I have a question...

When I was a senior at McDaniel College, Chakaia Booker came to give an Artist Talk. Her work is unique, interesting, and I identified with her. She does sculpture with an unusual material and that was my focus at the time.

When she explained her process, she talked about the hours of work she used to put into projects, when she first started. Now that the demand for her work has picked up, she oversees.

Is she still the artist if she’s not doing all the work??

It’s a question that has continued to bother me for some time now. It’s her idea, her concept, but a team of assistants are physically putting the pieces together… not her.

Researchers/Scientists do the same thing. An undergrad on their team will break the code, but because the researcher is advising their name goes on it.

Do you think that is fair?

I’m truly perplexed. As a cosmetologist I know what it is to be an assistant. When I was still in school for cosmetology, I was a shampoo assistant for a few months. The assistant does literally all the work. The stylist only touches up the head at the end; plucks a few curls out here and there, and sends the person on their way. Here’s the clincher, the assistant gets maybe a five dollar tip, but the stylist $65 and the recognition.

Having been in that position I don’t think you should get to call something your work (exclusively) if you only oversee. I don’t care how busy you are, or how large the demand for your work is.

I’m too big of a control freak to ever let that happen. As a stylist, I rarely use the assistants I have access to. If I’m able, I’ll do it. As an artist, I’ve never even dreamed about having another person assist me in anything other than an opinion. Art is too personal for extra hands.

What do you guys think?

Bath and Body Works Presents: Warm Vanilla Sugar... over the years.

“Warm Vanilla Sugar,”(of Bath and Body Works) has been my fragrance of choice since high school, where you weren’t a girl unless you had at least a mini lotion captured in hodgepodge of nonsense at the bottom of your oversized purse.

This is the original branding that I used to hold dear to my heart. This is also the same container I carried in the bag I was burdened with in high school. I recognize it as the classic, but based on all the changes I’ve found, I can only assume that this was not the first face of Warm Vanilla sugar.

I first stumbled onto these covers on a winter break home from school. I was Christmas shopping for the “friend but not really, acquaintance person.” Everyone knows the deal. If ever you are forced to buy a gift for that someone that you don’t know too well, or care enough about to research, Bath and Body Works has the perfect go-to gift. The problem was, I couldn’t find Warm Vanilla anywhere; it was there, it was just unrecognizable. Even the shape of the bottle had changed.

My guess, this was around the time when celebrity fragrances were at large. Bath and Body Works wanted to compete with big name brands, so they created look that would appeal to even the most sophisticated shopper. Crazy thing, there’s no brand recognition. You can’t find the words “Bath and Body Works,” anywhere.

Recently, I decided that my car needs to smell pretty, like a girl owns it. I went to Bath and Body Works and was stunned yet again. This is the newest transformation I’ve witnessed.

Every time I get comfortable with a design, they change it. It drives me crazy because it appears as if their name is just an afterthought. I thought that the brand (Bath and Body Works) is supposed to be on the top of the imaginary pyramid of informational hierarchy. The flavors are more dominant than the brand name. I have to wonder why that is. Perhaps, they think that B+BW’s is so popular that the flavors and the company name have become synonymous. To me, I guess that assumption is a correct one. However, I can’t speak for everyone else out there.

By constantly changing the packaging I can guess that Bath and Body Works wants to refresh buyers and appeal to a larger demographic. I personally don’t think the changes add any value to the product. It just makes me angry and confused. They have been selling the same smells for as long as I’ve known what Bath and Body Works is. By appearing in different containers it could make the patron feel like they’re getting something new.

I can’t decide whether the branding decisions are more powerful in the grand scope of things. If the process really does offer a larger scale of readership, then it’s successful. The changes disturb me as a semi regular customer, but not enough to deter me from shopping.

Okay, commercially they win… but I wish they’d stop. It’s annoying.

Replace that Palm with this one! The all new Palm Centro

The juxtaposition of chaos and order all on one page; I think it’s brilliant. This magazine ad is straight to the point. The “Palm Centro” can solve all of your organizational issues. Never use your literal hand to jot down a phone number or business meeting again. The “Palm” cellphone alleviates all of those issues, and looks pretty while doing it.

This ad uses just two words to support the clever imagery. A bustling city background represents chaos, and a hand jam-packed with barely legible information, so much so that it’s almost uncomfortable to look at. Right across the page is the inviting picture of calm. The phone is undisrupted sitting on a simple white background. I get it! Replace that crazy palm with this one. The ad is asking you to make a decision, and based on the images the choice shouldn’t be that hard. As an added bonus, they even show all the snazzy colors the phone comes in at the bottom of the page.

Based on appearances alone, this ad gets an A+ in my book. Under closer inspection it’s sad to realize some vital information is missing. There’s no contact information. Obviously you’re supposed to visit your local cell phone provider to purchase the phone, but is it available with every company? I don’t know. As a consumer I want to know if I can be freed from the chaos of a T-Mobile plan, or if Sprint and Verizon patrons are the only lucky ones. It’s a small piece of information that is necessary in any campaign. Without it, I’m afraid that even the awesome dualism shown here isn’t enough.

Post Card Advertisement

This postcard is advertising online shopping for New Balance products. By using a remedial avenue- snail mail- this company is able to expand on the type of sales they receive. You don’t have to leave the comfort of your home, AND they give you a discount. I think it’s clever. Post cards stand out against the junk mail, and bills we’re used to seeing. It comes down to the small size, high gloss appearance, thick texture, and the fact that they usually offer great deals. FREE, HALF-OFF, DISCOUNT, %, those are the words and symbols that command attention.

Who? You!

What? New Balance Web Sale

When? Now until October 30, 2008 (humor me, I’m doing an experiment).

Where? Wherever you have Internet access.

Why? Because you can!

I like to ask the “5 W’s” in any advertisement. It’s important to get all the answers to these questions quickly and easily. If the knowledge is presented without putting strain on the audience, then I think the campaign is successful.

What do you guys think?

What interests me most about this ad is not the postcard itself, but where I found it, on Tristan Denyer’s website. He is the creative artist that executed the design. I just think it shows the importance of displaying your work in one easy to access location. It’s important to market yourself. Even if you’re not doing awesome brand name campaigns, the recognition is there. I now know who Tristan Denyer is, and his work is pretty fabulous. Click here to visit his website.