Billboards

Billboards are one of the toughest static items to design. It has to be eye-catching, but not too eye catching (no accidents here), and at the same time pithy enough to get the point across in the couple seconds that you have to look at it. For a lot of people, that means that they have fallen back to the standard. Let’s plaster a giant picture over here, some smiling people, and a tagline and website. Don’t get me wrong. This works. I mean when I see the good looking man kayaking with his dog, of course I want to visit your scenic rivers, but let’s not celebrate the standard. I would like to preface my bad choice with the credit that it is not the cliche. Which I, as the benevolent designer that I am, will give it a point just for that.

The Bad

On my way home from Midtown, I saw this billboard from a mile away. The yellow is astoundingly bright in person, and it does do its job of attracting attention, but that’s just about all it does. I am a twenty-two-year-old, fresh out of college, and I don’t know about you, but I can’t understand this. While reading up on this campaign in Ad Week, they clearly stated that it was fine if adults didn’t get it. It was for teens, because just as everyone knows, teens love emoji…and adults that pander at them with emoji. In the 10 seconds, I had to read this I got that they were trying to tell me about sex. This is not the case at all. It is an anti-drug promotion for teens. The statement above states:

It feels like everyone’s doing it.

Kudos on the interesting use of emoji, but let’s break it down:

1. The statement that they are portraying in emoji's, sounds nothing like what a teen would say. It sounds like bad drug commercials that have been shoved down their throat since they were 10.
2. Although I applaud the step in trying to make something “just for teens”, you are not part of their society. You are seeing from the outside in. Your position within the society fuels how honest the intention of your message is. In any good ethnographic study, you will see that to comment on a society you must be a part of it.
3. These tiny emoji's, on a very big billboard, on the highway, while I am going 70 is completely illegible. To be honest, I read it on the computer, and still had no idea what it was trying to say. Does that make me old? Or, does it mean that no teen would ever use this way of texting?
4. Props though on breaking out of the box, and at least getting my attention enough to write about it.

The Good

I really appreciate people that take things into the 3D. It forces their innovation on to another level because while adding another dimension you still have to keep it simple enough for passing cars. Also, the motion of the two “people” on the zip line brings the eye directly to the logo. It clearly illustrates the dual aspect that they are trying to promote. Again, the 3D aspect of it brings the whole idea closer to the viewer because they can place themselves of the “people”.

Another Good One…

I had to give this McDonald’s billboard a special mention for not only its simplicity but how it still reacts to its environment. On top of that, it gives quick and informative ideas about what you should buy at what time when you go to McDonalds.

Website

The complication of designing for the web is lies in the need to be informative at the same time keep the users attention enough that they will actually spend the time click on it. This leads to innovation in how to interact, especially considering it’s advantage of being non-static.

The Bad

Here we go…

1. The most apparent thing about this website is that it’s visually overpowering. There is no white space for the eye to rest especially considering the colors used.
2. The text is hard to read. White and all caps? It feels like its constantly screaming…that is if I could actually read any of it.
3. The sad part is that it looks like a company that people actually enjoy. They have a bunch of testimonies from various consumers of their products. But, because of the way that it is presented, I don’t trust their company at all.

The Good

I cannot explain how much I love this site, but I will attempt for the consistency of this post. First, it is beautifully illustrated with a cute little quirk where the buildings bend with the street. This creates a sense of a special space without having to go too far to achieve it. The best part of the site is its simplistic scrolling navigation that takes to all of the boats pick up sites. Usually items like bus schedules, boat schedules, and etc. are shown as simple tables, but the extra interaction pulls the viewer into the site.

App

Similar to the challenges facing the website but add the worry of designing for a smaller size. Even harder, with a website you just have to click a link, while for apps you go the extra mile and download it. More work to get it, and it takes up more space on your already limited device.

The Bad

It took me awhile to find just a super awful app to use. I have had many apps were I like them, but some of their functionality could use some work. This one is just plain ridiculous. I feel like it’s in the same strain as the “use the iPhone camera to see your x-ray!” but I wanted to highlight this one because it took it just a step too far. I respect them for at least attempting to dress up their horrific app in a passable aesthetic package. Although, that is definitely where the respect ends. Let’s just put it this way, phones are one of the dirtiest things you own…and this app wants you to kiss it.

The Good

There were many good apps to choose from, but I ended up on the Airbnb app. My favorite things about their recent, but no so recent redesign is that they focused on making each place feel like “home”. You get huge pictures of not only the placen but the person renting it. This helps with one of the greatest concerns people have with Airbnb, safety. All accounts are verified and post what types of ids the renters have. The messaging is all done within the app, and no phone number is even given out until you book the stay. The focus on the larger pictures gives you something to cling to so that the stay doesn’t feel like renting a room, but a home.