Most 4x9 flyers use a vertical view on both sides, but this flyer by Jim Stanton from Massachusetts utilizes a horizontal layout. Many graphic designers advise to stay away from this approach because it can create an awkward experience for the reader, but I believe that the horizontal view can be effective if done correctly.
At a quick glance three things stand out: the logo (name), website, and a photo. These three things are exactly what needs to be absorbed by the voter. Keeping the front simple is always the best policy.
The Stanton family photo (1) is a great picture and I have always advised candidates to include pictures of children even if they do not have any. However, group photos like this can make it tough for the reader to identify with the candidate. Facial recognition is vital to a campaign, so reducing the candidate's head size to a few centimeters makes it difficult to distinguish the candidate at a glance. Moving this picture to the back of the flyer and replacing it with a candidate portrait might be a better way to go.
I have always regarded push cards as portals to get more information, and to effectively do this you have to emphasize where to go. Jim listed his logo and website (2) on both the front and back of the flyer making it easy for an interested reader to grab more information on him.
One glaring concern on the back of this flyer is the amount of text (3). This section talks about his mother's line of work, his father's legacy in law, his wife's involvement in his church, where his kids go to school, the residence of his siblings, as well as other trivial tidbits. Understandably this was done to tie the candidate to his district, but when real estate is so important, this information should have been listed on the website instead. By doing this, it would leave space for easy-to-read messaging that does not intimidate the voter.
I love QR codes (4). I love them so much that it is worth repeating - I love QR codes. These versatile portals to the web can send the person scanning it to any website, so it is refreshing to see Stanton on the forefront of this technology. Look out for QR codes being used more frequently in political marketing.
However, almost everyone that uses QR codes underutilize their potential. I am not ashamed to admit that I have made the same mistake Stanton made on his QR code - directing people to the campaign website.
As our society becomes more social, we connect with things that are tailored directly to us. Driving people to a campaign website is like searching for a lost treasure chest and finding a lonely note saying "great job!" inside. Instead, QR codes should give people a more rewarding experience like a Youtube video of the candidate thanking them for their interest in the campaign. A more personalized experience can bond the voter to the candidate and ultimately earn their vote.
The Good
1. Clean front
2. Repeating Logo and Website
3. QR Code
The Bad
1. Needless information in the body
2. Picture Placement (not picture selection)
3. Landing site of the QR code
Overall Rating: C
At a quick glance three things stand out: the logo (name), website, and a photo. These three things are exactly what needs to be absorbed by the voter. Keeping the front simple is always the best policy.
The Stanton family photo (1) is a great picture and I have always advised candidates to include pictures of children even if they do not have any. However, group photos like this can make it tough for the reader to identify with the candidate. Facial recognition is vital to a campaign, so reducing the candidate's head size to a few centimeters makes it difficult to distinguish the candidate at a glance. Moving this picture to the back of the flyer and replacing it with a candidate portrait might be a better way to go.
I have always regarded push cards as portals to get more information, and to effectively do this you have to emphasize where to go. Jim listed his logo and website (2) on both the front and back of the flyer making it easy for an interested reader to grab more information on him.
One glaring concern on the back of this flyer is the amount of text (3). This section talks about his mother's line of work, his father's legacy in law, his wife's involvement in his church, where his kids go to school, the residence of his siblings, as well as other trivial tidbits. Understandably this was done to tie the candidate to his district, but when real estate is so important, this information should have been listed on the website instead. By doing this, it would leave space for easy-to-read messaging that does not intimidate the voter.
I love QR codes (4). I love them so much that it is worth repeating - I love QR codes. These versatile portals to the web can send the person scanning it to any website, so it is refreshing to see Stanton on the forefront of this technology. Look out for QR codes being used more frequently in political marketing.
However, almost everyone that uses QR codes underutilize their potential. I am not ashamed to admit that I have made the same mistake Stanton made on his QR code - directing people to the campaign website.
As our society becomes more social, we connect with things that are tailored directly to us. Driving people to a campaign website is like searching for a lost treasure chest and finding a lonely note saying "great job!" inside. Instead, QR codes should give people a more rewarding experience like a Youtube video of the candidate thanking them for their interest in the campaign. A more personalized experience can bond the voter to the candidate and ultimately earn their vote.
The Good
1. Clean front
2. Repeating Logo and Website
3. QR Code
The Bad
1. Needless information in the body
2. Picture Placement (not picture selection)
3. Landing site of the QR code
Overall Rating: C
RSS Feed