Minimalism

Among the countless variety of design trends and stylistic phenomenas that have populated the world of communication, minimalism is a primary example of one that has benefited the artistic culture from as early as the 1920’s up until the present day. Minimalism has improved the presentation of not only web design, and advertisement campaigns, but it has also universally enhanced modern day art, music, poetry, literature, and even architecture. Establishing its underlying principle on the concept, “Less is more”, (Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-19690), minimalism’s ultimate function is to deliver a meaningful idea or message using as little detail, design, or words as possible. Minimalism is not only an efficient, but an interesting communication phenomenon due to its historical development in artistic culture, its fundamental purpose as an advertising technique, and the lasting effect it has had on its viewers.

One of the most impressive characteristics of minimalism, is the process of its establishment as a legitimate style of creative movement in the artistic world. Prior to the 19th century, household items, tools and artifacts were produced in factories and exhibited a lifeless, utilitarian design. These products lacked character and were made as inexpensively as possible simply to keep the prices of the goods down. As a result, consumers were buying commonplace, and invaluable belongings. To separate themselves from the poor, the wealthy began to boycott the lifeless materials, for they believed they were entitled to more upscale and extravagant products. This new way of thinking gave birth to “The Arts and Crafts” period, from 1860 to 1910. However, some regarded these new designs as frivolous and gaudy. They wondered why they couldn’t design simple materials that were charming as well. Thus, the “Bauhaus movement” was popularized as a direct response. The Bauhaus movement was conceived in “Das Staatliche Bauhaus”, a school of design in Germany founded by Walter Gropius from 1919 to 1933. Their ideas regarding design are the foundation of how minimalism is fabricated today. By reaching deep to grasp the bare element of the subject, Bauhaus, as well as minimalism, maintains its reputation by illustrating simplicity while still achieving an atmosphere of sophistication. The artwork says a lot, without really saying much at all. This new and unique concept is a major contributor to its underlying function as an advertising device. The principal objective of minimalism by means of an approach to advertising is to refrain from pulling attention in many directions of the artwork. Unlike other stylistic movements, minimalism pulls attention to a focus element, and does so by using the least amount of technicalities possible. Eric Dontigney of the Houston Chronicle says, “A lone sound captures attention. Stack enough sounds together and they cease to provide meaning, instead functioning only as noise.” For example, minimalistic advertisements generally utilize no more than three colors in their ad campaigns. In doing so, it decreases the potential to appear overloaded, and also delivers a modern and trendy approach to the design. Often the background of the ad is barren, while there is one focal image in the center of the picture. This focal image is generally suggestive, in that it poses an aggressive statement or question regarding the matter brought to the viewer’s attention. For example, JWT ad agency in Singapore, created a minimalistic advertisement for the World Wildlife Fund in 2009. They depicted a “tic-tac-toe” game in the center of the back drop with images of crocodiles as the “x”’s, and images of purses as the “o”’s. Obviously the campaign was meant to raise awareness for endangered species, by personifying crocodiles and purses as “tic-tac-toe” players, and leaving it open to the interpretation of the viewer to decide who will win. Minimalism as a stylistic choice for this specific advertisement greatly enhanced the message that the company was trying to convey, by giving the viewers just enough information- a black “tac-tac-toe” game with some brackets filled with crocodiles, and others with purses. This image was depicted on a white background, and lacked the appearance of text, but for a reason. To contextualize the situation surrounding endangered animals, and allowing the viewer to be the one to kill them off, or allow them to survive. Not only is this a provocative message, but it is a memorable one; for presenting such a heavy issue, by using such light visual elements. It is because these advertisements are easily attained and remembered, that they are deemed successful advertisements by viewers. The ability for minimalism to strike a nerve in the minds of viewers, and be remembered, is an immediate reason for its lasting effects on its onlookers. The successful feedback that advertising companies are anxious to achieve is predominantly dependent on the viewer. In other words, how well the viewer receives the ad, determines how well the ad does. Minimalism is generally received well by viewers, due to the lack of colors, text, and overwhelming details, which ultimately demonstrates a chicness and simplicity. The directness of the focal point of the design interpellates the viewer; grabbing, as well as holding their attention. Its audience will normally spend some time absorbing the message and interpreting the idea that is being relayed, for most of the time it is not immediately clear what the image is attempting to portray. The viewer has to interpret the image and apply it to the context in their own way, due to of the lack of details that would normally make the message obvious in a regular ad. Now, because the viewer is the one in the position to interpret the ad, they are responsible for determining the meaning of the ad. For example, if you looked at the World Wildlife Fund ad, and didn’t realize that the creator was sending a message by leaving an open bracket in the tic tac toe game (telling its viewers that we are responsible for the life or death of endangered species), then the meaning of the ad is misinterpreted, and more likely to be forgotten. However, when viewers do understand the message, it is difficult not to admire the ad for its ability to send such a solid message, when it didn’t blatantly illustrate that message for us. Therefore, the most interesting concept of minimalism in advertising is the ability for ads to omit the underlying message in their artwork, and still execute the concept, by leaving it up to the viewers to determine. For this reason, the ad is easily remembered, and has a lasting effect on its viewers. It is safe to assume that minimalism, like all styles in artistic culture, will eventually lose interest from the public, and another style will rise in popularity to take its place. However, the evidence supported in the past of its tendency to reacquaint itself with creative practices such as sculpture, painting, web design, and architecture, and the wide success it has received as a means for advertising, suggests that minimalism will never be forgotten. The historical development of minimalism in artistic culture, its fundamental purpose as an advertising technique, and the lasting affect it has had on its viewers, proves it to be not only an efficient, but an interesting phenomenon in the world of communication.