Assignment: Save Our High Street

Brief

Many local high streets have recently been struggling as a result of shifts in shopping behaviour with the advent of internet shopping, the impact of Covid and the presence of large out-of-town supermarkets. These trends have led to the loss of many unique, small family businesses which have gradually been replaced by national chains. Running counter to this trend has been a growing awareness of the air miles associated with much supermarket food, a sense of the loss of traditional and local businesses, and a desire to do something about it.

This assignment is an example of a closed brief, as it’s specific in its aims and how you’re expected to achieve them. You have been contacted by a group of local shops who want to develop a campaign to encourage people to value local produce and shopping, to promote a greener agenda in terms of knowing where your food, goods and services come from, as well as a broader social agenda of encouraging people to value the interactions that only a high street can offer.

To make this project more real, and to provide ways for you to research it more meaningfully, locate this project in your own area, perhaps a local market, group of shops or high street. Try and pick a range of real shops with existing identities to work with.

You could consider the demographics of your area; the characteristics of a population heavily influence decisions when creating and implementing a campaign. Search for the National Statistics Institute in your country of residence and you will be able to find detailed information on the demographics of particular areas. The UK website is Nomis. Questions you could consider are: Do you find this information valuable? How could this information help or hinder you when devising a campaign?

Develop visual material that communicates to your audience the key messages and values of the campaign. This material should provide some form of overall ‘umbrella’ visual identity but also allow existing companies or shops their own identity within it, and provide a jolt for viewers to reflect on their own values and shopping habits.

Aim

I have decided to concentrate on three shops in a small town in Tenterden, Kent. Three shops called Ibbidi Bobbidi Boo, The Potato Shop and The Rising Star; I attempted to shops that differ from another, the first being clothing, the second local produce and the third being a "lifestyle emporium 1".

Demographic

The majority of people living in Kent is 51% of Females (48.9 Males) with the mean age of 40.3 years old. 2

Ibbidi Bobbidi Boo

This little family-run shop sells Italian fashion, always looking to show off something new and unique. 3

The Potato Shop

This business produces it own potatoes with "30" varieties of potato to sell (depending on the season), you'll find them "planted, harvested, and packed" all at their location. Providing fresh, locally produced potatoes at your doorstep. 4

Rising Star

This business provides something unique; "antiques, gifting, fashion, jewellery"-- anything! You can find one-off treasures at Rising Star, making the shopping experience fun and interesting. 5

I highly recommend this little unique shop.

Campaign Visuals Mood Board

I want something eye-catching but also simple, anything complicated can distract people from the main message.

Visual Draft Planning

Thumbnails

Moving Poster Exploration

I thought the posters looked good, but I really feel like advertising online is best so I wanted to make a moving poster-- having a still image with a moving element. It felt like I was really challenging myself so I wanted to explore this...

Ad

Evaluation

This assignment was so difficult to do, I feel like the past few assignments and exercises, I've had have made me doubt my ability since I've been struggling to understand the briefs. Whether it's because I'm burnt out or if these is just a lack of creativity in my ability, I feel like I wasn't able to produce anything worthwhile. I was going to do a presentation like the plastic exercise, however I felt very discouraged by my work that I didn't end up doing it, maybe if I step away from this assignment I might come back and do it.

I was originally going to do three posters, however, I felt very unchallenged and I really wanted to push myself. So I decided to go ahead and use the thumbnails into an animated advert, using visual drafts and thumbnails to create this 7-second advert.

Ultimately, I'm really not happy with this assignment, I'm not sure if it's personally burnt out, or if it's because I'm struggling with a lack of self-esteem but I was really struggling with achieving a high standard of work. In the next few assignments I want to move away from digital and concentrate on traditional again, I also need to manage my time better.

The look of the advert was based on what I liked about the mood board, having bright complementary colours-- however looking back now, they might not be considered as an "umbrella visual identity".

I feel like I am finding it difficult to grapple with how my art should look, since whenever I draw for fun it looks great; when it comes to doing my uni work it doesn't translate.

Colour Re-work

I feel like this design is a lot more softer on the eyes while staying vibrant, it's a little better.

1 Rising Star Kent, Instagram 'risingstarkent', U/A. https://www.instagram.com/risingstarkent/?hl=en Accessed Jun 12, 2024.

2 NORMIS, NORMIS WEB 'Kent County', U/Z. https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=E10000016 Accessed Jun12, 2024.

3 Ibbidi Bobbidi Boo, Ibbidi Bobbidi Boo 'About us', U/A. https://www.ibbidi.co.uk/about Accessed Jun 12, 2024.

4 U/A, The Potato Shop 'The Producers', U/A. https://www.producedinkent.co.uk/producers/the-potato-shop Accessed Jun 12, 2024.

5 U/A, MyTenterden 'Rising Star', U/A. https://www.mytenterden.co.uk/directory/rising-star-tenterden-listing-653.aspx Accessed Jun 12, 2024.