Politics is never an easy topic to discuss due to the simple nature of the left vs right. We are immediately divided even if we do not want to be. With this structure in mind, it makes each individual pick a side and to defend it at all costs. How does one choose a side and what innate structures are in place to do so? Propaganda through social media is one of the main sources of information our society has to pick their side. This being said, designers hold an immense amount of power and can be the reason one individual chooses a specific side over another.
With politics being so polarized at the moment I feel like it is our job as designers to make content that spreads the right message. Designs that revolve around politicians, and campaign issues may be overlooked by many but in my opinion, these designs can have a huge impact on the result. Designers use an endless amount of tactics to try and persuade society into voting for their candidate. From the typography, color and layout each element is vital to the campaign. Although persuasion and propaganda can come across in a negative light in many cases, this type of work has to be done.
Political designers know that their job is to highlight a specific idea with the goal of societal acceptance and possible change. It is hard in many cases because designers can be swaying peoples opinions on topics that they know nothing about. If the audience is more captivated by a specific campaign’s color scheme than the next, they may be more inclined to lean toward that idea even if they may not have otherwise. It is a difficult and confusing line because designers want to make their best work but at what cost? I believe that this decision falls into the battle of ethics and if certain jobs are worth taking for the money. I know that many designers do not have the luxury of turning down jobs which makes these decisions much more challenging. Is it worth taking a job which you believe is communicating the wrong message to society? How far is too far when designing for politics?
At the end of the day, politicians need designers to spread their message to the greater audience. Society needs to understand that propaganda is designed to sway thinking and that research and being aware should be the ultimate deciding factor. No matter how eye-catching the advertisement campaign, it is up to each individual to put in the work to understand what they truly value and believe.
