In recent years advertisements are made by utilizing high technology. However, advertising posters are still a popular and effective marketing tool. Whether you're planning to open a store, hold a concert with a band, or run a political campaign, a good advertising poster can be a major tool for success. While designing a poster takes time and hard work, it's not impossible to create a cool poster yourself.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Getting Started
Step 1. Decide what information you want to include in the poster
It depends on what you are advertising. If you want to advertise a store or business, you'll need to include your address, hours of operation, and contact information. If you intend to advertise a group or organization, don't forget to include when and where the meeting is being held. Basically, you have to include whatever information those reading the poster need to know.
Step 2. Determine the age group to which the ad is targeted
Knowledge of the market is very important to create any advertisement. This knowledge will help you decide where to place your poster and choose the words for your ad. For example, if you're advertising literacy services for graduate students, the term "thesis" may attract their attention rather than "essay." Decide who your ad's target demographic is, then look for phrases, graphics, and other design strategies that can grab the attention of your target audience.
Step 3. Decide where you will place the poster
This decision is partly set when you perform audience analysis. For example, you wouldn't place a flyer for a punk rock bank show in a kindergarten school. The placement of the poster will also affect the design. After determining where your potential target audience usually gathers, research the place.
- Look for a strategic location to paste the poster so that most people will see it. Keep in mind that posters posted in places where people pass by, such as corridors, tend to receive less attention than places where people are required to wait. For example, a bus stop is a place where people wait and their eyes may wander all over the place to relieve boredom. Posters placed at bus stops are likely to get more audience than posters in school corridors.
- Pay attention to the colors and lighting in the area. The poster should stand out, not blend in. So, choose colors and designs that look in contrast to the surrounding environment.
Step 4. Decide what information you want to convey to the audience
Advertising involves the transfer of information about a particular product or group. In beer advertising, for example, products are usually associated with fun and entertainment. Decide what you want your ad to be associated with. If you're making a poster for a photo, add photos of people smiling while shopping to show that your store is a place associated with feeling happy.
Part 2 of 2: Designing a Poster
Step 1. Learn the most important part about advertising posters
Like an essay, an advertising poster consists of three parts: the title, the main text, and the signature. When creating a poster design, make these three components a force to grab people's attention.
- Title. This section should be designed to attract attention. The title is usually at the top of the poster and is printed in the largest letters. Also, the title should be short (less than 15 words). Otherwise, readers will get bored and leave before reading all the information in the poster. Try to come up with catchy phrases that describe the product and make the reader want to know the whole poster.
- Main text. Underneath the title, you should write a sentence or two to advertise the message. The text can be longer than the title, but try not to be too long to keep the reader interested. Emphasize some of the main points that you want to convey to the reader as well as pique their interest.
- Signature. In this section you need to write down information about the company, shop, group or object being advertised. Provide all relevant contact information, such as address, phone number, email, social media pages, website and hours of operation. This information is usually placed at the bottom of the poster.
Step 2. Find a computer program to help design the poster
While you can draw posters by hand, the use of specialized computer programs can offer many possibilities for posters. If you are experienced with Adobe products, just use Adobe InDesign or Illustrator. If you're not familiar with design programs, choose a program that provides templates, such as Pages from Apple or Poster Maker on the ArtSkill.com site.
Step 3. Create a logo
When advertising a company or organization, create a logo if you don't already have one. A logo not only grabs the reader's attention, it also helps create a recognizable brand. If your ads are successful, you can later design a poster using just your logo because readers already know what you're advertising. An obvious example of an advertisement like this is Coca-Cola.
Step 4. Choose an effective poster size
Large posters are usually better suited for advertising purposes. It may be tempting to make the poster as large as possible, but this strategy can be a pain in the ass. Large posters are very expensive and if placed in a small space will "intimidate" the reader. They may be reluctant to read the entire poster if it is their size. Usually posters for enclosed spaces measure 28x43 cm. Large posters are more appropriate to be placed outside buildings or on billboards.
Step 5. Select some effective images
Posters should not be too crowded. An effective poster is simple. Using too many images can be distracting and confusing to the reader. Pick an image or two that can really get your message across and put it front and center. After that, place the text around the image and don't cover up anything you want to convey to the reader.
Use high resolution images. A low resolution image may look normal on a computer, but when printed it will be blurry or cracked
Step 6. Use a color that stands out
After selecting the image, decide which color matches the image. Use colored paper to highlight text. The most suitable color pairs are usually white text on red paper and black text on yellow paper. Don't use neon colors as they usually make the text difficult to read.
Don't use too much color. Just as too many images can confuse readers, using too many colors can overwhelm them. Three or four colors are usually enough to grab attention and won't overwhelm the reader
Step 7. Use legible text a few steps from the poster
Keep in mind that people may be passing by when they see the poster. So, make sure the text can be read easily. To judge the poster, hang the poster up and back about 5 meters. If you have trouble reading the text, consider correcting it. You can make the text larger, use a different color, or both.
Try to use only three different fonts: the largest font for the title, the smaller font for the main text, and the smallest font for the signature. Using too many small fonts will bore the reader and they might not read the poster all the way through
Step 8. Make some sketches before making the final choice
Just as writing needs to be scripted before publishing, you should also check the poster several times before printing it. Make several versions and choose the most attractive, simple, and convey the message you want. Ask the other person for their opinion because he or she may be able to see what you missed. Refine the poster until you feel you've got the best results.
Step 9. Print your poster
Once you've created a poster design that you like, there are several options for printing it. You can print them straight from your home computer if you're on a tight budget. However, computer paper is not very durable, and the colors and graphics don't look as good as on a computer. Printing uses paper that is stronger and will make the poster look brighter and shiny so it will be more attractive to the reader. Printing posters can be expensive. So, consider the right options and adapt them to your situation.
