Spatial Experience: Finding the "3 P's" at the KC Auto show

BACKGROUND:

There are three principle modes or “uses of language”: the practical, the poetic, and the persuasive (or the three p’s).

Practical communicates information, Poetic communicates experience through the senses, and Persuasive communicates with encouragement or persuasion.

Our assignment was to go to the Kansas City Auto Show downtown at Bartle Hall and collect photographs of the exhibit that exemplified these three modes of communication.

PRACTICAL

This signage was found when I first walked into Bartle Hall and it helped guide me to the location of the auto show. It is intended for clarity and is purely informational.

This signage was next to a Toyota vehicle and is practical in its layout, which isn't really inspired by the content but rather offers a clear and descriptive summary of the car's information.

POETIC

This is an example of poetic signage that invites the viewer to participate in the content by walking around the cylindrical design to see the possibilities of paint colors that are available. It enriches the experience through its form, while also being informative.

This is rainbow archway is an example of poetic communication because it invites the viewers into the specific exhibit by means of evoking emotion through color and form. It creates a friendly mood and offers multiple reads or possible interpretations.

PERSUASIVE

This signage is clearly persuasive, compared to being solely practical or informative. It does provide the viewer with information about the truck being shown, but it does it in a singular point-of-view. It is subjective and throws facts in your face while boasting about the truck's features. The texture, color and masculinity of its design also speak in a reassuring manner.

PRACTICAL or PERSUASIVE?

This signage for the SmartCar is practical in its delivery of content and information about the vehicle, but I felt that it could also be seen as persuasive because of the "affordable" and "safe" bullet-like layout. It is advertising to the viewer that this car is better than others because of its unique and rewarding features.

This is my fellow colleague Jessica Lyew-Ayee's mural that she was commissioned to paint during the Auto Show as part of a live performance piece. She designed it to reflect the theme and aesthetics of this year's event. She is doing an excellent job and I'm very proud of her.