From our class project on logos and graphic design I wanted to show this short film entitled Logorama. It is directed by the French animation collective H5 (François Alaux, Hervé de Crécy and Ludovic Houplain.) It was first shown at the Cannes Film Festival 2009, later played at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010, and won a 2010 academy award under for best animated short.
I think this film shows the importance of a company’s logo and the association one draws between a company and its logo due to globalization and popular culture. This film’s message is very powerful and shows how commercialized and branded the world is, in specific American culture/brands. This film’s graphic design is amazing; very creative and insightful. See if you can see any little messages, plays on satire within the story of the film…there are many b/w companies! What do you think about the message this film is portraying? And which American logo do you find graphically interesting?
This past week my communications journalism class got the chance to visit Hola/Hello Magazine, actually located right by school! This was such a great opportunity to hear all about the operations and mission of this major magazine company. When we arrived, we were given a tour of the building. The first floor is Hello and the Second floor is Hola. The place looked a lot like what I expected. A bit chaotic. Papers everywhere, people running around working on the latest celebrity news and rushing to make deadlines. Once inside the Hola magazine conference room, the overseer of Hola Magazine introduced us to the company and its mission as well as shared some important history, founding, and their style and perspective on reporting their journalism. We learned they are a very popular Spanish celebrity magazine, and known as a more reputable, upscale celebrity publication. They do not gossip, but tell facts and are always spinning the celebrity stories in a positive, light-hearted light. He told us they are online as well and a good percentage of the traffic comes from the States, even though they do not have it running in the States. A woman named Isabella is in charge of the online website and explained to us a little bit about what she does and the importance of keeping up with technology these days. Using it to advertise, promote, increase customer loyalty. We also discussed styling design choices that have made the company so successful. These choices include having big, clear pictures, big bold type, and not many long articles. An internship here would have been so great, if only I would have known back in August! Overall, their company really impressed me- even as a celebrity magazine, they are the most credible and upscale one in Spain.
I must say I do not like McDonalds. However, I was stranded at the airport in Italy and starving so I went to McDonalds...guilty. I know its terrible I went there in Europe, ay ay ay! But I noticed their menu was Spanish-fied and it made me curious. I have noticed some American companies market their product in foreign countries by modifying their products to relate more to the culture and people. McDonalds is a great example of this. They have adapted their menu and style to fit into the culture in which it serves. For example, I noticed their advertisements while traveling and they feature items specific to that country. There was an "Italianized" hamburger complete with mozzarella cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and basil on ciabatta bread. In Germany, they offered beer as a drink choice. In India they even came out with a vegetarian menu to honor the Hindus not eating meat. Norway has McLaks a sandwich with salmon and dill. Chile has an avocado condiment. Greece has a GreekMac, a hamburger in a pita. New Zealand's Kiwi burger has beet, lettuce and an egg on top. So what does Spanish McDo have that we don't? Patatas Bravas with the red sauce, cerveza and gazpacho in the summertime. They also offer a menu which I think is a great advertising and marketing strategy. They are making this huge global company, local to the people it is serving. They are fitting into the Spanish society to attract as many foreign customers to their American brand as possible. I think that is why they have been so successful outside the U.S. Europe attributes the biggest percentage of sales to the company.
This was such a modern funky gallery. I am interested in working with communications and art and found this museum very inspiring. The gallery consists of all these graphic poster-size advertisement pieces in a clean modern space. The advertisements were subjects of popular culture-brands, people, ideas we all are familiar with, however with a twist of perspective and tons of creative retro flavor. All of these advertisements are so original and have such eccentricity and twisted meaning behind them. The image represents a different meaning than the sole image of the product, or person. The viewer has to think about the image in the context of the askew composition and surroundings. Besides these advertisement posters displayed around the room, they also have complementary exhibition of display boxes containing quirky everyday objects that are reconstructed as artwork. I really liked the high heel that had rows of nails sticking up in the sole of the shoe, exemplifying the pain and torture that high heels cause. Girls, you know what I’m talking about! I support the mission of this gallery because it showcases innovative, quirky images and concepts that are the total opposite of popular culture images and consumer ideas and purpose. The purpose of these ads is not to advertise the product, but the idea and meaning the artist wants you to find. I think many advertisements all blur in the same category, lacking originality or tact. I find the types of advertisements that are in the gallery much more visually interesting, clever and entertaining. I find myself gravitating to brands that have a different image and can appreciate graphic and quirky advertisement design. I would love to work with designing advertisements, or something where I can use my creativity and artistic eye for design. For instance, I love the quirky advertisements of the makeup brand Benefit. Here are some examples of their work…
Another cool company that does innovative ads is Vitamin Water:
I really enjoyed going to this photo gallery because I am passionate about photography. The museum boasts a state of the art learning center and lab as well as two exhibition halls. EFTI Zero Gallery opened in 2009 as a space solely dedicated to photography. The studio and school encourages young talent who promote a creative and fresh outlook.
The gallery is very open and simple, with medium sized pictures in simple frames mounted along the walls. I think the museum declared its mission to viewers by presenting the gallery as they did, proving these innovative pictures can stand alone.
When our class went in October, there were two exhibits. One entitled “Chinese Culture Photography” by Images Copyright Society and the other entitled “Berlin-Leipzig” by Pablo Fernandez Pujol. I preferred the first exhibit, which showcased the raw culture of traditional Chinese people, with an emphasis on Geishas. The pictures were so vibrant and spirited. One of my favorites was of an old working class woman dressed in Geisha attire. Her makeup was smeared, her clothes festive and bright, and she’s just standing in the street looking at you through the lens, giving a raw sense of herself to the viewer. I think this school is unbelievable. I really appreciate the mission of the program and encourage the discovery of young artists and work. I think photography is so inspiring and is great to show the different perspectives and values of a person. It’d be so cool to attend this school! New Exhibits run every month, so stop by again!
Caixa is a got-to-see museum! Recently, my friend and I went to Caixa Forum Museum on Paseo el Prado, (close to El Prado and even closer to the good Pad Thai place ;) ).
The building is as alluring as the exhibits. The outside features a vertical garden on a wall, and a modern castle like building. There are currently two really great exhibits! The first, entitled “Children,” is to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Rights of the Child Convention. It was drawn in 1989 to define and enforce the basic human rights that are for children anywhere and in any situation. Renowned Spainsh photographer Isabel Muñoz displays his photographs giving a picture of a child along with a short story glorifying the achievements he/she has managed to reach despite troubling situations. Muñoz used the portrait as a means to approach different cultures and expose injustices. Improve living environment for children and rights.
The other exhibit details the life of the famous Italian director, Federico Fellini accompanied by interesting photographs from his life and movies, old props and press, and clips of his movies on projection screens. Personally, I liked this exhibit more. I really enjoyed learning about his life and about his work, which is described as “private and personal, lyrical and poetic.” He was an innovative artist creating visually stimulating, paradoxical scenes, combining fantasy imagery with ordinary situations. His life and dreams were inspirations for his works.
5 MUST KNOW FACTS about FELLINI: 1. At age 12, Fellini ran away from home for a short time, to work as a circus clown. 2. Inspired by comics like Superman and the Hulk, he went to Florence to work as a well-known, sometimes controversial, caricaturist. 3. Entertainment Weekly voted him as the 10th Greatest Director of all time. 4. The term "paparazzi" comes from his movie, La Dolce vita, in which a character named Paparazzo plays a journalist photographing celebrities. 5. He was nominated for 4 Oscar awards under "Best Foreign Language Film" and won all 4. These movies were La Strada, Le Notti di Cabiria, 8½ and Amarcord.
The main character, Guido Contini, is based on Fellini for both the musical and movie "Nine.” You must see the movie, but for now here's a clip...
Una Huelga! Today I experienced my first general strike. The past couple days all I have been hearing has been warnings and reminders that today was going to be a chaotic mess. However, I expected it to be worse! Since we had classes today (would’ve been nice if we were at a Spanish school!) I woke up a little earlier than usual, about thirty minutes, and when I walked outside I was expecting to find a ghost town. But actually, people were out doing their usual business. I would say there was probably 1/3 less people out, but about 2/3 of stores and businesses were closed. I walked to the bus stop, that I usually take, and waited around for about ten minutes until I decided I would try walking to school, something I embarrassingly admit I have not attempted before. I tried following the route of the bus that I remembered. I’m pretty awful at directions, but I based my route on landmarks that eventually lead me the right way. Along the way, I noticed many whole in the wall places (stores, convenient stores etc.) closed, but did find grocery stores and tobacco stores open. I noticed very few buses around, so I wonder how often they came? Usually there are a lot more people in the streets when I’m on my way to morning classes, but today, at the plaza de Iglesias, I had to stop at a news stand and ask the attendant which direction Calle Miguel Angel was. I asked him, “Buenas, donde esta Calle Miguel Angel?” but my accent is so poor that he replied, “No entiendas.” Yikes, that hurt! After I built up enough confidence to ask another passerby, and this time she understood enough, and pointed me down Calle Martinez Campos, which then rang a bell and I was finally able to make it to school…twenty five minutes late. I noticed there were less students at school and in my class, I found out everyone was late. At least the workout did me good? In Spanish class we learned about the purpose of the strike. I don’t remember experiencing a general strike before this, but it was interesting, and I presume a big enough issue that it shut down a considerable amount of businesses today. It'll be interesting to see what happens...
Follow this video to find out more about the strike…
This past Thursday I went to the movie and tapas intercambio at school. Initially, I didn't know if we were watching an American movie or a Spanish movie. But I was actually hoping it was going to be a Spanish film because I love watching indie foreign films. I was very happy with the choice of movie, Dias de Futbol. I thought it really showed an intimate view of everyday Spaniards and in doing so reflected what aspects and things are most important to them, as well as their daily lifestyle and demeanor. Family was a big theme in this movie. It showed the dynamics of close Spanish relationships and portrayed how everyone kind of gets in one another's business/life, showing just how intimate and open these close relationships are. Linked with the idea of family is loyalty, which was strung through the characters' relationships with one another and the urge to stick by friends/family and help each other through struggles. Another theme I found that is true to Spanish life is the importance of futbol. It showed how futbol is a big part of life for Spaniards, and how passionate they are about the sport as a means of entertainment, revelry, and unification. I was a bit taken aback by the crude use of language throughout the film. I think the Spanish use profanity more casually than Americans and a lot of times to joke. The characters used it very explicitly and were very up front and blunt with their language and sexual content. I assume this kind of material would not be shocking for Spanish or Europeans but I think American media is more censored and uses it more sparingly. Overall, I really enjoyed the movie and was laughing the entire time! I really liked the interactions between characters and the playful tone of the film. If you couldn't make it, you should definitely check it out for free online below!
The fashion in Spain is refreshingly formal! I am fascinated by a culture’s fashion and dress and am so happy to find an edgy fashion scene here! I adore European fashion. My idea of European fashion is a wardrobe of classy well tailored dark colored clothes, and lot of layering! I definitely see a difference between European fashion ads in magazines and those in the U.S. I’ve noticed European ads are more edgy. Fashion designers and respective advertisements take more risks with edgy concepts and clothing designs. I have also noticed that the models are more edgy in their poses and hair and makeup. The show more controversial poses and compositions of the models in the ads in European magazines, for example two models kissing or half naked models arranged suggestively. The U.S. media and fashion gurus alike perceive European fashion as more cutting edge, and perfectly tailored, than American designers and fashion. I would say American designers and companies, along with their advertisement agendas, aim to appeal to a more expansive audience through commercial clothes and concepts. Americans as a whole dress according to what the newest fad is, whereas Europeans dress choice is what is more timeless and stylish. Madrid is one of the major fashion capitals in the world, and I am so inspired by European fashion and manner! Now that I have been living here, I definitely see what my Mom and friends were talking about when they said Europeans dress more properly. Walking down the streets, I see everyone from old grannies dressed up in pearls, heels and full hair and makeup to little babies dressed like they are porcelain dolls. There have been days when my roommate and I see babies dressed better and fancier than us! I have never seen such primped babies in my life! At home, it is normal for people my generation to dress casually, jeans and t-shirt kind of gear. I find it very impressive that girls here dedicate so much time and effort to dress up, wearing heels and full hair and makeup daily! One Sunday I wore a tank top and yoga pants to Starbucks to study, and I can tell you I never make that mistake again after the looks I got! It just shows how much more formal the Spaniards are not only with dress but with their formal etiquette. I really appreciate the way Spaniards dress up and carry themselves. That is another difference I have seen; Europeans are more conscious of the way they wear their clothes. I do think that it is a sign of respect and good manners to be put together and look good. It has been quite an adjustment for me and my friends, but I do plan on following the “Spanish dress code.”
Based on my analysis, guess which ads are Euro vs. American!
Since my time in Spain, I have noticed that Spaniards are not shy about nudity in the media. I see at least one example every day. On my walk to the bus stop in the morning I pass by a news kiosk that has porn advertised in the windows and videos on the top shelf of the stand centrally displayed. I rarely watch television here, but one time at dinner our senora left it on and my roommate and I were trying to avert our eyes from the explicit scenes of some sort of telenovela. All that was displayed on the television was a 18 in the corner of the screen as a warning to viewers. I have not seen too much nudity printed in advertisements but I have seen nude women in ads for Farmacias all around that have surprised me. Perhaps the most obvious display of nudity I have experienced was this past weekend in San Sebastian. My friends and I went to La Concha and one on isle de Santa Clara and although I had previously been told about the nudity on beaches, it still shocked me to see topless women of all ages, scantily suited old men, and children all the way up to about 10 running around naked! I think it is different, but great that people are so comfortable with nudity. It is on my bucket list to participate at a nude beach, so who knows if this is the trip I get to cross that one off from! I don’t know if it is just me, since I am from conservative Ohio and am not used to such open displays of nudity and sexuality. My roommate is from South Pasadena, near Los Angeles and whenever I make a comment about examples I see around town, she does not react the same way I do. She told me that she hasn’t noticed a lot of nudity but I think from where I come from, it is a lot, and used more casually in the media and in the Spanish culture. I do not necessarily think it is a bad or wrong thing to be open about showing the human body but, it is just something I personally am not used to, or have experienced at home in the States. However, this is not to say there is no nudity in American media, because there is, and up to the degree seen here, it is just less publicly shown and advertised.
