Communication theory: Reborn
Сommunication theory in the field of design
Semiotic Tradition: Signs and Symbols
Communication as sharing meaning through systems of signs is fundamental to design work. The semiotic tradition sees representation and transmission of meaning through signs and symbols as central to communication. In design, this translates to: — Visual symbols carry encoded meanings that audiences must decode — Different audiences interpret the same visual elements differently based on their backgrounds — Commercial and luxury brand design uses different visual styles precisely because symbols communicate different values.
Visual Rhetoric and Persuasion
Visual rhetoric focuses on how we are persuaded by things we see. Key visual rhetoric elements for design are arranging (how elements are positioned), layering (visual hierarchy and depth), using the right colors (color psychology and cultural meanings). These are described as «very basic technical things that might help you with the message creation and the message dissemination».
Digital Rhetoric and Design
Digital rhetoric is particularly relevant for interface design, web design, and digital products. — Convergence: Using different mediums in one place to increase persuasion and interactivity — Speed: Designing for immediate interaction and response — Interactivity: Creating spaces for user engagement — Visual communication: Understanding that people prefer watching to reading — Appropriate use of different mediums: Choosing the right format for the message.
The Encoding/Decoding Process
The fundamental communication model of sender encoding and receiver decoding is critical for designers. The designer encodes visual messages, but users may decode them differently. Designers must anticipate how diverse audiences will interpret their work.
Context-Dependent Communication
«Communication always happens within particular context». For designers, for example, this means that a logo works differently in different contexts (app icon vs. billboard); user interface design must consider the context of use (mobile vs. desktop) and cultural context dramatically changes how design elements are interpreted.
Presentation for a general audience
«What if waste wasn’t the end of a story, but the beginning of a new one?»
Every day, materials that people discard become someone else’s blank canvas. At Reborn, we don’t see trash — we see transformation. We see stories waiting to be rewritten. We’re a recycling workshop where sustainability meets creativity, where environmental responsibility becomes personal expression, and where discarded materials are reborn as beautiful, functional art.
WHO WE ARE
Reborn is four workshops in one: • The Blacksmith Shop — Where metal finds new purpose. Bend, forge, create. Your hands shape tomorrow. • The Woodworking Room — Where every plank tells a history. Cut, craft, build. Turn forgotten wood into functional beauty. • The Pottery Room — Where earth becomes art. Mold, spin, glaze. Transform clay into timeless pieces. • The Atelier — Where all materials converge. Experiment, combine, reimagine. No limits. Only possibilities. Each space is a sanctuary for creativity rooted in responsibility. We work with second-life materials—textiles, metals, wood, ceramics that have already lived one life. In Reborn, they live again, they matter.
WHY REBORN MATTERS
We live in a linear world: Take. Make. Dispose. This model is suffocating our planet. Reborn imagines differently. We practice circular thinking —where nothing is wasted, everything is valued, and every material has infinite potential. 1. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Every project in Reborn keeps materials out of landfills. Every creation becomes a statement: We can do better. We can design consciously. We can create responsibly. 2. CREATIVE EMPOWERMENT Creativity shouldn’t require guilt. When you make something beautiful at Reborn, you’re not just making art—you’re making a choice. A choice to be part of the solution. A choice to belong to a community of conscious creators. 3. SKILL + STORYTELLING We teach traditional crafts—blacksmithing, woodworking, pottery—through a modern lens. Every object you create carries a story: Where did this material come from? Who used it first? What will it become next?
MERCH WITH PURPOSE
— Scotch Tape — Branded with our mission: «Reborn / Keep Closing the Loop» — Packing Boxes — Every box tells a story. Your shipment arrives in a box that was once something else. Care instructions included: «Recycle, Reuse, or Donate. This box has more life to live.» These items aren’t just functional—they’re conversation starters. They carry our philosophy into the world.
WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE
— 4 specialized workshops with professional-grade equipment — Expert instructors trained in sustainable craftsmanship — Small group classes (max 8 participants for personalized attention) — Materials sourced locally and vetted for quality and sustainability — Certification programs in each craft — Community showcase events where you display your work
When you walk into Reborn, you don’t feel like you’re in a workshop. You feel like you’re stepping into a conversation about what’s possible. You smell fresh wood and metal smoke. You see light streaming through windows onto organized chaos—scraps of colored fabric, stacks of reclaimed wood, clay dust dancing in afternoon sun.
Reborn is for anyone who: — Wants to learn a craft — Is tired of consuming and wants to create — Cares about the planet but wasn’t sure how to help — Believes beauty and responsibility aren’t opposites—they’re partners — Wants to be part of a community doing something real
«The objects you create won’t be perfect. They’ll be real. They’ll carry the marks of your hands, the story of their past life, and the intention of their next chapter. That’s what makes them beautiful.»
Presentation for a professional audience
Reborn is a circular economy-focused craft enterprise operating four specialized workshops—blacksmithing, woodworking, pottery, and atelier—that convert waste streams into high-value artisanal products. The business generates revenue through educational classes, product sales, B2B partnerships, and branded merchandise, achieving 50-75% gross margins while diverting materials from landfills.
BUSINESS MODEL
Revenue Streams Primary (70-75% of revenue): — Workshop classes: €250-350 per eight-week course, 5-8 participants per session — Artisan product sales: €30-3,000 per item depending on complexity — Custom commissions: €5,000-50,000 from corporate and residential clients Secondary (20-25% of revenue): — B2B partnerships with waste generators: €8,000-55,000 annually — Branded merchandise: €8,000-15,000 annually — Corporate team-building programs: €150-300 per participant Tertiary (5-10% of revenue): — Consulting services on circular design strategy — Licensing and intellectual property — Digital products and online courses
Unit Economics Educational Model—8-Week Course: — Revenue: €2,400-3,500 (8 participants €300-350) — Instructor cost: €1,000 (42%) — Material cost: €200-300 (8%) — Overhead: €400-500 (17%) — Gross margin: 53-70% Product Model—Artisan Object: — Material cost: €3-20 (waste-sourced) — Labor: €90 per unit — Overhead: €12 — Wholesale price: €225 (50% margin) — Retail price: €380 (72% margin)
MARKET OPPORTUNITY — Global circular economy market: $4.5 trillion opportunity — 70% of executives expect circular models to increase revenue by 2027 — Craft workshop market: 60-90% typical capacity utilization — Corporate wellness spending: 35% CAGR
Competitive Differentiation: — Material sourcing partnerships (zero-cost waste streams) — Design IP and repeatable systems — Professional-grade output quality — Triple value: profit + skills + environmental impact
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Material Sourcing Strategy Three-channel approach: 1. B2B Waste Partnerships (70% of supply) — Manufacturing scrap, construction offcuts, textile waste — Supply agreements with 5-8 industrial partners — Typically free or €0.50-3.00 per unit 2. Consumer Collection Programs (20% of supply) — Community drop-off locations, corporate programs — Zero acquisition cost 3. Direct Salvage Sourcing (10% of supply) — Estate sales, deconstruction projects — €5-20 per unit when purchased Result: 15-20% material cost ratio (vs. 35-50% industry standard)
BRAND STRATEGY
Visual Identity — Blue/Turquoise: Trust, transformation, sustainability — Yellow/Red/Purple: Energy, innovation, possibility — Bright palette signals «sustainability + joy» positioning Marketing Channels — Digital: Website, social media — Physical: Posters, entrance tickets (limited-edition collectible) — Merchandise systems to 2-4 regional partners
Communication theory as basis for the presentations
1. NARRATIVE PARADIGM
Opening with «What if waste wasn’t the end of a story, but the beginning of a new one?» is pure narrative paradigm application. Rather than presenting logical arguments, the presentation invites audiences into a transformation story. Phrases like «Every plank tells a history» demonstrate narrative fidelity—stories resonate with audience values about sustainability and meaningful creation.
2. ELABORATION LIKELIHOOD MODEL Two completely different presentations were created for different audience elaboration capacities: General Audience (Peripheral Route): — Emotional language — Sensory descriptions — Simple heuristics Professional Audience (Central Route): — Detailed financials — Market data
This dual-route approach reflects understanding that different audiences require different persuasion strategies.
3. SEMIOTIC TRADITION
Color palette selection encodes specific meanings. This deliberate color encoding communicates that sustainability can be joyful and forward-looking, not restrained. Merchandise (branded tape, packaging boxes) transforms utilitarian objects into symbolic communication.
4. VISUAL RHETORIC
Elements of arranging, layering, and color shape persuasive impact: General Audience: — Sensory layering creates immersive experience — Parallel structure for four workshops builds clarity Professional Audience: — Information hierarchy prioritizes financial data — Numerical specificity creates credibility
5. RHETORICAL TRADITION (Ethos, Pathos, Logos)
General Audience: — Pathos dominates: «Creativity shouldn’t require guilt» — Ethos: Expert instructors, certification programs — Logos minimal: Factual workshop details Professional Audience: — Logos dominates — Ethos: Business competence through precise data — Pathos subdued
6. ENCODING/DECODING MODEL
Two completely different encodings of Reborn were created because different audiences decode messages differently: General Audience decodes: — Emotional storytelling as «inspiring» — Financial data as «corporate and boring» Professional Audience decodes: — Emotional storytelling as «vague» — Financial data as «credible and investable»
The presentations operationalize communication theory into actual business strategy through theoretically-informed choices about: — When to use stories vs. data (Narrative Paradigm vs. Central Route) — How to encode visual meaning (Semiotics) — How to adapt messages for context (Socio-Cultural) — How to persuade through emotion vs. logic (Rhetoric) — How to challenge existing thinking (Critical Theory) — How to facilitate behavior change (Planned Behavior) Communication theory is not abstract—it’s a practical framework for designing effective, audience-appropriate, goal-oriented communication in real business contexts.
«Communication Theory: Bridging Academia and Practice» online-course
REBORN by Danakai Adleyba: https://hsedesign.ru/project/02e020f758e54dd7981f2a8a494013ca (14.12.2025)
