ILL301.2 Photography Within Editorial Design (REDO)
Project Brief
The primary objective of this online initiative and accompanying poster is to raise awareness and provide education on the
topic of online scamming. The intention is to enhance individuals' awareness and vigilance regarding potential cyber scams.
The deliverables for this project include a poster, an animated WeTransfer background, and a third deliverable of our choice,
all aimed at effectively communicating the campaign's message about cyber scamming. As a part of the campaign
requirements, the task is to provide one portrait photo and one object photo to complement the overall awareness initiative.
Project Deliverables
Design Strategy
The campaign’s main goal is to inform and alert online shoppers to the prevalence and effects of phoney reviews on their purchasing behaviour. Consumers that shop online and primarily rely on online reviews are the campaign’s target market.
Tech-savvy people who frequently shop online fall into this category. However, they might not be aware of the extent to
which phoney reviews are present across different e-commerce platforms.
Redo
The project's revamp involved re-editing and rendering the campaign poster, further enhancing the 3rd deliverable. For this deliverable, these elements are integrated to convey a unified message to consumers, displayed on a digital board in a public space.
Research
Research indicates that online scams through fake reviews are a pervasive issue, particularly affecting the fashion and online retail industries. Numerous studies highlight the prevalence of deceptive reviews, with consumers heavily relying on online feedback for purchasing decisions. The impact on consumer trust is significant, as fake reviews can mislead buyers, influencing choices based on false information. E-commerce platforms, both major and niche, face challenges in combating this problem due to the subjective nature of fashion products. Motivations behind generating fake reviews vary, ranging from boosting sales to damaging competitors. Detection of fake reviews poses a challenge, leading to the implementation of automated tools, machine learning, and manual moderation by online platforms.
Governments and regulatory bodies have initiated legal actions against deceptive businesses, while consumer protection organizations work to raise awareness and provide guidelines for identification. Ongoing research explores technological solutions, such as sentiment analysis and blockchain, to address the evolving landscape of fake reviews.
For the latest and most specific information, it's recommended to consult recent research publications and industry reports.
Initial Moodboard and Direction
What consumers see online VS what they get in reality.
Appears "too perfect" on websites.
Colour Palette
Colour scheme emphasises the dullness.
Typography
Concept
By using fake reviews, consumers are tricked into believing a product or service is better than it actually is. These reviews can be found on a number of platforms, including social media, review sites, and e-commerce websites. Bots or for-profit review services may create them, or they may be written by people who have never utilised the product or service. However, some false reviews might be more complex and challenging to discern because they utilise general language or are overly positive. This campaign tries to raise awareness about potential frauds by focusing on online scams through fake reviews. The campaign depicts the viewer’s expectations when using online reviews and making purchases. This is represented by metaphorical imagery by showing the viewer’s expectation versus the reality of what they receive.
Poster
The poster portrays a displeased female subject, who is visibly infuriated by the clothing she is wearing, which is not what she expected when ordering online. Her defensive posture, arms crossed, conveys her strong negative emotion towards the viewer, causing a sense of discomfort.
The black and white colour scheme emphasises the dullness of the moment, conveying an overall negative tone.
Additionally, the grain effect applied to the image represents the rough time the subject is experiencing.
Annotations are used to highlight the issues present in the scenario, particularly the phrase “But the reviews were good,” indicating the subject’s trust in online reviews which ultimately led to her disappointment. The message conveyed through the poster is to not rely solely on online reviews as they may be unreliable or fake.
Typographical hierarchy and grammar are fixed in the redo of the project.
WeTransfer
This deliverable effectively portrays the contrast between expectation and reality by showcasing an attractive piece of underwear alongside an unappealing one. Annotations and text such as “The Review” and “What we get” reinforce the idea that when ordering items online, there is often a disparity between what is expected and what is received.
The window message serves as a call to action for viewers and consumers to remain vigilant and aware of potential scams related to fake reviews, urging them to take appropriate action if they encounter any fraudulent activity. It emphasises that consumers should stop relying solely on online reviews and instead exercise caution and skepticism to avoid falling prey to fraudulent practices.
Third Deliverable
Digital Board
The third deliverable is a compilation of a digital board, and an online review written by the subject introduced in the poster.
The third deliverable is a digital board and an online review from the poster's subject. The board illustrates the online shopping process with a Recaptcha page highlighting potential defects of orders and clothing orders. This visual metaphor emphasises that consumers are aware of risks yet proceed with purchases.
The review, distinct as the sole negative one among many positives, is from an unverified shopper, expressing her thoughts and frustrations and implying her reliance on reviews for a first-time purchase. Irony surfaces as she advises others not to trust reviews, urging them to heed her warning instead.
The review is then featured on a newsworthy and trustworthy blog website that usually people would take serious and avoid getting scams. Again, the irony is that consumers prefer to rely on what they think is real.
