Blog #8 Critical Thinking

Gary Hustwit and Critical Thinking

After watching “Objectified” in class I had a very big interest in what Gary Hustwit had to say.  “Objectified” was so interesting and he showed a way of thinking that should be so very obvious but it is not.  Naoto Fukasawa talked about the cell phone he designed with many faces on it to appeal to human instinct to touch and play was very interesting to me. That same designer made the CD player that was just like a ceiling light. To turn it on, you must pull the string.  The everyday practices of many human beings is right under our noses, but what I found interesting is when I saw these two designs I thought to myself, “Wow, that is so amazing, I have never seen something like that before.”  The practices that are the most familiar to myself have always been there, but I have never seen a design so simple and modern that plays off of those practices.

Another interesting thought from “Objectified” was when Karin Rashind – the guy in the cool purple glasses and white suit was talking about making modern goods that can be mass produced. That kind of design can be so simple and what is considered “modern” is really the new, more efficient way of making goods.  The way he explains how his goal is to make physical objects of the “digital age” is very simple but makes perfect sense.  With technology only being innovated more every day or year, Rashind claims that we are not completely living in the correct generation or age.  The technological age that we live in should not include as Rashind says, “wood spindles and Wittongale like chairs.” In a nut shell, we as humans should be far beyond products such as wood desks and chairs and embracing the technology around us.

The critical thinking shown in the segment of “Objectified” where a marketing team was brainstorming ideas for a toothbrush was amazing.  Interpreting how the everyday consumer processes the design of a toothbrush never occurred to me until I watched this documentary.  When the team came up with the idea to put a wood handle on it to make it appeal to more “sophisticated” people or to make a consumer more comfortable is genius.  If I were to go into Target, for example, and walked past a toothbrush with a wood handle I know I would stop and at least look at it if not buy it because it is different. And the wood handle makes it have an older feel, I guess.  The genius wood handle on that toothbrush is exactly what Karin Rashind is talking about. Consumers will feel more “safe” and comfortable buying a product that is not necessarily cutting edge and new.

I took some time out of my busy finals schedule and watched “Helvetica” as well. Good choice. I liked it better than “Objectified.” Right off the bat the two documentaries were intertwined. I noticed in “Objectified,” when Target was mentioned to be a part of integrating design into their products every sign that they showed was in Helvetica type.  Helvetica is a typeface that I am familiar with.  In high school I was only allowed to use Helvetica type because my teachers claimed it was the easiest to read (even easier than Arial.)

I found it interesting that Helvetica was considered a typeface that “screamed modern,” as the documentary stated.  The “Swiss Style” era was something I was not familiar with but was obviously very important.  1957 brought the new and fresh typeface, Helvetica, to life.  I was surprised to see how much work went into designing, making, naming and selling a typeface.

Gary Hustwit has an amazing outlook on typeface and design.  His documentaries are easy to watch and have very interesting and fun characters.  I learned a lot from watching “Objectified” and “Helvetica.” One very important thing learned, I want to take part and work in a marketing firm such as the team that brainstormed the toothbrush with the wood handle.