Abstract:

The global health crisis created by Covid-19 and the resulting pandemic served as the point of departure for this research into public health poster design messaging in the United States throughout the 20th century and into the 21st century. The world has faced numerous public health crises during this time, such as The Flu Pandemic of 1918, Polio, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Cholera, Dengue, Ebola, Zika, H1N1, Measles, Smallpox, HIV/Aids, Cancer, Heart Disease, Diabetes, and many others. Posters are one method of communication used by public health officials to warn communities about the presence of health threats, as well as to provide education and guidance to prevent, limit, or cure these illnesses.

As graphic design educators, we make every effort to create projects that are meaningful and with which our students can make powerful connections. We have found that showing examples of posters with our students is an effective way to introduce various means of communicating with audiences quickly and with impact. There are four primary methods of communication on posters: The choice of verbal messaging through wording, the selection and application of typography to convey the verbal messages, the style and content of imagery, and the selection and application of color and texture. This presentation will focus on the impact created by the selection and application of typography on public health poster design. For example, in some cases, public health posters contain headlines and text that are threatening and frightening, using typography that is large, bold, and all uppercase to communicate. Typography is frequently placed on a diagonal for added impact. In other cases, public health posters contain headlines and text that provide solutions, such as suggestions to cover coughs, or to wash one’s hands. In these cases, typography may be less intimidating and more comforting; using upper and lower case letters in soothing colors. In this way, students are introduced the emotional and expressive power of words and how they can be visually communicated to audiences in ways that are compelling and can lead to positive change.

Each type of illness or public health issue is unique, affecting communities and populations at different rates and with ranges of severity, so it stands to reason that messaging is also handled in a unique way for each situation. This virtual presentation provides a range of visual solutions created to warn or to provide information about public health crises throughout the 20th-21st centuries in the U.S, and evaluates their impact and effectiveness. This analysis and evaluation of public health poster design provides guidance in the design of effective posters in this genre.This presentation serves as a case study to assist graphic design students integrate design concepts using content that is current and powerful, and demonstrates the importance of design in addressing and solving societal problems.

Keywords:

Public health, illness, poster design, typography, messaging, headlines, graphic design, advertising, information design.