OUGD601 / Context of practice 3: Chocolate branding.

OUGD601.

PRACTICAL ELEMENT. 

CHOCOLATE BRANDING.

Nib mor:

Nib mor are a great attractive brand whom are organic, ethically graded and part of the rainforest alliance. Although there is subtle evidence of this information on the packaging, the main focus is on the flavours and textures of the chocolate for example; mint, crispy and almond. There is also a visual play on words with the brand name. 'Nib mor' in reference to nab more means to quickly take more of something, a visual shown via the hand 'nibbing' the chocolate. Colours are used to reference the product (chocolate and therefore brown) and the array of flavours (mint is mint green, almond is cream).

Pana chocolate:

Pana Chocolate is greatly attractive in its branding with an identifiable selection of attractive and simple illustrations. Whilst the packaging wholly refers to the product in colour (brown), the illustrations give some kind of aesthetic idea towards the added flavours of the product, which is also illustrated. I do however feel that the packaging would work better with a different stock, as the combination of words Raw/ organic/ handmade combined with said grainy stock appears to appeal to a niche group of customers, when the aim is to encompass all customers. The use of the box for packaging, and the inability to feel the shape or see the product gives the brand a luxurious feel when paired with the matte silver foil, which is also something to avoid, as spoken about by Steve Howard in his TED talk, on selling sustainability. 

iQ Superfood chocolate:

iQ superfood chocolate is the type of branding that I need to avoid. The whole brand relies upon the idea of being clever and smart, which can be seen as quite patronising. The bar is also labelled with the slogan 'The clever little chocolate bar' however this is not a selling point attractive at all to consumers. Customers do not want their chocolate to be smart, they want it to be delicious, tasty and mouth watering. Other than visuals that refer to cleverness, the others refer to flavour, however it can be seen on the original bar where there is no extra flavour that there is grass. This is an attitude that needs to be left behind in 21st century sustainable marketing. Therefore this chocolate bar is only attractive to a VERY niche audience whose number one priority and upmost desire is to purchase something that is organic and green. 

Ka kau:

Although Ka-kau does appear quite organic, this is done well and appears quite attractive. Using a pallet of attractive earthy colours the packaging nods towards its organic roots, also represented in a simple illustrative pattern of cacao beans appearing both natural and attractive. Although the minimalist labels appear quite luxurious, they in their minimalist style are also simple and easy for a consumer to comprehend.  

Organic Meltdown:

Organic Meltdown is another very green focused chocolate bar, which again focuses more on the selling of sustainability than the selling of the actual physical product. Sustainable products need to sell the physical product more than the cause, otherwise they might as well subtract the chocolate bar out of the equation. Using the word organic in the title of the brand is already a let down, when people picture organic, initial thoughts are green, leaves, earth etc which is not an appetising thought to associate with chocolate. When 21st century consumers go out with the intention of buying chocolate, they want something yummy and delicious, and if they find this, and then realise that it is also good for the environment, that is just an extra perk. 

Theo:

Theo is a great organic chocolate bar line that is appealing at the fore front for its bright and attractive packaging. The chocolate gives slight hints to its organic background, through subtle elements such as the organic, hand drawn and illustrated logo. The chocolate bar does mention that it is organic which it should, but it does do this in a glaring way, first and foremost is the name of the brand which has no obvious green connotations, and flavour.  Which as previously mentioned should sell the brand of the chocolate.

OUGD601 / Context of practice 3 - Practical element: Chocolate concept.-

OUGD601.
PRACTICAL ELEMENT. 
CHOCOLATE REBRAND. 


The original concept of my COP 3 proposal was to rebrand an already existing CSPO (Certified sustainable palm oil) chocolate bar, and market it, as I have discovered best in researching my dissertation. However via a search I have not been able to find a small CSPO chocolate brand. However I did find the chocolate bar below called Endangered species chocolate, in which, through its range of filled chocolate bars aims to support species conservation and habitat preservation by donating 10% of net profits to partner organisations such as; the African Wildlife foundation and Xerces society.

My aim is to create a chocolate bar brand that carries the same aims of species conservation and habitat preservation, where palm oil is sustainably harvested. The focus of sustainable harvest for Endangered species chocolate is protect animal habitat and life via sustainable cacao harvesting. I want my branding and marketing to act as a standard or example as to what marketing and branding should entail when working with sustainable/ green products, services and causes.  

For the chocolate bar branding I am to create a brand including logo and packaging. 
With large scale printed marketing such as billboard and bus shelters.
An animated campaign talking about the great initiative of the CSPO chocolate in relation to animals and habitats.

In terms of the design I aim to listen to that desired in my dissertation and brand and advertise the chocolate to be better over greener. To compete with all chocolate bars on elements of fun, creativity, simplicity, honesty and aesthetic. When talking about the CSPO initiative I am to do so in a positive and interactive way, that will act as an add on to the already established delicious chocolate brand, over that being the sole tool for the brand. 

What I need to look into:
- Creative chocolate branding and packaging. 
- Successful chocolate brands. 
- Sustainable and unsustainable harvesting of Palm oil.
- Successful and unsuccessful green campaigns / initiatives. 

OUGD601 / Context of practice - Practical element - concept.

OUGD601.
PRACTICAL ELEMENT.
CONCEPT. 

OUGD601 / COP3 - Practical ideas.

OUGD601.
CONTEXT OF PRACTICE 3.
PRACTICAL IDEAS.


The question I am aiming to discuss and attempt to resolve is ' How can sustainability be made more attractive to the 21st century consumer?' In relation to the question I have brainstormed 3 different ideas. 

Idea 1:

My first idea is inspired by a brief that was recently set by visiting studio 'Something more.' in which we were each assigned something that one would normally assume a boring service to brand. However as the name of the studio suggests we were asked to 'do something more' with the brief and try to turn something really boring to something fun, interesting and creative. Which is almost what I am trying to do with sustainable products. I was given a train company, I have to brand a train company to be something extra special and attractive. Train travel has the ability to have a massive environmental, economical and social impact, and it is a necessity that train travel improves in the future. By travelling via train people have the ability to have a smaller carbon footprint, reduced cost for travel via car, there would also be social benefits such as less cars in city centres and a stronger sense of place as they return back to pedestrian places. 

The worries I have with this project are that in order to attract people to train travel I will not only have to think about branding, but new business initiatives train companies should implement to attract customers. Therefore It would be not only a branding project but a business project. I would also worry that via implementing such new systems (for example, seat screens alike to airlines) I would be contributing towards consumerism, in the idea that I would effectively be making people want more and be going against the idea that people need to be more utilarian and be happier with less. The third worry is the concept of competition, what if other train companies try to compete and it turns into a battle of who can be the most capitalist to attract the most customers? 
These are worries I need to discuss at my upcoming tutorial. 


Idea 2:

My second idea was born out of one of my own interests within sustainable development. On a summer trip to Chester zoo I learnt a lot about the harvesting of unsustainable palm oil and its detrimental effects on south asian rain forests, endangered species and local villagers. I also learnt that using this ingredient in chocolate is one of the biggest contributers to the issue. My second idea uses the power of the consumers investment in identity and the power of a large successful brand to sell green chocolate to consumers, but also make it a standard across the chocolate industry.
This would be a theoretical campaign. Take Cadbury's chocolate, and begin a marketing campaign that communicates Cadbury are now a SPO harvester, by marketing the chocolate with a positive message about its development, a sense of social value is given to the chocolate, which will have great positive implacations on a consumers identity, by seeing the positive change (where positivity shines, positivity goes) consumers will feel more inclined to by this type of chocolate over other brands such as Nestle or Lindt. Cadburys would therefore become the market leader and the loss in profit from choosing more sustainable palm oil, would be made back from customers switching to Cadbury. Other brands in order to compete would have no choice but to make the same switch. 

Worry: How to get green brands to switch not how to attract customers to green products. 



Idea 3: 

Idea 3 feeds from the same concepts as idea 2. Brand a standard to be put in place across SPO harvested chocolate. Label SPO chocolate with a recognisable logo - and great a campaign based upon this standard that references SPO chocolate in a positive life. Talk about the positive impacts, th effect that such positive descisions can have on ones identity - create a social pressure to purchase these products. Do this through a range of marketing - Billboards, Bus shelter posters, magazine/newspaper, that communicates / sells this type of product to consumers. Have an online platform where people can learn about SPO and the great improvements/ developments that are being made. See what else people can do to help. 
THINK OF EXAMPLES BEFORE NEXT TUTORIAL. 



Idea 4: 

Chocolate brand. 


    

OUGD601 / COP3: Resolving your research project - Third lecture.

How to structure the written element of the COP3 project. 

Intro:
What you are going to address. 
How you are going to address it.
What are your intentions. 

Academic conventions are like an institutional framework for your work. They structure and standardise. They aspire to academic honesty.
Excellent pieces of academic writing:
- Demonstrate a critical knowledge of practice / born out of a wealth of research - question and interrogate sources. 
- Apply theory to practice.
- Analyse relevant material.
- Evaluate theory and evidence within the context of study.
- Reflect on your learning.  

Deep engagement with the topic. 

New Blooms Taxonomy:
- Creating. / Synthesis.
- Evaluating. 
- Analysing. 
- Applying.
- Understanding.
- Remembering. 

Do you accept your sources, or challenge them and unpick them? 
Don't just write quotes and reflect on them. Analyse, question, criticise them. 

Independent engagement with the material. 
critical and thoughtful about ideas.
Relate ideas to own previous experience and knowledge.
Sees the big picture.
Relates evidence to conclusions.
Examines logic of arguments.
Interested in wider reading and thinking.
On going preparation and reflection. 

Academic writing is formal and follows some standard conventions. 
Use specialist vocabulary. 
The substance of academic writing must be based on solid evidence and logical analysis, and presented as a concise, accurate argument.
Academic writing can allow you to present your argument and analysis accurately and concisely.

Say the artist / writer is terrible, but explain why you don't agree.
Concise and direct style of writing.
No rhetorical flounces.
No conversational tone. 

Never say I, I think, No first person. 

- Avoid repeating the same words.

Aim for precision, do not use uncertain language - maybe this etc.
Aim for short sentences over long. 

Avoid abbreviations and contractions.
Avoid slang words and phrases.
Avoid conversational terms.
Avoid vague terms. 

Avoid first person unless ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. 


Preliminaries - Title / acknowledgments / contents / lists of illustrations.

introduction - The abstract / statement of the problem / Methodological approach. summaries question your asking, How you aim to answer methodology. What am I using and why? 500 words.

Main Body - Review of the literature / logically developed argument / chapters results of investigation / case study.

Conclusion - Discussion and conclusion / summary of conclusions.

Extras - Bibliography / Appendices.  Interview - transcribe it.

EXTRAS DO NOT COUNT TOWARDS WORD LIMIT.
EVERYTHING ELSE DOES. 

Quotes longer than two lines seperated and single line spaced and indented. 
8 sources all cross referenced on one page.
Summarise in a paragraphy the particular points made by one source. 

Don't be a negative Nancy.

Project self reflection: 

Write down major aims of the project.
Give a brief summary of the work so far.
Comment on your time management.
Do you know what the final project will look like?

Its okay to narrow down.
To decrease the scale.

If i had more words I would have liked to have looked into... critical reflection and time management. 

Don't prioritise one element over the other. 

Document on Estudio of how to layout dissertation.
2 copies of your dissertation to be submitted. 
submit an electronic submission box on Estudio. - One document.

The print and copy bureau at Leeds university.
Monday to Friday 8:30 - 5:30.
Rodger Stevens building. 

Go before the 10th of January to bind. 

Always italicise on all.
Bolden all.
just be consistent! 

(Miles, 2013, p.7)
(Smith in Miles, 2013, p.7)

COP2: Module Evaluation.

COP2: Practical project / Barbie : Final developments/ Final solution.

COP2. 
PRACTICAL PROJECT / BARBIE.
FINAL DEVELOPMENT / FINAL SOLUTION. 

Today I worked on the design of my inside leaflet, a timeline which would highlight the mistakes Barbie has made referring to culture, but also how Barbie has assisted with changes in culture as well. I had already written up the content (on one of previous blog posts) and so it was just a case of setting up the information to look like a timeline. I decided that the best way I could represent the timeline in a leaflet format, would be to create it in the style of a corsatina leaflet, this way, each of the dolls can be viewed alone, or the leaflet can be pulled out to view the whole timeline at once. 

 


In terms of the aesthetic, I wanted to keep it consistent with the rest of the box, using the same colour schemes patterns and motifs. Below i have put into place, the front cover of the leaflet which emphasises the idea of 55 years of Barbie, as this is the sole focus of the content of the leaflet. The back uses the same pattern used on the box for continuity. 

When inputting the content onto the template I used the same format as that seen on the back of the box. Taking advantage of the 50's style and using unpredictable shapes to house information. 

I used a combination of Images and illustrations when creating the leaflets, giving a true to life and honest representation of of the Barbie dolls being described, whilst tying the designs in with the rest of the box through retro illustrations. 

For example, above I have placed and illustration of a mirror bewteen the 1959 and 1964 Barbie to reflect the idea that Barbie has become more vain, and cares more about her appearence than previously. Emulating the idea that culture is becoming more self obsessed in terms of appearence. 

I carried on the same consistent format for the rest of the leaflet adding illustrations to each of the images of the Barbie. 

For the last Barbie, the 2014 edition, as it wasn't an actual doll that had been made, Instead I put in illustrations of all the commodities that the doll comes with as this is the important element of the product.

The finished product and how the timeline will look when folded out:

Now that I had all the elements together:

- Box net

- Leaflet

- Commodities

I constructed the box net and placed the items inside. 

I feel that this piece is a good representation of what is argued in my essay, versus the materialisation of these arguments in the 21st century in a practical way. It speaks of the reaction to inventions such as the internet and mobile phones and how these have affected not only our global, but our local relationships questioned by McLuhan in my essay, but also the spread of Western culture to Eastern soil a concept discussed by Ritzer. 

Every detail on and inside the box from my piece has a purpose and relevance to my essay. Creating the practical piece has furthered my understanding of globalisation on a more practical and visual scale.