Depression
Rebecca Hemstad did this wonderful awareness campaign on adult depression. In her web ads she states, "1 in 10 adults will suffer the emotional despair of severe depression. Severe depression has no economic or cultural boundaries. Twice as many women suffer as men. Many will suffer in silence unaware that they are experiencing depression. Depression requires compassion not judgement."The CDC states that major depression seems to occur most in the southeast US, in adults 45+, particularly in racial and ethnic minorities, those previously married, unable to work, unemployed or without health insurance. Older Americans are also disproportionately likely to die by suicide stemming from depression. I think Rebecca's images would definitely grab attention and assist in keeping this information top-of-mind.
Sexting
My Studio I student, Dair Massey did this disturbing poster on sexting. His headline reads, "There is no such thing as safe sexting." Frightening and true. When you post or send a provocative or sexually explicit photo of yourself into cyberspace it can haunt you forever. And since corporations routinely check your public persona on sites such as Facebook and MySpace for job applicant screening, it may even cost you your dream job.
I thought Dair's poster managed to capture the predatory aspect of sexting well, which can create exposure to violence, extortion, pornography, blackmail, and/or bullying. His bold, cheerful color cleverly draws you in.
Think long and hard before you succumb to sexting. A thoughtless prank can result in a lifetime of pain.
I thought Dair's poster managed to capture the predatory aspect of sexting well, which can create exposure to violence, extortion, pornography, blackmail, and/or bullying. His bold, cheerful color cleverly draws you in.
Think long and hard before you succumb to sexting. A thoughtless prank can result in a lifetime of pain.
Body Image
Graduate student Leslie Saunders did a terrific campaign on body image problems which plague American girls and women from the age of 6 on up. On the top poster, Leslie states, "Images of female bodies are everywhere. Women—and their body parts—sell everything from food to cars. The popular film and televeision actresses now are becoming younger, taller and thinner. Some have even been known to faint on set from lack of food. The barrage of messages about thinness, dieting, and beauty tells everyday women that they are always in need of adjustment and the female body is an object to be constantly perfected."
The Homeless
Aaron Heth designed these sensitive posters around the theme of taking another look at homelessness. His goal was to increase awareness of them as ordinary people, just like you and me, who for any number of complex reasons ended up on the street, without a home, where they become part of the invisible landscape of our daily lives. The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates that on any given night in the US, there are 671,859 homeless people, 37% are people in families. 20% are veterans. So many more today are one paycheck away from being homeless due to current economic situations. With a flip of bad luck, any of us could be there tomorrow. See them with compassion.
Abortion
Abortion is an issue that hits close to home with college students. Here are two different posters on abortion. The one on the left was designed by Danny Stamford who was a non-graphic design major. The poster on the right was designed and illustrated by Josh Brice. Both used simple color and graphics to express their personal opinions and are equally thought-provoking.
Driver Distractions
Jiawei Yue designed this series of posters on the three most common drivers’ distractions. His theme was Stay Focused, Stay Safe. The copy at the bottom gives stats on how many drivers participate in each behavior and how many crashes it causes each year At the time Jiawei designed the posters, 71% of drivers used their cell phones while driving; 83% put on makeup while driving; and 65% ate while driving. I’m sure those stats are much higher now. His simple graphics tell the story quite effectively with instant communication of his message.
Money and Social Conscience
Lindsay Hadley did a series of posters on wasteful spending and social responsibility. She used celebrities to bring home her message though I doubt she meant to pick on them in particular since there's a lot more of that to go around.
School Bus Seat Belts
My Studio I student, Kimberly Goulbourne, from Kingston Jamaica, wrote and designed this poster on the lack of seatbelts on most school buses. Apparently, they're considered too expensive in 46 of our states. Can we afford to be so shortsighted when it comes to protecting future generations of Americans?