Howard Smith Competition invites
Has anyone else received the A0 posters designed by Browns inviting you to submit entries to the Howard Smith design 2008 awards?
I received another this week... it is number 4 of 6 and seems to be the biggest waste of paper I have ever seen. I have no problems with A0 posters - but I just don't get the point of these invites.
It's a solid colour A0 poster, with a block of white out... would anyone put these things up? Can someone explain them to me? The last one was just yellow - rendering the type unreadable.
Because it has come from the Browns camp I feel there could be something hidden until I receive the 6th and final poster - but it will have to be something amazing to justify that amount of waste.
Any thoughts?
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posted by Matt Cooper
on 29 July 2008
less waste
The days of wasteful design are not coming to and end; they have long gone. Designers everywhere know they need to be mindful of these issues.
How best for the design industry to instigate change? Sort our own house first. Insular design competitions are bad enough, but when they show such poor awareness of the world you have to wonder if the people involved came up for air during the development of this work.
I feel sorry for the paper industry as a whole, their industry is in a very delicate position at the moment, as they look to the future its hard to imagine that someone along the line didn't question this project.
And sticking a Forestry Commission logo on it and using recycled paper isn't enough anymore.
posted by Mark Diggins
on 29 July 2008
Cont.
I think you're right. I am certainly keener with the sustainable ethos that is being adopted - like tree farming in theory.
It's not just designers. I think if there wasn't an issue with the environment a great deal of designers would enjoy using stocks that are better suited to their needs, or just incredible, than having to stick to what was acceptable. I remember pushing more environmental stocks on clients but I think it's actually the clients that are driving the demand for 'friendlier' papers now - however this is probably more down to public opinions influencing how the company wants to come across.
I'm still interested to know if anyone has any idea regarding the thoughts behind the awards invites - although Matt's comment has made me realise I'm not sure I actually care - I'm just thoroughly unimpressed with the amount of needless stock used here.
posted by Malcolm Garrett
on 30 July 2008
Sadly, I came to the realisation a long time ago ...
... that being a graphic designer often involves being a complicit contributor to the waste paper business.
This was one of the reasons I became more interested in screen-based media. I know that raises its own sustainability issues, but I found it hard to face the idea of continuing to generate more and more disposable paper products, so much excessive packaging for its own sake. So much space and so little type.
I baulk each weekend at the mountain of tiresome supplements and advertising inserts in every newspaper. If the idea is that you can get to just those sections you are interested in, why not buy them separately. Does anyone read every section?
I haven't seen the Brown's posters in question, but Mr Ellery, I suspect we'd be happier if you were seen to be behaving more responsibly. Come along now.
Er, how come we're talking so seriously about paper on a site dedicated to digital media? :-)
posted by Matt Cooper
on 31 July 2008
best place for it
well i'm glad the discussion is happening here and not in print. That would kind of defeat the purpose...
;)
posted by Mark Diggins
on 01 August 2008
Exactly!
Hah ha!