The Bad Show

Scott HunterGRA-10115EW??2015/16

Design BriefDesign BriefOverviewProject title: Radio Poster RedesignClient: RadioLabDesigner: Scott HunterDetailsWhat speci�cally needs to be created?Dark poster design that deals with the human concept of taking another human’s life.Who is the target audience?RadioLab listeners, potential program investors, and entertainment enthusiasts.What does the audience know about the organization?Current listeners will know the quality of entertainment that each RadioLab program will bring.Each episode is di�erent, and explores di�erent narratives.What takeaway or image is desired for the audience to understand?This is an episode in a series. This particular episode will deal with dark themes, and discuss thehuman concept of killing as we know it.How will the design communicate that image/takeaway?To reinforce that this is part of a series, familiar images will be used. The current RadioLab logowill be employed. The colors will shift to a dark palette, with an emphasis on the mysterious peoplewho take a human life.Who is the competition?

Other NPR programs will be competing in the direct space. Indirectly, other forms ofentertainment form a direct competition.What are the major �aws in the current design?The green background does not convey anything about the topic, and leaves the current designwith an unsettling vibe. The use of atomic explosion imagery does not convey the overall toneof the episode. The use of gray type allows the copy to get lost in the background.How will you �x these �aws? Give examples.I will use a dark, textured background with white and red text to convey the crisp imagery of blood whilekeeping a clean conscious. I will use di�erent iconic elements that were discussed in theepisode to keep the listener engaged. A hooded �gure with eerie gra�tti will convey the themes of the episode.Speci�cationsPrint Specs:Size(s): 11x17Format: PrintCopy points/Call to action:Title: RadioLab - BadSubtitle: The human nature of DeathIncludes:CTA: WHo’s Bad. Killing Millions... Feeding Billions.Web address to listen to episode - http://www.radiolab.orgAdditional comments: N/A

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As hard as it is to come up with 10 completely di�erent designs, this had to be done. The original provided poster was unbalanced, used clip art, and was a hideous puke green. It had to go. Radio is an audio medium, but is sold visually. These designs showed me embracing a pop culture vibe, while sticking to the basics found in the textbook.

Rough Drafts

Rough Draft #1

This design was chosen for the pure joy of using the knife as a pattern. I am an avid home chef, and use this tool almost daily. I associalte the paring knife as a tool to survive, and not a survival tool. The strong lines of the blade and tang call to me, while the blood splatter breaks up the monotony in a very fun way. My classmates indicated that this design seemed a little unbalanced, and was missing key copy elements.

Rough Drafts

Rough Draft #2

This design plays on the propaganda posters we discussed in an earlier module. I am a big fan of propaganda as art, and saw this design as a perfect opportunity to play with plane, pattern, color, and iconic imagery all in one. My classmates gave me great feed-back about watching my margins in regard to text, and once again, that darn missing copy. This is my personal favorite, for the sheer outrageous factor qlone.

Rough Drafts

Rough Draft #3

This design resonated well with out Professor, and became the defacto design upon which to improve. The use of balance, and negative space is showcased by the stark background, which serves as a textural contrast to the hooded �gure. My classmates seemed to enjoy the use of logos to make a face, as was seen in other RadioLab works for di�erent shows. They indicated that I would bene�t from playing with the type, but keeping the font.

Final Design

The �nal design was a result of revisiting a theme, while incorpo-rating the feedback from classmates and professor alike. The hooded �gure took up some much space in the image, but had to remain an integral part. So, I opted to use type and a few delivery methods to get the needed copy into the design. By placing the Michael Jackson “Bad” logo into a scene with gra�ti, I changed the creepy �gure into a social conscious killer who likes to dance.

Final Design

Conclusion

The original design was greatly improved by taking what was once a grouping of image that would only connect to the viewer after they had listened to the program, and chang-ing them to something that compels a listener to tune in. Rather than relying on the poster to tell the story after the fact, we now can use the poster to sell a potential broadcast to see just what could be so creepy.

By emphasizing type within various presentation vehicles, I attempt to play on the movie poster genre where nothing is quite as it seems. Similar posters will show the viewer a release date for an airplace based drama with a release date formed by type that looks like clouds.

This design uses a hierarchy that is intended to get the viewer interested in the mysterious looking tag line, and the �gure that possibly painted it. As the eye scans across and down-ward, we can logically �ll in that the answers will be discovered by listening to the Radio-Lab program with the name in bold type. Following further, our natural instinct to ask how we can listen is answered by the crime scene tape vehicle for introducing a web address.

The process from start to �nish taught me to put faith in the learning process, and follow a system for developing an idea.

As hard as it is to come up with 10 completely di�erent designs, this had to be done. The original provided poster was unbalanced, used clip art, and was a hideous puke green. It had to go. Radio is an audio medium, but is sold visually. These designs showed me embracing a pop culture vibe, while sticking to the basics found in the textbook.