7. Practises

Back to life. Where graphic design is not important. It just happens!

7.1 General questions

Where is the graphic design actually placed? [Where else?]
The poster was actually placed on Swinemünder Straße in Mitte. But since Daluma's store has 2 more branches in Berlin, beside the one in Mitte, I assume that it might be placed around Kudamm in the West.

Who passes by?
Swinemünder Straße, where I originally saw the poster, is a very quiet street. Yet, since the poster was placed right at a bus stop, there were all kinds of passersby. However, not every passerby was capable of seeing the poster as it was put on only one side of a panel facing the street and not the sidewalk. In fact, I saw the poster for the first time while I was on the 247 Nordbahnhof bus. I was just one person who observed this poster, but there are so many other people who might have, too; people of all ages, genders, races, professions, interests can be found in a bus.

Who owns the place?
The poster was placed on a public power box. It is a cabinet for electrical equipment, fixed in the street and responsible for controlling the electrical supply to a number of houses in a neighborhood. However, it does not belong to one person specifically.

Who put it there?
The poster was put there by the brand. Physically, of course, it was placed by a worker who either is part of the Daluma brand or a third-party source.

7.2 Observations

Field notes...

Summary of your observations!

7.3 Afterlife

Will the poster leave some trace, or will it be forgotten?

Looking back at my observations, let's closely examine the woman on the bus who took out her phone and clicked a photo, and imagine the afterlife of the poster. She takes this bus every morning to get to work. She stops at the bus station where the poster is placed. This is not her first time seeing this poster. She has seen it one time before and it caught her attention, maybe for a different reason than the advertised brand.

The statement "Leave Toxic Behind" has been on her mind for a while. This time she decides to take a picture. She might even post it on her Instagram. What is Daluma? She searches for it. Daluma is a skincare brand! She posts the picture and tags Daluma.

She goes through the brand's page on Instagram and decides to follow them. She might even buy some skincare products from there. It's easier to buy online through the website. She notices that one store branch is in Mitte, at Weinbergsweg 3, which is exactly 8 minutes away from her house. Maybe she could visit.

Her poster is getting a lot of likes on Instagram. Daluma decides to repost her post. She is even more motivated to visit the store now. She goes to the store, decides to buy the Green Coffee Enzyme Cleanser and the Prebiotic Purifying Serum. Through talking to the staff, she also learns that the “Leave Toxic Behind” is a campaign for an 8-week skincare program with participants. She really wanted to take part in it, but it has already started.

She finds some postcards with the same poster design, in addition to other posters from the campaign, lying down on a table inside the store. She asks if she can have one. She takes one home; the same one she posted on her Instagram. She tapes it on a wall, next to other postcards, concert tickets, and letters.