For a lot of us, we will wish to go back and correct things. In the field of graphic design, those things we want to alter may vary. As it stands however, even if the project was a success, a designer might not be completely satisfied with it. However, there's also the case where a creator might want to try something new with a familiar idea. Whatever the story may be, I want to talk about treading old ground in graphic design.
Now we all have ideas that we can never really fit in sometimes. All projects have deadlines, and there are technical limitations. However, what if there was the chance to go at it again, with more time, and better resources? Chances are, you could turn out the project you wanted initially! If not that, then a good spruce up can do a game, movie, or pictures wonders! It would be like walking down a path with a better pair of shoes.
However, maybe you don't want to add to an idea, but try it a different way? Let's say you remake an old commercial for coffee, but do it in a modern setting. You could make fun of the previous commercial, try a role reversal of the plot, etc. As long as you can try something new, there's still potential with an idea. In this case, treading old ground can be seen as taking a different path along the way.
Now keep in mind, this can be a double-edged sword. You have to be ready for whatever reaction people may have to your work, even if it's negative. As such, some people will get annoyed if they see the same thing over and over again. Others will get annoyed if they see the wrong changes being made to something they loved. Just be wary of what the people think, before you go down the path again.
What you want, is to read your main audience, and find what they want. Compromise is going to be key here, so don't forget that when you go down that old path. With all of that said however, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned!
We all want to get our names out there somehow. However, it's not just getting our name out there, but also keeping it out there. How do we go about doing that? Well, this week, I want to go over exposure in graphic design! Without further ado, let's jump in.
Now, one thing we always need when putting ourselves out there is confidence. Be willing to face criticism, be ready to improve, and be sure to keep motivated. Another thing to remember with exposure is to ensure your name is on the work. Whether the commission gives a shout out, or you have the project on the resume, let them know you're connected. However, this is just the first part.
Once you have exposure, you need to make sure you keep it. Recommend yourself for follow up jobs, keep up with interviews, show off personal projects, etc. A good example of staying exposed, I would say, is Mariah Carey's 'All I Want For Christmas Is You.'. It's played every year, gives her a decent check every Christmas time, and it keeps her name out there for people to remember. So, I figure a good way to keep ensure people see your product; wether its in a store, or played regularly, just as long as it constantly gets your name out there.
It's that time of year again everyone! I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving day. As usual, here are my photos.
Once again, happy Thanksgiving! As usual, I hope you enjoy, and stay tuned!
We only have so much time before we finish a project. Sometimes, we have to remove elements we wanted. Other times, we'll need to set ourselves on a timer for how much comfort time we have. One thing creators will always find themselves doing however, is reusing assets. From using the same textures for different graphics, to having the same basis for a picture. For this week, we'll be talking about reusing assets, and the pros and cons of it.
So, what is a pro of reusing assets. Well, as stated earlier, it saves up on time. No need to make every individual piece of grass unique; people won't notice, so you can copy and paste the same texture. Another bonus is you can keep those assets for later projects, such as a character model, or custom gradient. This saves up on computer space, and gives you more tools to work with. The versatility of what you made in the past can help what you make in the future.
As for cons, keep in mind reused assets can look lazy. People have eyes, and if a prominent asset is familiar, they will recognize it. Do this enough, and it will most likely turn the off, as they're tired of repetition. Let's not forget to mention that eventually, your work will look outdated. Do not let yourself become stagnant; if a grass texture looks like it was made in 2000, make a new one to reflect your current ability. So if you do decide to reuse assets, be prepared for people to critique.
At the end of the day however, it is your decision to do reuse assets. I'll, even I've done it in the past. I just hope we all consider the pros and cons I have listed. With that said however, thank you for reading, and stay tuned.
So, I want to believe we all desire to be liked. If not by everyone, or praised to the moon, then at least tolerated. As for what we create though, we might not instantly want it to be liked. Spinning off of my controversy blogs there are people who do want negative reactions to their works. Perhaps it is for attention, story purposes, or whatever reason. This week, I say we look into it.
So to start, let's take a look at how we could portray something unlikable. Usually, when we portray something likable, we hype it up, we think about what we, or our audience want to see, and then build it up. So to portray something unlikable, draw attention to what they don't want to see, and again, build it up. Don't focus on praising it though, keep attention on the negative aspects. In the case of a story for example, show how the unlikable subject affects people around them.
Now, keep in mind, it's best to portray unlikability, and not go forward to making something completely unlikable. Not to say it can't be done right, but keep in mind, you will have an audience. If there is too much obnoxious noise in a commercial, no insightful commentary about something awful, or no redeeming qualities whatsoever, it will turn people off. Whether this disliking it is intentional, or not, be wary with your portrayals.
Remember, it is ok to have an element that is unlikable, just remember to balance it out somehow. Main character is a jerk the entire time, have him get his comeuppance in an embarrassing way. Doing a documentary about an awful event, speak with knowledge on the matter, and condone those in the wrong. Just making something for the sake of upsetting people isn't a smart way to seem artistic. It is cheap, uninspired, and shows you probably shouldn't be worked with.
Once again however, thank you for reading! I hope you got something out of this, and stay tuned!
It is easy to tell when a project isn't done well. Whether that be many typos, a lack of color, or just poorly edited, it's going to be obvious to the audience. One of the reasons for this lack of skill shown could very well be just a lack of enthusiasm. A problem several Graphic Designers, myself especially included, have faced. Let's talk about it, the effects, and how to avoid it this week.
So what really causes a lack of motivation in Graphic Design? Well, the mood of a designer is one example. Say they've gotten sick for a majority of the project, or have a carefree attitude at the time, either extreme can effect the output. What could normally be a well-made video or logo, would instead be a rushed, bare-bones product that looks like a draft. A designer needs to make sure they are in the right mood to design, otherwise they'll rush out something they'll be very ashamed of.
Another factor for lacking enthusiasm is, strangely enough, being to successful. Sometimes if a creator has gotten enough money from other projects, they'll put less effort into future ones. Not to say they can't retire if they feel the time is right, or that they need to force themselves to work harder. Just that sometimes they'll make things seem like a big deal and then, barely work on it. At that point, it feels less like they are happy to move on, and are more just looking for another paycheck.
At the end of the day, the best way to combat a lack of motivation is to find the right jobs. Don't just pick something up for the sake of it, do it because you enjoy the work! Work when you're in the right mindset, and find a way to put yourself there, if need be. Now, this isn't saying you'll always be super motivated for everything you do, but it's best to stay motivated for anything going forward. Whether in Graphic Design, or in life. With that being said, thank you again for reading, and stay tuned!
With the rise of AI made art, I feel this conversation is important. Sure, the technology is impressive, and I can see the use out of it. However, one has to ask about the future of art and Graphic Design as a whole. It is important to remember that we shouldn't ignore why we make art in the first place, or to forget about our own feelings towards our creations.
Now, let's talk about some positives first. It is a good way to inspire more people to be artistic, obviously. Another benefit is that it's a good way to create stock photos, or background images. If you know, what you're doing, AI images can set you up. This also goes without mentioning the entertainment I've gotten out of silly videos that match a random AI image with a song lyric. So I wouldn't say AI images aren't this evil thing, or something artists should ignore.
As for the negatives, however, let's first consider that it takes away jobs. Companies are going to look at this process, and use it to save money on artists. You also have to look at people letting an AI make the art, while they may display great technical knowledge, understand that it wasn't something they put their soul into. When it comes to making art, writing a novel, shooting a commercial, or whatever else, I want to know the person who did that put some soul into the project. Otherwise, what's the point of marketing if everything is going to be basic, and soulless?
The point of media is sharing your thoughts, your expressions, and hoping someone relates. If everything now just done with a machine with no emotions, people won't connect. Again, I do think that the people who know this type of technology, are genuinely talented. I also think they to can be great artists, if they actively use the technology to make something that has their soul in it. However, it needs to be said that while things of greatness can be witnessed, the hard work of those who make greatness needs to be acknowledged.
With all of that being said, thank you for reading. Hopefully my point came across, and you'll stay tuned!
It was only a matter of time before I got to this topic. In fact, I have talked about it before with other blog posts. However, I really want to focus on controversy here, and how it's been applied to graphic design. It seems especially fitting to go over this, as it sometimes feels as if the next day has a new controversy already lined up thanks to media coverage. in. The issue of 'any advertising is good advertising', is not true, as I have stated before.
It is very rarely one can benefit from a controversy targeted at them. It's hard to necessarily come up with a specific example, but if does exist in ways such as boycotts, media slander, and blacklisting. Granted, this really effects you more depending on how recognizable you, or your brand is. Smaller businesses usually get shafted, larger ones tend to get away Scott free. I know that's a negative way to go about it, but I'd like to think it still shows why starting controversy should be avoided. Unless you know what you'll do with the attention, or how to bounce back.
Now, talking about controversy, or creating works based off of it, is different. In today's world, a lot of people will put their opinions in on these subjects. Through graphic design, one can express their thoughts on the issue in an interesting, eye-catching way. On the other hand, they could agree with on the issue, and create a way for the latter to spread their thoughts. It is an easy way to find a project to work on.
This isn't to say one should let themselves become looking for controversial content to talk about. It is also not to say taking a stance on an issue is easy. However, I hope this paints a clearer picture on how I think controversy is best handled: Avoid doing questionable things for the sake of attention; Feel free to take a stance on an issue if you wish. Again, this isn't always perfect, but it's a solid plan.
With all of that in mind, thank you for watching, and stay tuned.
So you have an impressive portfolio of drawings, and you plan to show it off at an interview. They like the artwork you display, but it's not enough to get the job. Another scenario however is that you have a more than just great artwork, but written stories, videos, and other creative endeavors as well. That being said, you're not in a spot where people can see them. In this case, it looks like you just need to build up your portfolio a teensy bit more.
Now, obviously it never hurts to add and manage one's portfolio. Obviously make sure it has up to date work, but also make sure it contains variety. Photography, drawings, video thumbnails, in progress works, anything you can do really. It always helps to practice new mediums, even if you're not the best at one yet. Therefore, when you get to a decent point with your work, feel free to add it in the portfolio, to show your talents.
Keep in mind, as I stated earlier, it's not just learning, it's putting your name out there. Thankfully, there are plenty of social media websites, gatherings, and forums to do so. If there is a place to show off your work, do it! After which, ensure to work with the algorithm to build a good reputation for yourself. Will it be a lot of work to deal with, possibly; however it's still part of a grind that could be very well worth it. So don't just make great work in graphic design, make sure everyone sees it!
A portfolio is one of the most important tools in graphic design. It's a metaphorical photo of one's self that you want people to see. As with any photo however, you'll want all details just right of you want the best affect. Will some things be out of your control? Yes. However, I do believe that there is just enough in your control to ensure your portfolio is the best it could be! With that in mind, thank you for reading, and stay tuned!
So, let's say you've taken a picture in black and white. It gives off a somber, almost nostalgic feeling with the limited palette. However, what if you added colors to it? Well, then that somber feeling is instead replaced by a more upbeat one. The simplest edit could cause a drastic change in tone to a project. From simple audio fixes, to a major overhaul to the story, our blog topic today will be about how easy it could be to change the tone. Without further ado let's jump on in!
Now, most likely you won't want to change to tone of your work going into it. However, wether you realize it or not, that tone might undergo alterations during editing. Granted, it might be something small, like the art style, or one scene. Bear in mind, a tone change isn't always this big grand thing. It can always be you looking at your work, thinking it doesn't fit the tone you want, and making little edits. However, that doesn't mean big tone changes can never happen.
As for bigger, more intentional changes of tone, those tend to be more interesting. For an example, I'll use the Jak and Daxter games. While the first game is more or less a standard action-platformer, with bright visuals, and cartoony personalities, Jak and Daxter II is certainly a change. Swapping out the original, colorful tone for a darker one, with gun-play mechanics, a darker story, and a more beastial main character, it certainly isn't the same game. It worked however, as not only did Jak and Daxter II outdo the original, but it set the tone for the rest of the franchise, albeit being 3 more games and some cameos. This is just one example of an extreme tone change, but I hope it paints an idea of what I want to illustrate.
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Always be prepared for anything! If that means having a backlog of work to put out, so be it! However, when is it best to move on from the backlog? Well, if you've read this blog long enough, then you'd know that's what we're going to talk about today. Without further ado, let's get started with another quick blog.
To begin, I think that backlogs are generally good for making future plans for yourself. Know what ideas you want to put out, or things to follow up on. If not just ideas, it could give you work to fill time between your next project. Better yet, it could be your way of filling a weekly requirement. It all really comes down to you preparing in case of any circumstance. Whether that be something you intended, wanting to cram in unused ideas, or just have to do something on the spot.
However, keep in mind that backlogs aren't always the answer. Sometimes you'll have a backlog of work that comes off as dated. This could be because it was made with less stellar technology, or at an earlier point in your career. Another problem is that you don't want to just focus on making work to fill in for later. You let that pile up, and you'll find that you have less storage space for when you need to make something for the now. So, while it can be helpful, don't rely on it too much.
Overall, while a backlog can be good to keep, remember not to go overboard. Make projects with what you have at the moment to show people what you can do at the moment. On the flip side, don't forget you might always be finished on time.
When everything thing is said and done, an end needs to happen. The finishing touches to any form of media is important to graphic design. Given the purpose, the message, or the product, what ends things off needs to be brought into questioning. Do you want something grand and impressive, or do you just want to do a once over? Let's discuss that on this week's blog.
Now traditionally, when we think of conclusions, it's usually the ending of a story. The grand finale to a tale people have followed all this time. With that in mind, as they say, don't jump to conclusions. While there's always the argument that it's about the journey, not the destination, the reddit needs to fit. For example, if your story was a horror novel, maybe tease the audience that the killer is still alive. Whatever the case may be, the conclusion needs to be thought out well, and be a good piece for the narrative, as to leave the audience the way you want them.
Another type of conclusion you might not think about though is the conclusion to a project. The finishing touches for a picture, or the way you want the contract to play out. While it might not seem as grand, it is still important. Keep in mind, it's always nice to put in as much work into graphic design as possible, so the finishing details, like what file you'll send it as, or giving it a quick once over, is technically finishing up a job. Also, again, it's best to find a good way to conclude with a client for future work!
With all of that said, let's remember to always envision the finish when we begin. Don't focus on it to much, just have a realistic idea where you want to be once something is done. With all of that said and done, I'll see you here soon for another sort of sequel, going over beginnings! Stay tuned!
So, it's been a year or so since you've began your career/did this big project! What are you going to do to celebrate this? Will you make a little video to celebrate this accomplishment? Will you ignore it in favor of another celebration? All this and more, I wish to answer in this week's blog!
Now, of course we have to ask why anniversaries are so special? Well, that's your legacy continuing! That is an achievement for continuing on this far! So, yeah, there is a good reason to celebrate it, whether it's been one year, ten years, or one hundred! A cause for celebration, whether big or small might be on the mind. Of course, you'll still need to evaluate how special the event is. The number 10, will always feel more important than 11.
In other words, don't make a big anniversary celebration every year. While it's good to acknowledge it when you do, too much will exhaust people. Also, while you might have big events planned, don't force them to happen. If you have a project that needs to come out after a big anniversary, do it. I know it may not line up with the more important anniversary, and you should set goals, but that doesn't mean to kill yourself.
At the end of the day though, how you celebrate it is up to you. You might not want to focus on that aspect, and that's fine. If you do though, think about how you want to do it, and how you want the audience to feel.
So, first I would like to apologize if I am a little late to the subject. However, I would like to also chime in that the Warned Bros. and Discovery merger has been an awful mess of shattering dreams, and a demonstration of incompetence. In case you haven't heard, recently the two companies have merged, and are now making some questionable decisions. Namely, cancelling movies like Batgirl, the Scoob! holiday special, etc. While they did that, they're also pulling a lot of animated content from HBO Max, TV channels. and just not offering physical copies.
Now, from what I've seen, these cancellations are the result of two reasons. A debt that they're paying off with tax write-offs, and the new president just 'not getting it.' In other words, the wrong people have been put in charge, and just don't care enough to make money on these properties. I mean, if I don't have any reason to get HBO Max now, because a lot of the shows I want to watch are gone, why would I get a subscription, or think of keeping one?
This has been a bad time for enthusiasts of these properties. Not to mention for animation, as it already gets too much flack as is. I want to say I hope things get better, but that's not enough. Keep your support up for the right people in this industry guys! A small amount can go a long way!
Apologies for interrupting the flow of my blogs. The continuation to the last will be out soon.
Author's note: So, it's at least a few days after I initially finished this, and just a quick update. The work that was done for the Batgirl movie was deleted right before it could be salvaged. I don't know what to say at this point, this is downright infuriating. Even if the movie didn't wind up being good, deleting what was left shows this CEO is just being a total control freak.
Ah, who doesn't love the holidays? I know that I don't, as I've made clear in the past. Every holiday season, whether it be Christmas, Halloween, Easter, you'll usually find an arrangement of colors, sounds, and flavors all welcoming you in their own special way. Now, I know a part of this is just because capitalism has made companies need to soulessly chase money... I don't want to harp on that however, I just want to focus on the good right now.
One of the first positives I can think of is, of course, the holiday specials you see on TV. Even if some of them are dated, there's a nostalgic feeling I get from watching them. For Halloween, you got episodes with horror elements and creepy visuals. Christmas would be able to bring both winter wonderland, and warm home visuals. Valentine's Day would always focus on hearts, the color pink, and usually two characters falling in love. Again, even if not every special was perfect, or very flawed, I can't help but feel happy when I see the ones I do like.
Another good memory is the theming and decorations around these times. Take Easter for example, that holiday has somehow mutated from biblical sacrifice into a rabbit leaving eggs around. So, we get lots of focus on grass, cute animals, and differently designed eggs. You also have fireworks and 4th of July, shamrocks for St. Patrick's, and that's just the tip of both!
Overall, I do enjoy seeing the effort that goes into holiday seasons. From something obvious like Christmas, to something that's not even a holiday, like the beginning of school. The nostalgia, ideas, and fun you see people having is always something I look forward to, even if sometimes it goes overboard. With all that said, thank you for reading this, and stay tuned!
As we move further and further into the years, preservation becomes more and more important. Preservation of ourselves, of the earth, and the topic of this blog, media. Continuing off of the Warner Discovery debacle, I insist that we take a look at the issue of disappearing media in all forms. This may range from small to large, but it's all to important that this is discussed.
So, a question to start us off. Have you ever worked on a project for quite awhile, only to lose the files in two seconds? It's awful...... You might have to miss a deadline, or lose something you needed to keep for reference, or just flat out lose something you're proud of. Now imagine that happening not only to you, but your co-workers, your mentors, your employer, etc. What I'm trying to show here is that the media we create and consume, needs to be kept safe.
I say this because after everything that happened with HBO Max, a lot of those shows have become lost media. How we retrieve it now, might need us losing an arm and a leg, or will be downright impossible. I know these scenarios are very extreme, but they've certainly happened in the past. Even before current events, this issue has persisted with lost games, movies, episodes, even catalogued history. That's right, I'm including the destruction of the Library of Alexandria!
There is the argument that some media deserves to be lost, and that not everything deserves to be kept. However, I counter by saying that what we keep preserved, doesn't always need to be shared. I just ask that it becomes more apparent to everybody that they find ways to lock media down, as it might never happen again. Until next time, stay tuned.
So how much is too much? When is a good point to step back and say 'Ok, that's enough hooba dooba'. As someone who has witnessed this happen in the past, I thought it best to go over it today, and share my thoughts. Without further ado, let's head on in.
For starters, we always have too much being added to a film, picture, etc. While this might come up to opinion for most people, let's not deny we tend to be weary if something is too long. I find still images aren't as bad in this category, as you can take the time to really see all it has. Granted, the size if the image could make the extra detsild hard to see if it's to small.
Another example I want to bring up however, is to much of the same thing. It could be a plot, an overabundance of anniversary specials, whatever. At some point, people will notice, and loose interest. I guess a good example here is The Simpsons. While it will always be considered a classic, let's be honest here, most people probably dropped off halfway through.
Going to be a shorter blog this week, but I wanted to do discuss it none the less. You ever think about how a generic brand can either do its best to imitate a product, or stand out with their own look? Think of it like a cereal with a cartoon mascot that looks vaguely familiar, and then one that has the store's logo on it, some appealing image. Basically what I'm trying to say is that some generic brands are a bit of a wild card when it comes to design. Sometimes the store is responsible, other times it's another, smaller party.
At the end of the day though, I find that these brands at least have some form of unity about them.
Take Chek for example. A clear and concise look for all of their flavors; including cola, cherry, orange, etc. Essentially, these would all be given very different names if they were made under Coke or Pepsi. Meanwhile on the flip side, you have brands that, while having different looks, are trying to influence you with familiarity. Namely, all of the generic Mountain Dews and Dr. Peppers. You've seen them before!
Anyways, I just wanted to go on a quick rant about this. Thank you for reading, and stay tuned!
If there's one thing in media that can help or hinder a product, it's being repetitive. Saying the same words over and over again, or using the same image, and imprint a feeling into the audience's brain. Whether the reaction you get though, while slightly depending on them, also depends on your method. We're looking at a double edged tool for marketing here, so let's take a closer look at it.
So how is repetition used in good ways? Well, I'd like to think of the chorus of a catchy song. Memorable, and fun to listen to. You want the part of your project that repeats to be nice, or interesting to focus on. Either that, or make it a nice, out of the way background element that blends in nicely. As long as you have a repeated message, phrase, or element that adds to the picture, you should be in the clear.
As for poor uses of repetition, best I could say is don't be annoying. An example I could think of is blowing a loud air horn constantly in a commercial, and not giving the viewer time to recollect. For a more visual example, don't make the repetitive element clash with the overall image, or make it hard to decipher. Really, what you want for this is to find a test audience, and see their reaction. If the majority is getting to a point of anger, you might want to change it up.
Now sometimes, there will be instances where repetition can happen, whether good or bad. Say a movie plot is reused for the sequel, or you accidentally use a patter twice. Best advice I could really offer is to double check your work, and don't be lazy. However, if you can find a way to form a creative twist after doing so, good for you!
With that being said, thank you for reading! Be sure to share your thoughts, and stay tuned!
So, last time I explained how graphic design was a two in one package for everyone involved. In a blog post from a while back, I talked about simplification, and how you need to learn to use it right. Now, I'd like to go off of both of them to talk about a third subject, style. I might have touched on this a bit in the past, but I want to go in depth here.
In essence, I want to use the upcoming show Hazbin Hotel as an example.
Here we have two designs of the same character, but I want to put special attention on the stripes. The stripes on the old design are smaller, and there are more of them, while on the newer design, they're bigger, and don't have as many. In general, one could say that the newer design is less detailed. That isn't a bad thing though, as it does make this easier to animate. One might argue it is a bit lazy, but keep in mind, this original design was used for a pilot, made by a smaller team.
Now while one would think more animators would lead to more detail, one has to remember not everyone has the same skill set. You also have to remember that this is going to be a show out on more of a regular basis. So, a compromise was reached, and a simpler design was made. A style for everyone involved isn't just a way to stay distinct, it's A way to ensure the people working on the product can work on it. It makes it so the style is easy to recreate when it needs recreation. Say, not to many colors in a logo.
With that said, thank you once again for reading. I hope my point was able to come across, and that you stay tuned!
Knowing certain information before hand can do wonders. No guarantee that the wonders will necessarily be good, but they can be wonders. For example, let's say you hear a joke enough times that you recognize the punchline. The wonder you get here that you now you might know what pure annoyance feels like. However, there can be ways in the world of graphic design where foreknowledge can be used well.
For example, going off of the joke statement earlier, you could try to curve expectations and have a completely different punchline, catching someone off guard. However, in contrast to that, they might find the joke funny, so you don't change too much. While a nice twist of unpredictability is nice, sometimes the predictable outcome is best. It really depends on what audience you want to capture, and what bests works for the story at the moment. Foreknowledge of the reaction works great here, as that is what helps you decide how to handle your work.
Foreknowledge is also helpful with getting you more job opportunities obviously. It always helps to know, or know how to learn skills that potential clients could be impressed by. It also helps to know study the company you apply to as well, that way you know what to expect from them, or that you understand what they try to do. This isn't just for company's either, you can do this for yourself and recognize your skills as a designer so you know what projects to do.
So, all in all, foreknowledge is useful for understanding audience reactions, and how to work with them. It's also good for choosing your next project, and what you could work on. With all of that said, thank you once again for watching, and stay tuned!
So, it goes without saying we all have our opinions on something. Whether those opinions be positive or negative, they are ours. As it just so happens, there are also undeniable facts that we have to agree with. Despite this though, we can still hold onto our opinions. Yes they may change when presented with other information, or as we grow overtime, but it is still our opinions. So today, I wanted to talk about opinions vs facts: preference vs statistics!
Starting off, I want to ask the question, 'what is your hot take?' It could be on anything. A piece of media, a type of food, a situation going on in the world right now, whatever. Just think about it, and then think about how it conflicts with the major opinion you've seen go about. At the end of the day, it's going to be you against them. (Whether that is good or bad, I don't know). So, while you could say it is a fact that the majority of people share an opinion on something, and your preference goes against this.
In short, while it is people's opinion on thing is good, it's a fact that the majority of people have that opinion. All in all, while everybody is going to have their preference, statistics are at least a decent way to group those preferences together. Another thing statistics group up is how well something, be it a movie or a game, does. While your preference could lean to liking it, statistically, it didn't make much money, and won't be getting a sequel anytime soon. With that in mind, I hope you're getting an idea of what I'm trying to tell you.
It was last year I talked about Pride Month being shamelessly exploited by big companies. Well it seems as if they were going to try again with another celebration this year but, hopefully, it's backfired. If you've been looking at the right media, you would of course know that I'm talking about Juneteenth; the observance and celebration of emancipation for enslaved African Americans. Recently, Wal-Mart received backlash for attempting to market a Juneteenth ice cream, nearly a year after the government made it a national holiday.
Now I know marketing certain holidays isn't new for stores like Wal-Mart, however this does go a bit farther than just using the name. It turns out, holiday names can be trademarked. Credits to Corsearch for the article.
So, if a holiday could be trademarked, and Wal-Mart goes ahead and trademarks Juneteenth, what does this mean? Well, while they can't prevent people from saying 'Happy Juneteenth', this can certainly put a limit on who can use it for marketing. So, if an actual Black-owned business does intend to celebrate Juneteenth in marketing, they might run into issues.
Again, this is kind of a similar situation to Pride Month. Companies planning on outright piggybacking off an event with more significance than they admit, then trying to market it to the moon and back. However, something different happened this time, that should hopefully have a positive effect going forward. You see, social media has become an interesting tool in modern times. While back then, resentment was a bit slow to be known, nowadays, we have the information at out fingertips. So, people were thankfully able to vocalize their outrage, and Wal-Mart decided to back out.
And that pretty much does it for the story. I just wanted to retell it in my words, and kind of share some of my thoughts since it did remind me of the blog I did last year. Hopefully, after this incident, this gets corporations thinking about how they shouldn't keep doing this. Not to say all companies are going to try and exploit the Juneteenth holiday for quick cas; if you know of any that are honestly meaning to celebrate Juneteenth, Pride Month, or any other similar celebration, please support them, I'm sure they'll love it. I just hope that they'll be free of bigger companies making it hard for them. I'm also hoping bigger companies listen more to the minorities they claim to celebrate.
With that being said, thank you for reading, and stay tuned!
