Tokyo Olympics 2020 scheduled between July 24 and August 9 this year has been postponed. They will be held next year now due to the Coronavirus epidemic but generated much excitement amongst the Japanese people. While there were many types of engagements, poster design was one of the activities that garnered much interest with children and adults participating in it.

The winning posters were announced in January this year. You can see some of them below, so they represented Japanese art combined with sports.

And these were related to stadiums and competitions.

Designing posters for the marketing of products and services need to be just as creative and unique to get the attention of the target market. In this blog, I will try to offer my readers how to come up with a winning poster design right from scratch with an emphasis on attracting the target audience.

Think about your Brand and Target Audience

Your poster is all about giving your product the best possible image, turning it into a renowned brand. It doesn’t matter what kind of poster you’re designing; it needs to feel true to your brand. But nothing will work if you don’t know who you are. Businesses need to define their brand personality clearly; otherwise, not much they can do to make things work in their favor.

An identity crisis for a brand needs to be resolved as there are several factors in which a poster can be a great tool. Don’t let your audience be confused as to what you are selling as the design needs to complement the product perfectly. Think about your poster regarding an upcoming event as an advertising opportunity for you, albeit for the short-term. Think about your voice and tone, like casual, funny, corporate, etc.

The design elements that you can use in a poster can bolster your chances of getting the message across. Define your message aptly as you don’t have a whole website to make your target audience understand your viewpoint. Within a few lines and using limited design elements, you need to create a poster that can work in your favor. So, what can you add to a poster nowadays? Let’s analyze further.

Metrics for a Successful Poster

What are you trying to achieve with your poster? This is the question you need to answer; otherwise, you will end up with mediocre content and design. If you are inviting people to an exhibition where your product will be displayed, you can add a QR code or a custom URL to track sales that you will get directly from that poster. It’s a good way to track whether your design was successful enough to get the attention of your target market.

When you know beforehand exactly what your target is with metrics in place, you will automatically know what’s working and what’s not. In this way, you can alter the design of the poster or the content to get the desired results.

Designing of the Poster

You may be tempted to apply the latest design trends in your poster or after getting inspired by a design that you saw on a website but keep the design in line with your brand. Don’t go overboard and start sensibly. Choose the design elements first like colors and fonts according to what you want to be displayed on the poster.

Most of us have an idea in mind that we want to translate into something spectacular. But things don’t always end up like we want them to be. You need to focus on what will work for your target audience. Before deciding the design and layout, finalize the theme. Do you want a poster that is image-heavy or have lots of text in it? Decide this at the very onset as you may not have space later on as the design will be finalized.

Copy and Images

Lacing your poster with a smart copy and attractive images is the next step as you are about to complete the designing process of the poster. The use of font and style is of great importance so that you can have a hammer-strong impact on any person looking at the poster. And then the copy itself must be persuasive enough to compel the readers to go through it completely.

The copy must be related to the campaign and also considering the company’s brand image and philosophy too. Information like the address of the company or venue, in case of an event, contact details, and social media platforms are a necessity.

Copy and images should go hand in hand and complement each other well. Don’t go overboard with your text so that it gives the impression of a sermon. Don’t preach about your product; instead, craft the copy that has a punch to it.

Amp Up the Style Factor

Stylizing your poster to complete the design process is all about putting the final touches on your banner to make it look stunning and effective to the core. Again, stylizing is not about applying some effects that make it look extraordinary. Try to be different by coming up with an original idea which your target audience will adore, rather than using glittering images and graphics.

You need to differentiate from other posters everyone sees about the same product as yours. It sounds cliché but thinking out of the box so that your poster looks genuinely different. Don’t go for a style mantra that is done to death but rather create your style that looks refreshing and highly imaginative.

Color

Finally, apply the color with your product in mind. If you have opted for a poster that has minimal graphics or no image at all, the colors used in it, even font color, will decide if your poster will be a hit or miss. The use of shades and a combination of colors to create a subtle effect is where your designers need to score.

Colors are used to offer a vibrant and vivid effect on a poster, but you need to play your cards wisely. Don’t go haywire with colors to ruin your poster completely.

Final Word

Taking care of minute details right from the start till the finish will ensure that your poster will work for you. Whether you are going for a digital poster or will print them to display at a mall or any public place, it must appeal to your audience. Offer a poster that offers maximum versatility in terms of style, color, font and copy to have a sensational effect.

Please offer your valuable feedback for this blog or ask any questions you have in mind by using the comments section below.