Globalisation has made future threats global, and with them, activism has followed.
Global activism promotes awareness and influences governments to aim for global solutions. Nowadays, politics is communication, making the media a core element in activism, where visuals play a crucial role.
This study exemplifies how a successful visual identity can help a global social movement spread worldwide through a qualitative analysis of the history of the environmental movement visuals. Moreover, it concludes three main traits that make a VI for global social movements successful:
— DEMOCRATIC: VI in activism explores the representative and be- longing trait of an identity; therefore, it has to be inclusive. It is crucial to guarantee the visual materials’ access and production. The decision making power should not rely on a single person; the grassroots are the ones to decide whether or not to embrace a visual to represent them.
— SIMPLE AND FLEXIBLE: The visuals need to be simple enough to be reproducible and allow flexibility to guarantee visual consistency. A good VI for protest is based on recognisable and flexible frameworks rather than tight guidelines, allowing it to adapt and be declined in different countries and cultures.
— HONEST: Design in activism is free to embrace the real needs and necessities of the movement since it does not seek economic compen- sation. The purpose of any visual has to be aimed with a clear direction to help the movement, however big or small the action is.
This dissertation showcases how graphic design can help activism promote positive change and how creative practices can draw the public and the media attention. Visuals can inspire others, educate people, and provide a platform for those whose voices are often not heard.
︎︎︎ Previous project Next project ︎︎︎