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RESEARCH

Typography

When determining which fonts to select for Greener Day Toys, it was noted that they needed to embrace the company’s personality; and have a sense of fun and nostalgia. So, for the header and body, a serif font was selected to give that timeless and traditional feel (Lashand, 2023). The fonts chosen are TT Rationale regular for the body and TT Rationale bold for the heading. These fonts are clear and easy to read, which will benefit the older target audience. For the accent font, a decorative font is used to create personality and help distinguish the brand from others (Lashand, 2023). The decorative font chosen is Super Dream for its bubbliness and soft edges. Being that Greener Day Toys is an online business the typography chosen needs to have an impact on the consumer so it is rememberable (Carton, 2023).

Color Palette

The color palette was chosen to be consistent with Greener Day Toys environmental stance and the nurturing nature it embodies. The two primary colors chosen were green and brown. Green symbolizes nature, growth, and renewal like the green leaves on top of a tree while brown symbolizes earthiness, dependability, and steadfastness like the trunk of a tree (Chapman, 2010). The green color of the leaves may stimulate the pituitary gland placing the consumer’s muscles in a relaxed state (Smith, n.d.). Olesens (2022) states that the effects of the color green may have on a person is to relax, encourage, and balance while encouraging hope, generosity, luck, and prosperity. He goes on to say that brown can simplify, protect, and ground while creating support, wisdom, and appreciation. The secondary colors are blue, yellow, and beige. Olesen describes how blue symbolizes security, trust, and loyalty with the positive effects it can instill are confidence, peace, honesty, and reliability while being supportive, calming and relaxing. He then remarks that yellow symbolizes happiness, intelligence, and positivity and can have a positive effect on people by amusing, energizing, and inspiring; it may also encourage creativity, mentality, and warmth. The last color is beige, which Olesen explais symbolizes tranquility, comfort and simplicity that can sooth, relax and inspire people while being inviting, warm, and calming. All of these colors are found in nature and represent what Greener Day Toys stands for: earth-friendly, imaginative, growing, educating, nurturing and sustainable.

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Imagery
Symbolism

By using images in Greener Day Toys advertising there is a better chance of catching a consumer’s attention. With the thousands of advertisements that a person may see in a day, it is crucial to catch a consumer's attention quickly, and an image can do that. The images used by Greener Day Toys are that of children enjoying themselves playing with wooden toys, a parent interacting with a child and toys, and of nature that the company is trying to preserve. It is essential that the images used tell a tale, creates a call to action, brings on emotions, and connects with the consumer (Gratzer, 2021). This is why the images used focus on the connections the toys can bring between two people or the smiles when a child is playing alone. A picture of the product is what will make the sale.

The logo created for Greener Day Toys embodies the company's values. Starting in the center, the tree symbolizes a growing child reaching for the sky.  A tree symbolizes personal growth and development and a person’s constant strive to go upwards (Top 23, 2022). The next part of the logo is a circle representing the parent encircling the child with love, security, and warmth. The first design had a square instead of a circle. Research shows that squares are rigid and represent order (Bradley, 2022).

The final part of the logo is the company name, adding that extra level to encourage the child’s growth. Although not part of the logo, a vector image of a wooden duck pull toy is used throughout the playbook and other items acting as a mascot for the company. At first the object was originally created as a toy pull car. A horse was considered to replace the car, but the horse’s symbolism (determination, endurance, majesty, and spirit) did not align with Greener Day Toys values (Stanton, 2023). To keep with the company's nurturing nature, the car was changed to a family of ducks. Ducks were chosen over other animals because a mother duck symbolizes trust and nurture, she will care and bond with her ducklings until they can go on their own (American, 2022).

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References

American Tarantula & Animals. (2022, September 13). Duck symbolism: 17 spiritual meanings of duck.     

      https://www.atshq.org/duck-symbolism/

Bradley, S. (2022, November 4). The meaning of shapes: Developing visual grammar. Vanseo Design.

      https://vanseodesign.com/web-design/visual-grammar-shapes/

Carton, A. (2023, January 30). What is typography? why is it important for graphic designers?. Designhill.

     https://www.designhill.com/design-blog/what-is-typography-why-is-it-important-for-graphic-designers

 

Chapman, C. (2010, January 28). Color theory for designers, part 1: The meaning of color. Smashing Magazine.

     https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/01/color-theory-for-designers-part-1-the-meaning-of-color/

Gratzer, C. (2021, December 11). How to choose the best images for your design projects: Design domination. Creative Boost.

     https://creative-boost.com/how-to-choose-the-best-images-for-your-design-projects/

Lashand, A. (2023, May 22). Font types: What these 4 say about your brand. HubSpot Blog.

     https://blog.hubspot.com/website/font-types

Olesen, J. (2022, May 10). Color symbolism chart with 40 color meanings (infographic). Color Meanings. https://www.color-

     meanings.com/color-symbolism-chart/

Smith, K. (n.d.). Finally, color explained by an expert in a way that everyone can understand. Sensational Color.

     https://www.sensationalcolor.com/meaning-of-green/

Stanton, K. (2023, January 28). Horse symbolism and meaning and the horse spirit animal. UniGuide. https://www.uniguide.com/horse-meaning-symbolism-spirit-animal-guide

Top 23 symbols of growth with meanings. Give Me History. (2022, August 9). https://www.givemehistory.com/symbols-of-

     growth

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