Local elections are ramping up, which means signs, buttons, stickers and more dotting our visual landscape. Over the past 14 years, we have printed everything from yard signs, rack cards, brochures, pamphlets to all things swag for local candidates.
Here are five design factors we consider when creating custom logos or designing signage:
1. Focus on the Candidate’s Name and Position The two most important parts of a political sign are the name of the candidate and the position they are running for. Be sure to make both prominent with a simplistic, large font that can be easily read from a distance.
2. Keep the Content Minimal To ensure that the name of the candidate, office position, and slogan stick out, we recommend keeping all other content including graphics to a minimum. The goal of the sign is to quickly grab the attention of voters. Too much clutter will only muddy the point you’re trying to convey.
3. Add Your Slogan to Larger Signs The campaign slogan relays what a candidate stands for and what they promise to do if elected. Large political signs like banners give candidates the opportunity to share this information with voters. Yard signs tend to be too small for slogans unless it can be summarized into a few words.
4. Don’t Forget Your Website Can’t fit all of your talking points on your political sign? Why not direct voters to your website. Adding a URL and or QR code at the bottom of the sign gives them a way to obtain more information about the candidate and their platform.
5. Choose Font and Color Wisely Most signs capture a viewer’s attention for a quick 4 to 7 seconds, so your sign must not only stand out, but it must be legible. Factors that interfere with readability include the thickness of letters, kerning, white space ratio, color and contrast. Some color combinations can hinder visibility due to a lack of contrast. Choose colors with higher contrast for increased legibility. Some examples of high contrast combinations include black and white, blue and white, and black and yellow.
Take a look at some of our design work for candidates and elected officials here -