Love Ponty Campaign

Pontypridd town council and the unitary authority of Rhondda Cynon Taf have used serif type to raise perceptions of towns such as Pontypridd receiving regeneration funds. In the context of this study it could be argued that application of this style at local level within an area of deprivation where prospective learners from the widening participation framework reside, is significant.

I spoke to those involved with the campaign.

What was / is the driver behind the ‘Love Ponty Campaign’?

“The principal driver behind the campaign was to contribute towards the town’s regeneration. Specific factors and outcomes that were sought as a result of the campaign included:
- To raise awareness of the new product offer in Pontypridd
- To change people’s perception of Pontypridd
- To encourage local people and visitors to stay longer
- To target ‘new customers’ to take a fresh look at Pontypridd and come and visit
- To illustrate the range of product offering in Pontypridd (shopping, culture, sport, leisure, cafe culture etc.)
- To raise the pride of those that live in Pontypridd
- To be flexible in terms of showing change over time (concepts need to develop as the town develops)
- To introduce a brand personality for Pontypridd (a unique identity)”

Was any market research regarding the content of the campaign undertaken prior to its sign-off? If so what type of research was conducted?

“A small focus group with key stakeholders was undertaken before final sign off of the brand. This was conducted with staff, Councillors and members of the public.”

Was any market research regarding the design of the campaigns visual style undertaken to support the message of the campaign? If so are there any records of the argument supporting the use of serif-type?

“The same focus group also reviewed the design and visual style of the campaign. No research was undertaken with regard to typeface.”

Are any other areas / towns within Rhondda Cynon Taff currently receiving / going to receive the same treatment?

“Aberdare is also subject to a similar campaign www.myaberdare.com”

Comment by Michael Bessell, Principal Projects Officer
Regeneration and Planning Division
Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC

View the Love Ponty website here

MA Design By Practice – Posters on Display

The printed posters used to support group discussions are shown here. Given the advertised content, which one is more appropriate? Comments please. . .

Preaching to the converted?

The video shows a group of South Wales design students discussing the merits of sans serif and serif typography when used within university publicity. This wasn’t ideal conditions as the group were boisterous and not all participant voices were heard. This did however, illustrate consistent interpretation for the age group and background; sans serif was positively appropriated for “technical” or “modern” application, whereas the serif type was recognised as “traditional” and perhaps ‘out-of-touch’.

Importantly, the theme of readability came through over style and this ties in with other work supporting the use of the sans serif type-style within a learning environment.

Surprisingly for students directly associated with design learning, much encouragement and repeated questioning was required from the Course Leader as well as myself where this threatened to lead the students comments. As has been prevalent with other interview discussions, the subject for many is something which takes some effort to access as it appears to sit at a sub-conscious level; understanding this – even for the design students – was a challenge. It could also be argued that for this group it didn’t matter; but as research within this study records, type appropriation does matter for others.

This for me regurgitated my own training; the students were learning within a design environment and hence exposed to type conventions and connotations. It was a worthy exercise however as some of the keywords linked to other groups and types.

Thank you to students of Bridgend College’s Design for Interactive Media HND course and the Course Director for their agreement to take part.

Access to Access Learners

Using the immediate study environment for research participants has proved to be challenging as a result of internal machinations at the university. However persistence has paid off and meetings between me and Access students at University of Wales Newport (Caerleon Campus) have been arranged and diarised.

Props developed for the other sessions will be used as well as a script, and a presentation file; a session plan has also been created in order to ensure all intended areas are covered, as well as allowing for related discussion.

Budget shopping – but it’s still ‘premium’

Even though recession bites do the words ‘luxury’ and ‘premium’ hint at ‘best’? Language used in the every-day – affordable ‘luxury’ from a budget retailer (Aldi). . . Does it matter that market-positioning takes place at this low-end? Aren’t all items here budget? Makes me feel better because I’m not compromising am I. . .  (or at least that is the perception)? Even better, these luxury items use serif-type. . .

'Affordable luxury'. . . from a budget retailer, with the comfort in these austere times of 'luxury' and 'premium' product.

“Class Dismissed” – Public TV Broadcast BBC Two, 10:00PM Wednesday, 14th Dec 2011

I’m not sure whether this BBC 2 programme set out to miss the point or whether my own point-of-view clouded the ability to who;;y appreciate this as a serious discussion about the state of “class” in Britain today.

Programme information (from BBC webpages): “It’s official; class is back! Riots on the street, old-Etonians in government, a workforce on strike, Downton Abbey, The King’s Speech, the royal wedding and vajazzling…

In this one-off special, Frank Skinner is joined by comedians Micky Flanagan, Roisin Conaty and Miles Jupp to assess whether class is still relevant in the 21st century. Probing analysis meets comedy chat, as our comics become intrepid reporters, examining the subject through their own unorthodox reports.

The well-heeled Miles attempts to turn himself into a working-class hero. Newly bourgeois Micky asks why he still hates modern art. Salt-of-the-earth Roisin seeks love across the class divide. Frank and the team dissect their findings in front of a studio audience as they explore the funny side of class.”

It seemed entirely based on a middle-class standpoint, where the panel, although possessing different regional or ‘class’ accents, were not working-class even though they might well have been in their pasts.

Aside from the programmes apparent shortcomings, it was interesting to note that the word CLASS which provided the graphic backdrop for the programme used a very traditional serif type, with the traditional suggestion that the notion of class itself hints at hierarchy associated visually with the higher classes in the UK. I will be adding some anectodotal quotes which were I feel, relevant and insightful as well as providing notions which seem to have fed into general perceptions so as to permeate mainstream media.

Academic Marketing in Libraries

On 16th February, I attended what turned out to be an extremely interesting workshop focusing on marketing and publicity aimed directly at all learners through libraries. Professor Jonathan Deacon (University of Wales Newport – Newport Business School) conducted the session in mid-Wales where he discussed ‘tribes’ and belonging.

SWOT analysis was used to create a framework of the marketing ‘ideal’ from the learners’ perspective. This exercise was repeated twice as we discovered the language was not of the learners but the providers.

I found the discussion about the ‘categorisation of tribes’ particularly interesting and also useful. It gave new insight into potential drivers behind the decision mechanism to be part of a tribe, where a shared commonality is key. Discussion also revealed the term “anchorage space”, and I reflected whether the commonality of education or an education class could be described this way.

Crucially for me, Jonathan Deacon suggested that a tribe is controllable, where a segment is not. This points toward researching the segmented group of those access learners and ensuring that any other groups are excluded providing greater focus for my research.

I hope to speak with the presenter at a later date as part of this ongoing project.