Last year was the first season of The Say Something Poster Project. We learned a lot from our first season and wanted to find out what some of last year’s finalists learned from their experiences. We reached out to a few of the designers who submitted work to both our first and current seasons to see what they had to say.
Megan Bergman
SSPP: Last year your poster made it into the top 25. What elements of your poster do you think resonated the most with the public and the judges?
Megan: When designing for the masses, I try to use elements that most people can identify with. The concept behind my poster last year was encouraging teenagers/young adults to feel confident in who they are. It’s a life journey; it’s okay to venture down one path, discover it isn’t who you want to be and to turn around. I felt the maze represented this journey best – because every path is unique.
SSPP: What challenges did you experience in designing a poster for the second season? How did you overcome those challenges?
Megan: My biggest challenge was getting over the blank-canvas-deer-in-
SSPP: What advice do you have for other designers attempting to craft a message targeted at a younger audience?
Megan: Listen. And then listen again.
Drew Wohlberg
SSPP: Last year your poster made it into the top 25. What elements of your poster do you think resonated the most with the public and the judges?
Drew: I think it was the accessibility of it. There was a simple direct message presented in a style that was appealing to a wide range of audiences. It would fit well in a number of places, from a second grade classroom to a downtown loft.
SSPP: What challenges did you experience in designing a poster for the second season? How did you overcome those challenges?
Drew: My biggest challenge was figuring out an issue that I felt was important enough for this project but was also something that was easily actionable for the audience. Taking control of one’s health and weight is something where little changes can make huge difference.
SSPP: What advice do you have for other designers attempting to craft a message targeted at a younger audience
Drew: Respect their intelligence. Don’t talk down to them assuming they won’t be able to grasp a more sophisticated message and/or design.
Justin Nottke
SSPP: Last year your poster made it into the top 25. What elements of your poster do you think resonated the most with the public and the judges?
Justin: The iconic references that were used in my poster last year, I feel, represented a broad array of hobbies/interests/subjects that were able to connect with a large audience. My intention was to make people relate to what career path they chose, based on what interested them.
SSPP: What challenges did you experience in designing a poster for the second season? How did you overcome those challenges?
Justin: The main challenge was trying to find a worthy message that would complement my design style. The best way to overcome this initial challenge, was to keep the message and illustration simple and to the point. Especially when dealing with a young audience, I felt that a simple and direct message, while being playful can be influential.
SSPP: What advice do you have for other designers attempting to craft a message targeted at a younger audience?
Justin: As I stated previously, I think that designers just have to remember to keep the message simple and playful. Something that can grab a young audience’s attention quickly.
Jonathan Vizcuna
SSPP: Last year your poster made it into the top 25. What elements of your poster do you think resonated the most with the public and the judges?
Jonathan: Thinking about the purpose for which the poster was designed, I think the simple message “Smile” beside the image were the most resonated.
SSPP: What challenges did you experience in designing a poster for the second season? How did you overcome those challenges?
Jonathan: For this season I wanted to be a little more experimental playing with more colors, with no text and with a picture that speak for itself.
SSPP: What advice do you have for other designers attempting to craft a message targeted at a younger audience?
Jonathan: Use a clear and simple message is essential, considering the audience target of the poster which will be directed.