Ballou on Visual Communications

A new beginning

Olivier Ballou — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:43:26 +0000

With the New Year came a new opportunity: I’ve taken on the role of Director of Communications for the Manning Centre, a conservative non-profit based in Calgary.

As many of you know, I’ve always been keen on using visuals and new media to get political ideas across — so stay tuned!

You can check out my first project here : www.manningcentre.ca/conference

Social Credit Visualized

Olivier Ballou — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:08:30 +0000

At the Calgary Glenbow museum, I came across an infographic sewn on a large piece of fabric that described the “Social Credit” economic system. The “Socreds” won the 1935 provincial election with the promise to give every family $25 a month (the “basic dividends” shown at the top right of the image below). They were unable to keep their promise and the party later abandoned its revolutionary platform. Judging from the poster, however, I’m surprised anyone was able to make sense of it!

(I recreated the image below – PDF version here)

(Original poster)

1920s motivational posters

Olivier Ballou — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:55:08 +0000

Before “Successories” motivational posters came the Mather “work incentive posters” of the 1920s. Posted in public buildings and factories, they offered daily self-help in the Dale Carnegie era.

Underdogma Visualized

Olivier Ballou — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:32:01 +0000

An animated clip about Israel I created based on my friend Michael Prell’s book, “Underdogma“.

Sex visualized

Olivier Ballou — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:19:08 +0000

This 3D animation shows love making in a very different light!

Brutalist Communications

Olivier Ballou — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 02:13:58 +0000

A fellow creative recently told me that his wife was into “brutalist” architecture – the bunker-like buildings with exposed concrete walls from the 60s and 70s. The University of Toronto library is a good example:

The Montreal metro is in the same vein:

During a recent road trip to see the largest hydroelectric dam in Quebec – the Robert Bourassa station (formerly La Grande II) – I tasted an extreme version of this aesthetic:

The picture doesn’t do justice to the “cathedral”, as they call it. Not only was the scale impressive, but the designers had really paid attention to detail: even the machinery was colour coordinated. The whir of the rotors added to the amazing sensory experience.

Now, this is a communications blog, and it’s clear that brutalist architecture was making a statement :

It was a time when society thought the future of science-fiction novelists was upon us. Le Corbusier and the new modernist movement sought to eradicate the past (…)

Hydro-Quebec certainly played a big part in Quebec’s coming-of-age, and the dam represented a certain faith in technology and big government-led projects. So, next time you see a concrete building, try not to think of it as drab, but rather as a symbol of high-tech optimism!

Visual Val-d’Or

Olivier Ballou — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:18:17 +0000

Mine shaft outline is everywhere

Old mine shaft

Wall of shame at local grocery store

City slicker friend and signage

I love finding beautiful layouts in the least likely places ("Town of Val-d'Or Well")

American Apparel ad? ("Be careful, the kid may be yours")

Marketing 101: kids and animals are a sure bet ("Val-d'Or rentals - Tools - from the smallest to the biggest")

Evolution of hockey team font (1)

Evolution of hockey team font (2)

Evolution of hockey team font (3)

Evolution of hockey team font (4)

Evolution of hockey team font (5)

Evolution of hockey team font (6)

Spaghetti fundraiser for local MMA hopeful (it was delicious and his rowdy aunt was hilarious)

Val-d'Or icon

My elementary school friend Alexis Wawanoloath converted the logo of a local decal company into this brilliant design

Industrial typeface

I love the lightning bolts

Native reserve outside of town

Clever

Native kitsch

Playground conflict resolution visualized

Olivier Ballou — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:03:14 +0000

Found at an elementary school playground, this surprisingly well made infographic — seemingly crafted with some ancient Microsoft WordArt — tells students how to deal with conflicts. You should be able to get the gist of it without even speaking French! Click to enlarge. (Translation below)

“I calm down”
“I explain myself and listen to the other”
“I take my share of the blame”
“I find solutions” (“1. Fix it 2. Meet the other halfway 3. Move away & retreat 4. Play together 5. Flip a coin & take your turn 6. Apologize 7. (Think it through)”)
“Apply the strategy”

Income Inequality Visualized

Olivier Ballou — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:32:38 +0000

A neat video by my friends at the libertarian Institute for Humane Studies (IHS):

Wine Visualized

Olivier Ballou — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:19:32 +0000

The SAQ (Société des alcools du Québec) – the state-owned alcohol monopoly – updated its store in my hometown, complete with a brilliant colour-coded system for picking wines. I have never chosen wine based on anything but price and label-design, so this is god-sent. A beautiful booklet lays out the various “taste profiles” and the foods they ought to be paired with. Once you’ve picked the bottle, you apply the appropriate sticker as a reminder. Here’s a screenshot from the website: