Author: cstuar21
Blog Post 6: Web Type and Responsive Design
Responsive and Typographic sites help create a strong brand image and create interest in
The first example I have of a site managing type well and also using it as its content is Type Theory.
This creative reference site has helped me in the past and it is one of the many that promotes all the creative things we can so with type.
My responsive site is:
http://www.designmadeingermany.de/magazin/5/
The parallax effect has become very popular in web design and I think the way the main image switches in the back and also how smooth the age scrolls integrates responsive design in a seamless way.
Other type and responsive sites are:
Blog Post Week 5: Sitemap
Chris Stuart : Blog Post Week 5
Website Images: Chris Stuart
Microsites: Chris Stuart
1. BankHumanAgain.com – TD Bank
“In a new ad campaign that broke the first of this year, TD tells consumers it’s “time to bank human… again.” But what does that mean? Free pens and lollipops. The campaign seems innocuous, but it raises tough questions for TD’s brand.”
“Ever wanted to make a deposit while enjoying a lollipop then keep the pen when you’re done? At TD Bank, it’s an option. You can even bring your dog.”
– TD Bank Microsite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=84503534&feature=player_embedded&x-yt-ts=1421914688&v=0ISYQNPuTOg
2. EmojiTracker.com – Matthew Rothenberg
“Created in Japan by Shigetaka Kurita, emoji were meant as a way to help teenagers personalize text messages to one another and allow the new e-mail craze to have a more personal touch.”
This site acts as a basic tracker to understand what emojis are trending and how many people are using them at one time. This live data is very important to creative teams when they make a new emoji or series to add on mobil devises.
3. Virgin Mobil
“Virgin Mobile is another content marketing superstar. Their recently-launched Virgin Mobile Feed is a social newsroom that publishes a variety of content every day ranging from new music, to funny articles, to web memes.”
The site averages over a million unique views per month and distributes its content across a number of social media platforms including Facebook, Buzzfeed, Twitter, and Instagram. The content is very much in line with the company’s younger demographic base, and as a result it enjoys a significant amount of social shares and user engagement.
A spotify like site that lets you stream current music for free, I think Virgin Mobil is doing a great job showing trending topics and staying current with a younger audience.
4. ElfYourself.com – OfficeMax
http://www.officedepot.com/a/content/holiday/elf-yourself/
Elf yourself is a fun social trend site that lets you put an image of your friend or animal and it superimposes it onto a dancing elf. This was most popular during the holiday season and led to many embarrassing and comedic videos for the family to share.
5. AYGO 360 – article image site
“On Tuesday, Toyota introduced “AYGO 360” — and it only works on mobile. Created by Isobar, the site uses phones’ gyroscopic features so you can walk around the exterior of the car, then jump into the driver’s seat as if it was for real.”
The most advanced microsite I have seen to date. This Toyota sponsored interactive site proves the design is what makes a product successful. Navigating through here is an exciting experience and I absolutely enjoyed every minute of it. Every graphic and little detail combines to make a fluid and seamless site.
Social Media’s Influence: by Chris Stuart
Social Media has had an enormous impact on my everyday life. I have quickly noticed how many times in one day that I click on that blue Facebook icon and scroll through my newsfeed to see what is new that hour. I learn about the current news, social trends and movements, and whatever crazy thing some celebrity has done. I spend a good part of the day experiencing and communicating through social media and I cannot comprehend what it would be like to not have these outlets. On breaks I instantly check my phone to see what messages I can respond too and what videos I can watch in a short time. I think social media has impacted my social life in positive and negative ways.
Sometimes I miss out on person to person interaction when I am looking down at my phone or surfing the internet. Accessibility for me has led to my inaccessibility to others. On the other hand, using social medias I have more access to people that I otherwise would have never met and I get an opportunity to be exposed to more than other generations. I use my smartphone when I first wake up to see what is new and its is the last thing I look at before I go to sleep. Maybe social media has latched on like a leech to feed off of our/my need to constantly experience new things. It could be unhealthy to always be looking down during the day and connect more to a screen than another social outlet like sports or a social club. The new generation is obsessed with the internet and tv networks are now making programs about how we experience social media and technology.
Social media is a fantastic way to create awareness for social problems and solutions and to help raise numbers for a cause. It is a great way understand current topics and be able to discuss where the nation and its people are going. Politics, religion, and war can all be seen in a matter of seconds scrolling through different medias and I find that such a unique blend is a great way to help an individual develop opinions and thoughts to form their life.
From morning wakeup calls to goodnight reads social media has become my imaginary friend that knows everything. I am constantly paying more attention to him than others in my life and I think I need to find a better balance.
Before You Hire Designers by MIKE MONTEIRO September 30, 2014 Published in Business, Graphic Design Blog Post Week 1: Chris Stuart
“Design is the solution to a problem.” When approaching hiring a designer there are certain factors Monteiro addresses considering.
Clearing out the things the designer doesn’t need to deal with so they can directly get to the meat of the project is essential as an employer. When a company has a lot of extra clutter it is difficult to immediately cut to the chase. Like when you try to clean a home but have to clean up before you start cleaning. Clutter wastes time and time is your money.
Make sure to address that the changing of normal habits is the exact reason for hiring a designer. Effectively communicating that to your team is important to lay a solid foundation and respect for the designing process.
Humans are creatures of habit and when you introduce change there can be a lot of discomfort and resistance to revamp tradition. Tradition can hold back progression in a constantly evolving field of design. Monteiro addresses the importance of always supporting the designer when others react negatively due to discomfort or favoritism for the “old ways”.
Decide and give designers the authority to make final decisions and support them when they do. Like in any business things can and will go wrong, but it is how you react to those situations that dictates if you succeed. When a creative does not have the time, space, or authority to excite and execute the design they fail and sacrifice the creative opportunity. The other members also devalue their role and assume they could do the same thing.
Include the designer during the beginning stages of a project and do not make them a responsive xerox machine that executes previously set designs. As designers, we cannot sit back and wait to be told what to do by people who have already set the design. Internships are a great way to have test runs on what works and does not when taking control of projects at companies. If you never speak up you will never be noticed or heard.
As a designer I find it valuable to put myself in the shoes of the position that could potentially hire me. When you know what a company is looking for you are able to tailor what you do to maximize your contributions to the team. The last issue addressed in this article is that of setting up expectations for your job. If you do not know if you are doing your job well that is a major problem and you should always know where you stand. Schedule performance evaluations and at the end of projects you need to bring up critiques of what you did well and what absolutely failed. Do not be afraid to evaluate the performance of yourself and your team members. Know your value as a designer and always communicate what you are doing along with the vision you have that is supported by solid research and data.
http://alistapart.com/article/before-you-hire-designers
By Chris Stuart ADVE Web Advertising Winter 2015
SCAD ADVE ATL 