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Dissecting the Candidates’ Graphics With Shepard Fairey
Style Wars: Dissecting the Candidates’ Graphics
Shepard Fairey Presidential Logo Analysis from DTewksbury on Vimeo.
Has election coverage burnt you out?
We at News and Views decided to examine the candidates in a different way: by their looks.
No, we’re not waxing poetic on any yellow pantsuits or baby-blue ties. Instead, we’re looking at each campaign’s graphic designs.
We talked to graphic designers, artists, and art professors in a no-holds-barred dialogue on the visual elements of the presidential campaign.
On Hillary:
“The Hillary design is safe. This is more a bland strategy than a brand strategy. LCD design. Lowest Common Denominator. Design by committee. We’ve never met, but right away we are on first name terms, with friendly chubby serif type. The partial flag says patriotic but not nationalistic. A polite democratic ‘take back the flag’ from the hardliners move.”
- Simon Johnston
Professor, Director of Print Design
Art Center College of Design
On McCain:
“John McCain’s visual identity is on point with his militaristic and conservative message. His campaign directly appropriates the symbolism of the ‘Army of One’ campaign through the use of the lone star of the Brigadier General and the color palette of gunmetal with gold flourishes.”
- Garland Kirkpatrick
Associate Professor of Graphic Design
Loyola Marymount University
Head of Helvetica Jones Design
On Obama:
“Obama’s name and logo are not only surprisingly small, but light blue against dark blue doesn’t pop out as do the other two candidates’ names. He uses the flag’s colors and stripes, but in a more abstract way and non-literal way, evoking a rising sun or new horizon, synonymous with his message.”
- Carol A. Wells
Executive Director
Center for the Study of Political Graphics
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