Kimberly, thank you for your respectful note and alert to the poster you have designed. There have been several parodies of my poster so I am used to this.
Your poster confuses me as to its intent. May I, however, make a couple of suggestions in the spirit of improving your communications.
I always think it is a bit dangerous to trade on the awareness of a previous image, simply because we are never sure exactly what the image means to people. In that my poster signaled a particular time in history and was in fact unintentionally contraversial, I think you are muddling your message by referencing it so closely. Your poster seems to mix too many metaphors. A shopping bag, a flag, and a bomb and a statement not to buy it. Are you saying that consumerism is to blame or is in any way responsible for the potential war efforts of our country? Or are you saying that our government is trying to sell a war to us? If the latter is the case, then the shopping bag is too cutely attached to the headline and confuses the message. Shopping and marketing are two very different things. I think there are much more direct ways to express disdain for the propaganda of war.
I also believe that the issues of each poster are very different and you are deflating the message of your poster by referencing mine. The fact is that our economy is still reeling from 9.11 and if we go to war it is going to suffer a much greater blow. Marketing war is a very different message than encouraging people to go about their daily lives. My position on consumerism has never been to promote excess and frivolous spending, it has been to encourage the survival of small businesses and jobs of common people. I don't suspect that you are trying to create any connection between that sentiment and your peace poster.
Last, I would caution you about relying entirely on the remarks of antiwar enthusiasts for the final judgement of the merits of your work. Movements typically encourage anything that remotely promotes their cause as every little bit helps. I think your intentions are good, but can be more moving with the use clearer symbols.
In summary, I applaud your efforts to express yourself, especially in such a public way. It takes a lot of courage and should be admired. Please except my remarks in the spirit of encouragement. If you would like to show me future work, please feel free. Good luck with your campaign.
Sincerely,
Craig Frazier
Your poster confuses me as to its intent. May I, however, make a couple of suggestions in the spirit of improving your communications.
I always think it is a bit dangerous to trade on the awareness of a previous image, simply because we are never sure exactly what the image means to people. In that my poster signaled a particular time in history and was in fact unintentionally contraversial, I think you are muddling your message by referencing it so closely. Your poster seems to mix too many metaphors. A shopping bag, a flag, and a bomb and a statement not to buy it. Are you saying that consumerism is to blame or is in any way responsible for the potential war efforts of our country? Or are you saying that our government is trying to sell a war to us? If the latter is the case, then the shopping bag is too cutely attached to the headline and confuses the message. Shopping and marketing are two very different things. I think there are much more direct ways to express disdain for the propaganda of war.
I also believe that the issues of each poster are very different and you are deflating the message of your poster by referencing mine. The fact is that our economy is still reeling from 9.11 and if we go to war it is going to suffer a much greater blow. Marketing war is a very different message than encouraging people to go about their daily lives. My position on consumerism has never been to promote excess and frivolous spending, it has been to encourage the survival of small businesses and jobs of common people. I don't suspect that you are trying to create any connection between that sentiment and your peace poster.
Last, I would caution you about relying entirely on the remarks of antiwar enthusiasts for the final judgement of the merits of your work. Movements typically encourage anything that remotely promotes their cause as every little bit helps. I think your intentions are good, but can be more moving with the use clearer symbols.
In summary, I applaud your efforts to express yourself, especially in such a public way. It takes a lot of courage and should be admired. Please except my remarks in the spirit of encouragement. If you would like to show me future work, please feel free. Good luck with your campaign.
Sincerely,
Craig Frazier