rudo
rubricator
Ⅰ. communication theory in the field of graphic design Ⅱ. presentation for a general audience Ⅲ. presentation for a professional audience Ⅳ. the use of communication theory
Ⅰ. communication theory in the field of graphic design
In graphic design, communication functions as a process of meaning construction. Communication theory defines communication as a continuous, relational process in which meanings are encoded, transmitted through symbolic forms, and decoded by audiences within specific cultural and situational contexts. Applied to graphic design, this perspective positions visual language as a primary medium through which brands articulate values, identity, and intent.
«Design is a communicative practice of constructing a symbolic product capable of creating an impression.» (Lola, 2016, p. 44)
Graphic design operates predominantly within the semiotic and socio-cultural dimensions of communication. Visual elements such as typography, color, composition, texture, and rhythm act as signs that carry culturally learned meanings. From a semiotic standpoint, graphic design translates abstract brand ideas such as origin, mood, philosophy into visual codes that can be recognized, interpreted, and emotionally processed by audiences. These codes never function in isolation: their meaning emerges through systems of signs and through comparison with existing visual conventions. As a result, graphic design always enters into dialogue with broader visual culture rather than delivering a neutral or universal message.
Interpretive communication theory is crucial for graphic design. Meaning is not fixed at creation but emerges through audience interpretation, which varies by cultural background, literacy, and experience. Effective design guides perception with a coherent semantic field while allowing subjective engagement.
Strategically, communication theory gives designers a framework to shape brand narratives. By viewing design as a system where meaning is encoded, artifacts function as media, and audiences decode messages, designers can align form with intent, anticipate readings, and ensure consistency. Theory thus bridges abstraction and practice, making design a deliberate, conceptually grounded tool rather than a purely aesthetic layer.
This theoretical framework sets the foundation for applying communication principles to a specific brand context. In the next part, these concepts are translated into practice through the presentation of Rudo, a perfume brand specializing in coniferous scents.
Ⅱ. presentation for a general audience
Ⅲ. presentation for a professional audience
Rudo addresses a professional communication audience as a brand built not around a message, but around an experience. Its communication system is grounded in the phenomenological tradition, shifting the focus from symbolic meaning-making to the embodied, immediate perception of scent. Here, fragrance is not a sign but an event — something that arises in the encounter between a person and the world, through breath, skin, and attention.
Following Merleau-Ponty, Rudo understands perception as an interweaving of body and environment. The brand therefore constructs a space in which fragrance is not presented but lived. The tactile qualities of the packaging amplify the bodily dimension of interaction; its material, relief, and temperature become part of the composition. Testing a fragrance becomes a ritual of presence: slowing down, pausing, returning to oneself through the act of smelling.
In its communication, Rudo avoids over-interpretation — it does not impose meaning but creates conditions for an individualized experience. The brand works with minimal yet dense sensory cues: the depth of coniferous notes, the humidity of moss, the warmth of the region’s layered soil. Every touchpoint highlights the connection between scent and the body, allowing professionals to perceive perfume not as a product, but as a phenomenological situation — a moment of encounter between a person and nature.
Ⅳ. the use of communication theory
The development of both presentations is grounded in the understanding of communication as a systemic process of meaning creation through symbolic exchange within a specific cultural context, as described in Communication Theory: Bridging Academia and Practice. Communication is treated not as simple information transmission, but as a negotiated process in which meaning is constructed differently depending on audience, context, and communicative goals. The project relies on Robert Craig’s model of seven communication traditions, using them as analytical lenses to select what aspects of communication should be emphasized or deliberately minimized in each presentation. The distinction between interpretive and objective approaches to communication serves as a guiding framework for differentiating strategies for the general and professional audiences.
Presentation for the General Audience
Chosen Traditions
Main communication tradition: Phenomenological
Supporting communication tradition: Semiotic
Strategic rationale: • Perfume is an experiential product • Meaning emerges through personal perception, not objective explanation • Symbols help audiences construct experience without explicit instruction
Phenomenological Tradition (Main)
Key theoretical principles: • Communication as lived experience • Meaning is subjective and context-dependent • Understanding emerges through emotional and sensory perception
Application in the presentation: • Focus on feelings, sensations, and atmosphere • Open-ended language allowing personal interpretation • Emphasis on calm, forest silence, grounding, and presence
Semiotic Tradition (Supporting)
Key theoretical principles: • Communication as sharing meaning through signs and symbols • Messages can be transmitted without explicit verbalization • Luxury communication relies on symbolic decoding
Application in the presentation: • Visual symbols: forests, moss, soil layers, natural textures • Minimal text, strong imagery • Symbolic reference to regional origin and nature
Expected Effect
Communication outcome: • Emotional resonance with the brand • Personal identification with brand values • Experience-based understanding rather than factual knowledge • Theoretical alignment: • Interpretive communication focused on value clarification • Meaning created through experience and symbolic interpretation
Presentation for the Professional Audience
Chosen Traditions
Main tradition: Cybernetic
Supporting tradition: Rhetorical
Strategic logic: • The audience evaluates how meaning is constructed and transmitted • Communication must function as a transparent and analyzable system • The presentation must show how brand philosophy is encoded across channels
Cybernetic Tradition (Main)
Key theoretical principles: • Communication as a goal-oriented system • Presence of sender, message, channel, receiver • Importance of encoding, decoding, and feedback • Focus on reducing noise and ambiguity
Applied to the presentation: • The brand is presented as a coherent communicative system • Every element has a defined role in meaning transmission
System of Meaning in the Brand rudo
Cybernetic question: Through which channels and carriers are meanings transmitted?
Brand meaning carriers: • Visual identity • Color palette • Material references (nature, soil, forest) • Tone and atmosphere • Non-verbal symbolism
Each carrier is treated as a communication channel, not decoration.
bibliography and list of image sources
Course «Communication Theory: Bridging Academia and Practice»
Lola G.N. Design-code. 2016. p. 38-49
«Rudo», Yana Esis, 2025
