Pacific commercial
The CODE-X series catalogs a vast codex of source codes (aka “signs”) extracted from past audits.
The object of study in semiotics is not the signs but rather a general theory of signification; the goal of each “audit” is to build a model demonstrating how meaning is produced and received within a category or cultural territory. Signs on their own, therefore, only become truly revelatory and useful once we’ve sorted them into thematic complexes, and the complexes into codes, and the codes into a meaning map. We call this process “thick description”; the Code-X series is thin description.
“ONE RIGHT WAY” NORM: We honor the traditional methods that got us here.
“ONE RIGHT WAY” FORMS: Older farmers passing along wisdom — and signifiers of old-fashioned farming (e.g., classic glass milk bottles, plaid shirts and jeans). History lesson tonality. “Our farms were established and maintained by our parents, grandparents, even great-grandparents” (Prairie Farms). “We’ve never been big on shortcuts. Some might even call our methods ‘old school.’“ (Pacific)