This document provides guidance on creating effective poster advertisements. It discusses poster advertisements as an affordable alternative to more expensive advertising methods like TV and billboard ads. Key points include choosing a clear objective for the poster, using large readable text, limiting colors and fonts, including essential details like time/location, and obtaining permission before posting in public spaces. Tips are provided on design, layout, proofreading and following assignment requirements. The goal is to simply and clearly communicate the main message in an eye-catching visual format.

1. By Prof. Mark
Grabowski
Intro to PR
MarkGrabowski.com

2. Introduction
• Ads are great tool for reaching publics
• Use to promote, celebrate, invite, remind,
instruct, etc.
• This assignment will also get you thinking
about design and presentation. Remember, in
PR, it’s not just what you say, but also how
you say it.

4. TV ads and billboard
ads can be very
expensive, ranging
from thousands to
millions of dollars.

5. But there are
alternatives

6. Poster Advertisements
• Typically a simple, rectangular-shaped
advertisement with text and image placed on
websites, newspapers, buildings, bulletin
boards, etc.
• Cheaper to design and to display

7. Poster ads can be used in
affordable print publications
Ad on left appeared in a local
newspaper. Ad below appeared
in a high school yearbook

8. Poster ads can also be virtual
… and much less costly

9. You’ve surely seen poster ads online…

11. Adelphi Athletics posts many poster ads on social media

12. On eCampus
Note: online ads can leave out some info
because the idea is to get people to click on the
ad, which will send them to a webpage with
more info. Paper-based ads need more details.

13. Note: well-known brands can also get away
with less info. But your client won’t be well-
known. So more info will be needed.

14. Even cheaper…
‘Guerilla
Marketing’ :
Poster ads can
be placed freely
in public spaces

15. On bulletin boards

16. On store fronts

17. On public transit

18. On utility polls

19. On lawns

20. But
who
notices?

21. Good Ad Posters

22. Good ad posters get your main point(s)
across to as many people as possible.

23. Bad Ad Posters
• We’ve all seen posters filled with tiny print,
blurry images, and disorganized text. Does
anybody read them?

24. Bad Ad Posters
Many ineffective posters suffer from easy-to-fix
problems, including ...
– objective(s) and main point(s) hard to find
(missing key info, such as date, time, where to find
more info, unclear about what event is, etc.)
– text too small
– poor graphics
– poor organization

25. Note
This assignment is
for making an ad/
publicity poster.
It is not for making a
science poster.
That’s completely
different.

26. Assignment
• Create a one-page poster or advertisement
with type and image (photo or illustration) to
attract people to a specific event or attraction
of a local person or organization that does not
already have PR help or publicity.

27. Assignment
• Pick something that’s fairly evergreen. The
final version of your poster (after you receive
feedback and make revisions) won’t be
complete until around mid-March. You also
want to post the flyer a couple weeks prior to
the event. So, events before March 20 won’t
work.

28. Poster requirements
• Poster Size: 8.5” x 11”. One side only.
• Email poster to me as a PDF file.
• After your revise your poster, you must post it
in public or on social media, take a photo and
email it to me as proof you posted it.

29. Research
• Begin by identifying the thing (e.g.
organization and event) you’ve chosen.
Compose a written rationale in which you
explain why you chose this thing and how you
addressed the needs of the client. Determine
what aspects of this event would attract
someone to attend.

30. Research: 5Ws
• Determine who your audience is and why your
poster or ad addresses this demographic; include
this in your rationale .
• What do you want your audience to do: Join an
organization? Attend an event? Donate time or
money? Attend a course or seminar? Buy
something?
• Determine the information that should be
included in the poster (location, dates & hours,
cost: fees, etc.).
• Determine where to post flyer. Think about how
to best reach them – where should poster be
placed so your target audience sees it?

31. Design
• You must include a primary visual element
either illustration or photo illustration.
Respect copyright law.
• Choose a clear, dark font. Your typeface
should be simple, clean and professional.
Avoid ornate or italic fonts, and don’t use a lot
of different font styles. Select one or two and
use them consistently

32. Respect Copyright Law
Only use images that:
– You or your client have taken or drawn
– Or you have permission to use (just giving credit
isn’t enough)
– Or you transform: make significant changes to
– Or are part of the public domain (e.g. Creative
Commons stock photos)

33. Resources (images you may use)
• http://photopin.com/
• http://www.flickr.com/creativecommons
• www.istockphoto.com
• www.shutterstock.com
• www.dreamstime.com
• http://www.loc.gov/pictures
• http://animalphotos.info/a

34. Deadlines
• Feb 13: Email me names of group members
and topic.
• Feb. 20: Research due – typed and handed in
during class. Meet in computer lab.
• Feb. 27: Poster due. Email to me as PDF.

35. Your poster should:
• Provide details: who, what, when, where and
why
• Use clear concise language and include only
necessary information
• Be eye-catching and printed with a laser
printer or professionally printed.
• Use a bold, easy-to-read font or typeface.
• Include the person’s, event’s or organization’s
name.

36. This poster is
eye-catching, but
missing several
pieces of
important info:
where? It’s also
unclear what this
event is about.

37. Tips
• Don’t have the name of the event as your
display head. Write something catchy to
attract attention (ie. Instead of writing
‘American Dairy Council’, write ‘Got Milk!’).
• Establish the information to be conveyed and
its hierarchy. The most important (or name of
the event) should be the biggest and
brightest..

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Boundaries??
P romote disability awareness
Improve qu ality of life of people with
special needs
L earn ways to volunteer to make a
difference!
M eetings every
M onday at 7:30 –
Bring a friend!
C heck us out on A U L IFE
for this weeks meeting loca-
tion…
Or scan your
smartphone for
our Facebook
P age!
Upcoming events!
Polar Plunge!
Wheelchair Basketball
Volunteer with AHRC
2x per semes-
ter
Why Should IJoin...
This headline is
so esoteric that
people will likely
ignore it. Also,
photos of people
standing around
posing don’t add
much.

40. This is much
better…
Want to
M ake a
D ifference?
P romote disability awareness
Improve quality of life of
people with special needs
L earn ways to volunteer
to make a difference
Join Wheelchair Basketball
M eetings every
M onday at 7:30pm
C heck us out on A U L IFE for
this week’s meeting location…
Or scan your
smartphone for
our
Facebook
P age!
Join Breaking Boundaries!

41. Tips
• Make your text instantly readable.
• Use large text. All lettering should be legible
from at least 5 feet away. Ideally 10+ feet.
• Limit your design to two typeface families.
Much of your information will be in display
type (16 point +), so consider what type works
large.
• Think “can I read it?”

42. This is difficult to
read and not eye-
catching from a
distance.
qw e rtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw e rtyuiopas dfghjklzxcvb nmq
w e rtyuio pas dfghjklzxcvbnmqw e rtyuio pas dfghjklzxcvbnmqw
e rtyuio pasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw e rtyuio pas dfghjklzxcvbnmqw e r
tyuio pasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw e rtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw e rty
uiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwe rtyuio pasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw e rtyui
o pasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw e rtyuio pasdfghjklz xcvbnmqw e rtyuio
pasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw e rtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw e rtyuio pa
s dfghjklzxcvbnmqw e rtyuio pasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwe rtyuio pas d
fghjklzxcvbnm qw e rtyuio pas dfghjklzxcvbnm rtyuio pas dfghjklzxcvbn
m qw e rtyuio pas dfghjklzxcvbnm qw e rtyu iopasdfghjklz
xcvbnm qw e rtyuio pas dfghjklzxcvbnm qw e rtyuio pas dfghjklzxc
vbnmqw e rtyuio pas dfghjklzxcvbnm qw e rtyuio pas dfghjklzxcvbnmqw
e rtyuio pas dfghjklzxcvbnm qw e rtyuio pas dfghjklzxcvbnm qw e rtyuio p
as dfghjklzxcvbnmqw e rtyuio pas dfghjklzxcvb nmqwerty
uiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuio
pasdfghjklzxcvbnmrtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwe r
tyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw e rtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvb
nmqwe rtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwe rtyuiopasdfghj
klzxcvbnmqw e rtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw e rtyui
opasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiop
asdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasd
fghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfgh
have a passion for writing?
want your opinions heard?
ffi
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urrvvooi
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C
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Meetings:Mondaysat 5pm
Place:EarleHall MediaCenter
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Got a story or a tip for us? Want to join the staff? Questions,
comments or concerns?
Contact us:
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Facebook: facebook.com/ dadelphian
Follow us on Twitter: @the_Delphian

43. This is much
better…

44. Tips
• Stick to black or dark letters on a white or light
background. White letters on a black background
are more difficult to read; so are texts in light
colors.
• Use color sparingly and thoughtfully. Too much
color is confusing–“less is more.”
• Carefully consider your visual and the way it will
interact with the type. Consider where the visual
will be placed in the design and how it plays off
of the display type.

45. Tips
• Think about the content. Edit the copy. Consider
readability.
• Simplify the information to be communicated.
Let me repeat, simplify the information to be
communicated. You have a short amount of time
to convey your message. Don’t muddle it with a
lot of stuff they can get on your website.
• Make sure the message is conveyed clearly and
dynamically. Simple words. Short message.

46. This is simple,
but effective…

47. Tips
• Don’t fill the space from corner to corner, top
to bottom. White space can work powerfully
for you!
• Think about using strong alignment rather
than centering copy. Strong alignment creates
a strong layout—as does repetition of type,
visuals/style.

48. Tips
• In this day of techno-communication, have a
website or landing page for your event and
get a QR Code or link (keep the name simple,
please!) and drive them to your website. Easy
for people to scan with their smart phone.
• Visit http://www.qrstuff.com/ to make a QR
code.

49. Tips
• Proofread all text. Typos will lose points.
• Double-check and confirm that all info (time,
place, contact info, etc.) is correct. Mistakes
will be penalized.
• Sketch out your poster before creating it on a
computer.

50. Posting your Ad
• Don’t just post it anywhere
• Research the locations/sites for your poster. Is
it an appropriate venue? You don’t want to
promote a garden party at a construction site.
You don’t want to post on a random Facebook
page that no one reads.
• Ask permission to post your poster

51. Tips
• Study other posters or advertisements. What
attracts you to them?
• What are the main problems with ones you
reject visually?
• Remember that posters or advertisements are
designed to be a quick read. The best design
solution is often simple.

52. Grade deductions
• Missing topic deadline: one grade deduction (e.g. final
grade lowered rom a B+ to a B)
• Changing topic without checking with me: one grade
deduction
• Missing sketch/rough draft deadline: one grade
deduction
• Violating copyright: 1 letter grade deduction
• Missing final deadline: 2 letter grade deduction
• Not making requested revisions: 1 grade reduction
• Not posting poster in public: 2 letter grade deduction.
• Not following poster requirements: 1 letter grade
deduction

53. GOOD LUCK!
