How to Design Campaign Posters That Impact Voters
Campaign posters are still an effective and accessible way to show support for a candidate. As CNN explains, Despite [...] modern technology [...] and the way the Internet is radically transforming how political graphics are disseminated, countless numbers of these posters are still being printed on paper.
The reason they will continue to be used is simple: People cannot raise up their computer monitors in a convention, carry them in a demonstration, plant them on their lawn, or paste them onto walls, says CNN. As long as people have political opinions, printed posters and their unique forms of art are a fundamental tool to express them.
If you need to design a political poster whether it be for a school election or local political campaign follow these simple strategies to have an impact on your target voters.
Related article: 5 Critical Elements of Modern Poster Design
Lay a Strong Foundation
There are at least two non-negotiables for every campaign poster. First, every poster MUST include the candidate's name. Second, voters need to know what position is being contested. Are they being asked to elect a new judge or state senator, or are votes being sought for the office of city council or school board? Make sure that your posters answer these two fundamental questions with confidence.
There are, of course, other details that can be just as essential. Posters are the perfect size to feature a professional headshot of the candidate, as in the above template, and it can be really helpful to include the date of the election, especially if it doesn't fall on the first Tuesday in November. You can also save space by directing the reader to your website in order to view your platform, credentials, and endorsements from your supporters.
As with any type of signage, it's important to make sure that your design choices (color contrast, text size, and font) are easily seen and understood from a distance by passing voters-to-be.
Create a Campaign Slogan that Hits the Mark
A slogan is a simple motto that catches a viewer's attention. It ideally speaks to them on a personal level and therefore sticks with them long after they walk by or view the poster. From "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too" to "Yes We Can," campaign slogans have come to represent so much more than just words. Just take a look at Business Insider s round-up of every winning presidential campaign slogan in the past 70 years to see that slogans are a critical part of successful campaigns.
In the template above, you ll notice the candidate includes the phrase Putting Our Farmers First as their slogan. Additionally, with MyCreativeShop s customizable templates, you can swap out targeted slogans for the various demographics or stops you ll make on the campaign trail.
Related article: 15 Minimalist Poster Ideas for Impactful Messaging
Include Election Promises You Can Keep
Your campaign is a series of promises to constituents on what you plan to do if elected to office. You can use your poster design to outline some of your high-level election promises and plans so everyone can remember what you will do for them.
While you don't want to make your poster cluttered and hard to read, you can still include some of your core values, beliefs, and campaign ideology. Take the time to boil your platform down to a set number of individual talking points that can be easily remembered by voters. The above template includes space for four bullets, which can be updated with the initiatives that speak to your voters.
Related article: 15 Marketing Poster Examples to Inspire Your Designs
Bring it Back to Digital
Modern voters will see your printed poster on a wall, in front of a house, or in the hands of your supporters at a rally or event. In our instant-gratification digital society, viewers immediately want more information about the campaign and candidate, especially if it's not a nationally-covered race.
Make it easy for them by including a digital call-to-action (CTA) such as "Join the Movement," "Get Involved," or "Learn More" (as in the above example) that directs traffic to your campaign website. Once there, your landing page should encourage supporters to sign up to be on your mailing list or grassroots campaign team.
Design Campaign Posters that Make an Impact
Even in the age of social media and digital campaigns, printed posters are very much a relevant and influential form of communication for any type of election. Remember when designing your poster, if you want supporters to hold it up or to stop busy people in their tracks, it needs to be impactful as much in design as in messaging.
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