Using Visual Communication to Deliver a Global Message
Organization: MoveTogether Foundation
Ideas for Promotional Documents
Flyer A Flyer B
The visual communication elements evident in the two flyers are color, lines, balance, and contrast. In both flyers, the red color is prominent, which means that it is strategically used to convey a specific message to the viewers of the two promotional documents. Paul Lester, a communication specialist, argues that the color is one of the most important and powerful communication tools with social, cultural, religious, and political influences (Lester, 2014). Often, the color red is used in specific contexts to command the viewer’s attention as well as demand their action on an issue. For instance, the use of the red color in the two documents conveys the message that viewers must act to help eliminate the problem of racial prejudice. Balance in the two documents is highlighted by the fact that there is a sense of distribution of perceived visual elements offsetting one another. Viewers will be comfortable viewing the two documents. Contrast, on the other hand, is evident in how different colors stand out from one another. Both balance and contrast attract the viewers’ attention to the two documents while facilitating their interpretation of the message conveyed by the two documents.
Flyer A targets viewers from the U.S. whereas Flyer B targets viewers from the United Kingdom. Of course, Americans and British have different cultural, social, political, and religious beliefs meaning that there is a significant difference in their interpretation of the visual elements such as the red color. In this case, Americans might interpret or see the prominent red color as a sign of excitement and love thereby pushing them to love one another despite the race. On the other hand, the British might see the red color as a warning of impending danger, and this may have two implications. It may scare away people from the campaign, or it might catalyze their involvement to eradicate the danger in racism.
Two Different Images to be Used on Organization’s Website Page
Image A Image B
Image A will be for the organization’s website in the UK whereas Image B will be for the organization’s U.S. website. Certainly, the above two images portray a clear message about eradicating racial preferences, that considerably remain one of the gravest challenges to the world. These images also provide a sense of cultural closeness, visual elements of semiotics and emotional urge. Paul Lester states that semiotics demonstrate how the language of visual symbols is dependent upon the audience and context (Lester, 2014). Regarding semiotics, Image B includes people from different races, and this is a reflection of the U.S. context where the citizens are people from different races (Goldston, n.d.). Image A has an emotional appeal as it demonstrates that racially discriminating people would be similar to the situation in the laundry where clothes are separated based on color. Viewers from different cultures represented in image B would be more attracted to it, and this shows the visual element of cultural familiarity in image B (Erten & Razi, 2009). Both images contain crucial messages that relate to the campaign’s objective of eliminating racial prejudice. Image A contains the message “only laundry should be separated by color” whereas image B contains the message “Action Against Racism.” Image A is all about fashion with clothes contained in the message, and therefore, it relates or connects more with the UK audience that is more inclined to fashion-related aspects. Image B contains people from different races, and relates to the U.S audience composed of people from several races coexisting together.
Two Logos for The Anti-Racism Campaign
Logo A Logo B
Logo A is designed for U.S. audiences whereas Logo B is designed for UK audiences. These two logos can be utilized as a part of little settings, for example, as mobile phone application size and can likewise be extended to fit into a substantial board. In logo A, there are different visual elements, including color, size, lines, and emotional appeal. This can appeal to U.S. audiences as it contains different colors brought together meaning that people should coexist despite their races. Size is how the viewers perceive the logo. Of course, logo A is in an appropriate size that attracts the attention of viewers. Line is also evident in the fact that the different colors are distinct and stand out from one another. In logo B, there is the visual element of color, from yellow to blue to red to black and green. The UK flag has the red and blue color meaning that the logo would be more appealing to UK citizens. Of course, the fact that there are different colors in one logo would convey the message that they must coexist amidst the differences in color. The two logos connect with MoveTogether Foundation as they emphasize the need for having people of different skin colors coexisting, which in helps to mitigate racial prejudice in the long run.
Social Media Posts
Social Media Post for the United States
Racism’s only purpose is to justify inequality. Let us stop racism.
The message has an emotional appeal for the U.S. audience. The colors, especially the red color, convey the message that people should love one another despite their different skin colors highlighting emotional appeal or engagement. This message would be embraced by MoveTogether Foundation in its campaign aimed at reducing or eliminating racial prejudice.
Social Media Post for the UK
Let us challenge racism everyday everywhere.
The above message is emotionally appealing to the UK audience. Besides, the logo with different colors conveys the message that people should coexist amidst their different skin colors or races, and through this, there is emotional appeal or engagement. The message “Challenge racism everyday everywhere” can be embraced by MoveTogether Foundation in its campaign aimed at reducing or eliminating racial prejudice
Ethical Concepts Regarding Finding and Using Visuals in Communication
In this case, the MoveTogether Foundation seeks to eliminate racial prejudice in the U.S. and the UK. As seen above, it will have to find and use visuals in communicating or conveying its message to the audiences in the U.S. and the UK. One of the moral concerns it should consider is whether it will properly obtain and use images from outside sources. To avoid any ethical issues or problems, the organization should obtain permission from owners of the images before using them (Whitman, 2017). For instance, the image below belongs to a specific photographer, and therefore, it is appropriate to contact and seek permission from the photographer.
Altering and digitally enhancing images, commonly referred to as photo manipulation, is a common practice today. The practice involves the use of various methods or techniques to transform, alter, and enhance an image with a desired result in mind (Parry, 2009). However, there are dangers and problems that might accompany this practice. A significant danger or problem is that it may be deceptive to the audience and convey a message contrary to the initially intended message (Cromey, 2013).
References
Cromey, D. W. (2013). Digital images are data: and should be treated as such. Cell Imaging Techniques: Methods and Protocols, 1-27. doi:10.1007/978-1-62703-056-4_1
Erten, İ. H., & Razi, S. (2009). The effects of cultural familiarity on reading comprehension. Reading in a Foreign Language, 21(1), 60-77. Retrieved December 10, 2017, from files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ838389.pdf
Goldston, J. P. (n.d.). Semiotic Usage in Learning Through Visual Communication. Retrieved December 10, 2017, from jasongoldston.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/5/5/11550948/comm5030-goldston-researchpaper.pdf
Lester, P. M. (2014). Visual communication: Images with messages. Wadsworth: Cengage Learning.
Parry, Z. B. (2009). Digital manipulation and photographic evidence: defrauding the courts one thousand words at a time. Journal of Law, Technology &Policy, 175-202. Retrieved December 10, 2017, from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/60fe/b88e68e053ae90fc1db2142b56a504276b85.pdf
Whitman, M. E. (2017). Principles of information security. Cengage Learning Custom P.