You may not immediately recognise his name but you will probably instantly recognise his work. Milton Glaser is most famous for his ‘I heart NY’ poster design in the 1970s, which has remained an iconic symbol ever since. A collection of 450 of his posters are being released in a new book and this got us thinking about the power of the poster …
We heart posters
In the 1970s New York’s crime rate was up and tourism was down. Milton was employed by the city, via the advertising agency he worked for at the time, to come up with a logo to increase tourism and morale. Legend has it that he sketched the now-famous design in the back of a yellow taxi on the way to the meeting. The iconic logo consisting of a red heart and stacked American Typewriter font became an instant hit and has since been replicated all over the world on bumper stickers, T-shirts, buildings, you name it. Legend also has it that Milton loved his city so much that he gave the design to them for free. From there he went on to design many more iconic posters for tourism attractions, businesses and even, famously, for Bob Dylan.
Good print saves lives
Although digital advertising is increasingly popular, there will always be a place for print. Posters have never looked more interesting, perhaps because they are becoming a niche art form in themselves or perhaps because they need to really grab attention in order to get people to look away from their phones.
We always aim to fulfil your brief and come up with the most eye-catching, professional designs possible. But good posters do more than just sell, they can inform, change attitudes and even save lives. We’re proud to have worked on print designs for charities and the NHS that have resulted in brilliant public engagement.
Know your place
The positioning of your poster can be just as powerful as its design. Typical examples of this would be drink driving posters with taxi numbers on them in pubs and bars, or domestic abuse helplines advertised in A&E waiting areas. When it comes to placement, poster and advertising sites are becoming much more diverse, from billboards in fields next to busy motorways, to floors, tabletops and ceilings.
We may not be Milton Glaser but we were once described as ‘local legends’. For print and design to make you an industry icon, call us on 0208 590 0922 or email us at info@marcomedia.co.uk