Dissertation Seminar; Design & Consumerism

When filling in the form; have the title vague like 'Brand Theory'

Questionnaires - produce great data but they are hard to do well, unless you send it out to 100's of people and the questions are well thought out.

Try read the original text rather than a book about the writer.

Dont be afraid of picking something that is really niche and feel you wont have enough research for it.

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Concepts

Brand Theory
Anti - Capitalist Movement
How to successful brands operate; how does a really manipulative advert actually work technically
Communication Theory
Superbrand
Branding Theory
Anti Branding Theory
Consumer Culture
Conspicuous Consumption - buying into brands, so others can see we are buying into things
Trickel Down theory


Questions...

'How is a super brand constructructed' e.g. Apple, the aura and how it is constructed on various different levels. How the stores are laid out to construct the experience of a brand.
This could link to anti-capitalist theories and also look at how the brand works in a social context.

Think about; how does consumerism work as a social function

If you were to look at a super brand, you could talk about all of the information that is mentioned on this page and ask the questions of your chosen case study.

Designer as a wage labourer - you may have to take on work that you are not happy with. How does the designer negotiate the problems that operate in a consumer society.

Is social status deciphered by brands

How would you picture a society with out brands

Pick a product and talk about the advertising and branding behind it e.g. perfume

Comparison between different levels of brand and how they work as a visual language

Celebrity endorsements -

Commodity fetishism - symbolic value - branding - commodity value - social value and then look at a couple of case studies.


Books

No Loko - Naomi Klein - very political view of brands.
On Brand - Wally Olins
Conspicious Consumption - T. Vebien


Documentary

Adam Curtis - 'Century of the 'Self' - Marx, Freud - American mass consumerism from the moment after the First world war. The governments in the west were concerned with mass movements e.g. fascism - there were revolutions across Europe. The American government felt the best way was to instil in them they could achieve personal freedom through mass consumption. They used Freud's theory - to pacify and control the masses. (consumerism is a pacifying device) - what is the designers role in this


Theorists

Marx
Freud
Bernays
Baudrillard - symbolic value of the commodity