Studio Brief 5 - Message And Delivery - Delivery

Briefing notes

Create 3 posters that work as a set or a series

1 created with just type, 1 created with just image, 1 created with type and image.

Deliver a personal message considered from research from Studio Brief 4

2 colours + stock

A3 scale at 2:1

Challenging, High Impact, Controversial

In relation to Studio brief 4, I have to deliver a personal message. Looking into the dangers of legal highs, I want to deliver the message that these Legal Highs need to be banned.

Ireland and Poland have already banned all physco - active drugs and I believe we should follow them in this illegalisation.

Before considering how I am to deliver this message, I am to look at existing posters that I believe will aid me with my decision making.

Shock value and a imitation of a popular advertisement format can create interesting results.

Creating type that can relate to the disorientation taking drugs can create creates interactivity with an audience.

The concept of an advertisement has to be strong and effective while being simple enough to understand quickly.

Call to actions are essential to add to the delivering of a message.

Imitation of popular symbols can be greatly effective.

A easily read typeface is essential, script fonts are rarely used. 

Creating type in context of the advertisement creates a strong concept. This type is made from several lines of cocaine. 

Shock value yet again. 

Sarcasm can create great results.

Creating a series of advertisements can be difficult, they need to work alone and be easily recognisable as a set. Logos and layout are essential for a set.

Composition can be essential in a good advert.

Creating imagery that is common to every parent can create an emotional connection. 

Experimenting with hierarchy and illusion can create brilliant advertisements.   

Remembering my discovery of these minimal anti - legal high posters from my previous research, I believed these to be highly effective as no imagery distracts from the focus on the message, while the minimalist design creates interest and then directs to the call to action. 

 Taking inspiration from these posters, I looked into minimalist posters.

Minimalism creates questioning, why is there an image of a bench? Why the use of blue?  

Minimalism is a rare sight in a culture of 'shouty' design. 

This series of poster were created by Eder Rengifo.  

The imagery used on minimalist posters can be understood without type, therefore they are great research for the just image poster I have to create. 

'Social Networking since 1873' 

The use of hard hats as teeth to portray the protective qualities of Sensodyne. No other imagery or type is needed. 

I know fellow peers are using the article about shark fin soup for the brief and this has to be one of the examples of advertising I have found. Another example of the importance of a great concept.

Using Image as type. This could be a possible route to get around the strict limitations of the brief. 

Using the connotations of an object can be effective. The image simply shows a wooden figurine however the audience connotes this as a russian nesting doll.

After looking at how people how delivered messages in advertisements, I needed to create a concept of my own. I started by creating a series of questions.

How can I persuade an audience to agree with my message of banning legal highs?

Shocking statistics

Shocking imagery

How can I show the similarities of legal and illegal drugs?

Chemical formulas

White powder - a difference can not be seen

Similarities in chemical names

How can I inform an audience of the dangers of legal highs?

Info graphic

Personal stories of an individual


I had several ideas however I did not believe in wasting time developing the weaker conceptual ideas as I have learned from the start of this brief, the more conceptual resolutions create the better responses. I believe the idea of exaggerating the similarities between legal and illegal drugs through type and image is the best way to deliver my message of banning these legal highs.

The chemical formula of MDAI, a uncontrolled substance that is easily bought online.

MDAI can be easily bought online.

The chemical formula of MDMA.

I want to exaggerate this similarity and pose the question, if they are so similar, why are they both not illegal?

The overlap of the chemical structures of the two. Red and blue are used to create a purple when overlap.

The overlap of the chemical names.

The overlap of the chemical formula.

The overlap of the drugs shortened name.

This is the print I showed to be constructively criticised by my peers. Yet again, these anonymous crits are much more helpful and honest due the anonymity. The feedback I received was invaluable.   

Here is the feedback I received and my response to it.



'Less type'

'Yellow is illegible, try red and blue perhaps'

'Like the chemical idea'

'Make more eye catching, minimal alternatives'

Inspired by the minimal movie posters seen earlier, I want to be as minimal as possible. With a minimal design, there is no other aspects of design that can detract from the message you are trying to communicate. A minimal design also enhances this exaggeration as there is no other focus.

'Create a campaign'

An idea for a strap line, I decided to keep the overlap continued here as I am restricted two colours + stock, the type could have not been just one colour as this would un balance the image.

Too long and the shape of the type is unattractive.

I created this strap line, keeping the overlap evident. The simple 'Ban legal highs' seemed to work well, there was a nice shape to the type and the message is strong and clear enough to any audience.

The logo was created from the overlap of the two hexagons in the chemical structures of the two drugs, MDMA and MDAI.

'Overlap of structure works well'

I decided to use this variation of the structure overlap, as it creates more of an image, more theatre while still clearly showing the similarity. I am going to use this design for the image poster, although it contain letterforms, they are not used as type, they are closer to symbols, not a readable form but an arrangement that represents a chemical element.

'Red and blue works best'

I looked at mixing colours, I agreed that red and blue worked the best, yellow has proved illegible on white stock. I cannot use another darker stock as the overlap will not show as clear as I want. I could use red and green however I believe the purple created from red and blue is more aesthetically pleasing than brown.

'Like the layering idea'

'Clear and easy to understand'

'Looks like the page of a chemistry book'

'Play with the layout, make the bonds the key feature'

The 2:1 format I decided to use was 20 x 40 as I wanted to design in the regular portrait format of a poster. I separated the grid into 4 horizontal sections. The chemical structures would sit 2nd from top while the strap line and logo would sit on the bottom. Originally the logo was the same size as the two hexagons that it is created from however this looked irregular.

The packaging of these legal highs contain several disclaimers so the companies selling these dangerous substances can't be prosecuted. The harmful logo, 18+ and 'Not for human consumption'. 'Not for...' has been coined as one of the most popular phrases in the fight against legal highs by the media so I do believe it would relevant for me to use it within my image and type design. 

The harmful universal logo.

The harmful universal logo with the type 'Not for human consumption' and the branding of the campaign 'Ban Legal Highs'.

I have decided to use Helvetica through out my designs. I can justify this by evidencing an extract from 'A guide to the Graphic Design of medication packaging'.

I wanted to relate my work to a medical context due to the nature of the subject.

Pharmaceuticals and other legal drugs come packaged in packaging adhering to guides similar to this.

Helvetica is even recommended here.

Here are the final three posters I decided to present. They do work as a set, the branding isn't compulsory however it adds to the context of a campaign. I intend to screen the posters however due to the resources being incredibly busy with inductions, this may be impossible. I am encouraged to go that little way beyond the expected and hand in 3 screen printed posters. I have printed the posters digitally and have handed these in with my submission, there is a set on cartridge paper however the red has printed as a gold colour due to a wrong print setting however this does create an interesting result. There is also a set on matte paper however the stock detracts from the design in my opinion and is not ideal.
Hopefully there will be a set of crisp, screen printed posters. I hope and presume screen printing will add and enhance to my design due to it's nature unlike the digital matte result.

MDMA is red. MDAI is blue. This runs throughout the designs.