metal into gold.

• The selected scroll form of the outcome enables the designer to work on a continuous page, allowing illustrations and text to flow freely along the composition.
• The form of my outcome could take a similar form (scroll) to create a likeness to age old texts like the one above, this would also provide me with a large free space to work with in regards to composition and layout. 
• I want aspects of my outcome to be very illustrative, similar to the work above. However I want the illustrations to monochrome, similar to the woodcuts reviewed in my secondary research. 

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Minature book of Alchemy.

• The size and scale of this outcome make it lack functionality as it is so small readers will struggle to read the contents and navigate the pages. The form does have one advantage in that it keeps alchemy related information secret as it is unreadable, linking to the alchemical ethos that information should be kept from those deemed unworthy.
• The booklet includes illustrations similar as to what I want to utilise in my final outcome.
• Due to the tight timescale I am working to with the project I will unfortunately not have time to produce my own illustrations and will therefore have to use ones already in existence.  

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• The old tattered spines on these two books are very inspirational due to the decorative fleurons and typography that has been applied to them. When creating concepts for the form and function of my outcome I want to consider creating something with similar aesthetic qualities.

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• The layout displayed on the right hand side of the book featured in the image above is another thing that has inspired me.
• The page successfully balances both bodies of text and alchemical illustrations to form a busy, yet aesthetically appealing page composition. When designing the layouts for my booklet I will ensure that I experiment with similar, engaging compositions.

APOTHIC INVITATION

By Anh Vu

A series of invites to a mysterious event.

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HAND MADE ALCHEMY CUP

By Darya Kunznetzova

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• Illustrative symbols applied to outcome are derived from Alchemy.
• My outcome will utilise similar visuals to form an aesthetic relevance to the research topic.

ALCHEMY BOOKS

By Tatiana Mirson

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• The above book was featured due to the alchemy relevant visuals balanced with modern visual props. As my outcome is being designer for a modern audience I want to achieve a similar balance between age old alchemy illustrations with a modern aesthetic. 

CLASSIC BOOK SERIES 

By Jesper Olsson

Link

• The Japanese binding method featured on this booklet is visually striking due to the intricacy of the pattern featured at the opposing corners of the booklet. 
• I hope to apply a similar binding method to my booklet to serve two main functions. Firstly, the stitch will act as a representation of the various stages of the alchemical process. Moreover, the binding method also, as mentioned above, also creates an engaging aesthetic feature which makes you want to investigate the booklet further. 

WABIZUMAI

By Padraig Croke

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• The above booklet was featured because of the wrap that encloses it and because of the binding method applied to hold it together. 
• The books wrap has relevance to its contents and also forms an aesthetic element users want to engage with further. When creating the wrap for my booklet I will also aim to create something similar. 
• Additionally, the binding method, although less intricate than the one previously reviewed is also engaging and relevant due to the points mentioned above. 

THE GRAPHIC ALCHEMIST 

By Corbin Mahieu

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• The above project was featured as part of my secondary based aesthetic research because it is based around the subject of alchemy and so shares a lot of similarities with my project. 
• The designer has chosen to create a very dark aesthetic which I believe represents the occult reference often associated with the practice. 
• My  book will also utilise a similar dark aesthetic. However, it will be much less over powering with an additional colour relevant to the subject. 

DESIGN PROCESS - RESPONSIVE - D&AD NATIONAL TRUST - AESTHETIC RESEARCH

After re-defining the direction and focus of my campaign I decided to collect a new body of aesthetic based research to inspire and influence aspects of my campaign. 

As the project is communicating information about the natural environment I wanted my outcomes to have an organic, hand rendered aesthetic. Therefore, I started collecting a body of secondary, image based research into hand-rendered typographic design work. 


AESTHETIC POSTER RESEARCH - SECONDARY

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BMD

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Catkin Pritchard

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Joshua Noom

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