2. Example 1-
Volkswagen; ‘Think small’
Bernbach’s Volkswagen ad;
launched 1959
- Effective use of white space
- Product itself is small and distant
- Black & White
- Simplistic, minimal
- Poster itself reflected on the product’s
benefits of its compact size and
affordability
3. These poster ads for the 1962 Volkswagen campaign are brilliant on a visual
level; the contrast of empty space causes the subject to immediately stand out
from the page. There is an emphasis on the undersized Beetle and the fine
print at the bottom introduces the advantages of having a small car in tasteful,
concise language. I like the fact that these posters prioritise simplicity over
complexity, and I think the minimalist take is what makes these posters so
effective.
4. Example 2-
Nike; ‘Just do It’
Wieden + Kennedy’s Nike ad;
launched 1988
- Use of slogan
- Catch phrase
- Effective branding; became trademark
- Simple black and white colour
- Bold font
5. The ‘Just Do It’ slogan for Nike was meant to capture the overall culture at
Nike, and express the willingness to take risks. Through this slogan, the
company came to represent not just an athletic brand, but also embodied a
certain lifestyle. I think that this promotional campaign is very successful and
still lives through generations because it encapsulates everything people feel
when they are exercising in a short and sweet phrase.
7. ‘Got Milk?’ is an American advertising campaign encouraging the
consumption of milk. First printed in 1993, it has become one of the most
recognised and respected ad campaigns. I think that the idea of the milk-
mustache, often formed when drinking a glass of milk was excellent as it was
relatable. The main selling point of this campaign is the appearance of
famous actors, athletes, musicans, tv-hosts and other celebrities in the
movement.
Visually;
- Clever caption in fineprint at the
bottom of each ad
- References to occupation of
celebrity in the ad
- Reoccurring ‘got milk?’ logo
- Simple portraits
8. Example 4-
Kony 2012
Short film and promotional material created by
Invisible Children, Inc. - Released 2012
- Strong impacting colours
- Symbolic logo
- Bold block text
9. The Video
Kony 2012
- Tells the personal story of
Jacob Acaye
- Concludes by urging
viewers to join its publicity
campaign and help the
cause by taking action now
10. Positive Aspects;
- Excellent cinematography; wide use of different camera angles and
techniques e.g. wide shot, close up, pan, zoom etc
- Simple but effective music
- Smooth and fluent transitions
- Effective use of footage breakup devices e.g. countdown, long shot of Earth
- Repetitive use of strong phrases that reoccurs throughout; ‘Nothing is more
powerful than an idea whose time has come, the time is now’
- Lots of interviews that introduce versatile viewpoints
- Slow, easy to understand, hooking narration
The Video
Kony 2012
11. Kony 2012
The Logo
- Stylized form
- Donkey symbolises the
Democratic Party and the
elephant the Republican
Party, overlapping to form
the middling white dove
representing peace
12. The Posters/Merchandise
All the posters and merchandise made for the Kony 2012 campaign
were very visually impacting as they all incorporated the same shades
of red and black with hints of blue and white. They also effectively
used, much like Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ campaign in example 2, a short
catch phrase; ‘Stop at Nothing’ which helped to hook the audience.
Another significant reason I felt this campaign was successful was
because of the bold, but stylised font that made the message and
essence of the motion clear and also worked extremely well with the
colour palette.
13. Example 5-
More charity posters
These are two of my favourite charity posters that I came
across during my research.
14. Oil Spill -
I liked this charity poster for oil
spillage mainly for its creative use of
typography and its simple two
toned palette. The black text,
curved to fit inside an invisible
border that makes up a water drop
I felt was very aesthetically
appealing, and is a technique that
could easily be recreated through
the warp tool under filter > artistic
in Adobe Photoshop. The bold
black against the turquoise
backgrounding text also made the
main message pop, working well
with the graffiti like nature of the
font as well.
15. Shelter -
I liked this charity poster for the
homeless shelter because of the
simple but bold colour choices and
the minimal portrayal of the
sleeping bag made up of words in
an empty space of orange. I think
that the white drastically contrasts
with the bright orange that
immediately draws the eye. The
trail of words in the middle of the
poster that formed the outline of a
sleeping bag is very impacting,
especially with the emphasis with
larger font size on more important
words and phrases.
16. Sum up -
After analysing existing examples of successful
promotional campaigns, I have decided that my final
product must include;
- Eye catching colour palette (2 ~ 4 tones, including
bold tones mixed with black and/or white)
- Visually effective typography and selection of font
- Simple composition, use of blank space
- Use of a short catch phrase
