Four Reasons to Say No to 11x17 Posters
(...but there's always room for healthy debate.)
1) Money Out the Window: If you order a bunch and happen to make a good deal with your printer, you're looking at about one dollar per a piece for a one-way communication device with a 2-10 week lifespan. But the spending doesn't stop there. Commissioning a designer to create a post-worthy poster costs time and creative energy. And where would our posters be without the Interns of America? It takes an average of 10 minutes to hang one poster (between driving, walking, asking permission, and posting).
2) Fear the Wall: This is not effective communication! This is clutter. Unless you have a compelling poster (which doesn't always happen) your poster will be swallowed and surely covered by other meh-worthy paper bits.
3) Not Everyone Works in Your Organization: Have marketers ever considered the illusion that posters raise awareness is because we're prone to recognizing our brand? Of course you're going to notice your organizations posters everywhere, but how often do you actively seek opportunities by looking at posters? People want to interact. Not be shouted at by an organization. Posters are not what's causing people to jam through your doors - YOU ARE!
4) There's Enough Waste in This World: "It is a source of beauty. And without paper, it could not have happened... Unless, you had a camera." - Michael Scott. We live in a world that has too much waste and not enough trees. Think of how many ways your organization can SAVE per season if you eliminated posters all together.
I believe every problem has a solution. Challenge and inspire your designers to create different forms of print. Target areas and locations and hang their innovative designs somewhere that matters. Take the money you would spend on a typical size to print and spend that on a round cut or a bigger landscape. Or branded coasters! Or temporary tattoos! Anything! All I'm saying folks - 11x17 posters should not be a go-to.
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