I scoured the Internet for an advertisement that I thought would be the embodiment of a well thought out visual aid. I was in search of a piece that effectively depicted a good use of many of the basic design mechanisms discussed thus far in class. I stumbled across this image from TOEIC, what appears to be a communications firm, and found it quite intriguing. This advertisement displays several of the basic design attributes discussed throughout the first two meetings of class, as well as within text material. Many of these essential yet basic design elements this piece demonstrates are alignment, use of color, proximity, and the concepts of denotation and connotation.
The first design element this piece accurately depicts is alignment. To begin, the minimal text in this image is well placed. The firm information is aligned along the bottom right corner, giving it strength and purpose, rather than being out in the open white space of the advertisement. The other line of text placed directly next to the image and elaborately complements and explains the image in two words “for collaboration.” The alignment of this piece of text is slightly left of the text and is justified because it adds a creative element; as apposed to leaving it aligned center and directly above the image, which may leave the viewer questioning the intent of placement. The next aspect of alignment is the image itself, which is discernably the centerpiece of the advertisement. Choosing to align the image in the center is an exceptional choice because it is the bold, attractive point of the advertisement. It is the portion of the ad that is desired to convey its strong message and it is the well-placed alignment of the text that complements the image and makes it creative.
The next design element I would like to focus on in the advertisement is color. At first, one might glance at this ad and say, “Well, color isn’t important here – it’s just a picture of two reptiles!” In fact, it is quite the opposite, just as with many other designs, color is a dominant factor. The two main colors I would like to emphasis on in this piece are red, the strongest color in the snake, and green, the prominent color within the frog. On the color wheel, red and green, are directly across from each other making them complementary colors. This is important because one color accents the other, luring the viewer in. In this particular case I believe it is the green that accents the red, because the snake is the predominant feature in the ad due to its simultaneously metaphorical and physical roles. Yet, each of these colors has an ineffable role to play and makes a strong statement. This element is especially important in this advertisement because it is the only color in the piece, so the ad relies on these two colors to create excitement and interest.
A design component that is essential to this piece I would also like to draw specific focus to is proximity. The primary focus of proximity within the piece is demonstrated in the relationship between the two animals. This is an absolutely vital portion of this advertisement because if the snake and frog did not have the appropriate proximity, the message would be misconstrued and become in turn become irrelevant. In other words, if the ad did not display the frog sitting atop the head of the snake, a viewer would not understand the message and the advertisement would instantly lose its value. The proximity of these images produces a cohesive component to the advertisement creating meaning and a strong sense of purpose. It conveys the message, that collaboration between two unlikely allies is in fact possible. Furthermore, the proximity of these reptiles opens up the image, creating valuable white space and pulls the image to the forefront, making it the complete center of attention.
The final and one of the most important design elements that needs to be observed within this advertisement are the concepts of denotation and connotation. These points are what give the piece meaning. Denotatively, this ad depicts a frog sitting on the head of a snake. But connotatively, this image represents substantially more. It displays the true message of the advertisement: That teamwork is possible among unlikely collaborators. The concepts of connotation and denotation play a consummate role in this advertisement because through the understanding of these two concepts is where the heart of the image’s meaning lies.
Finally, I believe that despite it’s lack of text, the advertisement makes an excellent choice in typeface utilizing one that is complementary to the image. The use of what appears to be an old-style font is also a legible font. I believe this piece does a successful job utilizing a small amount of text, providing a minimal amount to let the image to speak for itself. When the focus of the ad is on an image minimal, concise text is vital.
I believe through this strategy the firm has accomplished what they were attempting to achieve through this advertisement. This advertisement is an exemplary model for many of the unique design elements presented in the text and throughout lecture. The concept of this ad is timeless and is one that I wish I had thought of myself. It presents a clever, interesting message that is not always successfully executed, and this made it that much more exciting to analyze.
alexseyb 