Info Zombies
stuart May 15th, 2009
In this blog, we’ve discussed the idea of the ‘rhetoric of neutrality’ before. Now it’s time to look at one of things that rhetoric was not really designed for: humour. While the research going on at this blog has been exploring the special powers of information graphics, it has been informing some of the teaching we do in our day jobs. At ECU we run a vector illustration class with a focus on information design. The image shown here is from one of our students, Mr Scott Malcolm. This is his response to a brief which asked students to map out graphically something they feel strongly about. Most students choose to look at environmental and/or social/health concerns. Such concern for others is heartening to see, of course, and, in fact the reason for our research. Every now and then though, as in Mr Malcolm’s submission, the content breaks the mould and helps to highlight the fact that this form of graphic design is almost exclusively devoted to serious subject matter. We’re intested in these unusual approaches to the form, not just for a good time, but because our research has at its foundation the idea of accessibility. Humour can slip under the guard of many stony-faced conventions to subvert messages and to help make for memorable communication.
Can you help us think of some serious topics that might benefit from this ironic use of information design?
Tags: Humour, information design, rhetoric of neutrality, student work, Zombies
May 21st, 2009 at 1:02 am
How about ‘How to survive Perth Traffic’
Characterize each style of idiotic driver in Perth with favorites like ‘The Suicidal Merger’ and the ‘Must Stop Immediately on Amber’…
May 21st, 2009 at 1:17 am
Hey great design, love the use of minimal colours, the subtle grays and red will always work together.. oh and zombies are always a winner.. i just watched zombi 2 (aka zombie flesh eaters) it is amazing.. everything you want form a 70’s exploitation movie.
Anyways … off the top of my head, Swine Flu, of coarse this is mainly because of the ridiculous name it was given when it first broke, implies any human who catches this virus will become ‘pig like’.. maybe the process of this.
May 21st, 2009 at 10:10 pm
This is great, would work fantastic as a A7 booklet. For accessibility reasons, humour breaks the ice and any social barriers. Jarrad the surviving Perth traffic is a great idea, I could imagine those names attached to wrestlers.
June 9th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Great work, but the question might be how far can you push the idea of the ‘authentic’, ‘the real’. If this was placed on billboards, bus stops and train stations, would some Perthites believe it. I know it is rather a large jump from “the war on terror” to “zombies”, but remember the panic that took over post Sep 11, and as Vaughn says our current fear of swine flu. This could be a fantastic piece of locative media, seeking out spaces that may have most problems with such work. I know I am being a bit over the top, but at what point does information stop being believable and move into humour or parody?
June 9th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Actually Uriah’s post on Suburbia fits really well with designating spaces for such locative media work that pushes the limit of believability to a suburban audience.
June 14th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
I think a symbolic form of some sort that is present on every posting with short ironic statements is punchier than comic style irony that references many other cultural styles. I guess it is relates to some of the ideas that interest me but I think the words that are used by politicians and social commentators, when exposed in a different context, are silly or worrying enough to create humour.
June 15th, 2009 at 5:31 am
See the only problem is, there just aren’t enough guns lying around in this country. Because if there ever is a evil virus or ridiculously spooky chain of events that causes people to turn into mindless flesh eating zombies, we cant really shoot at them. And throwing phones only works if your an actor. and even then its effectiveness may be questionable.
Perhaps this has already been thought about in the war room and mapped out on the ‘big board’? hmmm
Sarcastic satire of satire would be interesting. But would that just cancel itself out?
June 15th, 2009 at 9:46 am
This was made by the guy i sit next to in that vector class. Makes me want to give up. I cannot compete with that.
June 24th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
I would say that humour is integral in the success of mass communication. Irony and satire have been staple methods of political commentary throughout history, from Honore Daumier to Larry Flint, to Adbusters and Banksy.
I feel the use of humour presents a far more engaging communications interface with the audience, allowing the communicator to play a dual role of both informer and entertainer.
I would suggest that any serious commentary, especially those that tend towards the intellectually dry could be improved and be made more effective through the use of humour.
for instance humour would certainly improve Tax return guides, Electronic device instruction manuals, Arrest warrants….