Keep It Simple Stupid
Story of Stuff literally illustrates how material objects interrupt our lives, everything from cosmetics to bottled water. The purpose of the project is to inform and persuade viewers to reject the norms of stuff and consume more responsibly. This educational project’s content may seem heavy and uncomfortable to present to viewers, especially Americans, but the Story of Stuff is somewhat popular. Although the stories are critical of systems, products, and consumer practices, the voice of the project is not one of ridicule. In fact the stories are somewhat uplifting. The transformation of the heavy content into the light message is a result of a well written script, simplified facts, and the aesthetic presentation of the information.
Story of Stuff’s style of presentation is simple, predominately black and white, and repetitive. In the video The Story of Cosmetics, big industry brands are illustrated as men wearing top hats with big dollar signs on their chests, toxins as a scull and crossbones, and different women are only change in their hair style. The images are not detailed, relatable, or even impressive. The simplicity of the graphics allows for the story to be clear and easy to understand. There are no distractions from the topic at hand, but it still has enough character to make the story come to life. Sometime simple say it best.