Brief Description:
This week was about creating a persuasive poster for a cause we feel passionate about. For myself, I chose the topic of pet abandonment and the negative affects this has on millions of animals all around the world. For my first poster iteration, I decided to focus the topic specifically on pet abandonment, after being adopted as a Christmas present for kids. Often, parents will adopt an animal as a gift for their kids on Christmas or their birthdays, and later realise the actual commitment and work it takes to own one, leading to them giving away or abandoning the animal. Due to this, I decided my target audience for my poster would be aimed towards families with young kids.
Image 1: Poster Idea 1
Below is the first iteration of my persuasive poster design. It depicts a sad dog/puppy wearing a Christmas bow surrounded by a cage. This represents a dog being abandoned at the pound after being adopted as a Christmas present. I wanted the design to be simple and eye-catching enough that both young kids and parents would take interest in the message. Having the bold text and dog in the centre of the page ensures that they're the first and most important elements you see. The cage in the background takes on a wide perspective view to guide your eyes to the main elements but it also gives off a first-person viewing element to make it as if you are the one abandoning this dog.
Image 2: Poster Idea 2
This is the second iteration of my persuasive poster idea. It's a similar concept to the first poster idea but instead the sad pet is seen sitting inside a Christmas present. For this one, I decided to really simplify the illustration and have just one image in the centre of the page. This would be the eye catching element that then leads them to read the big bold letters at the top and bottom of the page.
Image 3: Poster Idea 3
For this iteration, I decided to move away from the Christmas concept and just convey the message in a more general space. The poster depicts a sad dog behind the bars of a cage and text written at the top and bottom of the page. I also changed the message to add more emotion that matches the feeling of the image. Once again, all important visual elements are located in the centre of the page to catch your eye. Also, subject of the page takes up a lot more space than the other iterations to it is easier to see. I wanted the dog's expression to be very obvious and cartoon-like so parents and children alike are able to quickly engage in the emotion the poster conveys.
Image 4: Final Poster Design
The final poster design - based off of my third poster iteration - was digitally rendered on Procreate. I also added a sign in the corner to make sure the target audience is aware of the setting. The colour palette I chose for this poster was split-complimentary. I wanted the background colours to be dark and gloomy to complement the dog's expression, and to contrast this, the bold text is a bright orange to ensure it stands out. I further accentuated the dog's cartoon-like face by just adding clean, blocked in colours for the fur colour and eyes.
In designing persuasive images, it is important that the message is successfully catered toward the intended target audience, otherwise it won't have the desired affect. In order to meet this objective, I tried to think from the perspective of parents and young kids. Most adults will take in the whole image, including the dog, metal bars, "Days at the pound" card and main text. This is important as it is the parents' prerogative to make important decisions such as adopting a pet or deciding to abandon them. It also leans into a child's perspective as the main takeaway of the poster would be the sad dog. Kids who watch cartoons will have recognised a sad expression and wonder they are feeling this way.
Image 5: Final Poster Design - Collage
This is a digital collage version of the final poster design. It must be noted that I did not create or develop any of the individual images seen in this poster, but were instead sourced from the internet to create one collage.
I found it a little challenging to source images that correlated with my vision, but in the end I think the ones I chose have similar design elements I created for the previous final poster. This can be seen through: The contrasting colours between the background and foreground/text, the bold lettering and especially the "sad dog" image. I believe this iteration of my final poster is the more persuasive of the two, as an image of a real dog may be more eye-catching and would evoke greater feelings of sympathy within the target audience. I also hope this iteration would evoke a sense of urgency for the audience so they feel a stronger desire to make a difference in their potential habits of pet abandonment.
