Research
Happy Jackson
Products: Happy Jackson are renown for their bright colours, bold patterns and playful words that brighten up every-day items and objects. have been imprinted onto the widest range of products imaginable.
Range: They have produced baby clothes, kitchenware, stationary, party packs, the list is almost endless due to the success of their light-hearted tongue and cheek charm that is created through their jovial approach to the mass market.
Distribution: Happy Jackson has an online store, as well as being available in retailers such as John Lewis, Selfridges, ASOS, Amazon, Urban Outfitters etc.
The Sad Ghost Club
Products: The Sad Ghost Club is a project which aims to spread positivity and awareness about mental health through illustrated comics and merchandise.
I admire the Sad Ghost Club SO MUCH, their ethos is amazing and really considers the fragility of the mind and how we can help to understand and cope with issues that aren't talked about as much as they should be.
Range: Their zines and comic books use beautifully honest and gentle language through the narrative of the adorable ghost characters that are experiencing difficult situations in life. This is applied to products such as bags, clothing, hats, badges, activity books, postcards etc.
Distribution: The Sad Ghost Club mostly trade within their online shop, but as well they visit print fairs, comic book fairs such as Thought Bubble and also run workshops!
Pocket Sized Books
Products: Books filled with quotations/poetry/instructions are generally language based usually come in smaller sizes such as A5, A6 and A7, in accordance with their 'pocket sized-little reminders' function. They purpose is to inspire, uplift and entertain readers in short bursts so they feel like they are not having to take the time out to read pages of a long-winded novel as such.
Range: The range is endless, there are books that exist in almost every category imaginable for instance 'the little book of gardening', or 'the little book of cooking/yoga/tennis/chocolate eating etc etc. The books that I am interested in however are those that focus on the individual bearing positive quotes and pointers on how the reader can make small, positive changes to their daily routines.
Distribution: Such books are available in higher end newsagents such as WH Smith, and book stores like Waterstones, online shops, art gallery shops, and similar retailers to the placed that Happy Jackson products are distributed.
Activity Books
Products: As we are becoming increasingly aware of how 'anxiety-ridden' our society is, more and more publishers, authors, illustrators and other creatives are producing activity books for adults and teenagers as an escape and stress-reliever from the stress of reality.
Range: Activity books come in many forms, the most popular currently being colouring books for adults and creative instructive/destructive books such as the 'wreck this journal' series by Keri Smith. Also, books that possess an element of sentiment or act as a 'creative time-capsule' are proving to be successful such as 'letters to my future self', and various milestone scrapbooks that can be documented through any relationship or experience.
Distribution: Almost every store that sells books, magazines and newspapers seems to have jumped on the 'colouring book bandwagon', as they seem to be in almost every shop under the sun, including super markets, department stores, independent stores, online stores etc.
Questionnaire
I constructed a quick questionnaire before the Easter break to help me shape my research into ideas for visual aid products aiming to de-stress and relax students and young adults, although my peers have some pretty weird ways of de-stressing...Nevertheless, I could potentially take some of these suggestions and use them in more elaborate areas?!
Plan of Action
- Figure out what kind of products I want to produce
- How will they be packaged?
- Who will sell them?
- What kind of aesthetic do I desire, and what kind of visuals and language will help me communicate in the strongest ways with my target audience?
- Bring these ideas to the post-Easter crit
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