OUGD503: Collaborative//App Development

I have been assigned the task of designing our Save the Children App, aimed Father's as a helpful resource to help them read to their children. The apps main purpose is to make reading easier by making reading on the go as well as being able to download books on it, tick them off once their read, with helpful book suggestions and activities. As well as to track your child's reading progress, with a progress chart of how often you read to your child and for how long. Below, are my final iconography for the app - an alarm, progress chart, book, reminder bell, settings and finally a home icon. I am happy with how they have turned out.

Collaborative: Save the Children/Responses

I sent an email to my two cousins who both have young children to gather feedback of our current ideas as well as asking them, why do you think it is important to read to your children? How do you make reading time interesting for you and your child? 

The responses I got back from my cousins where really good and helpful.

Emma:

Dan loves reading to the girls, the key for him was reading them books he enjoyed reading as a child (Danny Champion of the World etc) For men any books with noises is good, I've found many seem to be self conscious about reading 'children's story books'. Maybe 'Dad Stories' could be a compilation of stories that men would be more comfortable reading...not all fluffy bunnies and rhyming!!! Could have 'For dad's ONLY' warning on the front?!

We found at school, dad's preferred non-fiction books where they could make something I.e. Scarecrow / junk model car, or on things like toys they used to play with. Also, joke books, pop-up / interactive books, illustration books, where's wally, Minecraft etc. Many boys struggle with reading compared to girls, maybe positive male role model would build boys self confidence with reading.

Reading is important interaction, builds knowledge of sentence structure, intonation of speech, rhyming patterns, story lines, imagination, descriptions etc etc!!!

Reading time interesting by choosing books either I enjoyed or ones they would like to read but which would be 'hard work' for them to read. At school all classes now have to have a class book the teacher reads, just because they can read doesn't mean we have to stop reading to them.

Hope that makes sense! Good luck. If you want anymore feedback my friend is literacy consultant & brill at reading / book linked ideas for reading in & out of school.

Emma xx

Abi:

I say to Charlie, "are you washing up or reading with the kids?" and he reads with the kids! I think the earlier you enjoy books with you child the better, regardless if mum or dad takes the lead. If dad reads then mum is tidying up, if mum reads then dad is tidying up, the main thing is that one of you is reading with your child. To be honest I don't like the whole generalisation of 'dads like this type of book' , should be about what the child likes. Take them to a library and let them explore. Libraries are great, they have storytellers, fun events and they are free. It is quite an exciting concept for a child that they can choose 10 books and take them home! Louis has had periods of not wanting to read and I just order some Asterix, Tin Tin or Simpsons to keep him ticking along. I'm a great believer of making reading enjoyable and not a chore, and you shouldn't push your child to read high level books.

Books shouldn't just be for bedtime, and they shouldn't be a timed chore. Should just be part of your day. If Also children need to see parents reading and enjoying books. Probably lots of children just see their parents fiddling on their phones. I think that would be a good idea to do something like 'put down your phone and pick up a book' sort of thing, especially if you want to aim at dads. Good luck and keep us posted xx

Study Task 01: Product Range and Distribution: Appropriating Subversion

"Sniffin' Glue was not so much badly written as barely written; grammar was non-existent, layout was haphazard, headlines were usually just written in felt tip, swearwords were often used in lieu of a reasoned argument...all of which gave Sniffin' Glue its urgency and relevance"

Sniffin' Glue is the name of a monthly punk zine started by Mark Perry in July 1976 and released for about a year. The name is derived from a Ramones song "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue." Others that wrote for the magazine that later became well known journalists include Danny Baker. Although initial issues only sold 50 copies, circulation soon increased to 15,000. The innovative appeal of Sniffin' Glue was its immediacy. The early days of the punk movement largely failed to attract the attention of television or the mainstream press, and Sniffin' Glue remains a key source of photographs of, and information about, contributors to the scene.

This mornings seminar was all about artists that create work using artists work but creating it in a different way. Our task then was to create something using newspapers and magazines. The collages below are related to my topic of human trafficking. I wanted to create a shock factor. 

I scanned this into photoshop deleted the background and made it black, this increases the contrasts and produces a more powerful message. 

The use of ransom writing, makes it anonymous much like the industry you don't know who's behind it. As its been scanned in, it has a grubby feel which emphasises the disgusting crime.  

Product Range Distribution: New law on sale of sex 'could cut human trafficking'

"Sex trafficking does not just exist because its victims are vulnerable - it exists because there is a demand for commercial sex that traffickers can exploit and profit from”

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-31154896

I found an article on BBC News. 

A call has been made for the purchase of sex to be made illegal. Churches and other religious organisations have written to the first minister saying doing so could have a significant effect on human trafficking and exploitation.They said sex trafficking is a form of modern slavery which is a crime against humanity.But their letter claimed it exists because of a demand for commercial sex which is exploited and profited from. The Northern Ireland Assembly voted in December 2014 to criminalise the purchase of sexual services.

Nordic Model

It joined a group of countries who have followed a Swedish law, passed in 1999, known as the Nordic model which is claimed to have been successful in reducing levels of human trafficking and exploitation involved in prostitution.

The letter was written by Prof Hazel Watson, convener of the Scottish Churches' anti-human trafficking group, and signed by senior figures from a variety of other faith groups, including Muslims and Sikhs.Prof Watson praised the Scottish government for introducing the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Bill. Below are some quotes Prof Hazel Watson stated which I found particularly powerful from the article. 

"It would be good to see Scotland incorporating the Nordic model, with a funding package supporting women to leave prostitution, into its anti-trafficking legislation.

"The Nordic model effectively curbs demand and consequently reduces the trafficking for sexual exploitation into the countries that adopt it."

"A lot of these girls are in it because they've got addictions, they're living in poverty and it's the only way they can see to feed habits or to get drink or to pay the electric bill."

My opinion: If the Nordic model works effectively why not incorporate it and support these women. 

OUGD503: Collaborative/Waterstones

After finally deciding on our YCN brief (Save the Children) and after some initial research into reading statistics. We thought we would go and look in the children's section in Waterstones (which was very reminiscent) as primary research after we had an idea of creating a series of books that would take 10 minutes to read. 

OUGD505: Nordic model

Whilst researching my topic of trafficking, I kept reading about the Nordic Model. The Nordic model is an effective approach to preventing trafficking and exploitation a human rights and gender equality-based approach also known as the ‘Swedish model’. This set of laws and policies penalises the demand for commercial sex while decriminalising individuals in prostitution and providing them with support services, including help for those who wish to exit prostitution. 

The Nordic model has two main goals: to curb the demand for commercial sex that fuels sex trafficking, and promote equality between men and women. It is based on an approach first adopted in Sweden in 1999, and followed by Norway and Iceland.

Curbing the demand for sex trafficking

Sex trafficking does not just exist because its victims are vulnerable - it exists because there is a demand for commercial sex that traffickers can exploit and profit from. Thus, addressing the demand for commercial sex is a key component of any plan to prevent sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. Men who buy sex and thereby create the demand that fuels trafficking have stated that greater criminal penalties, having their name publicised and having a letter sent home stating that they were arrested for buying sex would deter them from buying sex.

3 of the 4 countries with the highest level of gender equality have adopted the Nordic model as a way to combat sex trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Promoting Gender Equality

Women and girls who are trafficked and exploited to satisfy the demand for commercial sex are treated as commodities to be bought, sold, exploited and abused. An estimated 98% of sex trafficking victims are women and girls  and the vast majority of commercial sex “buyers” are men. Buyers often have specific preferences regarding the women and girls they buy - including “young” or “fresh” girls, specific races/ethnicities, and body shapes and sizes – but most importantly, they want on-demand sexual access to a diverse supply of women and girls.

Exploitation of women and girls in the commercial sex industry is both a cause and consequence of gender and other inequalities. It entails numerous human rights violations, including of the right to equality and non-discrimination, dignity, health and to be free from violence, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment. It perpetuates the idea that it’s acceptable to buy women’s and girls’ bodies as long as a buyer can pay for it. The Nordic model challenges this construct and tries to redress these inequalities by promoting women’s and girls’ right to safety, health and nondiscrimination, and by challenging men’s perceived – but nonexistent – “right” to buy women’s bodies for sex. Unsurprisingly, 3 of the top 4 countries with the highest level of gender equality have adopted the Nordic model.

Sweden has become an undesirable destination for sex traffickers.

Sweden- pioneering a new approach

In 1999, as part of a Violence Against Women bill, Sweden passed a law that criminalised buyers of sex while keeping the person who sold or was sold for sex decriminalised. Sweden understood that gender inequality and sexual exploitation, including sex trafficking, could not be combated effectively as long as it was considered acceptable to purchase access to another – often more vulnerable and disadvantaged – person’s body. Alongside this law, the Swedish government made a significant investment in exit programs for those who wish to leave prostitution and to provide comprehensive social services for victims of exploitation, which is essential for a victim-centered, human rights-based approach to combating trafficking. Since the introduction of the law, street prostitution has decreased (while increasing dramatically in Sweden’s neighbours) and Sweden has become an undesirable destination for pimps and traffickers. iv In addition, the new law has influenced attitudes regarding the purchase of sex: from 1996 (before the law) until 2008, the number of male sex buyers decreased from 13.6% to 7.9%.

However it is a growing movement. Several countries have followed Sweden’s example, and many more are considering this approach. Norway and Iceland passed similar laws in 2008 and 2009, respectively, Canada adopted a law in this spirit in 2014 , and a growing trend towards the approach is sweeping across Europe. In the last few years, Nordic-model style legislation has been discussed in the parliaments of France, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England and Wales. In early 2014, the parliaments of the European Union and the Council of Europe both adopted non-binding resolutions recommending member states to consider the Nordic Model. vii An increasing number of activists and organisations across the globe, many of which are survivor-led , including in countries such as South Africa, India, Germany, New Zealand and the U.S., are calling for lawmakers to recognise the realities of prostitution and to enact the Nordic model.

YCN: Collaborative

Helen and I will be working on the YCN Save the Children brief as part of our collaborative. Our mission is to create a new campaign and inspire and motivate fathers to read to their children the aim, by 2025 every child will be a confident reader by the age of 11. 

OUGD503: 99designs//Purity Coffee

I have decided to participate in some 99design contests. As I have interests in branding and logo design - one brief that stood out to me was a Purity Coffee logo. The Brief: 

Name to incorporate in the logo: Purity Coffee

Slogan to incorporate in the logo: The World's Healthiest Coffee

Description of the organisation and its target audienceL At Purity Coffee, we create the world's healthiest coffee.

There are many widely researched and generally accepted health benefits - and health risks of coffee. What most people don't know is this; The Health Benefits of coffee can be greatly enhanced – and the health risks of coffee can be greatly minimised – through conscious sourcing, processing and roasting.

It turns out there is a REAL health difference between the best quality coffee and low-quality coffee. And further, many factors from the soil, when the bean is picked, how the coffee is PROCESSED, transported, the roasting process and its freshness are just a few of the things that will determine, to a great extent, whether or not it’s good for you or bad for you.

Working with some of the world's leading experts, we've identified 27 separate steps for making coffee healthier, which is the formula for Purity Coffee. To our knowledge, no one had ever brought this much consciousness to enhancing the health benefits of coffee.

Our target market is health conscious coffee enthusiasts - and our brand may sky slightly female.

Our coffee is sourced in the Hunan province of China, so we envision a brand identity with an Asian flair (but not too literal). Think Zen… Minimal… Beautiful… Tranquil… PURE.

Industry:Food & Drink

Thumbnail Sketches: 

I began on my first initial ideas, focusing on the name 'pureity'. I will primally focus on creating a clean minimal logo to emphasis the brand being the 'purest' coffee' on the market. As well in the brief it states "Think Zen… Minimal… Beautiful… Tranquil… PURE". I then took these ideas into illustrator. 

Final Logo: 

Here is the final logo I have chosen to enter to 99designs. I used Aleo as my chosen font it is a contemporary typeface designed as the slab serif. Aleo has semi-rounded details and a sleek structure, giving it a strong personality while still keeping readability high. I am happy with the overall look, I think it fits the brief creating a logo that is "Zen… Minimal… Beautiful… Tranquil… PURE". The simplified coffee bean works well.