Start With the Message
Every advocacy poster begins with clarity: What pressure is the system placing on people?
Define your message by identifying:
- The system you are addressing (education, health, workplace, government).
- The harm the system is producing.
- The demand the movement is calling for.
The message should be short enough to shout and strong enough to remember.
Choose Your Symbol
Symbols accelerate understanding. Choose a symbol that reflects your community, your context, and your demand.
Common movement symbols include:
- fists → solidarity
- ramps → accessibility and structural redesign
- castles/towers → cultural protection
- tools → labour and repair
- shamrocks → Irish identity and survival
Your symbol becomes the anchor of the poster’s meaning.
Design With Movement Aesthetics
The Movement Aesthetics Toolkit outlines four principles that shape authentic advocacy posters.
- Restricted palettes → 2–3 colours for clarity and emotional tone.
- Bigger-than-expected type → urgency and visibility.
- Intentional imperfection → texture, grain, hand-made honesty.
- Symbol-first composition → the message is seen before it’s read.
These elements give advocacy posters their distinctive movement energy.
Finalise and Prepare for Use
Before using your poster, ensure:
- High contrast between text and background.
- Readable text from a distance.
- Alt text is included for digital accessibility.
- Cultural symbols are used accurately and respectfully.
Your poster is complete when it can be recognised at a glance.
Download the Movement Aesthetics Toolkit
The full framework for designing structurally aware, movement-aligned posters.
📄 Download PDF