I searched the internet using Google, and eventually Tin Eye, and found that it was a promotion for a software-writing company. And the thing that wasn't a dress was -- a superhero cape. And there is even itwasneveradress.com website. It's all in the cause of promoting women as superhero software programmers. Or something. And that's cool.
But I think the poster could use some improvement so it's a little more clear in its message.
Here's my redo.
I did a couple specific changes for clarity. First -- bigger scoop on the neckline so the top of the cape is more visible. And then I made the superhero outfit more obvious -- adding full-body spandex with a logo on the chest. Plus boots and pants. Now there is a superhero outfit.
Then I thought perhaps the cape isn't emphasized enough with the colorful outfit -- so I made one with the colors muted.
Now it's obvious enough so that even I get it.
Update: Jake Seamans, in a comment, pointed out something: "What about getting rid of the 'It's a cape' line in your redesign? It seems to have more impact when you leave that line out and let the audience fill in the rest themselves."
Jake, I agree. I was over-explaining with that added line of text. Here's the reworked design minus the extra text and plus the company tagline.
Update #2: Changed the headline from "It was never a cape" (which doesn't make sense).
Update: Jake Seamans, in a comment, pointed out something: "What about getting rid of the 'It's a cape' line in your redesign? It seems to have more impact when you leave that line out and let the audience fill in the rest themselves."
Jake, I agree. I was over-explaining with that added line of text. Here's the reworked design minus the extra text and plus the company tagline.
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4 comments:
What about getting rid of the "It's a cape" line in your redesign? It seems to have more impact when you leave that line out and let the audience fill in the rest themselves.
Overall, I like your redesign. The original looks like she has a cape but no pants ...
Jake, thanks for the comment! You are right. The "It's a cape" line doesn't help. I thought it was funny, but I started out trying to improve the design, not make fun of it. So when I took a turn into "trying to be funny" territory, it didn't work. I've updated the post with a new image.
You're good, real good... YOU need a cape!
Hi David,
You spent significant time on thinking about this and how to improve it / make it clearer. A couple of gentle suggestions.
1. Please go back to the site of origin. "It's all in the cause of promoting women as superhero software programmers. Or something." indicates that you missed important aspects of the intent.
2. #1 is probably why your sincere effort to "improve the design" actually changed the design instead. The core idea is that the past tight associations with females (e.g. dresses, etc) are constraining and disempowering. The original design shows a figure that is recognizably a woman with a superhero cape, a woman dressed in a way that could apply to almost any woman, but fully aware of her power and recognizably ultra-capable (no pun intended). Your changes made the superhero part of that identity much clearer and explicit, but broke from the communication intent in two ways: Body shape and clothing
Typical female superhero proportions and costumes have almost always been "idealized" and sexualized. Your changes clearly did not go to an extreme in these ways, but they definitely moved in that direction. I hope you can see that encouraging women to deploy their talents fully and confidently requires that they not feel compelled to look a certain way first. Communication is effective when people can see themselves in what you are communicating. In this case, for the true, broad purpose of the graphic, the original design may require people to think a bit about what it is saying, but it speaks to many women regardless of age or body type.
I hope you will receive these comments in the spirit in which they are offered.
Be well.
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