Break Free

Describe your idea and concept of your work in relation to the festival outlines:

I have titled this work Break Free. The work is intended to be an ‘eye opener’
or a ‘mind opener’ and it couples simple imagery with a limited amount of copy. The work is meant to provoke public thought and allow people to question why they hold certain ideas about others. Moreover, it relates to the ways in which the various social networks frequented by the masses create stronger borders between different groups within society. The work then intends to make people question their use of these platforms and further question what it does to their psyche and understanding of others.

What kind of communication approach do you use?

A simplistic and positive approach was used to communicate these ideas. I felt that this was the best option as there is currently a plethora of negative advertising techniques used around us and I feel that the more a set of techniques is used by advertisers the less effect it has on the public. In my mind the pieces I have created also use techniques which are somewhat subtle and I intended for some of the ideas behind the work to be laid into the viewers subconscious mind. The inclusion of the title Break Free, in the top corner of the work is an example of this. The idea behind this decision was that, as people are confronted with numerous ads on a daily basis many people would only consciously register the image and body copy, which do not indicate much past the obvious message of being nice. The title being on each work was meant to be less obvious and stick and tick over in peoples more innate thought processes, where I think that in time people may begin to associate the being nice idea with the need to break down the boundaries of social construction. I should also mention that the graphic elements in all of the pieces come from or relate to internet culture in some way, be they icons which are common place in the digital realm or symbols (smilies) which we use in communication on the internet.

What are in your opinion concrete benefits to the society because of your communication?

I hope that this work benefits society through creating an increased
understanding of the potential social perils which may come from an ‘online life’. And furthermore, I really wanted to create work which made the concepts of being nice to each other and accepting people despite their differences common place. Finally, the work was also intended to allow for people to break free, societal
illusions within which many of us currently exist.

What did you personally learn from creating your submitted work?

From doing this work I have learnt that there is perhaps in many cases a better outcome for people if we make things which deliver a message which we feel is important. Most design I have created has been with the intention of being employable and thus profitable. But who says one cannot be profitable and still have a go at making the world a better place.

Why is your work, GOOD communication WORK?

I think that my work is good, for two reasons. Firstly, positive change in society,
which is something I want perhaps more than anything else. I have only ever wanted to see people being happy with who they are and not perpetrating hatred towards
others. Finally, I think that this work is good, in relation the brief which we were given, as the brief was quite ambiguous and made one question what we really had to do. I attempted make work which also worked on this level and got people
questioning things.

Where and how do you intent do implement your work?

The works I have made have been intended to be used as a series of posters (all next to each other) which would be displayed at train stations and on the street. I think that this is the most effective place for advertising with this
intention as people who travel on trains nowadays seem to only look up from their devices when they reach anew station or are waiting for a train. Thus, the idea was to target people whilst they were involved in the behaviour which the advertising is meant to be making them question. This is also why I have incuded online platforms for the work, including a virus and a youtube ad.

Did your intervention had an effect on other Media. If yes, describe the effect? (Has other media reported on it- how? Were you able to change other media with your work- how?)

No