Keeping Up with Styles, Trends and Software

I just attended an informational lecture led by a graphic designer who had graduated about four years ago. She is now working in the design industry and was giving us tips and advice that will help us in our current job searches.  One of the things she mentioned that was extremely important to do was to keep up on the current styles, trends and software.  For instance, when I started college Adobe CS3 was just coming out.  I now have CS5 and it is amazing what a difference it makes. I feel that it is sometimes very necessary to know design trends and styles so that you can better learn how to break them and think outside the box.  Take a look at these Coca Cola Ads below.  The first one is a vintage ad from the 1940's. It shows one of the coca cola girls in a classic layout; image, copy, logo.  The next ad is one from this summer. The image is centered, and the graphics look very web 2.0ish. Besides the coke bottle, it hardly looks like the same product.  Now take a look at the last Coke ad.  It uses the same format as the current ad but it takes all the vintage coke girls and uses them in way that still makes it look like a recent ad.  I love it!    

Sand Advertising

       In one of my design classes we created two posters dealing with social issues.  Our current project is to think of different ways to apply our posters in the real world besides simply hanging them up as posters.  As I started think about what to do for this project, I realized that people can use anything to advertise.  Any person walking around wearing and article of clothing with its store logo or name on, is an advertisement! 

When my family and I go on vacation we love to build elaborate sand creations.  One of the days we decided to build a giant soccer ball in honor of the US team winning their game that morning in the FIFA World Cup Soccer tournament.  As we were building it and after it was completed people kept asking us what it was all about or asking when the next game was etc. I remember my dad making a comment about how he felt like he was "pulling off an advertising stunt for FIFA World Cup." I think that was the most creative advertising I've ever participated in.  

Here are some more of our sand creations just for fun:

The whole family by "Ollie the Octopus"

Wine, Cheese and Grapes (my personal favorite)

Gator Got Golfer (Dad's brain child)