#ColourMeMarch

Last week I had a lovely phone call off Amelia from EtailPR asking me to get involved with the #ColourMeMarch campaign. EtailPR are running this campaign for this years Cheltenham Races Ladies Day. Unfortunately, I cannot attend the races but I didn't want to miss out on showcasing what I would wear as it seems every fashion blogger in the blogosphere is. 

If I could make Ladies Day I would wear the dress below:

This absolutely gorgeous dress is perfect for Ladies Day, it's girly, it's colourful, it's summery, it's classy(can you tell I really like it). The only problem is as its such a staple piece you wouldn't want to spoil it by pairing it with anything that would take away its beautifulness. 

However, if the weather stays as sunny as it is today you might not to add anything. But if you did... a cropped white blazer would go nicely with the dress or a throw that matches one of the colours within the dress just to wrap around you when its windy. You can find this dress on Asos. 

I really wish I could attend the races as it sounds like a fun day and it would be a lovely chance to get dressed up, have a few drinks and meet some fellow bloggers. If you're going then have fun!

Find out more about #ColourMeMarch

Week 4: How is image used to create depth to a message?

This post is part of my Visual Design module online portfolio 

This poster uses the image as the main focus as it takes up half of the space on the poster. The American flag automatically allows the audience to have an idea what the poster is advertising. We as the audience automatically assume the character in the image is Mr Smith, who is a business man as he is wearing a suit and holding a briefcase. 

As we know from the text Mr Smith is going to Washington, this is further represented through the American flag. The flag is also seen as stairs which the business man is climbing, representing a journey, which further represents him going to Washington. 

The image is very important here as it is eye-catching and tells the audience the Film visually before there eyes read the title. The way Mr Smith's back is facing us allows us to look on his journey with him so when you watch the film you are watching his journey with him and living it with him too.

The image on this poster is very important. The text 'Come and do your bit..Join now' gives no information about what they want you to come and do, without the image the poster would have no good information and would not serve its purpose. The point of the image here is to tell the audience what it is they want you to join. The solider with his arm out as if to say join us represents the army and shows the poster is advertising for people to join the army. Posters in this style were very popular  during WW1 and WW2. 

Both of these posters rely heavily on the image as without the image the poster would be less inviting and enticing for the reader, the image adds visual aids for the reader and 'tells a thousand words'. The use of the images also help to break up the text, people would rather look at an image than read text. Therefore a poster which is trying to attract an audience to look at it the use of a photograph or image is vital. 

Week 4: A guide on how to source images

This post is part of my Visual Design module online portfolio 

Finding the right image is an important part of the designers process. However you have to be careful that you source the image correctly and that you are actually allowed to be using that image and there is no copyright attached to the image. Top tips:

1) Don't use google images. Using google images could be dangerous - if you are taking an image of the internet then make sure you find out where the original photo is from, the context of the photo etc. It is important that there is no bad ethics associated with that photo or these could then represent the company using the image in a bad light e.g. the frog holding a leaf umbrella. 

2) In order to use stock photos in your work you must first purchase the photos to have the right to use them. Stock websites include shutter stock and fotolia. Even if you have purchased the rights to the photos you should still check again with the buyer and elaborate on the purpose and context of the use of their photos. 

3) Why not use your own photography. However be careful that no one else can steal your photos and use them themselves. 

4) The BCU Libraries image archive, the library at Uni holds the rights to many images which you can access from the library portal on moodle or by asking a librarian in the library who will assist you in finding the images. 

5) Creative commons licences stops you from being able to use an image without paying for it. Photographers can now obtain licenses on their photos which means if you use one of them without paying for it it is an infringement of copyright therefore it is important to always double check the images. There is an easy to follow guide to the creative commons licences on the website. 

Week 4: How is colour used to create meaning?

This post is part of my Visual Design module online portfolio 

The Body Shop 

The Body Shop are known for selling products which are made with raw ingredients. They highlight the fact that they never test on animals and that their products are 100% vegetarian, their website says "We keep people, animals and the planet in mind." 

With all this in mind it is easy to understand why The Body Shop use the colour green in their logo. The colour green associates with nature and the environment, therefore perfect for the company that is so heavily involved in protecting the planet. Not only does the colour associate with nature, it also represents good judgement, safety and positivity - all qualities a brand would be happy to associate with, as they want customers to see using their products as a good judgement, they want the products to be safe for customers and they want customers to feel positive when using the products. 

Fanta 

The brand Fanta sells an orange flavoured fizzy drink. One association with the logo is the flavour of the drink, the logo may use the colour orange as a representation of the taste the audience will experience when they drink the product. 

As well as this, the colour orange connotates the feelings of warmth, optimism and freedom - qualities Fanta might want their customers to associate with the drink. Orange also links in and represents being social, therefore Fanta could use orange in the logo to add in a social aspect encouraging customers to drink it with friends. The small green leaf could also be used to associate with environment, nature and the use of healthy, environmentally-friendly products similar to The Body Shop. 

I think both logos use colour in their brand to effectively influence the audiences view of the brand, without knowing we automatically feel certain feelings when viewing a certain colour and both brands play to this and use it to their advantage.

Week 4: CD Cover Design

This post is part of my Visual Design module online portfolio 

For this weeks directed study task we were asked to create a CD cover of our favourite albumn. I chose to do Taylor Swift 'Red'. As the albumn title is 'Red' I decided that one of the main features of the design would be the colour. I came up with the idea of the squares and at first I wanted to use squares to create Taylor's face and in between each one have a red square however this didn't work as well as I liked. So I decided to use a more 'random' approach, the squares create a sophisticated and elegant feel as well as being mysterious and exciting. I was really happy with how the design turned out. For the typography I decided to use Pristina as it looks like handwriting and a signature that Taylor could have written herself. I used Perpetua Titling MT for 'Red' as it was sophisticated and elegant. 

For the back cover of the albumn I used the same font as the front for Taylor's name and then Century Gothic for the list of songs I used Century Gothic because it was simple and readable. I decided to feature the red squares again in order to incorporate the same design as the front cover, it also adds some fun and some colour without taking over the whole design.

Week 4: Our promotional culture and the media industry

This post is part of my Journalism, PR & The Media module online portfolio 

This week we are looking at 'Promotional Culture' and the relationship and effect it has had on the media industry, specifically the relationship between journalism and PR.

The set reading almost immediately introduces the importance of promotional material in today's world. PR and promotional strategies are now central concern of business', governments and trades unions, all of which rely heavily upon advertising, branding and promotional material in order for them to survive and compete.

Promotional culture has naturally blended into communication, social relationships and virtually every aspect of ones life, so much so that we know don't even think about it twice now. It is embedded in our world everywhere, it cuts across all forms of media, they way we think and the way we behave. We even brand ourselves on our online platforms, whether it be through Facebook or LinkedIn, our profiles are used to sell ourselves to other people. Branding has crept into every aspect of life.

The rise and growth of the PR industry directly links with the promotional times we are living in. Companies want to use the media to control and influence the public opinion which the PR industry allows them to do successfully, PR is now a key part of all business strategies.

However, this has had an effect on journalism practises. Even though our promotional culture has allowed the PR industry to grow and thrive, the journalism industry has struggled to keep up with the changes and now relies itself on the PR industry which is where we get the issues with churnalism and the PR-isation of news.

There is also now confusion of what is PR and what is Journalism as we discussed in this weeks lecture. For example: advertorials are published in magazines which raises the question, is it a PR technique or is it journalism? An advertorial is an advert disguised as an editorial piece, so does that pass as journalism or does it contribute to the 80% of press material in the broadcast and broadsheet outlets (Hobsbawm).

This advertorial was found in the fashion magazine 'Look'. The content is set out as an article but it is in fact an advert, a PR piece. Advertorials could in fact come under the new branch of journalism known as brand journalism, which is similar to public relations. 

If I was to look into this more I would research whether journalism has benefited in any way from the promotional times I would do this by reading into the subject more and maybe by interviewing some journalists.

Bibliography:

1) Aronczyk, M. (2010) Blowing up the Brand: Critical Perspectives on Promotional Culture. 

2) Miller, D. (2010) Chapter 8: Public Relations in Albertazzi, D and Colbey, P 'The Media: An Introduction' 3rd Edition. United Kingdom: Pearson.

February Round-Up & Published Articles

Ahhhhhhhhh, February how kind you have been. I cannot even begin to explain how much I have appreciated the past month, so much has changed and so much has happened and I am so happy about it.

It has been hard admittedly; balancing 3 jobs, my degree, my blog, my writing for different publications AND living in two different places whilst my parents were on their jollies(Thank-God for 3G and laptops). It's been tough, yet rewarding and I'm very much the kind of person that strives under pressure and thrives of the stress.

Lets start at the beginning...

In January I did some Work Experience (you will know if you read my post about it, if not catch up here) and much to my surprise I was actually offered a part-time job with the company (WHAT)!!! Yeah, so as you can imagine I was extremely excited. BUT I knew I had an interview the following week at my University *****What do I do******* I thought.

The company I did WEX with was a successful PR Agency called Connect PR and to be offered a job with them was quite a big thing for me as I want to go into the PR industry so to turn it down was not really an option. The job I was going for at Uni was 'PR and Marketing Assistant' also a super super cool job for me to have and quite easy too as I am at Uni at random times so if I got the job it would mean making better use of the time there. Can you see my dilemma here guys?

Sooo... what did I do? Of course I took the job with Connect as it was just too good and too stupid to turn down. So then I had the dilemma of: do I go to my interview or not? After a lot of deliberation(and a pro's and con's list) I decided to go to the interview to gain interview experience as it was unlikely I was going to get the job anyway, as I am only in my first year and very much at the bottom of the ladder, I was sure I wasn't going to get the job so I thought I might as well go for the interview practise.

Low-and-behold, I got the job - WHAT! - yes, so more predicament lay ahead.

I forgot to mention, I already have a part time job as a waitress where I work weekends. I have done this for just short of 3 years. So I thought, why not take BOTH jobs and it would mean having to quit my part-time job as a waitress, which was a difficult decision to make as I love working with all my friends but it was a no-brainer really, I couldn't not take the two jobs which would give me experience in the industry I want to go in to (and better money).  

So yeah, that happened. I had to give a months notice at the pub and start straight away at the other jobs so as you can imagine it has been busy, difficult and stressful to say the least haha.

But last weekend was my last weekend at the pub, and the end of a chapter... but now March is here and I am so excited to be able to work in the Media industry gaining experience whilst also developing skills and learning about the industry as part of my degree - win, win.

I am sad to see February go but I am excited to see what March brings too... Lets go!

Below are links to my online articles that have been published in February 2015 or any coverage I have had published as part of my new job. 

5 Celebrities you should be following on Instagram 

Charlotte Crosby's amazing body transformation 

#RethinkMedia 

BCU Creative looks for students to become paid mentors