Protest design is not a design direction in itself
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Written by Robert on June 5, 2008 – 6:59 am
It is a relatively new term that describes a stream of mainly younger designers, who reflect and comment on current social and political developments and events in their theoretical and practical work (Critical Design).
These designers primarily react to specific political actions taken by countries and governments that cause protest.
For example, especially in New York but also in other American states, designers employed genuinely intelligent design methods to participate actively in protest actions in the run-up to the reelection of American president George W. Bush in November 2004.
In Germany, various designs for posters, flyers, texts, and sound objects were created when student fees were introduced at government colleges and universities. There was also the establishment of the anti-DRM (digital rights management) group Defectivebydesign that campaigns for free access to software and, thus, against Bill Gates and Microsoft.
There are thousands of protest initiatives, and many use the Internet not only as an advertising platform, but as an instrument by which and through which protests can become a global, even virtual, open phenomenon. Clever, eye-catching design will be more in demand as the forms and actions of protest increase that need to be internationally and collectively monitored or designed on the World Wide Web. Every social and political protest needs its own intelligent design strategy.
The protest’s aim and purpose should be clear at first glance if the goal is to inform and involve new people. Short and succinct text, mottos, slogans, and how these are best conveyed typographically need to be considered, along with an image (eye-catcher), or sound design (a scansion of phrases, song, and “instruments.”)
Protest design can contribute to making the reception and result of a protest more effective. It can make people pay attention, laugh, wake them up, it can provoke the opposed party, or spotlight different situations of concern in general.
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