Evaluation

EvaluationTask 12Savannah Hardwick

Is your advertising campaign fit for purpose and why?

I believe that the advertising products I have created for the SASH campaign are fit for purpose. I think this because each of the three products relate back to the charity and are bright and eve catching. Each of the separate products also individual, but also look the same, so its very obvious that they are part of the same campaign for the same charity. I think that the bookmark is fit for purpose because its not full of information, its simple, easy to read and the variations of green draw in the audiences eye. It provides the contact information and the tagline ‘preventing youth homelessness together’ tells you what the charity does without giving lots of information in a small area. The image used on the bookmark is of a teenage girl with her good up looking directly at the audience, this is an emotive image and well reiterate the theme of the bookmark. The bookmark also achieves its purpose by being small and accurately shaped, this is yet another way to entice the audience into the product. I think that the park bench advertisement is another way to grab the audiences attention effectively due to the product placement. The bight and eye catching greens will stand out from a dark coloured bench. The lack of writing is another way of drawing the audience in, by seeing that they don’t have to read much, they are more likely to glance over the advert, reading the tagline, which gives directly informs the audience what the advert is about, and who the charity is, as well as providing a contact number for more information. I think that the two posters I created are the most effective and fit for purpose because they are very informative but are also easy to read, interesting to look at and full of colour, which will attract the audience. The two separate posters look identical, but each are based around two different services that SASH provide, the Supported Lodgings and the Night Stop services, the information given is clear and concise as well as written in a bright red, to draw attention to the copy on the page, and not just the emotive image used. The advertising campaign I have created is fit for purpose because it provides information about the charity, gives contacts information and features emotive images that don’t overpower the page.

When comparing the products I have made with existing SASH products, I can see that they both feature a similar amount of text and images, this is also showing me how my products are fit for purpose, because they are similar in content to those already existing.

Does it communicate your message clearly and why?

I think that the three products I have created each communicate the message of the charities campaign in a different way. I think that the poster is very informative, direct and clear in the way it shares its message. I think that because it’s the only one of my products that has direct information about the charity, it has to be able to be understood and to show what SASH do easily and clearly. A way you can see that the posters communicate the message clearly, is by the readability of the copy. A technique that I used in the copy to communicate clearly what the message was, was by directing the language straight to the audience. By doing this, is immediately connects the audience with the charity, making them feel part of it. By using words and phrases such as ‘together’ and ‘being part of’ puts even more emphasis on what the charities aim is, to work with hosts together to make homelessness in youths stop. With the park bench advert and the bookmark however, I think that the message is made clear through the charities tagline ‘prevent youth homelessness together’ which has been made bold, clear and easy to read on both products. There is nothing else on these two products that state what the charity is or what it does, so I think that I could've found a way to do so, possibly by adding a small text box of information or even by using images. Products by SASH such as leaflets, posters and bookmarks are all filled with information, which I personally feel can be a bit over powering, so I think that I managed to get the balance right with my three products, by having one that was heavy in information, pushing it into the audience and two that are less informative but still manage to communicate the message of the charity in a simplistic way.

Is it appropriate for your target audience and why?

I think that my advertising campaign products are very appropriate to my target audience because of the use of bright colours and interesting fonts. I chose to use green as the staple colour for each of my three products, which would help me to keep them looking like part of a set. I added variation of the green, going from dark to light on all three products, this was a way to create a hierarchy within my products, drawing the audiences eyes from the top of the page downwards to the centre, where the main information or images were. I also made sure to use warm colours such as blues and reds, which were originally on SASH’s colour pallet, as a way to liven up the products even more. I chose to use the red and blue in smaller sections, usually on areas of text so that it wouldn’t overpower the greens. I also used suitable language and fonts on the products, making sure that they would appeal to an audience of 16-24 year olds. During my planning I had decide on the main font to be ‘cheeseburger’ for the title of ‘SASH’, I also chose to make this text very large and in a mint green colour with a black outline, this made it stand out and would draw in the attention of the audience, I had planned to use ‘lane’ or ‘big noodle titling’ for the smaller fonts but found that I didn't like the way it looked on the page, so decided to change it to ‘for a pessimist I’m pretty optimistic’ which I felt flowed better and could be read clearly whether bold or normal. I also felt that because this font was easier to read, the target age group were more likely to stop and read it. I feel that the posters I designed were appropriate for the age group If they were to be shown in public places such as colleges, community areas and stations, but if the posters were to be handed out like flyers, I don’t think that the target audience would pay much attention to them. The bench adverts are very appropriate because they are created for a specific placement, so are target the age group in that area. I also think that the bookmarks are a good way of targeting 16-24 year olds because they could be shown in libraries, schools and public places, which is a good way to target a larger amount of people. I think that the existing products created by SASH are actually not very appealing to their target audience, due to the distinct use of only green and white and the amount of text on the pages.

Compare and contrast your original intentions with the outcome you have arrived at.

Original flat plan First draft of poster

Second draft of poster, changed colours and design

Final design

The images above show my progress on the design of my poster. You can see clearly my flat plan and my final design and how very different from each other they are. I discovered very early on when created my poster that I did not like the layout I had chosen, or they types of images I had used. After I had attempted my first draft, I decided that I didn’t like the layout I had chosen and felt like there would be to much text on the page. I then took the basic idea from my flat plan, by having the happy images and the two different sections of font explaining some of the services that SASH provide. I found with this design that the font was very difficult to read and that I didn’t like the over all look of the poster, so I played around with colours, changing them to oranges and reds. I preferred this look it warmed up the look of the poster. Although I preferred this design to the original, I still felt that there was too much going on on the page, so decided to strip it down again and create something new. I decided to stick with the green as the main staple colour, but I also decided to add in bit of warmer colours such as reds and blues. I also decided to make the image I used black and white, which I felt added to the poster as it was an emotive image. I then cut back on the writing and decided to make two separate posters, one for the Night Stop service and one for the Supported Lodgings service. This allowed me to then space out the items on the page and make them easier to read. I also chose to create a green bored at the top and the bottom of the age, which grew lighter/darker as you looked down the page, I used this as a hierarchy drawing the audiences eye to the middle of the page. I am happy with my final product although there are till aspects I don’t like, such as the image I used, I feel like I should had a happier looking person on the page, making it seem more like the charity do good. Throughout all of my products, I put the green hierarchy on ether the top or the bottom. This helped me to further have continuity throughout my products, which helped them to look like a set. At this point, when re designing my poster, I chose to look at existing posters created by SASH, when looking at them I felt that they were very simple and plain, so id decided that my poster would have to feature a lot more colour than these actual posters as a way to get people to look at the product.

How effective are the techniques you have used and why? I decided to use simple techniques to draw in the audience. The main technique I used

was the use of the fading green throughout each product. I created the fading look by filling a box of dark green at the top and bottom of each page, after I had done this, I felt like it was too much of a bored going around the pages, so I decided to put a lighter green underneath it, or above it if it was at the bottom of the page, and then the same again with a lighter colour again. I felt that this technique I did drew the audiences eyes to the centre of the page, following the greens as they faded downwards, which is where the main information would be placed on the page. I then decided to do this on all three products, although with the park bench advertisement I decided to make the entire product this way, as if I had done the top and the bottom borders like the other products, it would looked cluttered and full. Another technique I used was having the image of a girl faded or in black and white, I felt that these images would be good at grabbing the audience because it appears that the girl is looking directly at the person viewing the product. I decided not to use the same image on all three products because although I wanted them to be a set, I also wanted them to stand as individual products. The park bench advert doesn’t have an image at all other than the logo of the charity because I felt that this would also clutter the advert, and I wanted this particular product to be clean looking, so if a person were to glance at the bench, they would understand what the advert was very quickly without being distracted by images and lots of text. The two posters (a set) feature the same image but on opposite sides of the page, which make make it obvious they are a set of posters, but that they are different from each other. Finally the book mark had a faded image of half a girls face, who is also wearing a dark grey hood. I though this image was were emotive and would immediately get a response from the audience. Another technique I used was the fonts and colours I chose to use for the copy, as well as the copy itself. I used ‘cheeseburger’ for the main titles on each of the products as a way to draw the audience in, I chose to put these pieces of text in a mint green with a dark green outline to further make it stand off of the page. I then chose to do the rest of the text in reds or blues, as a way to add warmer colours on to the page, and to brake up the green a little bit. I used simple copy that was informative but not hard to read, so that if the audience were to glance at it, they could understand it very easily. I think that these techniques are useful because when comparing my products with those already existing from SASH, you can see how their products are very simple with only a few plashes of the green they use, whereas mine appear to be brighter and bolder.

Is the content effective and why?The content of my products are effective because they are shown in an interesting way

when compared to those already existing by SASH. The products I have shown hear are a photograph of a leaflet from SASH and a poster designed by me, you can see how both products have an equal amount of information and text, but the poster I created shows the text in one area, instead of having it dotted about. Which is a good way of show casing the information as its all in one area, but there isn't too much text to read through. I think that the cop itself is also effective because it is easy to read and doesn’t include any hard to read or formal language. I chose to use copy that was informative and informal because I felt that the target audience of 16-24 year olds would choose to read something easy over reading something that was hard to understand and full of language they didn’t fully understand. I tried to make the layout of the content very easy to look at, having the title and tagline at the very top of the page and having the image and text in the centre, and ending with contact information at the bottom of the page, being the last thing that the audience reads. I think that by keeping the content simple, it make an easier product to look at, which will essentially make the audience be willing to stop and look at the product.

I think that the lack of content on the bookmark and the park bench have both negative and positive aspects. The negative parts are that these two products don’t give much information, other than the name of the charity, the tagline and contact information. Although I think that the tagline ‘preventing youth homelessness together’ is enough information on these particular products, I could've made room on the products to further explain aspects of the charity, for example the Night Stop service. By doing this is could’ve made it clearer what the charity specifically does.

On the other hand, I think that the lack of content would make the audience want to go and find out more about the charity If they were initially interested in it from the products. By having only the name. tagline, contact information and an image on these products, the audience isn't having to look at lots of different things, they are seeing the charity name and tagline, which will give them a good idea of what the charity do.

What impact do you think your advertising campaign will have on the public and why?

I hope that my advertising campaign products will have a positive effect on the public because I understand that SASH are a charity, and therefore rely on donations and hosts to keep their charity working to the best of its ability. I think that these posters, bookmarks and park bench adverts will be effective because they are a range of campaigning tools that can be used in a variety of locations due to them each being very versatile, for example the park bench advert could be made to go along the side of a bus as well as on benches, and the posters could easily be adapted to be used as billboards. I think that the park bench adverts will be very effective because they are going to be seen by not only people sitting on the bench itself but passers by who glance at it everyday, whereas I don’t think that the bookmark will be as effective because it is the type of product that people would be given and they through it down or barley glance at it. I think for the book mark to be its most effective, it would have to be shown in places such as public libraries, schools and colleges. This is applied as well for the posters, which will have to be shown in very public places and will have to be large enough for people to be drawn to them and for them to be easily seen. I believe that if enough people see these products, they will remember who the charity are, an will remember what they achieve. I also think that these products, especially the posters, are a good way to attract hosts to the charity. The posters thoroughly explain what each of the services are that SASH provide are, and I think that these will help to attract people who are interested in becoming hosts to help the youths, as well as the homeless youths that need help. On the posters I made it clear that the audience could ring up or email if they wanted to know more information, and not just the people who they are reaching out to help.

What are the technical and aesthetic qualities of your work?

I think that a good aesthetic quality in this poster is the large, bold and funky looking title. The mint green of the text stands out against the dark greens in the background drawing your eye towards it immediately. I also think that having the dark green outline around the edge of the font makes it stand out as well. I decided to use the font ‘cheeseburger’ for this part of the text because it is very different from the type of font used by SASH on their existing products. You can see on SASH’s poster designs that they use a very basic and easy to read serif font in bold lower case letting. I think that the font I chose is very fun and happy looking, which is kid of the opposite of what the charity Is about, I chose to do this in order to soften the message I give In the poster. I also like the way I continued the use of the ‘cheeseburger’ font to the title of the poster ‘supported lodgings’.

I think that the greens used as the main staple colour on the page are both aesthetically and technically good. Because of the green fading, it created a hierarchy which draws the audiences eye downwards towards the main part of the poster, the copy and the image. I think that because I chose to keep the green that sash have become known with, it makes it obvious that its part of this charity. I also think that the brightness of the green will draw in the audience. I also chose to use reds and blues for the text as a way to warm up the page and to add variety in colour, so that the entire page wasn’t just green and white. When compared to the colours used in the poster already created by SASH you can see they just use one shade of green throughout, which looks very bland and plain.

I think that the image could've been drastically improved, in the end I don’t think it is technically or aesthetically pleasing enough. The image doesn’t really fit with the rest of the poster, and although I like the black and white, I don’t like the image itself. I do however really like the emotion that the image is portraying, I think that it adds to the poster and will gain an emotional response from the audience.