The following advertisement for the University of Stellenbosch appeared in a special supplement to Die Burger on “The First South African in Space”. Read it carefully and look at the layout, typography and graphics, then follow the instructions below.
Translate the heading (one could also call it a slogan): “ONS NEEM KENNIS DIE RUIMTE IN” and at least two of the other sentences into English.
Discuss both the appearance (graphics and lay-out) and the copy (wording or text) with your classmates (in groups). Say as much as you can about the effectiveness of the advertisement (e.g. would it inspire you to become a student at the university?) and explain why it is (or isn’t) effective.
Comment on the logo of the University of Stellenbosch. Do you find it effective? Do you know why there is a leaf in it?
Form a group of 4 or 5 learners. Imagine that you are on the staff of an advertising agency and you have to design an advertisement for Sunrise College, a music school in Cape Town. Plan the advertisement, which is aimed at recruiting new students. You must think of the copy (which will be written by the copywriter), the layout, graphics and typography. Make a design, which you will have to submit to the prospective client (Sunrise College). Remember that you will make lots of money if the design is accepted, so it must be very good.
You have all probably seen the
Hip2b² logo used by the Shuttleworth Foundation. In the supplement mentioned previously (the one in which the US advertisement appeared) this logo is printed in bold red type, with the following text below it:
A formula for success. Maths + Science lead to a future with infinite possibilities. Learn it. Let it multiply. Divide it. Just don’t ignore it.
Why has the + sign been used, and not the word “and”? What do you think of the use of the words “multiply” and “divide” in the copy?
There is some very clever word-play in the Hip2b
2 logo. The slang expressions “hip” and “square”, which are normally antonyms (words having opposite meanings) are used. Find out what these words mean.
“Hip” means ________
“Square” means________
Why is it clever to call it “a
formula for success”?
It is clever because ________
What is the meaning of “infinite”, and why is it a clever word to use in this context?
It means ___________and it is a good choice, because ____________ .
What is the aim of the Shuttleworth Foundation?
Its aim is to _______________
LO 1.4
LO 2.1
LO 2.2
LO 4.5
LO 5.2
LO 6.8
Although the Shuttleworth experience gripped the imagination of practically the whole South African nation, there were people who felt that spending so much money on an “outing” into space was not morally justified while there was so much poverty in our country. “What about all the homeless people and orphans, the sick, elderly and unemployed?” they asked. “Why doesn’t Shuttleworth contribute to making life easier for them, instead of wasting it in this way?”
Other people said that one should look at the “bigger picture”. That means that one should try to find broader meaning; some kind of “long-term investment” stemming from his actions.
