Dove Chocolate Advertisement

I came across this advertisement in an issue of Cosmopolitan magazine and thought it used diverse elements to make it successful. The brand personality of Dove chocolate is reflected through the ad using design components.

The typography used is one of the most important aspects of the design because it reflects on the elegant and sophisticated image of Dove. The curly, cursive-like lines flow across the page to keep the eyes of the viewer moving to each of the components. It also appears as though the text is protruding from the page which attracts the audience as well. This type is important for Dove; using a font that appears as harsh or intense could diminish the delightful image. Chocolate is typically perceived as a delicacy or a reward, so it is important to find a fitting type.

A uniform brown color is one of the few colors on the page which works well to imitate the actual chocolate pieces. The red bag pops out of the page which stresses the product itself. Contrasting the colors worked well because the bag is the first thing you see before traveling across the font.

There is a lot of space present in the advertisement which is necessary to keep it from looking cluttered. Simplicity helps to emphasize the content such as the text and the bag. Considering Dove chocolates are usually plain and less known for flavors or additions, it connects to the chocolates again.

Overall, I think this advertisement reaches its goals. It is visually appealing and replicates the Dove chocolates through colors and type. Dove's use of design elements helped create a successful advertisement that even focused on typography.

Vita.mn Cover

Vita.mn is an entertainment and art guide for the Twin Cities area. Full of articles on music, food, fashion, and much more, it produces papers with very intriguing covers. The covers range from images to incredible designs that I cannot resist taking a glance at as I walk pass one.

This specific cover of Vita.mn contains all 7 design components to complete the illustration. The components were used precisely to create a visually appealing design for the guide. 

Space

The background behind the pins has a large amount of space that is not being used. This keeps the design clean and organized. There is no need to be placing additional images in the background because the utilization of the space is working well with the pins. Keeping the space behind the pins blank attracts the viewer.

Unity

All of the pieces of the front cover are in agreement. The pins are all overlapping each other as they would be seen if the viewer was actually looking at them down an alley. They also overlap the guides title "vita.mn" showing that they are related to the pins. Finally, the text on the lower right side of the design is overlapping the pins. All together the pieces are connected in some way.

Point, Line, and Plane

A point that attracts my eye is the orange dot located between "vita" and "mn" in the name of the guide. From there, the line of pins attracts my eye and carries it in the directions of the pins traveling backward. The pins from top to bottom represent the plane in the design.

Scale and Dominance

This is an essential component in order to make the pins seem more realistic rather than sitting flat on the page. The first pin in the middle is larger than the rest creating a more 3-dimensional illusion among the page. Also, the orange colors on the pin stand out among the other colors due to their bright hues and rigid shape. 

Hierarchy

The black boxes around the text appear as very important because they are bold across the pins and the remaining design. Due to the large pins and the amount of space they take up on the page they come across as the next most important elements. Finally, the "vita.mn" is behind the pins and is not bolded or colored in a specific way, therefore, being the last attractive point on the cover. 

Balance

Balance is partly symmetrical across the cover because of the repetition of similar pins across the middle. It is thrown off, though, as the "STRIKE' protrudes from the right side and the "vita.mn" on the left side. The mix of different elements on the page is appealing because it is consistent, yet only breaks the consistency for the text. 

Color

I really enjoy the colors that vita.mn used on the cover of this issue. They are not too vibrant which works well with a bowling theme. The destroyed look of the mint on the background is simple and easy to look at, from there the simple pins with a pop of orange works really well. The contrast of the black boxes ties all the colors together and makes the text stand out. Contrasting the colors helps bring all the components together to observe the different aspects and focus the viewers' eyes on specific parts.  

Panera Bread Logo

 

Taking a lunch break at the local Panera Bread, I was immediately intrigued by the logo. The type with the associated image and colors represents Panera Bread to a point. I was curious to look into the history and details of a simple logo that is able to portray a complete company image.

Going back a handful of years, Panera started in the 1980's as the image was transformed to be the restaurant it is today by Heckler Associates. While the logo has evolved over the years, the image above is the Panera logo today. Since the company has over 1,700 stores now, quite an increase since 1993's 20-store chain, I would say the logo is just a small part of the success. 

First, the colors could not be more fitting for Panera Bread. They are not bold and stick to very neutral and muted shades. Looking at the name printed upon the cups and bags, I would say it creates a calm feeling, actually the same I get when walking into the restaurant itself. Panera's locations are casual, yet nicer than just about any other "fast food" places I have experienced. The soft yellow highlights the woman in the middle, the dull green background keeps the logo simple, and the white behind the word "bread" is just enough contrast to attract the eye. Finished with a basic black for the text keeps the words standing out amidst the colors.

The font in this specific logo is essential to the creation of Panera's image. It appears as almost handwritten with rounded edges and contrasting widths throughout the word "Panera." The specific text used keeps the observer's eye traveling across the design, especially with the lines tucked behind the "Panera." "Bread" is in all capital letters at the bottom creating a strong contrast between the only words present. The diversity between the fonts makes the logo visually appealing. Personally, the font makes me immediately understand the quality of the restaurant and the same inviting and relaxing environment that the colors present are repeated with the font. 

Finally, the actual image design found in the logo is important to complete the Panera feel. It is intended to be a mother cradling a loaf of bread. This image actually reflects back to the goals of the company as well, "A loaf of bread in every arm." I also found that in baking terms a "mother" is a starting piece of dough used to make a loaf of bread. The different uses of symbolism construct a logo of value for Panera. 

(Sources: www.dinesh.com/ & https://www.panerabread.com/)