Studio Brief 01 - Final Crit

In the final crit, the design was evaluated against the key points and design problems which needed to be solved, within the brief from Penguin.


 - Have an imaginative concept and original interpretation of the brief

The concept is very different to previous covers and has taken a modern twist on the story which will appeal to a younger generation, in the 21st century. The idea of a search bar, telephone and the inclusion of technology, represents and brings the book back to the modern era well. Making Adrian relatable to children nowadays, rather than creating a nostalgic cover for an older age group, t is making the cover more suitable for older children who live in a different generation.

- Be competently executed with a strong use of typography

The typeface works well, as it contrasts again the digital concept of technology, it also keeps the idea of a diary, which is hand written, so therefore the concept isn't completely moving away from the contents and time period of the book. A different idea would be to change the typeface to a more digital font, which would represent a texting or computer typeface to continue the idea of taking a modern twist to the story.

- Appeal to a contemporary readership

The modern twist on the story makes it more contemporary and brings the book into the present day and making it relatable to today's generation. It was mentioned to change the colour of the background to make it more contemporary such as the colour purple, therefore it relates to the story more, but also it is quite a different colour to what is already on the shelves and to what has been used before, therefore making it both contemporary and innovative.

- Good understanding of the market place

People commented that it is different to what is out there, because the modern twist on technology steps away from all the many books with lined paper and illustrations for a diary style book. However at the same time it fits with the aesthetic of the previous winners, mainly illustrative with hints at scenes and objects that can be found within the story. If the colour was to change to purple as well, it would make it stand out from other books on the shelves, because most books in the same genre are standard colours of red and blue, therefore purple would act as a more contemporary take and make it stand out upon the shelves.

- Point of Difference

The illustrative style would fit alongside other books on the shelves, however the modern approach makes it innovative, and especially seem different to existing book covers for the same story, especially so straying away from the first ever cover designs, which would in no way appeal to young boys of this generation.

- Conclusion 

In conclusion what will be changed within the design is to change the colour to a lighter purple, as this will be less harsh and will also take a more contemporary and different approach to other covers, both previously done for the same story but also other covers within the same genre. Also the illustrations of the objects to fit with the modern twist, need to be made to relate to the new generation, such as the pens should be changed to a charger, to make the set up and contents of the cover and story more relatable to the younger audience of today.