Using QR codes as illustration, talk with Simone

During research I stumbled across this article showcasing illustrated QR codes.  I had never even considered that this could be a thing!  Apparently they work too, which would be great for a digital-physical crossover.  I immediately started having ideas so used the class in the drawing study with Belinda as an opportunity to draw some out.    After plugging a link to my honours blog to a QR code generator (Figure 2), I made some illustrated copies on a piece of A3 and scanned them in.   These are obviously a little more elaborate than a functioning QR code would allow, but my main aim here was to get some fun ideas out.  As I continue down this strain of pre-production I will refine them to be actually scannable - I have ideas for animations which would play when scanned.

One important thing I still need to hone in on regarding these is the "call to action".  QR codes have been integrated so much into prints and products that they have almost lost their inherent "invitation" to scan.  This needs some thought given to it, but I would hope when I look more into visual rhetoric and propaganda ideas would start to get going.  A great starting point that is very rooted in art would be OBEY by Shepard Fairey, which is a contemporary propaganda movement that I will write about more in another post.   In these illustrations I was purely thinking about aesthetics and not about some message behind it.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Update: Talking to Simone

To get more insight into what I could do with these I met with Simone, one of my lecturers who has specialised in using QR codes in art prints.  She gave me a lot to think about, especially in terms of what the relevance of the codes would be and how the digital content produced in conjunction with the code would show up on different devices.   She impressed on me that I shouldn't get caught up in the "coolness" of using QR codes, which was important for me because that was something that had drawn me to using them and it's not really a good enough reason on its own.  It was also highlighted to me that the digital content should relate to the medium, and not be, say, a gif for a gif's sake that is linked from a code.  It was made pretty obvious to me that there would be a lot of issues with using QR codes, so whether or not I will take the idea further than a mock-up I don't know.    Simone also recommended that I give a lot of thought to the theme of the project and then think about whether the QR codes fitted with this, which I admit I have not been doing.  I think now might be the time to finally read that Marshall McLuhan book after all…the medium is the message, etc etc!

 The conversation also pointed me back in the direction of mixing up traditional mediums (i.e. physical) with digital, and the possibility of using transmedia or cross methods to explore this.  I also have to keep in mind how this would work within the context of branding, and what would happen if the link were to expire and the code become redundant.  I had initial ideas about using codes to help information on products read better, but I have been told that is already being done and it was implied that I should not go down that route.  There is also the issue of the QR code being forever tied to that one URL - if the address of a site changes or the host site shuts down, then the code will not function.  

Fig. 3 The deck at Bar Code Hotel

  Simone also pointed me in the direction of Perry Hoberman, whose project Bar Code Hotel centres around the predecessors to QR codes, bar codes.  On taking part in the project, users don a pair of 3D glasses and use a pen which scan and project images into the gallery space when hovered over different barcodes.  "Because each wand can be distinguished by the system as a separate inout device, each guest can have their own consistent identity and personality in the computer-generated world.  And since the interface is the room itself, guests can interact not only with the computer-generated world, but with each other as well." (Hoberman, date unknown)  Using a room as the physical aspect is an interesting concept, almost the reverse of the physical to digital route I am looking at just now.  I have seen students from previous years do this well so that is a new option I could potentially explore.  

The work of Pedro Morales also resonates with what I am experimenting with - Morales uses cloth flowers and mesh to assemble giant tactile QR codes, basing the assemblage on QR codes that link to pieces of online work.  This is an example of a physical piece of work leading to a digital element, which in the words of Morales' website "turn(s) technology into a sign of human expression." (Morales, 2012).  I find that so interesting as technology is seen as being far removed from human life, even if the two are intertwined more than ever in every day life -  there is still a barrier between them.   A similar example I saw of this was by the artist Max Smith, who had the QR code linked to his website laser cut into blocks of wood.  I found this interesting because wood is a very traditional material which is not rooted in digital crossover techniques at all.  

So, will I continue with QR codes for sure? I don't really think so at this stage, but development with ideas could lead to similar concepts and I think they are worth at least experimenting with.  

References

Hoberman, Perry, date unknown.  Bar Code Hotel page [online article] Available at:

http://www.perryhoberman.com/page24/index.html

Morales, Pedro, 2012.  Pedro Morales homepage [online article] Available at:

http://2d-code.co.uk/qr-code-artist-pedro-morales/

[Accessed 30 october 2014]

Fig 3 Unknown, 1994.  No title. [online image] Available at: http://people.ucsc.edu/~joahanse/onlineexhibit/hotel/

[Accessed 30 October 2014]

Illustrated = want?

Does illustrated packaging make us want products we don't need?

Fig. 1Versace for Disaronno

The topic of this post is the product of several strains of thought, a little bit of research and some accidental findings. In my recent research looking at GIFS and QR codes I started to think about whether this could be translated on to packaging, as like I have said before I'm quite keen on the idea of a digital/physical crossover at the moment (the physical object here would be the packaging). 

Around the same time, when browsing on an art site I saw an advert for Versace's new limited edition bottle for Disarono (Fig 1).  It looks super pretty, almost like an ornament or decorative piece rather than a liquor bottle, and I am certain that many consumers who only occasionally bought Disaronno were eager to snap this one up based on the aesthetic rather than the drink itself.  The added element of it being a designer piece is another layer to the "want" factor, as a brand such as Versace has a very exclusive market and a bottle such as this would be an entry product to the high-fashion world.  This again ties into a visual rhetoric which I am researching separately to this.

After I began to think about illustration being a drive for a purchase, I began to notice products in the supermarket that were marketed in this way.  The boxes of Kleenex are a prime example.   Tissues are a secondary necessity product, after toilet roll and kitchen roll - in other words, I don't really need them.  But the quirky illustrations on the boxes in Figure 2 easily trigger an "Oh, cute!" response in women in particular, and the themes that fit with many home decoration prints make it a buy that many people can decide they want.   Another example is the illustrated box of Earl Grey teas (Figure 3) - tea already comes in packaging so there is not much of a need for a purchase like this one, but it looks pretty.  

  

Fig. 2 Kleenex boxes

Fig. 3 Earl Grey box

Fig. 4 Divine Chocolate wrappers

Fig. 5

Divine Chocolate (Figures 4 and 5) is slightly different as it is a fair trade brand with roots in Africa.  The illustrations serve a dual purpose, in that they present elements of the African identity in the design while looking desirable and therefore implying that the chocolate is quality made and tastes good.  

Another purely illustrated example I found was from an illustrator whose work I love called Aitch, a Hungarian artist who does quirky, flat work that could appeal to a similar market.   The project linked was found on the website The Jealous Curator, which I have found a lot of great inspiration on recently.    These have not been made into real products (yet?) but it is easy to covet them even in the stages of early concept.  The packaging is not different from any other of the same kind in form or function, but it is the illustrated elements that would make them stand out on the shelf.   

Fig. 6 Packaging Illustrations by Aitch

Fig. 8 Absolut Cities editions

Fig. 9 Absolut London edition by Jamie Hewlett

Absolut Vodka have always used illustration to aid the sales of limited edition flavours really well.  The examples above fuse the drawn element with a personal appeal of the city themes, and on top of that they commissioned artists from each city to add a unique twist.    Jamie Hewlett's illustrations for London are a interesting example which again relies on visual rhetoric to an extent.  Hewlett is responsible for the visual style that is now synonymous with the English band Gorillaz, one of the biggest bands to come out of the UK in the 1990s and whose visual persona relies almost solely on Hewlett's animations. Added to this are the historical references seen in the art, which charts the historical periods that shaped London.  By commissioning an English artist for an English band whose work was already iconic, and well as presenting a slice of English history, Absolut attracted both fans of London and fans of the band in one campaign.  This encourages a buying decision that is based on having something that looks pretty and Absolut do this again and again in various contexts, which makes me believe that it is a sales technique that works especially well in certain markets.    For my own project I think that a purely illustrated angle would be a fun place to start, but on it's own I don't feel it is a deep enough approach to link to the themes in my dissertation question on more than one level (visual persuasion/rhetoric and cross media experiences - this is a working title!)  

However, aesthetics will of course be hugely important in the delivery of the project, especially the message behind them.  What are these examples I have used here trying to say about the existing product, or about the company?  Are they aimed at someone with an expensive taste or someone who lives on a regular budget, and what are they saying about THAT person?  I have been reading "The Design of Everyday Things" by Donald Norman, which speaks to designing for the person in a way that considers the kind of person that they are, and making sure they know that a product has been designed with this in mind.  This is an angle that I have not considered so much before and I will speak about this more when I write about the book properly, but for now I can consider ways to apply this to a visual brand.  I have plans to carry out a much-delayed mini project where I will illustrate an already branded product; I'm not 100% sure what I am looking to achieve from it outside of aesthetic appeal, but perhaps at this stage it is all I need to as it is important.  

References

Fig. 1 Versace, Dontalla, 2014.  #DISARONNOwearsVERSACE [online image] Available at: 

https://www.facebook.com/Disaronno/photos/a.205661402803768.45395.201224786580763/748484891854747/?type=1&theater

[Accessed 21st October 2014]

Fig. 6 Aitch, 2014.  Packaging Illustrations [online image] Available at: https://www.behance.net/gallery/19490863/Packaging-Illustrations

[Accessed 29th October 2014]

Fig. 8 Multiple authors, 2010.  Absolut Cities collection [online image] Available at:

http://thesipadvisor.com/tag/absolut-city-series/

[Accessed 28th October 2014]

Fig. 9 Hewlett, Jamie, 2012.  Absolut London bottle [online image] Available at:

http://designcollector.net/absolut-london-jamie-hewlett/

[Accessed 29th October 2014]

ITech app - branding contd.

Previously I posted a logo and identity for a brand I made up - ITech.  I decided to create a mock-up of the app/website that the service would run through.

I wanted the UI of the app to follow the personal element I had brought in to the logo, with the stitched lines and the cog emblem.  I used a quirky, high saturation colour scheme to be bright and appealing, and the palette is fairly gender neutral.   Vector designs allowed me to create layouts that I could give a little bit of depth to through choosing colours with lower hues and brightness levels to create the impression of shadows.  This stopped it from looking too flat but saved me from overcomplicating with gradients as I am wont to do a lot. 

Spec menu options

Final spec screen for customers

Secondary screen, the beginning of the process 

Detail

Details - the end details can be changed or "ok'-ed by the user

My aim for this mini-project was to create an identity for a brand which I think I have done to an extent, given the materials produced in the time frame I gave myself for this one.  This could be animated into a short fake interactive video or even a gif, which ties in with other areas of research I am looking at at the moment.  

An exercise in shapes

 After speaking to Dave about branding something that wasn't usually "brand -able" and my recent research on shapes and emotions, I got a random little idea to convey moods/outlooks using only shapes.  Starting out with simple optimist/pessimist/realist, where I used the shapes I felt linked most with the mind frame (although this is of course subjective) and black and white contrasts.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig 2 - expanding on Figure 1 and playing around with the representation of the moods.  I chose blue and an orangey yellow as they were colours typically associated with happiness and sadness, respectively.  It is only looking at these again now that I see something in the pessimist (left) row and optimist (middle) rows - the blue rectangle suggests the sea which in terms of rhetoric is linked with struggle and feeling overwhelmed; the yellow circle is an obvious link to the sun.  I didn't think about this when I was first constructing the shapes; the angles of the rectangle were chosen for pessimism because I think of a spiky, hard outlook, compared to the soft circular shapes I associate with optimism.
Overlaying the shapes and switching up the fills and outlines also made me think about how I could use the shapes to suggest something happening in the mind, for example the top left piece where the yellow outlined square appears to be sinking into the deep blue, or the space created by the pathfinder tool in the bottom right corner for the realistic outlook.

When I was at this stage I started to think that I had seen something like this before…and I was right! This project by Patrick Smith was evidently floating around my conscience when I was sketching out these works.  I had also been looking at minimalistic posters on philosophy by Genis Carreras after Dave suggested branding a philosophy movement.  This research combined with my recent findings on shapes, colours and emotions, and looking at other artists such as Olafur Eliasson's Turner Colour experiments all fed into this.  

  At the time I was also reading a lot of articles on mental health (it was mental health week earlier this month) and the suicide of a friend of a friend who had been in her early twenties had me thinking a lot about experiences of people close to me concerning mental health problems and the stigma that is still there.  It is apparent that the conversation around the subject is growing, but there is a long way to go and  I am starting to consider bringing mental health awareness into my project research.   This is why I chose to do the experiments posted below.  I do not know yet if this would be a final subject matter, but in terms of my research question which is rooted in visual persuasion, it is certainly a starting point that is loaded with opportunities to try stuff out.

Mental health disorders as shape compositions

Using shape, colours and textures, I aimed to depict some mental health conditions and give a small indication of the nature and experience of the condition as far as I knew.   These were created in Illustrator CC.  

Anxiety 

 Anxiety was interesting for me because I have had some experience with it in real life.  The red circle is meant to indicate the person feeling the anxiousness - anxiety sufferers are always on high alert to feelings and worries and can often have a nervous energy about them which red suggested for me.  The square was added to give an impression of the boxed-in, narrowed outlook feeling that people with anxiety feel, as it can be very limiting when negative thoughts and subsequent exaggerated worries take over.  The grey background continued this feeling of having a bleaker outlook - anxiety is pretty draining and can easily sap the fun out of a lot of life's aspects.  I added paper textures which I downloaded a while back from a royalty free giveaway - they do not belong to me but permission was granted to use them in personal and commercial work.  I feel the added textures give more depth and an almost tactile element to the picture.

Bipolar disorder

For bipolar disorder I felt pink was a good high-energy colour to indicate the mania cycle, in comparison to the depression cycle which I used a blue for.

Depression

For depression I chose a palette that I think is widely associated with low mood and poor mental health.  Through a mix of textures and colour I made the blue in the circle look like a body of water swallowing up the circle, which I felt linked with the heaviness that comes with being depressed.   The circle was kept black as a direct indication of the black mood many depression sufferers feel.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

For OCD I chose the background as the colour highlight, with yellow and pink gradient.  These colours are not associated with low mood, rather a high energy that verges on being irritable (it has been shown in studies that high yellow and lighter pink can initially create happy feelings but after a while cause agitation and sometimes even aggressiveness).   The neat black squares were placed to hint at the element of the compulsion that demands everything be just so.  One accident which I kept in was the placing of the texture on the square on the far right, which has a tear in it.  To me that suggests the fragile nature of someone with OCD - if a compulsive's routine is disturbed it can be very easy for them to feel unravelled.

Schizophrenia

I chose a circle to represent the person for schizophrenia, with shapes infringing on it's edges meant to represent the other personalities or facets of an identity.  

Seasonal Affective Disorder

 S.A.D is the bane of my existence come winter time, so for me this is an accurate visual representation of the state it brings  I chose a more fluid shape for this one because it is a mood that is not fixed or permanent, and for me it creeps in slowly and does the same as it lifts.  The black overshadowing the kind of hopeful outline of the brighter yellow shows that there is an end in sight to the condition, but that the low mood i.e the filled in black shape is a lot more prevalent and difficult to lift at time.  The dark blue background I chose because that is the kind of weather that causes S.A.D.

Manic depression

Manic depression is another name for bipolar disorder, but I felt that there was more than one way to represent it so I tried this one out too.  The pink background was again chosen for the hyper element, with the black and white rectangles suggesting a scale.  I split the circle in two to show the (simplified) nature of the condition.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

I imagined the feeling experienced during a PTSD episode to be something like the above, although I have never had the experience myself.  The sharp edges of the "angry" triangles stab into the circle which is blue and quite calm.  I kept the background black just because I felt adding another colour to the mix might be too much, and it ended up working well in the visual depiction of the emotions associated with PTSD.

Where to go next with these

I have been experimenting with illustrated QR codes (which I will write about in an upcoming post) and I have begun to think about if they could be used in conjunction with animated versions of the above to bring a digital element and a level of further digital engagement to a mental health campaign.  I have been looking a lot at gifs and how they serve as automatic advertisements, particularly on social media platforms.  In the next week or so I will try out making some animated gifs and using a QR code generator to link to them online.  I have also been looking at bringing in physical elements to my QR codes which I will post about this week, so it is likely that that could be brought into this process too. 

Digital logos sketch dump

(NB: This is a really late post which I forgot to post ages ago)

This week I have been working on redesigning logos that either I feel could use it, or in one case has been commissioned to me.   As I mentioned in one of my early posts, I had seen a lot of really badly generated logos on sites that offered them for sale, and it would be a good exercise for me to have a go at re-designig them while considering the brand they might represent as a whole.  

Itech logo

Fig. 1 - iText, which I changed to ITech because I had the idea to go with the name

Fig. 2 Itech initial sketches and mindmap

I envisioned a company that made devices and customised them to people's requirements, much like Motorola's project Ara but across a range of devices.  I wanted the logo in particular to suggest both the technical and personal aspects of the brand.  For research I firstly looked at logos and logotypes of technology brands - a quick few screen grabs from the technology section of Brands of the World (see Fig.3) showed that the brand identity of most tech companies are refined, sometimes very paired down and never very decorative.  Notice that almost all the typefaces used are sans-serif, which often gives a square or rectangular shape impression in the gestalt line of things.  The overall look for a lot of these logos could be described as rigid, with the exception of a few more fluid looking ones in  Fig. 4.

Fig. 3

Fig 4

I had plenty ideas for the ITech logo, not all of them were great but I tried to put across the creative angle of the fictional company while still having some visual associations with the styles shown in Figures 3 and 4.   In my mind, ITech was a personable company who cared about catering to a customers' individual tech needs.   I played with a lot of ideas that directly linked to art practises like painting, stitching and folding, to get across that the custom-made devices were "crafted".  This might have relied a bit on visual rhetoric but overall I came up with a few solutions I felt I could take forward that would say what I wanted to about the brand.  

Fig. 5 Itech logo sketches

Fig. 6 - ITech initial digital drafts

The logos above were taken forward from the sketches in Fig. 5.  and some were developed during the digital tests.  I was really keen on keeping the stitched elements in there, which was created with the dashed line in Illustrator and I felt was a reference to the crafted and more personal element of the service.  I also brought a paintbrush in to represent the design element of ITech.  It took a while for the idea of the cogs to come about - I was originally going to go for the second from left on the top top, or the logo in the bottom left corner, but I realised that this would translate as a design service rather than a technical design company.   By adding the cog shape to the logo at the bottom left, I made a logo that I felt combined the right elements to represent the company as a stand-alone logo.   The paintbrush was put in the centre as an "I" for ITech.  

Fig. 7 Logo iteration (wee error, whoops!

Fig. 8 Logo iteration 2

Fig.9 Final iterations. 

Above are final iterations.  I chose the logo on the left as the Baron Neue font was pared down enough to go with the logo.   Currently I am laying out how the app for the company would look which I will post soon.  I wanted to create a whole visual theme for the brand as an exercise in keeping a consistent brand identity.

Sunday Soundtrack for The Music Brewery

The Music Brewery asked me to create a small piece for them for their new feature #SundaSoundtrack, consisting of a record player in a similar style and font to the logo.  I created the options ins Fig. 10 for them, adding in a cassette tape as I thought that might be a fun option that was more recognisable than the record player to people of our age, aka The Music Brewery's target audience.  They ended up liking that option better than the original idea and asked me to add colour to the black-filled cassette tape, which they then placed on a photo of their choosing.  I feel like the illustrations are quite 

See initial sketches in Figure 11 (below)

Fig.11 Sketchbook page

Revive Glasgow

Revive, who are an eco-driven company working from Strathclyde University,  needed a logo update (see Fig).  They recycle used coffee grounds and sell them to farmers as compost, and therefore specified that the logo keep the green and brown colour scheme as shown in the original logo.  
I had a lot of ideas for this one so the team are in the process of choosing between a design of mine and some other people who submitted solutions for their new logo.   I played around a lot with the imagery of green plants growing from coffee beans in order to give a literal indication of the service Revive provide.   Personally the one I feel works best is the coffee cup with the plants growing from it, perhaps because this is the one I think has the most depth at the moment.   However I also think the one to the right of it could work as a stand-alone logo for the company.

Fig. 12 Revive new logos - under consideration

Fig. 13 My personal favourites, could use some tweaking

Fig. 13 Revive original logo

My research has since taken me a bit away from the kind of work shown here but this was early development so was still important to post.

-
Images

Fig. 3, 4.  Multiple authors, unknown, 2014. [online image] Available at:
http://www.brandsoftheworld.com/logos/categories/technology
[Accessed 2nd October 2014]

Fig. 13.  Moore, Fergus, 2013. Revive logo [online image] Available at:
https://www.facebook.com/ReviveFertiliser/photos/a.549618665084171.1073741825.549616035084434/549761398403231/?type=1&theater
[Accessed 21 October 2014]

GIFS in illustration and advertising

Through both the internet and classmates looking at work I have come across loads of still images that have been animated into GIFS, a really novel idea that seems to have taken off recently.  Gif artists in particular are all over tumblr, but one who stands out is Rebecca Mock, who designs all her illustrations in a way that they can later be animated as gifs.  My classmate Kyle was the first person to introduce me to her work when I watched his progress presentation, and a few days later I came across it again through an article on GIF art online.  The animations in her illustrations are really subtle but always add another layer to the image, and this kind of enhancement would be perfect for using with QR codes as the original image is still kept; its easy to imagine pointing a smartphone camera at the static image and it coming to life.

Fig 1. The Aftershocks by Rebecca Mock

Fig 2. 5 Cool Ways to use Business Cards in Evernote by Rebecca Mock

The work of David Szakaly is another example of GIF art that compels the viewer to keep watching.  His style is heavy in monochrome and he makes use of effects that are not unlike visual illusions.  The animations are so fluid that they are almost relaxing, which leads me to think about animations that have a calming/stimulating effect on mood and how I could look into that more.   That is probably for another blog post though!

Fig. 3 140904 by David Szakaly

Fig. 4140913 by David Szakaly

Fig. 5 140924 by David Szakaly

As I said previously, GIFS are at their biggest on Tumblr, where interestingly many high-end brands have taken the opportunity to as some kinaesthetic appeal to their ads.  Calvin Klein's page was one of the first to take advantage of the GIF support format, posting this rather provocative clip of Lara Stone modelling their underwear.  As an adverting technique it was perfect for the product in question - Calvin Klein underwear is worn on a moving body, so why not advertise in a way that shows it?  Further examples like this and this showed the clothes in a dynamic way, moving in motion with the body and heightening the idea of luxurious fabrics that are easy to wear in pared down designs.  Those familiar with the brand'd style of clothing designs and the print campaigns would be able to tell that it was by Calvin Klein.  Coca-Cola also used a GIF to combine a bit of classic product placement with a very summery setting, creating an easy visual rhetoric about Coke and summertime.  Visual rhetoric is also something I have lined up to research, and it is possible that it could influence ideas.  However I have gone off on a tangent here, visual rhetoric is in line for discussion soon.

So why are GIFS such a coveted advertising device when we already have video?  Danielle Strle, Tumblr's Director of Product, says that it's immediacy is the key.  "When people say they want to use video, I actually do tend to encourage them to use the animated GIF.  It's such a magical format - it's all the visual and immediacy of video, without the barrier or entry to the play button." (Perez cited Strle, 2012)  It sounds simple, but in the age of "everything, now", one less step makes a difference.
This AdWeek article charts the best used GIFs for advertising from last year, which gave me a bit more insight into what kind of content advertisers of various companies put into their little snippets of motion.

Fig. 6 GIF by Converse

Fig. 7 Jansport bags

Fashion and clothing brands put their goods at the focal point but in the cases of Converse and Jansport, in a creative and original way.  These brands resonate with people of all ages but the target market is typically those who are younger and on the go.  Converse not only give a quirky spin on their product but show that their shoes are good for anything (such as dancing).  Jansport shows a teen who dresses both stylish and practically, saying a lot about the functional and classic design elements of Jansport bags.

Fig. 8 Great Gatsby

Fig. 9 The Purge advert

Movie GIFS tend to have snippets of iconic moments, such as famed party boy Gatsby raising his glass to Nick Carraway.  Scarier, more emotive films such as The Purge show a mashup of disturbing images to give short snapshots of scary moments.  The overall effect is disorientating and unnerving which speaks for the mood of the film.

Fig 10.  Dior lipstick

High fashion vs everyday:  Brands like Dior Makeup, that represent a high-octane, glamourous image, focus on product placement as well as provocative imagery, often of lips, face or body (see Calvin Klein GIFs for similar examples).  Visual rhetoric would not necessarily have to apply here - it is made plain that Dior is a quality brand of lipstick.  Meanwhile, Trolli Sweets' cute GIF of a curly-haired boy nuzzling a dog made out of Trolli snakes suggests a playful, fun nature of brand identity.  

Fig 11. Trolli sweets

Overall GIFs seem to be a platform for advertising that allow a more creative approach that resonates with the younger crowd.  I have seen Vis Comms in the year above do really cool things with GIFs and even if I do not use actual looping animations such as the ones shown here, there are definitely some visual pointers on how to do content that looks interactive and could fit with a QR code framework.

-

References

Heine, Christopher, 2013.  The Top 20 Tumblr ads of the year [online article] Available at:

http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/top-20-tumblr-ads-year-154354

[Accessed 21st October 2014]

Perez, Sarah, 2012 cited Strle, Danielle, 2012.  Cinemagraphs (Animated Gifs) As Advertising? Tumlr Experiments with New Advertising Format [online article] Available at:

http://techcrunch.com/2012/08/31/animated-gifs-as-ads-tumblr-experiments-with-advertising-format/

[Accessed 21 October 2014] 

Images 

Fig. 1 Mock, Rebecca, 2014.  The Aftershocks [online image] Available at: http://rebeccamock.tumblr.com

[Accessed 21 October 2014]

Fig.2 Mock, Rebecca, 2014.  5 Cool Ways to use Business Cards in Evernote [online image] Available at: http://rebeccamock.tumblr.com

[Accessed 21 October 2014]

Fig.3/4/5 Szakaly, David, 2014.  140904/ 4140903/ 140924 [online images] Available at:

http://dvdp.tumblr.com [Accessed 21 October 2014]

Fig 6 - 11 Multiple authors, 2013.  Images provided by AdWeek article [online images] Available at:

http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/top-20-tumblr-ads-year-154354

[Accessed 21st October 2014]