21 May How to Design a Poster That Works
Advertising in Print? Follow These Design Principles
Advertising in print is still an effective marketing tactic, as long as you have a good design. But how do you create an eye-catching design? Is there a way to compose a poster or flyer that actually makes people pay attention? How can you get them to read your ads instead of just skimming the headline?
One way to make your designs more appealing is by using the AIDA technique. AIDA stands for: Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. To be successful, your design first needs to grab the attention of your audience. Second, the content needs to interest them. Third, they need to feel a desire to engage with your product. And fourth, they need to be inspired to take action. Here’s how to achieve the AIDA effect when you’re designing for print.
Five Key Elements to Consider When Designing for Print
1: Hierarchy of Elements
Visual hierarchy refers to the arrangement and organization of elements within a composition to guide the viewer’s attention and create a sense of order or importance. It involves manipulating factors such as size, color, contrast, placement, and emphasis to establish a clear structure and direct focus to certain elements over others. By controlling these visual cues, artists can lead viewers through a composition, highlighting key elements and conveying intended messages or emotions effectively.
2: Contrast
Contrast can really help you grab people’s attention. The weight of the typography, the brightness of the colors, and the boldness of the font all play a part in making your design noticeable. Save your highest contrast for the most important information, because this is what snags someone’s eye and makes them want to keep reading.
3: Color Psychology
Bright colors may be eye-catching, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to use them. For example, a wellness spa running a special on massages probably won’t want to use hot orange or scarlet red. Those colors could send the wrong message to their readers, subtly telling their brains that the experience is exciting or stressful instead of relaxing. In this case, using soft blues and greens or soothing earth tones would be a better option.
4: Branding
Keep in mind that brand colors matter as well! Deviating from the established colors people associate with your company could be a mistake. For example, let’s say you own a bakery and want to advertise an event where locals are invited to a hands-on baking lesson. Your brand’s colors, pink and brown, have already been used in most of your marketing materials, so you’ll want to stick with those colors instead of trying to grab attention with a bright yellow.
5: White Space
You also need to leave enough negative space in your design to give the eyes a rest. After grabbing your reader’s attention, you want their gaze to move across the design in a way that makes sense. White space improves readability. If the design is too crowded, their eyes will be jumping back and forth between distracting elements.
To organize your content, try using the rule of thirds. This design principle divides a plane into nine equal parts, and suggests that the eye is drawn to the places where the lines intersect. These intersections are where you should place the most important elements of your design.
Professional Printing Services in Tempe, Arizona
When your design is complete and your advertisements are ready to print, give your local print shop a call. The print experts at Mousegraphics can help you choose the best papers and finishes for an effective print marketing campaign.
To request a quote, just give us a call at 480-470-7438 or send us a message online.