HCC2 Label Swap Assignment
This was an assignment as part of our Year Two History/Culture/Context paper with a focus on semiotics. The task was to "choose two totally different products (like soup and cleaning fluid) ... and exchange the signifiers of the two labels, such that the label of Product 1 now has the expressive qualities (signifiers like typeface, colours, etc.) of Product 2, and Product 2 the non-verbal signifiers of Product 1. The verbal signifiers (words) on each label must remain and only their form (look & feel) must be altered."
The first two images are the original products - a 20 pack of Durex Classic regular condoms and a 12 can pack of Coca-Cola. The next two are the products I created through swapping the labels.
Reflective Practice
The original design for the Durex packet does not seem to be specifically aimed at the expected target market of late teens to later 20s or even 30s. However the signifiers of the design do show a desire to be seen as clean, safe, healthy and dependable - all qualities you would expect of a condom brand. Transferring this design to the Coca-Cola box means that it no longer appears to target a younger, energetic group of people as it did originally. In fact the swapping of the design makes the 12 pack of Coca-Cola appear like something not necessarily drinkable, such as a fragrance or cologne.
On the other hand transferring the Coca-Cola design to the Durex packet creates a strong suggestion of a young and vibrate target market in a much more energetic manner than before. It no longer has a focus on appearing as a health product but becomes much more about the appeal of the brand itself. The original Coca-Cola design has a significant focus on the name itself, ‘Coca-Cola’ being the dominant aspect of every panel of the packaging. This component of the Coca-Cola design on the Durex packaging severely takes away from the original clean and safe appearance.
On the other hand transferring the Coca-Cola design to the Durex packet creates a strong suggestion of a young and vibrate target market in a much more energetic manner than before. It no longer has a focus on appearing as a health product but becomes much more about the appeal of the brand itself. The original Coca-Cola design has a significant focus on the name itself, ‘Coca-Cola’ being the dominant aspect of every panel of the packaging. This component of the Coca-Cola design on the Durex packaging severely takes away from the original clean and safe appearance.
