Carrer in Culture
Poland should promote itself
Spinning tops
As early as 1st of July Poland will take up chairmanship of Council of the European Union. From that day Poland will chair its works for six months. Within the framework of Presidency a numerous activities are conducted related not only to politics but also with culture, media, business and other fields. One important element of any presidency is a promotion, and within its framework visual identity, patronage, media communication and gadgets. The latter are presented to participants of meetings, debates, conferences and other events. Less than two months before the start of the Polish presidency the three selected projects of gifts were presented. These are cufflinks of Dorota Kempko's project, briefcases from the studio of Anna Kuczyńska and spinning tops designed and produced by Monika Wilczyńska and Krzysztof Smaga. The choice of spinning tops sparked a lively discussion, which is why we decided to ask the creators themselves about this idea. We invite you to read.
How to join the "competition" of the Presidency gadget? Did the organizers came to you, or the other way around - you were striving for it?
Krzysztof Smaga: The Ministry was formulating the catalog of gifts and an expert has been appointed to this project – it was him who contacted us. The project of spinning tops was not made especially on the occasion of the Presidency, it had already existed. It has been noticed and ended up in a catalogue we mentioned before. It passed through consecutive stages of the elimination, after which there were only us and a few gadgets of other authors left.
Do you think that a gadget is needed for events such as the Polish Presidency in the Council of the European Union?
K.S.: I believe that the country, Poland, in itself, should promote itself. Money spent for this purpose is the money well spent because it is a procedure that pays back. When I think about European officials and about work on changing foreigners' opinion of Poland, I find it worthwhile to promote. Our country is also a product - it have to be sold well to make the investors willing to come here and to improve its image. Nowadays are the times when a country must be promoted as well.
Monika Wilczyńska: There is a tradition of giving gifts and gadgets on the occasion of each presidency. Therefore, if the gadgets are well designed and original, we will not be one of the many countries that have given just some ties or scarves. A man frequenting conferences of the European Union told us that very often the officials would meet to talk about the gadgets - what one country presented them with, and what another. If we offer something interesting, we will be remembered, so it seems to me that it matters.
How to join the "competition" of the Presidency gadget? Did the organizers came to you, or the other way around - you were striving for it?
Krzysztof Smaga: The Ministry was formulating the catalog of gifts and an expert has been appointed to this project – it was him who contacted us. The project of spinning tops was not made especially on the occasion of the Presidency, it had already existed. It has been noticed and ended up in a catalogue we mentioned before. It passed through consecutive stages of the elimination, after which there were only us and a few gadgets of other authors left.
Do you think that a gadget is needed for events such as the Polish Presidency in the Council of the European Union?
K.S.: I believe that the country, Poland, in itself, should promote itself. Money spent for this purpose is the money well spent because it is a procedure that pays back. When I think about European officials and about work on changing foreigners' opinion of Poland, I find it worthwhile to promote. Our country is also a product - it have to be sold well to make the investors willing to come here and to improve its image. Nowadays are the times when a country must be promoted as well.
Monika Wilczyńska: There is a tradition of giving gifts and gadgets on the occasion of each presidency. Therefore, if the gadgets are well designed and original, we will not be one of the many countries that have given just some ties or scarves. A man frequenting conferences of the European Union told us that very often the officials would meet to talk about the gadgets - what one country presented them with, and what another. If we offer something interesting, we will be remembered, so it seems to me that it matters.
Spinning tops manufacturing process
Who is responsible for producing such a large number of promotional gadgets? Do the designers picked manufacturers who will carry out projects in accordance with the project? Do they supervise their execution next?
KS: Production of our gadgets is made by a company which is made up of us - Smaga Designers. Initially, however, the case was more complicated. The first version of plan was that the selected manufacturer was to purchase the copyright from us. Later it turned out that it is very complicated because of the public procurement act. Finally we had to take the production on our own shoulders. Therefore, we are both designers and manufacturers - all manufacturing, logistics, quality control, and everything that is related to the production of the gadget is at our discretion.
The very design of the gadget was very pleasant and easy in comparison to the bulk of the work that needs to be put into overseeing the production. The production is mass - we're talking about 6,200 sets, which is about 12,400 spinning tops, and everything is done manually. There are a lot of people working on that, there were a lot of different problems emerged during the process which we did not expect at all. So far, however, everything goes well and we manage very well. It was a jump in the deep end for us. On the other hand, during the half a year we learned a lot, I do not think that we could acquire this knowledge in any other way and in such a short time.
What do you think about your spinning tops as the Presidency gadgets? In whose hands and of what role?
KS: I think, as one of the journalists remarked anyway, that they will be a great gadget in Brussels. For Poles they are quite surprising, because in our minds folk topics connote Cepelia. For foreigners however, such gadgets will be something really unusual so they will be surprised, but I think satisfied as well. This gadget carries a lot of energy and delivers fun, which has a very positive connotation. The point was to create as many of positive associations as possible.
MW: To design a gadget that would be interesting and not thrown out is a very difficult task. Especially that it is to represent a person or in this case, a country that offers it. On the other hand it is important that it was present every day, to allow to keep in mind the "gadget giver". We do not suppose that the officials will play with spinning top on their desk. However, it would be enough if they place it on the shelf so it will be noticeable, or - what is the most likely and we would like it more- they will give it to their children. Spinning tops are colorful, so they arouse a lot of interest among children. We think this might be the road our gadget will follow.
KS: Production of our gadgets is made by a company which is made up of us - Smaga Designers. Initially, however, the case was more complicated. The first version of plan was that the selected manufacturer was to purchase the copyright from us. Later it turned out that it is very complicated because of the public procurement act. Finally we had to take the production on our own shoulders. Therefore, we are both designers and manufacturers - all manufacturing, logistics, quality control, and everything that is related to the production of the gadget is at our discretion.
The very design of the gadget was very pleasant and easy in comparison to the bulk of the work that needs to be put into overseeing the production. The production is mass - we're talking about 6,200 sets, which is about 12,400 spinning tops, and everything is done manually. There are a lot of people working on that, there were a lot of different problems emerged during the process which we did not expect at all. So far, however, everything goes well and we manage very well. It was a jump in the deep end for us. On the other hand, during the half a year we learned a lot, I do not think that we could acquire this knowledge in any other way and in such a short time.
What do you think about your spinning tops as the Presidency gadgets? In whose hands and of what role?
KS: I think, as one of the journalists remarked anyway, that they will be a great gadget in Brussels. For Poles they are quite surprising, because in our minds folk topics connote Cepelia. For foreigners however, such gadgets will be something really unusual so they will be surprised, but I think satisfied as well. This gadget carries a lot of energy and delivers fun, which has a very positive connotation. The point was to create as many of positive associations as possible.
MW: To design a gadget that would be interesting and not thrown out is a very difficult task. Especially that it is to represent a person or in this case, a country that offers it. On the other hand it is important that it was present every day, to allow to keep in mind the "gadget giver". We do not suppose that the officials will play with spinning top on their desk. However, it would be enough if they place it on the shelf so it will be noticeable, or - what is the most likely and we would like it more- they will give it to their children. Spinning tops are colorful, so they arouse a lot of interest among children. We think this might be the road our gadget will follow.
Krzysztof Smaga and Monika Wilczyńska, spinning tops in package
Indeed, spinning tops provoked a serious discussion. According to your idea, what other message are they to bring?
MW: Spinning tops through their graphic design, which is the folk costumes, refer to our culture and traditions. Spinning top itself, as a toy, do not come from Poland, it is known and gets a nice reception throughout the world. We decided to choose a spinning top due to the fact that it has a lot of positive connotations. This is a gadget that does not repeat any previous gift schemes. Slogans that have arisen that Poland spins up the Presidency are very nice but it was not our idea. National element is the folk costume but the gadget in itself was not meant to symbolize Poland.
KS: The most important message of spinning top was to be an energy, enthusiasm and fun. It was what we meant, positive associations. Some say that it is infantile but I think that there is nothing wrong with that.
MW: I think we do not need to fear that the officials instead of doing their job will play with spinning tops. They may rather glance or, as we said before, give it to their children. Above all, they will be aware of the fact that during its Presidency Poland has offered something different than other countries.
So what significance for you has the fact that the spinning tops will be one of the gadgets of the Polish Presidency?
K.S.: Above all it is a success. Production is still in progress, admittedly, but we see that the production line works great and everything is heading towards a happy end. We are very content about that. Because of this contract we become managers who had to control the entire production process. It is the capital, which will pay off in the future and will gain some prestige to our design brand. Now when the entire project draws to a close, we feel that we can do anything. There is nothing that can not be done. Within three months we have created entire production line, there were12,400 hand-painted gadgets in handmade boxes manufactured, and everything was done virtually out of nothing. Of course, not only by our efforts, we can not forget about all the people who work with us.
A conversation with Krzysztof Smaga and Monika Woszczyńska, designers and contractors of spinning tops for the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, was conducted by Agnieszka Furmańczyk
MW: Spinning tops through their graphic design, which is the folk costumes, refer to our culture and traditions. Spinning top itself, as a toy, do not come from Poland, it is known and gets a nice reception throughout the world. We decided to choose a spinning top due to the fact that it has a lot of positive connotations. This is a gadget that does not repeat any previous gift schemes. Slogans that have arisen that Poland spins up the Presidency are very nice but it was not our idea. National element is the folk costume but the gadget in itself was not meant to symbolize Poland.
KS: The most important message of spinning top was to be an energy, enthusiasm and fun. It was what we meant, positive associations. Some say that it is infantile but I think that there is nothing wrong with that.
MW: I think we do not need to fear that the officials instead of doing their job will play with spinning tops. They may rather glance or, as we said before, give it to their children. Above all, they will be aware of the fact that during its Presidency Poland has offered something different than other countries.
So what significance for you has the fact that the spinning tops will be one of the gadgets of the Polish Presidency?
K.S.: Above all it is a success. Production is still in progress, admittedly, but we see that the production line works great and everything is heading towards a happy end. We are very content about that. Because of this contract we become managers who had to control the entire production process. It is the capital, which will pay off in the future and will gain some prestige to our design brand. Now when the entire project draws to a close, we feel that we can do anything. There is nothing that can not be done. Within three months we have created entire production line, there were12,400 hand-painted gadgets in handmade boxes manufactured, and everything was done virtually out of nothing. Of course, not only by our efforts, we can not forget about all the people who work with us.
A conversation with Krzysztof Smaga and Monika Woszczyńska, designers and contractors of spinning tops for the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, was conducted by Agnieszka Furmańczyk
Toprojekt to dwie designerki – Agnieszka Brzezińska i Karolina Majewska – które projektowaniem zaczęły zajmować się w 2004 roku, rozpoczynając studia na Wydziale Wzornictwa i Architektury Wnętrz łódzkiej Akademii Sztuk Pięknych. Wybrały ten kierunek, ponieważ wzornictwo i projektowanie graficzne są ich pasją. Od lutego 2010 roku projektują produkty dla dzieci, gadżety, strony internetowe, plakaty i identyfikację wizualną. Prowadzą również warsztaty dla dzieci. Stworzyły już razem kilka serii dla najmłodszych o zróżnicowanej tematyce, przeznaczonych zarówno do zabawy, jak i dekoracji dziecięcego pokoju. Dziewczyny wierzą, że zmysł estetyczny można kształtować od najmłodszych lat. Według nich na rynku polskim brakuje przykładów kompleksowego projektowania dla dzieci. Toprojekt ma na celu wypełnienie tej luki.
Projektujecie tylko dla najmłodszych?
Naszymi odbiorcami są przede wszystkim dzieci i ich rodzice, ale także firmy, dla których projektujemy np. identyfikację wizualną.
Gdzie poszukujecie inspiracji?
Pomysły czerpiemy z codziennego życia, w którym wciąż wiele można zmienić na lepsze. Inspirują nas dzieci, ich chęć do zabawy i poznawania świata. Interesujemy się psychologią dziecięcą. W naszych projektach ważny jest również aspekt edukacyjny. Bierzemy przykład z doświadczonych firm, które szczególną wagę przykładają do jakości i ekologii.
Czerpiecie zatem z dzieciństwa. A czy region, w którym je spędziłyście, również odgrywa ważną rolę w Waszej twórczości?
Jedną z inspiracji są polskie wycinanki ludowe. Pod ich wpływem stworzyłyśmy nowoczesne wzory, które wykorzystujemy w naszych projektach, np. w obrazkach i kartkach, które wycinamy ręcznie.
Co w Waszej pracy jest najważniejsze?
Największą wagę przywiązujemy do wysokiej jakości naszych projektów. Staramy się, żeby nasze projekty były innowacyjne. Ważnym aspektem jest dla nas także ekologia.
Czyli projektujecie w sposób przyjazny dla środowiska.
Tak, ponieważ korzystamy z materiałów odnawialnych i z recyklingu. Używamy wyłącznie naturalnych impregnatów i nietoksycznych (wodnych) farb akrylowych. Przy produkcji minimalizujemy ilość odpadów.
Projektowanie dla dzieci przynosi z pewnością dużo satysfakcji.
To prawda. Najwięcej satysfakcji sprawia nam ulepszanie i projektowanie produktów dla dzieci. Dużą radość sprawia nam zadowolenie naszych klientów, zarówno dzieci, jak i rodziców. Miłe jest, kiedy klienci wracają i okazuje się, że nasze projekty pobudzają dzieci do kreatywnej zabawy.
Czy projekt unijny, w którym brałyście udział, Wam pomógł? Jak wpłynął na Waszą działalność?
Projekt PO KL dał nam możliwość pracy w zawodzie, który jest naszą pasją. Dzięki niemu uzyskałyśmy fundusze na zakup profesjonalnego sprzętu i oprogramowania niezbędnego w pracy projektantów. Programy te są bardzo drogie. Początkujący projektant nie jest w stanie kupić ich z własnych środków. Dzięki profesjonalnemu sprzętowi możemy świadczyć usługi na najwyższym poziomie. Takie projekty są jak najbardziej potrzebne, ponieważ pomagają pogłębiać kompetencje osobom chcącym rozwijać się zawodowo.
Jakie macie plany na przyszłość?
Przede wszystkim dynamiczny rozwój firmy, której specjalizacją będzie przede wszystkim kompleksowe projektowanie produktów dla dzieci – takiej, jakiej jeszcze nie ma w Polsce. Chcemy, aby nasze projekty wyróżniały się innowacyjnością, świetnym wzornictwem i oprawą graficzną oraz wysoką jakością. Chcemy, żeby zaprojektowane przez nas zabawki pobudzały dzieci do kreatywnego myślenia, twórczego użycia ich wyobraźni. Zwracamy szczególną uwagę na to, aby projekty były nie tylko estetyczne, ale także edukacyjne. Dążymy do tego, żeby nasza marka cały czas się rozwijała i stała się rozpoznawalna w kraju i na świecie.
Projektujecie tylko dla najmłodszych?
Naszymi odbiorcami są przede wszystkim dzieci i ich rodzice, ale także firmy, dla których projektujemy np. identyfikację wizualną.
Gdzie poszukujecie inspiracji?
Pomysły czerpiemy z codziennego życia, w którym wciąż wiele można zmienić na lepsze. Inspirują nas dzieci, ich chęć do zabawy i poznawania świata. Interesujemy się psychologią dziecięcą. W naszych projektach ważny jest również aspekt edukacyjny. Bierzemy przykład z doświadczonych firm, które szczególną wagę przykładają do jakości i ekologii.
Czerpiecie zatem z dzieciństwa. A czy region, w którym je spędziłyście, również odgrywa ważną rolę w Waszej twórczości?
Jedną z inspiracji są polskie wycinanki ludowe. Pod ich wpływem stworzyłyśmy nowoczesne wzory, które wykorzystujemy w naszych projektach, np. w obrazkach i kartkach, które wycinamy ręcznie.
Co w Waszej pracy jest najważniejsze?
Największą wagę przywiązujemy do wysokiej jakości naszych projektów. Staramy się, żeby nasze projekty były innowacyjne. Ważnym aspektem jest dla nas także ekologia.
Czyli projektujecie w sposób przyjazny dla środowiska.
Tak, ponieważ korzystamy z materiałów odnawialnych i z recyklingu. Używamy wyłącznie naturalnych impregnatów i nietoksycznych (wodnych) farb akrylowych. Przy produkcji minimalizujemy ilość odpadów.
Projektowanie dla dzieci przynosi z pewnością dużo satysfakcji.
To prawda. Najwięcej satysfakcji sprawia nam ulepszanie i projektowanie produktów dla dzieci. Dużą radość sprawia nam zadowolenie naszych klientów, zarówno dzieci, jak i rodziców. Miłe jest, kiedy klienci wracają i okazuje się, że nasze projekty pobudzają dzieci do kreatywnej zabawy.
Czy projekt unijny, w którym brałyście udział, Wam pomógł? Jak wpłynął na Waszą działalność?
Projekt PO KL dał nam możliwość pracy w zawodzie, który jest naszą pasją. Dzięki niemu uzyskałyśmy fundusze na zakup profesjonalnego sprzętu i oprogramowania niezbędnego w pracy projektantów. Programy te są bardzo drogie. Początkujący projektant nie jest w stanie kupić ich z własnych środków. Dzięki profesjonalnemu sprzętowi możemy świadczyć usługi na najwyższym poziomie. Takie projekty są jak najbardziej potrzebne, ponieważ pomagają pogłębiać kompetencje osobom chcącym rozwijać się zawodowo.
Jakie macie plany na przyszłość?
Przede wszystkim dynamiczny rozwój firmy, której specjalizacją będzie przede wszystkim kompleksowe projektowanie produktów dla dzieci – takiej, jakiej jeszcze nie ma w Polsce. Chcemy, aby nasze projekty wyróżniały się innowacyjnością, świetnym wzornictwem i oprawą graficzną oraz wysoką jakością. Chcemy, żeby zaprojektowane przez nas zabawki pobudzały dzieci do kreatywnego myślenia, twórczego użycia ich wyobraźni. Zwracamy szczególną uwagę na to, aby projekty były nie tylko estetyczne, ale także edukacyjne. Dążymy do tego, żeby nasza marka cały czas się rozwijała i stała się rozpoznawalna w kraju i na świecie.
Check the archive
no 66 August 2012
theme of the issue:
Homo Gadgetus
< spis treści
Article
From Editors
Presentation
Hand Made by POKL
Analysis
Homo gadgetus - Artur Zaguła
Carrer in Culture
Poland should promote itself - conversation with Krzysztof Smaga and Monika Woszczyńska, designers and contractors of spinning tops for the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union - Agnieszka Furmańczyk
Culture Industries
Polish way gadget - conversation with Elżbieta Roeske – Director of Product Group of arena DESIGN and Barbara Vogt – Director of Gift Expo Fair - Piotr Komorowski.
Workshop
A good gadget - Maciej Mazerant