Connecting with Our Community – A Local Ad Campaign Dessertino & The Crafty Spoon, Sea Cliff, NY
As part of an introduction to graphic design, students in Ms. Johnson’s High School Media Arts class completed a project called, “Connecting with Our Community”. For this assignment, they created print and social media advertisements for Dessertino & The Crafty Spoon in Sea Cliff, NY.
Before beginning, students learned about various aspects of graphic design, by engaging in hands-on activities, looking at 2-D design images and discussing advertisements. They researched Dessertino & The Crafty Spoon before visiting the store and interviewing one of its owners, Dina Corigliano and barista Lorraine. During their visit, students acted as both customers and designers to gather information and prepare themselves for their project.
As customers, they enjoyed Dessertino & The Crafty Spoon’s ice cream and pastries, paying special attention to the aesthetic and vibe of the shop. As designers, they spoke with Dina, who answered their questions and clarified what she wanted them to focus on in their ad campaigns. After their visit, students debriefed as a group to discuss their experiences and brainstorm important points to include in their ads. They completed their first drafts and engaged in a group critique, offering each other feedback, before finalizing their work. Please see the ads which are featured in the photos with numbers that correspond to the following Media Arts student’s work: Aden Awad & Jasper Huang (1and 2), Alexei Kallaur (3), Alyssa Magana (4 and 5), Ryan Nugent (6), Ceci Reilly (7 and 8), Carolyn Leach (9), Lena Hong (10 and 11), Chris DiFeo (12), Jack Brandimarte (13 and 14), James Schatz (15), Oliver Jatib (16 and 17), and Liam Freund (18).
Ms. Johnson chose Dessertino & The Crafty Spoon so her students could connect with a local community business and apply their learning to a real world challenge. Ms. Johnson said, “I think it’s essential to give students real world experiences so they can apply their learning to authentic situations. This way students step outside the controls of a classroom and see how each unique situation requires a unique solution. This helps them appreciate the importance of creative problem solving and adapting to the unexpected.”
To conclude, Dina from Dessertino said, “Thank you, Ms. Johnson! Your class of students impressed me with their questions, and these flyers are all great! I love them all, but I particularly love the tagline, Brewed with care, happiness to share! We will be posting all of these on our social media! Thank you so much for the wonderful job from all the kids!” She chose the following as her favorites,
although she really liked all of them: First – 17, Second – 3, Third – 10, and Honorable Mention- 8
Article submitted by HS Teacher, Ms. Lynn Johnson Artwork by the HS Multi Arts Students.
Photos by Shelly Newman