Pum Pum. Communication strategy
Сommunication theory in the field of design
When moving from individual users to whole societies, communication theory reveals design’s profound social role. The socio-cultural and critical traditions show that design not only reflects but also shapes social order.
Through Structuration Theory, we understand that designers create structures — interfaces, workflows, systems — but users’ communication within them continually reinforces or transforms these structures. Symbolic Convergence Theory explains how shared meanings and design motifs form brand communities, where symbols become tools of collective identity.
The critical tradition reminds us that design is never neutral. It operates within ideological and economic systems, often sustaining consumerism and shaping public discourse. As scholars from the Frankfurt School and Habermas emphasized, the design of digital media can either nurture rational dialogue or amplify division through algorithmic echo chambers. Modern media and PR theories extend this view: successful design meets human needs — cognitive, emotional, and social — while embodying transparency and two-way communication. McLuhan’s «the medium is the message» remains vital: the platform’s structure shapes behavior more than the content itself.
Ultimately, communication theory equips designers to see every design decision as a communicative act –one that constructs meaning, influences culture, and carries ethical weight. To design consciously is to understand how communication builds our shared reality.
To bridge the gap between theory and practice, we’ve crafted an in-house zine dedicated to the art of communication in design.
Part One: The Framework. A journey through the core principles of communication theory in design and advertising, brought to life with tangible examples. The perfect compass for our interns and juniors.
Brand presentation for a general audience
«Pum Pum» is a brand of delicate glass figurines that bring back the light of childhood — the soft glimmer of sun bunnies dancing on the wall.
Each figurine captures a fleeting moment of warmth and turns it into something you can hold — a little crystal memory, pure and fragile like morning light. Our world is full of noise and rush, but light still finds time to play. «Pum Pum» helps you stop, notice, and keep those moments — when the air is still, the house smells of fresh flowers, and the sun gently touches the curtains. These figurines aren’t just home décor. They are pieces of light, shaped by hand, carrying care, calm, and nostalgia.
«Pum Pum» is about collecting what slips away too quickly — the warmth of childhood, the quiet of morning, the beauty of simple things. It’s an archive of light, keeping gentle emotions alive.
Brand presentation for a professional audience
The «pum pum» identity system is based on communication and semiotic theory principles, translating intangible emotions — warmth, memory, and light — into a coherent brand language.
Communication model. Using the Sender — Message — Recipient structure, the brand acts as a gentle narrator preserving the idea of «captured light as emotion.» Its communication style is inherently introspective: instead of persuasive marketing, pum pum invites contemplation and emotional resonance.
Semiotic foundation. Every visual element functions as a sign: Glass represents purity, fragility, and preserved light. The bunny shape is a universal marker of childhood innocence and nostalgia. Translucent textures and reflections become metaphors for fleeting time. The soft «morning» palette — muted whites, sunlit beige, and gentle pink tones — evokes slowness, comfort, and tactility.
This semiotic system ensures brand recognition and interpretive clarity across media, forming a visual language where the material itself (glass) becomes a symbolic carrier of light.
Communication levels. On the rational level, the product embodies craftsmanship, material quality, and gifting value. On the emotional level, it evokes joy, warmth, and remembrance — the feeling of a moment you don’t want to fade.
Channels and consistency. The brand’s tone and visuals adapt seamlessly to various contexts:
- In digital media, light imagery and calm storytelling dominate.
- On packaging, tactility and transparency highlight the sensory experience.
- In spatial installations and photography, contextual lighting recreates intimacy and authenticity.
System logic. The entire visual and verbal system aligns with a poetic logic: «form follows emotion.» Typography, materials, and imagery work together to expose light as both medium and message, turning communication theory into a living design system — one that speaks not through slogans, but through atmosphere and memory.
We love to connect through exciting collaborations. Our partnerships, like the one with the avant-garde jewelry label Avgvst Berlin and the sweet surprises with Kinder, or Crocs, bring our brand to new audiences.
And remember, our figurines are always a wonderful gift for the New Year season :)
How communication theory formed the basis of the project
• «Pum Pum» acts as a sender of warmth and nostalgia, translating light into emotion. • The communication model (Sender — Message –Recipient) defines the brand as a gentle, introspective voice rather than a commercial one. • Semiotics shapes the visual language: glass = purity and memory, bunny shape = childhood warmth, transparency = captured light. • Emotional and rational layers work together: the product as both quality craft and a vessel of feeling. • Across all channels, clarity replaces noise — light, tactility, and storytelling build a consistent poetic tone. • Communication theory here forms the backbone of an aesthetic system where form expresses emotion through light and memory.
Part Two of the zine: Our Essence. A deep dive into the brand’s DNA — unpacking our concept, slogan, and the practical application of theory that defines us. Essential reading for every new member joining our story.
zine’s layout
List of literature and image sources
«Communication Theory: Bridging Academia and Practice» online-course
