It’s all Greek to Me: Connotation and Denotation in Product Design and Advertisement
Developed with Sandra Utt, Martinsville City Public Schools, Virginia
Standards of Learning:
This task is intended to address, in part, the following Virginia Standard of Learning for English language arts:
· 9.1 The student will make planned oral presentations independently.
· 9.1g and 9.8g The student will credit information sources
· 9.2 The student will produce, analyze, and evaluate auditory, visual, and written media messages.
· 9.3 The student will apply knowledge of word origins, derivations, and figurative language to extend vocabulary development in authentic texts.
· 9.7 The student will self-edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and paragraphing.
· 9.8 The student will use print, electronic databases, online resources, and other media to access information to create a research product.
· 9.8h follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information.
Essential Questions
How do we best express ourselves? How do we choose the right word for the job? How can we best get our point across? How can we best use media to help? How can different media be used to influence others? To make a point?
Situation
Advertisers are experts at using words and images to convey messages. Often, very few words can be used to make a powerful statement. Sometimes these phrases work their way into the larger community consciousness. Think about the slogan for Nike, “Just do it!” What does that mean to you?
Having the right words and media is so important, it can mean that a product idea does or doesn’t get accepted. Kickstarter.com is the 21st century’s answer to the pitch meeting. Entrepreneurs can pitch ideas on the website to try to raise funds for their ideas. But only those ideas that clearly get the message across earn enough money to be funded.
Your job is to design an ad for a new product idea. The catch is, like Nike, the product must be based on the name of a Greek god or goddess. The name you select must clearly relate to or embody the product you are proposing. For example, your product could be a new furniture line called Hercules, with the slogan “The strongest furniture money can buy.”
Product
You have the flexibility to choose the type of advertisement you want to create. You must create at least the following artifacts:
· A product name that is or incorporates one from a Greek god or goddess
· The identification of the product related to the name
· A slogan for the ad campaign
· Artwork/media representing the product/ad campaign, such as a logo
· A paragraph explaining the reasons for your selection
Use the information in the document library to learn more about creating logos and designing an ad campaign.
Document Library (provide all information necessary for the student to solve the problem):
● Document A: Extensive list of companies and products named after mythological characters by Nick Pontikis (The Myth Man): http://thanasis.com/modern/biz.htm
● Document B: 10 Tips for Designing Logos that Don’t Suck by Joshua Johnson: http://designshack.net/articles/inspiration/10-tips-for-designing-logos-that-dont-suck/
● Document B (optional): 7 Awesome Rules for Designing a Perfect Logo http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/design/awesome-rules-designing-perfect-logo/
● Document C: Visit http://www.kickstarter.com/ and view some of the examples of “staff picks” by selecting different categories on the right
● Document D: “The 8 Principles of Product Naming” by Matt Gordon and Nick Foley for Fast Company. http://www.fastcompany.com/1819418/8-principles-product-naming
● Document E (optional): Naming a Product from Eat My Words: http://eatmywords.com/tips/naming-101/naming-product/
● Document F: Selected ads (below)
○ Venus Razors from Gillette: http://www.magxone.com/photo-shoots/jennifer-lopez-venus-print-ad-2011/
○ Venus Perfume by Victor Russell: http://www.victorrussell.com/venus.html
○ Neptune Plumbing (bottom of page): http://neptuneplumbing.net/
○ Izze juice (see “The Juice of Zeus”): http://www.behance.net/gallery/Izze-Fortified/2629117
2013 by John D. Ross, Ph.D. TeachLearnTech.com. You can use, remix, and build upon this work for non-commercial purposes as long as you give me credit and license your new creations under these same terms.