It's time to contemplate

Describe your idea and concept of your work in relation to the festival outlines:

“IT’S TIME TO CONTEMPLATE” is a multimedia campaign that poses contrasting quotes to invoke personal contemplation on the intimate role screen culture plays in our day-to-day lives. Intimate consumption of the internet highlights a strong disconnect between private and public spheres. The campaign is not about reducing screen time, but rather putting it into context with the important things in life through inner dialogue.

What kind of communication approach do you use?

The campaign uses an introspective approach to communication. The campaign aims to encourage the most overlooked form of dialogue- inner dialogue. Using a tongue in cheek approach, the campaign contrasts two quotes; a philosophical quote about life, and a modern day internet-centric re-adjustment of that very same quote. These small changes produce a confronting juxtaposition that starts a process of introspection concerning the intimate relationship one has with the online sphere. The tagline “If you don’t get it…you might as well end it. It’s time to contemplate” uses shock value and ambiguity to drive the viewer to actively seek meaning in the campaign. The tagline challenges the viewer’s intelligence and comprehension by asking them to “get it”. Failure to do so offers a confusing outcome as the viewer is told to “end it” – end what? Their online life? Their Internet obsession? Their real life? The viewer is driven to introspection as they are called upon to contemplate the questions raised above and are encouraged to respond online through the hashtag igetit.

What are in your opinion concrete benefits to the society because of your communication?

The campaign is targeted at teenagers and young adults aged 15-25. Through the increased introspection instigated by this campaign, society will benefit from a more focused collective of today’s youth – the future leaders of tomorrow. The young target audience will be able to engage in life in a more meaningful way that will greatly enhance their contributions to society. The increased perspective will help the youth and young adults to take a step back from their intimate online behaviours and attitudes in favour for engaging with their local public sphere.

What did you personally learn from creating your submitted work?

Through the creation of my work I gained insight into my personal intimate relationship with screen culture. I have been able to learn from the campaign I have produced and step back from the online sphere. I became aware of the disconnect between our perceived private and public spheres. For example; though facebook is seen to reside in the private sphere, it is very much in the public sphere due to its transparency and our willingness to share intimate moments with people we possibly haven’t spoken to for years. It has made me review what I perceive as ‘public’ and ’private’ and how I engage in dialogue with each sphere. I have also benefited from gaining perspective on the role the internet plays in my life and how I gain meaning and purpose from the dialogue around me.

Why is your work, GOOD communication WORK?

My work is good design work as it uses creative undertones of wit and satire in conjunction with edgy design to effectively communicate my strongly resonating intended message through sock value. My campaign combines two very different ideas to produce meaning and innovation. I feel that this is the purpose of advertising design – to communicate with intent in a meaningful and memorable way that elicits and emotional response.

Where and how do you intent do implement your work?

The campaign is intended to be implemented in the public sphere: as posters in tram shelters, cafes, outside building, and online as twitter responses and social media sharable images.

Did your intervention had an effect on other Media. If yes, describe the effect? (Has other media reported on it- how? Were you able to change other media with your work- how?)

Not yet.