Week 9: Scoping & Creating a Brand Image 14/10/14

During this tutorial we discussed the project scope for the upcoming project and how to create a brand image. We identified that the a brand image is not just the logo, identity or product. It is the feeling a consumer has towards that product. Essentially creating a sense of trust between the consumer and the product. In terms of the Kopi shop project, this taught me to think further than just designing for aesthetics, but rather to design with replication of a strong feeling of trust in the quality of the product.

During the scoping of the project, I learnt that we needed to create something that the consumer needs, not what they want. Ideally placing the Kopi shop brand image in it's own unique position in terms of competition. However I am still in the process of brainstorming ways to differentiate Kopi from the rest of the competition. A line of thought I had was to consider what makes coffee a social statement, then trying to extract an idea from that concept but it is difficult.

This image helped to reinforce my understanding of a brand image.

Bibliography: Justcreative.com,. (2014). Retrieved 20 October 2014, from http://justcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/brand-identity-logo-explained1.jpg

Week 8: Divergent & Convergent Thinking 9/10/14

During this tutorial we introduced the third assignment and discussed convergent and divergent thinking. In order to further understand divergent thinking we did two activities. One being brainstorming the different ways you can use a fork and the other finishing off a drawing. From the fork activity it taught me that the majority of ideas I came up with were only extensions of one concept, meaning they were not unique. In order to get a unique idea I had to go through about 10 average ideas before reaching an original idea. In terms of the upcoming project on designing an identity for a cafe, this activity reinforced the importance of the brainstorming step rather than trying to stick to the idea that seems the strongest at the time. The other activity of finishing off the drawing also helped to emphasis this point. 

At the same time these activities helped me to understand how to use divergent thinking in reality, as well as understand convergent thinking. Below is an image that illustrates my understanding of divergent and convergent thinking. Divergent being trying to come up with as many ideas as possible, whereas convergent being combining all the ideas into one single idea. 

Bibliography: Debbiggar.com,. (2014). Retrieved 11 October 2014, from http://www.debbiggar.com/uploads/2/8/2/5/28255125/5202770_orig.jpg