Is it in you?

         The business that Gatorade represents is that of a sports drink. Gatorade’s job is to not only push and fuel athletes in practice and in games, but to do the same for the average person when (s)he works out. And, the colors and the design of their logo seem to reflect that.

            The Gatorade logo is green and orange. Green symbolizes growth, healing and power. It also is a stable color that implies self-control, renewal and endurance.  These are all aspects that anyone looking to work out must remember. They are looking for mental, physical and psychological tests as they push themselves in their games and work out regiments and therefore, it’s only a matter of time before they will wear out. But, Gatorade will help these individuals reach their full potential by rejuvenating them so they don’t tire, helping them gain control of their movement and continue on.

            The Gatorade lightning bolt also is a perfect symbol for what the product does. Since Gatorade rejuvenates you by giving you a “spark” or a “burst” of energy and power, it is appropriate that the lightning bolt is orange. Orange is a bright color that catches people’s attention. It is therefore a stimulating color that is enthusiastic, determined and encouraging. It’s also been said that orange increases oxygen supply to the brain, which produces an invigorating effect on the body. With that, it is safe to say that Gatorade gives people a boost so they have the drive to continue on.

            And thus, with a little research, it is safe to say that from the casual work out to the professional athlete, Gatorade’s logo encapsulates all that the product does for its consumers. And there you have it, Gatorade is awesome- and they show it!

Rockin’ sources: http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html

From Bad to Better

            I realized that I had many options for choosing a bad ad. After cracking open the phone book and flipping through the first half, it seemed that I could redo an ad for just about any type of company you could think of. But, I decided on a car locksmith ad and set to work. First, I chose this because of the terrible logo.  I noticed the rockin’ 90’s car and the blob to it’s left, which, upon closer examination, I decided was a locksmith unlocking the car. The company’s font in the logo was a serif font and seemed too pretty to be associated with car problems. This, I decided was the first thing to go. Also, the oval around the image reminded of a family diner sign. I thought that the logo should be more square or rectangular to seem less “soft.” But, we had to keep the same logo, so this left me frustrated as my idea for a new logo, couldn't be used. Here's the logo I would have liked to use instead:

            The same font that read “Fast Emergency Mobile Service” also needed to be changed. Any emergency I can think of was not this neat and put together. I also thought this was the most important text featured in the ad, but it was underneath other copy, where it wasn’t seen as easily. These words needed a harsher font that was bold and could be spotted initially. I also wanted to redo the logo to express a more modern look and feel and a strong logo with a font that implied that these locksmiths were knowledge and ready to unlock any car.

            Also, though the ad was black and white, I thought that color would help it grab more potential customers attention. I chose yellow because it grabs peoples’ attention well. I choose red because it is associated with emergencies, such as locking your keys in your car.  But, it is also a strong color that is associated with power, like the ability to fix a problem. So, I used these two colors throughout the ad to better communicate what services the company provides. I also thought the original ad lacked unity and I thought by using the same shape and color I could tie all the elements of the ad together more cohesively. I chose a rectangle because sharp corners were more rough and tough than rounded elements. I also used white lines between each part of the ad to draw the eye from one element to the next. Hopefully this ad is more effective than it’s phonebook counterpart!

R.C.E.: Really Can Examine Typography!

In walking around Milwaukee, I realized that there are LOTS of typographies everywhere. Towards the end of the 45 minutes, I was beginning to see letters in the sky and formed from cracks on the ground. Part of me thinks I'm losing my mind, and part of me thinks this is really cool. But, some of the most interesting and unique typographies that I found while quick touring the East side are below:

This "R" was on the back of a giant orange road construction sign. I found the sign lying down in front of Straz Tower and it instantly caught my attention. Its corners were very sharp and rigid, plus the color yellow, made it seem very authoritative. As a sans-serif font, it also very modern. The space between the left and right side of the "R" made it unique as did the fact that the "R" was actually cut out of the yellow. So, it was more like what was missing was what was interesting to look at. Plus, I love the color yellow, so this one was a shoe-in.

This is one of my favorite finds! It is the "C" from the Wisconsin Club's gates. I thought it looked like classic and elegant calligraphy. It also reminded me of old letters that were written with a quill and ink.  The color gold also gives it a sense of nobility and regality. I also liked that it seemed very flowing and elaborate. Honestly I thought it was interesting that only one letter on the front gates seemed to accurately portray the reputation that the Wisconsin Club has as a well-to-do venue. And let's be honest, it is as swanky and the "C' suggests.

This is an example of where I started to see letters in everything. This "E" is the bottom of a stone bench outside the Haggerty museum of art turned sideways. I was really excited when I spotted it because it is so unique. It isn't very formal, classic or elegant. But, it is modern in the way that it doesn't follow traditional guidelines of being extremely identifiable, but instead seems very casual and relaxed, and not quite complete.  The top part could be more horizontal, but then it would lose some of its visual appeal. Actually this "E" makes me think of modern art, which maybe it is and which is why it now seems much more appropriate to have it sitting outside the museum of art. Gahh I bet they did that on purpose!