I think there is some interesting conversations that can develop from this poster. First off, it is one of the most interesting political pieces that I have seen in a while. This and the Jim Esch stuff that Archrival did. I hope this is a sign that we are going to see some more interesting design.

Here are my thoughts about the poster. Obey and Shepard Fairey have been known for fake (or vague) subversive advertising in the past. Not sure if that is the best description of the work, but you get the idea. He also seems to be inspired heavily by Constructivist design. I’m just curious if this is the sort of imagery that will benefit Barack. It for sure gets across his message of “Change”, but does it appear to be too far left or even communist? Just some thoughts about the design.

On the design side, I think that using the visual vocabulary of communist propaganda would actually meet with more success for a Democratic candidate. The worries of associating socialist ideals with a candidate may do more to help shore up the image of a candidate whose social policies are being scrutinized. The heroic imagery has been used and remixed so often in contemporary visual culture, that I think its associations are somewhat diluted.

Place a Republican candidate in the context of communist imagery, and you get a different reaction. Though the basic ideologies of socialism are closer in principle or rhetoric to current-day Democratic ideas, the ideas of Big Brother and militarism are (however unfairly) associated with the party and policies of the current administration. Let’s face it. Bush/Cheney posters in this style would either be 1) ironic or 2) apropos or 3) both of the above, and creepy.

Bennett, I appreciate your efforts to keep Be A Design Group politically neutral. I’m halfway through Michael Bierut’s 79 Essays on Graphic Design and found the shout-out (can you call it that?) to BADG, yourself, and Adrian regarding the place of personal political views in debate about graphic design. It’s good to see BADG mentioned in other outlets.

But notice that even in our effort to stay politically neutral, it was impossible to discuss this very piece without questioning the merits of the associated ideology.

Wouldn’t you classify this as War Poster style? I remember not long ago people were downing the war poster style on the Costco mailer. Now this is revolutionary?

(No pun intended)

The poster reminds me of communist/socialist propaganda. A little bit of Che Guevara in there too. It says so much without saying anything, just like Obama’s speeches :) I will be interested to see what happens if he is elected President.

I agree with Enrico that it would be creepy if a Republican did this style. A socialist Republican would make everyone nervous.

Well designed poster, I voted already. (the primaries part so far)

I think the biggest thing about this poster isn’t so much its Soviet leanings, or that it’s for a Democrat versus a Republican, but that Barrack (or someone in his campaign, rather) was smart enough to pick a designer that the younger voters will recognize. Just knowing that Shepherd Fairey is associated with this makes me more likely to research Obama and find out of he’s worth voting for. Speaking to the younger demographic is something that Hillary, and pretty much all of the Repubs fail to do effectively. If Obama can do that by hiring Fairey to do his posters, good for him.