OK, Go!

I received feedback on my capstone today! Out of all of my proposals, my classmates thought that my "Design Culture Shock" idea was the best choice. This is the overview:


Proposal: Design Culture Shock

Every day, international businesses face the challenge of selling their products in multiple cultures, all with different values, languages and needs. Where one slogan may have a positive message in the United States, it may be translated negatively when used in China if a company is not careful.

Throughout my travels, I have noticed even the slightest changes in advertising the same product, but in different cultures. This capstone project will focus on the different measures taken to advertise a product in many cultures. It represents my interests in both marketing/packaging and cultural awareness. It is a study I can conduct and develop being abroad in the Netherlands, and one I can discuss with my foreign professors.

For the exhibition, I would like to compare two to three cultures side-by-side. One product, or a small product line would be advertised recognizing cultural differences for different parts of the globe. Universal symbols that are easily understood by most cultures would also be shown. The display would feel as though one was walking down a street or store isle in two to three difference parts of the world. This project would allow me to show viewers the importance of being globally aware, even through design. It would also provide for an opportunity to educate viewers on different cultures in a fun manner.

This project is different than what I have seen before in the senior exhibition, and I think it could turn out to be extremely intriguing. The problem I am having now is deciding on how many countries I want to represent (I am not sure how much time each will take in comparison to a project that is meant for a year), and where to even begin.

I feel that a lot of my research  and my early development on the project will take place during this semester, as it will be easier for me to travel and talk to different types of people. The only research I have done so far is building my own personal collection of advertisements and packages from different products and cultures over the years.

Now that I have a direction, it's time to get started!