Summary Of Campbell's Argument

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The shortcomings of Campbell’s argument are built upon his word use and the relative definitions or insufficient descriptions he includes when referencing certain words. That’s not to say he’s clueless within his graphic design subject field, but the opposite; his expertise is likely the reason that he leaves out the details. For example, Campbell says, “Ornamental details serve only to hasten the day upon which a design will become obsolete. True artistry lies in using timeless shapes and simplicity to create designs that never go out of style.” To give him credit, the definition of ornamental is pretty apparent, and a few lines earlier he explains what it means within the graphic design context, but there are other words within those sentences …show more content…

As of recent years, roughly 2012 and onward, drop shadows, bevels, and other dimension-implied design techniques have been exchanged for flat, smooth, simplistic styles. Companies at the top of the advertising market have made the switch, including Netflix, Google, eBay, Yahoo, Hershey’s, and so on (Cass). Take the Pepsi logo for example; it practically proves that history repeats itself. It’s clear that in 1898 the design was much more complex and ornamental, over time dropping the details until 1940. Then, in 1950, Pepsi adopted the complexity of a storytelling logo, incorporating the pop cap as somewhat of product description, and on with the embellishing and then simplifying pattern (“Pepsi”). The US National Soccer Team, in addition to Chevrolet and other companies, has followed a similar pattern in not only logo development, but stylistic graphic decisions as well. More so, minimalism is a trend that falls into the timeless category, and Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “a style or technique (as in music, literature, or design) that is characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity,” noting its first known use in 1927, and popularity growth in the 1950s (as evident in the Pepsi design timeline). This solidifies the statement that simplistic design is not timeless, rather the opposite, it showcases the era that it was designed for. Could one not argue, based on Pepsi’s logo in 2003, that flat designs were likely obsolete at that time as well? Design obsoletism works both ways, because it’s a trend, and minimalism, otherwise referred to as simplicity or timelessness, most definitely

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