The Modern Advocacy Poster Why and How it is Effective
Impact Heller
“Ode to Ink Saturated Paper” Posters themselves will not fix global or national problems, Heller argues, but they can do something. They create an impact. Posters are not the problem solvers, but they have the strong capability to motivate and inspire people. Posters can ignite a spark in an otherwise lethargic citizen. Maybe more important, though, is an advocacy poster’s purpose of translating a confusing and ambiguous issue. When a social, political, etc. issue becomes popular knowledge, the understanding of the issue itself almost immediately becomes bogged down by misinformation, biased statements and assumptions. Our goal is to make it legible and accessible for a concerned individual who may have no idea where to begin. Heller also calls to mind the issue of time. A poster is real and tangible, and we can’t just click to another page. Inherently, people seem to have a stronger reaction because of this. However, even with print, we have but moments to catch a reader’s attention and convince them to read onward. Heller tells us to do far more. With care and purpose, we can create a lasting impression with one sheet of paper. We can tell a story that resonates not just now, but into the future. I have experienced first hand how provoking an advocacy poster can be, but I think that a distinction must be made. There is a difference between igniting an emotional response and informing. As designers, I feel it’s our duty to not betray the trust of a viewer. It is not our job to cheaply appeal to a viewer’s intellectual vulnerabilities. It’s our job to give them the facts; persuade them, yes, but educate them also. The greatest point that I read though, was that at times, to be successful, we must learn to set aside beauty, as sometimes the truest things are raw and unabashed. I feel this often with pieces, when content is overlooked for the sake of creating a beautiful, finished product.
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