PosterArticle

Phelyx’s Show Poster Philosophy

Investing in event posters is a very wise decision, but it is tricky business. The principle upon which I
design and construct my event posters is simple.

12, 6, 3

In modern times, the public is so inundated with advertisements, an outdoor ad has to grab them from a
more primal, instinctive level than ever before. There have been recent experiments in which a well
dressed person stands in a high-traffic, pedestrian walkway and simply offers people a dollar. Bill in
hand, the pitch is simply, “May I give you a dollar?” Nobody takes the dollar and most swiftly scurry away.

A poster literally has a glance of a chance to communicate its purpose. An effective poster needs to
appeal to its audience by first reaching their appreciation for aesthetic. Then, it must draw them in to tell
its story.

Currently, and for a long time, the laymen I have interviewed have almost universally expressed an affinity
for the 1960s show posters that advertised Bill Graham events at the Filmore in San Francisco. The fault
in this style is that the text treatments were often so “artsy” that they were illegible. While people like the
way they look, they don’t really care what they have to say. This is a profound contradiction in purpose.
The whole point of an event poster is to advertise an event, build recognition for the act(s) and venue,
and to thereby build the attendance at the event, and secondarily, to build attendance at subsequent
events.

Years ago, it was customary for the venue to contract, pay for, and distribute event posters. Today,
smaller venues require the acts to produce and distribute their own promotional material. While this is an
absurd evolution in custom, the times, they are a changin’ (thanks, Bobby).

When I create a show poster, the first step in the process is to become familiar with the material, the act,
and the character of the performance being advertised. This process helps me determine color palette
and mood so my artwork establishes the character of the event. I work to employ any established visual
identity that is already familiar to the market to maintain the consistency necessary to build brand trust
and familiarity in the target market.

The order in which the passers by need information is:

Who (and what)?
     The act(s) and what type of music, if this is unfamiliar.
When?
     You must put this date in their head for keeps. If they’re reading still, they’re interested, so we
have to put ourselves into their schedule immediately! Get them thinking about who they’re
going to bring to your show.
Where?
     The venue and its location.
How much?
     Ticket prices/door charge. This is a good spot to advertise drink specials and other appealing
incidentals, if available. This is also a good point at which to communicate who is allowed, if this         is
not an all ages show.
Who is supporting it?
     Sponsors (see sponsors section below)
And then, where can I get more information.
     A web URL for the act(s), for the venue, MySpace URLs.

Professional, original posters ain’t cheap.
And why would they be? The adage, “you get what you pay for” is true.

Sponsors are a great way to ease the pains of the expense of producing a show poster. I refer to it as the
NASCAR principle, but this is business on a universal level. There is space on your poster to sell off like
real estate. If you’re going to go post and paste 250 to 500 posters, what is it worth to a business to have
their logo on it? A fair amount, yes. So, do it! If you are able to generate mini sponsorships, your
posters could be an investment that costs you nothing but time and networking. Then, you have even
more people advertising for you too. This is business.

Posters are great merchandise! Think about it. Posters are inexpensive to produce, can resale for just a
few bucks (at a significant profit), and when people buy them, they are hanging your advertisement in
their homes! Further, these can be licensed for reproduction on tees and a host of other merch.

So where does 12, 6, 3, come from and what does it mean?
My work is designed to get attention from 12 feet away, and actually further, by being attractive on an
artistic level, from a glance. As we draw someone in to have a closer look, the act and date of the show
are installed in their brains at 6 feet. At 3 feet, they have all the information they need to commit to
going.
Of course, if nobody is looking, they often steal my posters, but I take that as the ultimate compliment.

Generally speaking, my commissioned poster design rates range from $500.00 to $1,800.00. These
rates include licensing for print production, for a specific purpose, for one full year, from the date the
balance is paid. Several additional licensing options are available. Longer licensing terms, reproduction
for additional uses including merchandise, and so on, are some examples. There are a lot of variables
including, but not limited to, complexity in design, deadline, and the licensing.

Some recommendations:
Give your designer enough time to do quality work.
Promote your show at least two weeks in advance, and then hit it hard again, twice, before the event.
Be resourceful in securing sponsorships and in poster distribution. Use your groupies!
Notice my name as the first word in the title of this article, and here too:

Phelyx