Things to consider when designing a poster

Monday, 09 August 2010 11:25

Who is it you’re actually targeting? How are you going to move them emotionally? One way to go about this is the correct use of colours and subtext while keeping in mind the culture you’re targeting.

You could create a poster using red, white and blue which would incite patriotism to an American but “might” cause hatred for someone in Iraq. If you keep cultural differences in mind, you can make your poster printing even more effective.

Colours

The colours you choose for your poster printing will work for you or against you. Depending on your location, the colours you choose may excite customers and move them to action have a calming effect. The colour green has different meanings to different countries, some of them are:

• China: Exorcism, green hats indicate a man's wife is cheating on him.
• Japan: Life.
• Islam: Hope - the cloak of the prophet was thought to be green, virtue - only those of perfect faith can wear green.
• Ireland: Symbol of the entire country.
• European/USA: Spring, new birth, go, safe, environmental awareness, Saint Patrick's Day, Christmas (with red)
• USA: Money

Subtext

If you have created previous work for a client your poster printing will be more successful if it offers a familiar experience. If the customer prefers a certain font type or that type of picture, a human element but not the focus of the image, for example a man holding medical equipment in his hands but only the medical equipment in focus. Familiarity is comfortable, so take something old and make it new.

Follow some of the current trends; your poster will be most effective if the subtext is modern. An outdated design will hurt but a trendy design can boost your image. Be careful, however, that you do not become cliché. Use a trend that has not been over-used or that has existed for a long period of time.