Candy Canes 12-9-09

It is close to christmas time and I think of Christmas Trees and candy canes. It is in the shape of a cane and is normally white with red stripes. It comes in many flavors but traditionally it is peppermint or cinnamon. The candy cand is normally always around Christmas holiday in the Western world, but you can find them year round. The candy cane first started as a stick of sugar that children enjoyed eatting. They are not sure where the shape of the cane started but it first started in the mid-17th century but possibly earlier during that time it was popular across Europe. The making of candy canes was very time consuming at first because they had to be made by hand. The person that is known for the reason of the cane shape is the choir master at Cologne Cathedral in Germany in 1670. The first time candy canes were in North America for Christmas was in 1847. The stripes were not on the candy cane until the 20th century.

11-19-09 The Biggest Loser

I have always really liked working out and fitness so I had always liked The Biggest Loser TV show on NBC. It is a show about very overweight people who compete to be the Biggest Loser of weight loss and whoever looses the most weight wins a prize of money. I found on the internet that there are many different variations of the same show worldwide but they all have the same goal of losing the most weight. The first season of The Biggest Loser started on October 19th 2004 and has been going on its 8th season now. I think this show is so popular because of how horrible the obesity rate is in Americans especially kids. The obesity rates of adults have doubled from 15 to 30 percent since 1980’s. Another interesting fact is that the costs of health care are more than one-quarter of the expenses which are because of obesity. According to the surgeongeral.gov stated that “Nearly two out of every three Americans are overweight or obese.” Also the surgeongeneral.gov website started that since the 1960’s the obesity rate in kids has tripled to 15 percent and that “nearly three out of every four overweight teenagers may become overweight adults.” I sad thing about all of these horrible facts is that the rate is just going to keep increasing. I think the big problem with kids these days is all they want to do is play with video games and on the computer instead of going to play outside. I think The Biggest Loser show is a great idea and think they should have a show for little kids. I remember a few years ago there was a show with Shaq and he had overweight kids working out and showing them the correct foods to eat. I think The Biggest Loser show will never get old because there are always going to be many overweight people.

http://healthyamericans.org/obesity/

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/news/testimony/obesity07162003.htm

11-19-09 Kool-Aid

I have always liked the Kool-Aid pitcher character that is on T.V. commercials. I wanted to find more information about Kool-Aid. The names of the inventors of the drink are Edwin Perkins and his wife Kitty in Hastings, Nebraska. Kool-Aid was introduced in 1927. All of the trials and creations of the drink all took place in Edwin Perkins mothers’ kitchen. At first Kool-Aid was a liquid concentrate and the name of it was Fruit Smack. Then in 1927 Edwin started shipping the Kool-Aid and realized it was very expensive to ship the Fruit Smack and that was when he found a way to take the liquid out and it was only in powder form. It was then when the name Fruit Smacked changed to Kool-Aid. The production of Kool-Aid was changed to be produced in Chicago starting in 1931. In 1953 is when the selling of Kool-Aid started to be sold to general food stores. Ever year Nebraska still holds a celebration in the summertime called “Kool-Aid Days” to remember the fame the city is known for. The official drink of Nebraska is Kool-Aid. The mascot for Kool-Aid started soon after Kool-Aid was being sold as a general food. Kraft Foods is the current owner of Kool-Aid. There are many flavors of Kool-Aid and I love drinking it. I think it is really interesting what I found out about Kool-Aid and I like the mascot because it always makes me want to drink it.

11-19-09 Touch Screens

It seems like touchscreens are on every electronic these days. I wanted to find out the history of touch screens so I went on Google. Touch screens started in a research lab halfway through the 1960’s. The first place they were viewed was in 1972 as a project called PLATO which is a computer learning terminal. The touch screens have become more accustomed to in kiosk systems like on ATM machines; PDA’s where a person uses a stylus to enter information in. The main reason that touch screens are becoming so popular is because of smart phones, PDA’s, portable game consoles, and appliances. The earliest touch screen computer that is known of was the HP-150 in 1983. It was not an actual touch screen but it had infrared transmitters which found any “non-transparent object” that was seen on the screen. By the 1980’s most of the touch screens could only detect one touch at a time and there was a small amount that could detect how hard a person would touch the screen. There have been many touch screen sensors that have been made by many different companies. Currently the producers of touch screens have noticed that the touch screen is a very popular user interface and that is what people desire. I was very surprised and found it interesting that touch screens started many years ago.I think touch screens are an awesome technology and I can’t even imagine what new touch screen technology will be out next.

11-18-09 Skittles the Sport

While I was looking at the information about Skittles I found a game called Skittles. I thought it was a joke at first, but then I looked into it more. The game is played in pubs in England and Wales. The game Skittles is only found in certain regions and is not a nation-wide game. The game is popular in south west countries of Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Gloucestershire. The game is played in a narrow building known as skittle alley. There are 9 pins that are called skittle pins. The rules and the pins are different for each region. They normally throw a hardwood ball at the pins, but sometimes use a rubber ball. The size of the ball is from 4 inches and 6 inches in diameter but do not have a place for fingers. After throwing the ball a wooden ramp gives the ball back to the players. The pins are made out of a cider apple tree from the West Country. The size of the pins varies in height from 6inches and 16 inches and the weight of the pin is different depending on what region it is. Sometimes the very front pin is bigger and shaped different than the other pins. When playing the game the pins are in a diamond shape. The game is played by a person throwing three balls at the pins and after each throw whatever pins are hit, those pins are then removed. A person has to reposition the pins after each throw and that person is called the “stickerup.” The goal is to get a score of 27 but this sometimes varies depending on what region. Usually the ball is thrown on the floor but in different regions it is more like a “bowling roll.” A person has a chance to go 12 times during the game. In the Midlands a oval shaped log is thrown in place of the ball. Also a game called Table Skittles. After reading about this game I believe it is exactly like the game in the U.S. that we call bowling. I think it is really cool and didn’t realize that there are many different ways of “bowling” all around the world.

Here is a youtube video of the game http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgNH9RM3awQ

11-18-09 Skittles

I have always loved Skittles especially the sour skittles. I wanted to find out more about Skittles so I went on Google. Skittles are chewy, fruity flavored candies that are made by Mars, Inc. When a person bites down on a Skittle, it will be chewy and sugary tasting with the letter S on the candy. The main ingredients for Skittles are sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oil, fruit juice, citric acid, and other natural and artificial flavors. An English company was the first producer of Skittles in 1974. Finally Skittles were introduced to North America in 1979 and were imported. The first domestic production of Skittles in the United States was in 1982. Everyone knows that the saying for Skittles is “Skittles Taste the rainbow.” Skittles has recently started up an online marketing campaign and also on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. The flavors I found on the Skittles website was Original Fruit, Sour, Tropical, Wild Berry, and Crazy Cores.

11-18-09 Peanut Butter Twix

I was at Walgreens the other day walking through the candy section and saw the Peanut butter Twix bar. I found that the packaging of the candy bar caught my eye and also because I love peanut butter. I found that the original Twix bar is made my Mars, Inc. and is a chocolate bar that is a cookie, caramel and coated with milk chocolate. The Twix candy bar is normally packed with two bars in the package. The very first Twix was made in the United Kingdom in 1967 and was not until 1979 that the Twix was introduced to the United States. The Twix is now being made in Cleveland, Tennessee. I was surprised to find out that the Peanut Butter Twix is not all that new. It was first introduced in 1983 through 1997 and then 2000 until now. Instead of the caramel being in the candy bar; the peanut butter takes its place. The Twix was first in a yellow wrapper and currently it is with a red wrapper with PB on it. There is a big list of products of different Twix, too many to list. I think the packaging of this product is very eye catching because it is cool that the company can just put PB at the end of Twix and I knew right away that it meant peanut butter. I think it is very creative and I still haven’t tried the Peanut Butter Twix, but I plan to try it soon.

11-18-19 Microsoft surface

I was in my N-100 class and we talked about the new Microsoft Surface and thought it was such a cool technology and wanted to find out more. I went to Google and found information about it. The surface is a multi-touch product produced from Microsoft which allows one user or multiple users to use it by using a “natural hand gestures.” A person can scroll through pictures, order from a menu, place objects on the screen and it will interact with the device. If you place a camera on the surface it can get information and put it on the screen. The Microsoft surface in the future could help to improve the communication and be able to deliver more accurate information to customers. Microsoft Surface has four main capabilities which are direct interaction, multi-user experience, multi-touch, and object recognition. I think in the future the Microsoft Surface could possibly eliminate the jobs of a waitress because a person could order from the Surface, but there would need to be a person to bring out the food and drinks. I think the Microsoft Surface will be quickly becoming very popular and many business restaurants, and possibly people will be using the Microsoft Surface. On gizmodo.com I found that the price of a Microsoft Surface is $10,000.

11-12-09 Willy Wonka

I got the last GOLDEN TICKET! Everyone has heard of this and knows of the movie “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” I wanted to do some research about the Wonka candy. The brand started in 1971 by the company in Chicago named Breaker Confections. The company licensed the name “Willy Wonka” so they could make products to go with the movie. The first candy was not made until 1976. The Breaker Confections candy changed their name to Willy Wonka Brands in 1980. The Willy Wonka Candy Company brand was bought by Nestle in 1988. The candy is still being made in Itasca,Illinois. The products mentioned in the movie are the everlasting gobstopper and the Wonka Bar. I really think it is awesome how long ago the candy started out and the company is still selling the Wonka candies today. I love the design of all the candy because they use very bright colors and the fonts are “fun.”

11-12-09 LaCroix

Have you ever heard of LaCroix sparkling water? I absolutely love this water and I drink it all the time instead of pop because it is carbonated but much healthier. I searched for their website and found out some things. It is carbonated flavored water with no calories and is sodium free. The company has been in business for nearly 30 years and is going strong. The company that makes the LaCroix water is Sundance Beverage Company. They have many products and the only one I was familiar with was Faygo Pop. The National Beverage Corporation started in 1985 and it ranks fourth largest carbonated soft-drink company in the United States. Also I tried to find information about the design of the can but could not find anything. I really like the design of the can because the lettering is kind of cursive but its free flowing and simple. Also there is a teal and blue smooth line at the bottom of the label and I think the colors of the blue go together because when I think of water I think of blue even though the water we drink isn’t blue. My favorite so far is the lemon.

11-12-09 DOVE

Dove chocolate is always smooth and silky tasting; it is one of my favorite chocolates. The chocolate started in the 1939 by a Greek-American founder named Leo Stefanos. The chocolate shop that Leo Stefanos opened was called DOVE and it was in the south side of Chicago. The DOVEBAR ice-cream started up in 1959 and became a popular hit. Leo Stefanos died in 1977 and then his son took over the business. In 1984 Mike introduced the DOVEBAR at a food fest in Washington DC and then he started to receive orders for the bars all around the country. The company Mars really liked the DOVEBAR so they bought the DOVE company and then the DOVEBAR goes nationally. In 1991 is when the DOVE milk chocolate and dark chocolate promises started up where the wrapper had an individual inspirational message printed on the inside of the wrapper. Dove Chocolates are made with 100% pure cocoa butter and tested twice which is what makes them different from other chocolates. I think DOVE chocolates are the best tasting chocolate. Also I really love the packaging on the chocolates because they are unique from any other chocolate. I always like reading the inspirational sayings on the inside of the wrapper. I was very surprised that the DOVEBAR came out before the DOVE promises.

11-5-09 Bubble Yum

Every year the U.S sells 1.3 billion chunks of Bubble Yum gum. I have always loved bubble yum gum and the wrapper. I think the gum package looks like a bubble has burst on the wrapper. Also I like the font of the letters because it looks like big bubble letters and I think it goes well with the design. Lastly the bright pink color I think gets people’s attention like it does mine. I looked on the internet to find out more about bubble yum. Bubble Yum was introduced by the Lifesaver Company in 1975 and was the first soft bubble gum ever created. In 1976 Bubble Yum started to become very popular with young kids and teens that LifeSavers had to slow down the marketing of the gum so the company could keep the production up because it was in such high demand. In 1977 people were spreading rumors that the reason the gum so chewy was because there were spider eggs in it. There was a decrease in sales once this happened but then the Life Savers Company let people know with an official page in the U.S. newspapers to reassuring people that it was not true. Soon after the sales started to increase and passed the sales of Life Savers candy and finally was named the most popular bubble gum brand. In 1981 Nabisco first bought Life Savers and then in 2000 The Hershey Company bought it and currently owns it. All of the flavors are Original, Sugarless Original, Chocolate, Cotton Candy, Jolly Rancher Watermelon, Sour Apple Berry and Grape.

11-5-09 Snuggie

I always see commercials for the snuggie on TV and I am so annoyed by it. I think it is a really creative and smart invention because now they even have them for dogs. I wanted to find out more information so I looked on Google. The inventor of the Snuggie was Gary Clegg and he is 29 years old. The Snuggie started in 2008 and it became popular in the late 2008 and early 2009. At first many people made parody videos on YouTube and made a big joke about it. Also the product became famous after many commercials were advertised on TV and also on Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Maher and Jon Stewart mocked the commercial during their show. They have sold more Snuggies than expected. There have been more than 4 million Snuggies sold which includes the original Snuggie, Snuggie for Dogs, Snugglette for children and Collegiate Snuggie. I will never buy a Snuggie because I do not think the fabric is that thick enough that it would keep me warm enough.

11-5-09 KFC Paper Bucket

I have always thought the design of the KFC chicken bucket was interesting because it has looked the same ever since I was born which has been 20 years. I started searching on Google to find out more information about the KFC chicken bucket and found out some interesting things. KFC was founded in 1930 in North Corbin, Kentucky. The founder was Harland Sanders and the franchise started in 1952 in South Salt Lake, Utah. The abbreviated name “KFC” was formed in 1991. The KFC paper buckets were originally created by Dave Thomas (Wendy’s). He was a franchisee of the original Kentucky Fried Chicken and worked several outlets in Columbus, Ohio. Thomas believed that the paper bucket made the chicken stay crispy because the paper bucket helped to wick away excessive moisture. Also Dave Thomas was the creator of the “famous rotating KFC bucket signs” that KFC restaurants in the U.S. had outside their restaurant. I think it is really awesome that Dave Thomas created the paper buckets and did not know that he did that. I think it is interesting that the design of the bucket is very simple, but I feel like it’s a trademark that when a person see’s the KFC paper bucket they know what it is. After looking up the information and looking at the pictures on google this made me very hungry.

10-28-09 Frogger

Ribbit Ribbit. The arcade game Frogger came out in 1981 and the game was developed by Konami Corporation. The Frogger game is known as a classic and is still popular. Many versions of the Frogger game can be found on the internet and has been updated many times to advance the game which added new power-ups, bonus levels, and new obstacles. The goal of the game is to help the frog get home with having to go through many obstacles to get there. The obstacles are trying to avoid being hit by a car and rivers. The game starts with a person having three, five or seven frog lives and throughout the game there are cars, vans, taxis, logs and much more. The frog must movie quickly across to move to the next level and once a player gets to the fifth level it starts to get easier, but harder at the same time. The game Frogger was licensed by Sega to many other companies for conversion. There have been 18 sequels of Frogger and; the most recent is Frogger 2 for Xbox 360 and there is one called Frogger Returns for Wii and Playstation 3 that is to be announced. I loved playing Frogger when I was younger and I do not think the game will ever get old. I think it is really cool how much the game Frogger has changed through the years and how realistic it looks currently compared to when it first came out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frogger

10-28-09 PS3 Netflix

On Monday October 26th Netflix has partnered up with Sony to allow users to use their PS3’s to stream movies to their TV. Netflix is the world’s largest online movie service and provides service for over 10 million members. Monday through Friday Netflix ships out a whopping 2.2 million DVD’s to all of their members. Netflix has been voted the #1 retail website for customer satisfaction since 2005. I recently saw that Netflix is now going to stream directly through a person’s TV from their PS3 system. It will cost $8.99 per month for a membership and you can watch an unlimited amount of movies. The way it will work to stream the movies is to slide a special disc into the PS3 to start the movie. Netflix will provide the disc free of charge as long as you are a member and you request a disc. Netflix is projecting that they will have a significant amount of the discs in November. I think this is an awesome idea and that there will be a lot of people that choose this option. It makes me wonder if there will be an increase in membership since it is now going to be allowed on a PS3.

www.netflix.com

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/netflix-details-ps3-disc-distribution-for-november-confident/

10-28-09 Stride 5

Did you know the average American chews 300 sticks of gum per year? Chewing gum has been around since 1870 and was invented by Thomas Adams. The brand Wrigley gum is the largest company and there are over 20 chewing gum manufactures in the United States. I always buy Stride 5 gum and I have always liked their packaging. I went on the website for Stride gum (http://www.stridegum.com/) , but I could not find anything about the packaging and design of the gum. All the website had was advertisements, new flavors, and games. I searched on Google and found that the gum is called “Stride 5” because Wrigley thinks it excites a person’s five senses: sound, taste, smell, touch, and sight. Also each piece of gum only has 5 calories. The Stride 5 gum package is unique because of its sleek design; and has a tab on the flap of the package with ridges on it so it opens and closes smoothly. I think the design being so “cool” looking is targeted for teens and young adults because that age group always wants to look “cool.”

http://www.packagedesignmag.com/issues/2007.09/wow.shtml
http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/chewgum.htm

10-22-09 Nanoflower

In lecture a few weeks ago we had talked about nanoart and I wanted to find out what it was so I searched on Google. I found many picture of nanoart but I thought the nano flowers looked very interesting. I really like how detailed it is and I could keep looking at it and seeing different parts of it. There was a little bit more information on the website I found the picture and it says that it was made out of tiny bunches of wires and were created in a laboratory. Each of the flowers is several billionths of a meter. I can’t believe that this is made out of wires and I think it makes it more interesting that it is made out of wires. It looks so lifelike and that I could just put my hand to the screen and touch it. I also really like how it looks like there is depth to the flowers I think that aspect makes it more interesting to look at. I think it would be better though if it were all different colors than just blue. The color blue reminds me of sad and I think different colors would change that feeling. Overall I think it is a very interesting design.

10-22-09 Jay Pritzker Pavilion

I also like going to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago which is in Millennium Park. I think the design is very interesting and I love being there at night because there are lights that constantly are changing colors. I have never been there for concerts. I also think the design had to take a lot of time for the artist to create and figure out what would be most appealing to the eye. Also the structure had to be able to support the sound system for the structure. I wanted to know more about the Pavilion so I went on millenniumpark.org. The architect is Frank Gehry and he won the National Medal of Art. The Pavilion is 120 feet high “with a billowing headdress of brushed stainless steel ribbons that frame the stage which is connected to an overhead trellis of crisscrossing steel pipes.” There are 4,000 permanent seats and the Great Lawn allows an additional 7,000 people. This pavilion has a state of the art sound system which is the first type in the country and was designed to imitate the acoustics just like an indoor concert hall. The Grant Park Music Festival is held here along with other free concerts and events. The name of the pavilion is in memory of the Chicago business leader Jay Pritzker with his wife and created the Pritzker Architecture prize in 1979. The design commencement was in June 1999 and finished in July 2004. The Jay Pritzker Pavilion has a 95,000 square foot lawn area. The architect was Gehry Partners from Los Angeles, CA and the team consisted of Frank Gehry and Craig Webb. If you ever visit Chicago I recommend visiting the Cloud Gate and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.

10-22-09 The Bean

I only live about 50 minutes from Chicago and every time I go to Chicago I love going to the Cloud Gate, but I always know of it as The Bean. I searched on Google for pictures and found many with people gathered around, but then I found a picture of the bean with the skyline reflecting. I think the reflection is the coolest part of the design of the bean. I would imagine the designer of the bean thought about the idea of having the reflection of the skyline and people’s reflection just like a mirror. I think the designer spent a lot of time on the design and figuring out what angle the bean would have to be at for the reflection of the skyline to reflect. I think a lot of people spend time going and taking pictures at the bean. I also wanted to find more information so I looked up on Google. It weighs 110 tons and there is a 12 foot high path underneath the sculpture. Visitors are able to touch the sculpture and have their image reflected to take pictures. The sculpture is the largest kind of sculpture in the world and is 66 feet long and 33 feet high. It is called the Cloud Gate and is located at the AT&T Plaza which was given by a gift from AT&T. The artist was selected in 1999 and then the Cloud Gate was completed in the summer of 2005. The artist of the Cloud Gate is Anish Kapoor and the engineer is Chris Hornzee; both are from London, England. The artist was inspired by liquid mercury. I love the bean and think it is an awesome sculpture of art.

10-15-09 C Shatter

I was searching for designs and on the website I was on there were many pictures of glass shattering, but this one caught my eye most. My favorite part of the picture is how the red liquid is in the shape of a letter C. It makes the movement for the eye to follow the red liquid down to the shattering glass. Also I really like how there are little drops of the liquid falling down from the top. The light background with the bottom of the picture being darker adds to the picture because it makes me eyes go down to the darker colored background. Also I like how it looks like there is a shadow from the red liquid and a darker shadow from the glass. The way the glass has fallen over makes me wonder how the red liquid can be flying up so high in the air. I know that this photo might be made in photoshop, but if it were real I do not think it would be as interesting because the red liquid would be just on the bottom of the photo. Either way I love this picture and find it very interesting to look at with the red liquid shaped in a C which makes the eyes move towards the glass.

10-15-09 iPod

I found this iPod website while I was searching on Google for designs. I really like the way the iPods look like a domino effect. Also I like how there is a shadow of each iPod even the ones on the far right side that are falling down. I dislike how the bottom of the page has so many pictures and information because my eyes go directly down there when looking at the pages. On the webpage that I found this on there was an article about a designer who was critiquing the page and he thought it was too cluttered but good use of white space, color, fonts, and white space. I agree with the page being too cluttered because there are so many pictures to look I feel like my eyes get lost. I think it would be better if there was only a little bit of text at the bottom; also just have the picture of the iPods like they are and then the tabs on the top stay the same.

10-15-09 Glass Shatter

In lecture I thought the picture of the glass shattering with the object in the middle looked really awesome so I wanted to find more. I like the way the glass shatters in stages. The first glass is fine then it gradually shatters more and more. Also the height of the glasses causes movement with the eye because the glass is tall and then it gets shorter as you look down the row. The last picture of the glass on the right side still looks like it is in the shape of the original glass, but it is just all shattered. I think it is neat how the glass looks like it is falling in slow motion and is not just in a pile. While looking at the picture of the glass it feels like the glass is falling that instance. Also a little past the middle of the glass it looks like there is a line in the glass and it makes me keep moving my eye to the next glass even though the line is fainter in every glass after the first.

10-15-09 Pumpkin

I was thinking about it being fall so I decided to look up pumpkin designs on the internet. The pumpkin I found caught my eye because of the colors and the background design the pumpkin is sitting on. The flower shape that is on the top of the pumpkin reminds me of a sunflower. I like the bright yellow color and I think that is what caught my eye. Also the design around the flower on top of the pumpkin looks like the stem and petals of a flower. I think the background makes the pumpkin “pop” and that’s what makes the design eye catching. The light pink background has many swirls and circular looking shapes just like a pumpkin has. Also the light pink background has a similar design like the outer edge on the top of the pumpkin. I think it is really awesome how someone can turn an object into more than one object and adding a background similar to the design of the main object catches my eyes more.

10-8-09 ice-cream

I have always thought Ben and Jerry’s ice-cream flavors have always been unique. I think the name of the ice-cream would make younger children want to eat that kind of ice-cream. A product must have a good design for a product to sell but the taste is also important. I think the names of the ice-cream make people want to buy them more and Ben and Jerry’s is always having new flavors and clever names and when I was looking on the website one that caught my attention was flipped out. I thought the name was interesting and the design. I love how the name of the ice-cream “flipped out” is upside down but all of the other text and pictures are normal. I think the text being upside down makes the design more eye catching and more literal because flipped out means it would be turned over and; it makes sense for it to be upside down because it wouldn’t have the same message if it wasn’t.

List of the ice-cream flavors
http://www.benjerry.com/flavors/our-flavors/#

10-8-09 Slices of Summer

I was looking on the internet for summer designs and came upon this really awesome Kleenex box design for summer. I know that it is fall and summer in over, but summer is my favorite. I love the design of the Kleenex boxes because it looks exactly like the fruit. It is just like a watermelon and orange slice. I think the bright colors are important and are eye catching. Also the “orange slice” box at the bottom where the Kleenex label is really looks like how the orange peel looks when it is sliced. The details in both boxes are very detailed and look realistic because on all the boxes it looks like there are water droplets on them and a drop of watermelon juice. On the website there was also a lime that is shaped and detailed just like a lime sliced. I read a little bit on the site that Kleenex was having a challenge for someone to create a design that incorporates summer. A man named Hiroko Sanders created this design and the series is called a “Perfect Slice of Summer.”

Here is the website for the Kleenex boxes
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.thedieline.com/.a/6a00d8345250f069e2011570ae7fb2970b-550wi&imgrefurl=http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2009/05/perfect-slice-of-summer-tissue-boxes-for-target.html&usg=__Tt5fBNPPd5I1m10_z7DhzFFtLjE=&h=456&w=550&sz=33&hl=en&start=53&um=1&tbnid=Qk6ZMfbE-ynXkM:&tbnh=110&tbnw=133&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsummer%2Bdesigns%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D42%26um%3D1

10-8-09 Summer Time

I searched Google for summer time and I found this design that really caught my eye. I think the best part about the picture is the colors that were used. Summer makes me think of bright, colorful pictures and this fits perfectly. Also the color in the sunglasses matches the glass and I can see the bottom of the glass through the sunglasses. I find it interesting that brown is in the glasses because I really do not understand where that color came from because the brown is not similar to any other color in the picture. The way the kiwis are positioned in the picture make a big impact on the picture and make it more interesting, very detailed and looks so real. I do not like how the sides of the glasses where they are all white because it makes it stand out too much. I really am unsure of what color it should be because the part that is white couldn’t match the front of the frames because the background is black. Overall I think this design is really eye catching and I love the color combinations because it really reminds me of summer time.

10-8-09 Windows Vista

I was searching on Google for different designs and found the symbol for VW. The design caught my eye because at the bottom someone put Windows Vista. I thought this was a clever idea because when a person sees the symbol of the VW emblem they think of the Volkswagen automobiles. I think the design is an interesting design because it is very simple, but everyone knows when they see the logo they know it’s the brand Volkswagen. It makes me wonder why they used the colors blue and white. I think the blue color is very plain, but I think the white letters look good because the letters on a dark blue background makes them stand out. Also I like the thin white circle around the circle and the really bold white circle around the middle. I think the company could make the design more interesting with different colors and font, but then people would have a harder time figuring out what the logo is for. People have a hard time with change and if the company was to change the logo I think people would have a harder time recognizing it.

9-30-09 Fry Design Shape

I was searching on Google and was searching for “funky buildings” and this picture of a McDonald’s caught my attention. I thought it was an interesting design because the normal image of a McDonald’s a regular white building but this one was different. The shape of the fries is what made me interested because it was not how I picture fries in a fry container. I think it is interesting the shape of the fries because there are very few of them but it gets the point across that it is fries. Also the windows are not straight up and are angled along with the windows which add to the affect. Another reason I liked the design is that the red container the fries are in have a little square design. The fries are all equally spaced on the wall and I think the design is really neat because the fries are square rectangles, but people still can tell it is fries. Lastly I think it is interesting that the designer put in little square windows that are rotated. Overall I find this design very interesting and really like the way it was designed.

9-30-09 Sandwich Creations

I found this picture of the fish that looks like Nemo from the Disney movie when I was searching for “funky designs” on Google. I thought it was very creative and how it is aimed towards little kids. I think it is neat how they incorporated vegetables to look like something all little kids can relate to which makes it “fun” for kids to eat instead of being picky. I know all my little cousins love Disney movies and I think they would be a lot less picky if their sandwiches were something they could relate to. I believe the sandwiches could be a big money maker for the Disney movies and all other children’s movies and shows because the kids like to be able to relate to something and would make them want to eat. On the website there were more than one type of “animal creation sandwich” and I think it is a great design idea to catch a kid’s attention.

Here is the website of the other sandwich creations: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/pictures/2009/08/13/funky-sandwiches-designs-115875-21593762/

9-30-09 Campbells Soup

I was searching on Google for food advertisements and found the Campbell Soup can. The ad caught my eye because it has the little Campbell Soup girl on the ad which I have seen in commercial and it has been around for many years. People can associate that when they see the little girl that it puts the image of the Campbell soup can. I think it is important for a company that can use an ad in current times that was used many years ago. Also the commercial with Orville Redenbacher popcorn that actually has the original guy in the commercial. I think little children would be more interested seeing a little girl with the soup because they will maybe want to eat it more. I know this advertisement is old but I have seen it a couple times while watching television.

9-26-09 Progressive Insurance

While watching television I can’t even count the number of times I have seen the commercial for progressive insurance company. I really get annoyed by the ladies voice who says “discount” during the commercial. I always want to change the channel, but the company does a great job with hiring the lady for the part because the commercial is always in my head and I am sure it is in other people’s head. I find it interesting that the company can use the lady for all different progressive insurance commercials without it getting old. I think the company must be doing well because it seems like the commercials is on constantly. I believe it is important to be good at selling the product or item just like if a designer was trying to sell a logo or website to a company.
Here is the youtube video of the "discount" commercial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrtMM5suUCg&feature=PlayList&p=9BDD0ABADEA54CC2&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=8

9-26-09 Snickers

I have been to Chicago many times and have always seen the ad for snickers on busses down town. The catch is that the snickers bar does not say snickers it has different words in it like Satisfies, but it is in the same color and shape of a Snickers. I think this is really cool how the company can advertise without it saying Snickers, but people relate and can figure out that it is an ad for Snickers. The marketers of this idea were thinking because it always makes a person think of a Snickers bar without saying it. I looked online for the Snickers website and I could click on a certain link that would allow me to write a word and it would transfer it into a word like what they put for the snickers bar advertisement. I think it is important when people can figure out what a product is without any words like the Nike, adidas, underarmour, and Pepsi logos just to name a few. This journal kind of relates to our assignment for this week because we are supposed to use a metaphor without making it obvious, but a person can figure it out.

Here is the site where you can make words into "snacklish" as they call it http://www.snickers.com/default.htm

9-26-09 Square Design

I searched on Google for designs and kept searching and finally found one that caught my eye. The color caught my eye and it looks like the square in the center is raised and floating and has depth. Also the color variation that the center square is darker colors and the bigger square has bright colors. The bright colored square looks like there are multiple layers of the little colored squares. Every time I look at the design I notice different views of it. I also noticed that the stripes in each square do not go the same way; some are straight up and down and some are sideways. In the center circle I see four longer rectangles in the middle all going in different directions. Also there are only four white stripes in the whole design and it makes me curious. Lastly I think the black edging around the center circle makes it pop and draws my eye to it. Look and see what you can find.

Chicago 9-17-09

I really enjoy taking photographs and last summer I went to Washington Park with a few friends to Lake Michigan which is in Michigan City, Indiana. When I got out of the car to walk along the beach I couldn’t believe how clear it was to be able to see Chicago. I live about 45 minutes from Chicago so I thought it was amazing how I was able to see Chicago over a beautiful sunset from that far away. Also I think it is neat how you can see the shape of each building and it is not a blur. I think it is neat how it does not look that far away because it was so clear out. I think the shapes of the buildings like the tops and how it’s the skyline but you can’t see any other buildings besides those. I think the bright orange sky adds to the effect and it was a perfect sunset/ night to see Chicago.

Wassily Chair 9-17-09

In N-100 during lecture we talked about Marcel Breuer and how he invented the Wassily chair. I thought this chair looks very comfortable so I wanted to find more information about the inventor. Marcel Breuer was an Architect and interior designer. He graduated from Bauhaus carpentry workshop in 1924. In 1925 Breuer was asked to come back to Bauhaus workshop to experiment with extruded steel and created an array of light, metal furniture. Breuer got the idea of the chair from his bicycle and used the same material and build of the bike to make the chair design. After many tries Breuer finally got the chair the way he wanted it. The name of the chair “Wassily” comes from a friend of Breuer and a former instructor he had. After Breuer got called back to the Bauhaus he was there for three years. I think this chair looks very comfortable and the design of it looks neat because it is shaped for a person. I think it would be cool if I could sit in the “Wassily” chair.

Website I found information on: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/bauh/ho_1988.256.htm

Museum 9-17-09

I am in N-100 and the lecture was about culture. We started talking about art and we were shown a picture of the Whitney Museum of American Art building in New York City and the building really caught my attention so I wanted to find out more about it. I think it is neat how the shape of the building is not a perfect square and it almost looks like a tetris piece. Also we discussed how if a person were to stand under it; the building would look like it was falling down on you. The founder of the building was Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney and it was founded in 1931. The museum only had 700 art objects when it first opened. Mr. and Mrs. Whitney made the most of their money by buying artwork from living artists and not well known artists. Also in 1932 the Whitney would buy artwork from the "Museum’s Annual and Biennial exhibits.” The Whitney Museum had been devoted to having a selection of artwork that gives an overall image of “twentieth-century American art.”

website where I found information from http://www.whitney.org/www/collection/history.jsp

Coffee 9-13-09

I always see coffee commercials and ads for coffee but I thought this ad was very eye catching. It always seems like McDonalds, Starbucks and Dunkin Doughnuts are in competition to get more people to drink their coffee and so I started looking on the internet for coffee ads and found this one for Starbucks that looks like a coffee bean bag that coffee comes in. Also how the catchy words Starbucks wants to stick out they made it a different color. The letters that they used were look like vintage and it works well because the coffee bag looks older too. I like how the font style is the same except for the word PERFECT is in all caps so it sticks out since the point of the ad is to say Starbucks wants their coffee to taste perfect for their customers. Also I like the saying at the bottom and how the font size is small and then the word Starbucks is larger in size and green.

Fat being poured in cup 9-13-09

The obesity rate in America keeps increasing especially in kids and teens. I did a research paper last year of how the rate of obesity keeps increasing. Social income plays a big role in childhood obesity. I was looking up food advertisement and found this picture of a pop bottle pouring pop into a glass, but it is not pop it is fat being poured into a glass. I think it is kind of gross, but it gets the point across of how pop is not healthy. The website I found this on stated that this ad will be posted on subway cars in New York City soon. The cost of this ad was expensive and the website stated “the ads cost about $277,000” to make and the cost of the ads to be put in the subways, about $90,000 was paid for by the private Fund for Public Health in New York.” I think this is a great way the company spent their money because I think it will really make people think twice when they have the choice of water or pop. The image of the fat being poured in the glass really sticks in my head and hopefully the ad will affect other people in the same way.

The website I found this on http://calorielab.com/news/categories/government-obesity-actions/

Running Shoes 9-13-09

I enjoy running and always like to see different advertisements for running when they catch my attention. While I was driving down to Bloomington last weekend I saw an advertisement while driving and the billboard had 3 different size feet and it said we fit your feet. The ad was for Indiana Running Company, but I could not find that billboard online so I found something similar. I ran cross country in high school and went to a similar running store that fit my foot for my running shoes which is a great feeling when the shoe fits properly. This picture I found online made me think of the running store where they fit a person’s foot because it show three different size feet and then three different shoes. Since everyone’s feet are a different size and shape this is a great ad for running shoes.

Loan 9-5-09

I dislike this billboard because I think it is too busy and hard to figure out what the message is saying. I think the red and a little black background look good together. I do not like how the “MY” is in white letters because the adjustMY loan.com is a website then it all is one word and there is not a need to make a certain word stand out. Also I think the size of the letters for the website needs to be a smaller and all in lowercase or capitalized. I would put the “Attorney Based Loan Modifications at the very top of the billboard and then put the website underneath that. I would leave the black background with the phone number and Lower your monthly payments where it is. Also I would make all of the website letters yellow and keep the “Attorney Based Loan Modifications” the same color. Overall I would make the letters medium size so the words do not look like they are all crammed on the billboard and a small picture could maybe be added.

Clever Jewelry Company 9-5-09

I really like this billboard because I think it is simple and to the point. I think it is catchier with showing a picture of the earrings and then the benefit of kisses rather than the billboard just showing jewelry in general. I think this is humorous at the same time so it will catch attention by people because when I first saw this I chuckled. I like the red on the far edges of the billboard and I think it is just enough color and brings people’s eyes into the center of the advertisement. Also the size and type of font is easy to read except I think the address and name of the jewelry store should have a little bit bigger font. The kiss at the bottom of the billboard makes movement which makes the eye look at the name of the jewelry store and the address.

Chick-fil-a 9-5-09

I really like this billboard advertisement because I think it catches people attention since all the letters in the words are not there. I think when some letters are dropped in an ad or billboard it will catch people’s attention more because they notice there is something missing. I like the shapes of the letters because it looks like “chicken scratch” as some people call it which chicken is what the company is advertising. I like how the “Eat Mor Chickin” words looks like the paint is just drying and dripping down because the two cows look like they are just painting the letters on the billboard so it is a great idea. The one thing I do not like about the billboard is the all white space in background, but I think it makes the words stand out more so I dislike it and like it at the same time.