Here the audience speaks
Do posters work as intended? Advertising Week got to the bottom of this question using an example. We interviewed six passers-by. The selected poster is from the Zentrum Paul Klee and advertises the "Eye of Africa" exhibition by Leprosy Relief Emmaus Switzerland. It is located at Zurich main station, near platform 18. With the question: "What comes to your mind spontaneously about this poster?", we wanted to know what the picture actually advertises. The answers:
"Although the image is appealing, it has no connection to the exhibition. The positioning is very poor, it almost disappears next to the other posters. It didn't convince me - I wouldn't go to the exhibition."
Andreas Fleischmann (19), apprentice chef
"At first glance, you'd think they were advertising sweets or starving people.
I think the focus was wrong. I wouldn't go to the exhibition for that reason!"
Daniel (26), MTec student at the ETH
"Does it advertise anything at all? It's not obvious. I would have guessed sweets - candy or something. The people who walk past here every day hardly notice it. The exhibition doesn't arouse much curiosity because you don't know what's on display."
Beni Wiederkehr (39) and Jean-Claude Grässli (40), both metalworkers
"At first, I thought it was an advertisement for sweets - or for human rights in Africa. I wouldn't visit the exhibition just because of the poster."
Norbert Oehrli (50), train driver instructor
"It looks to me like an advertisement for trips to Africa. The people depicted also look surprisingly healthy! The illustration itself is beautiful, but it could also be used for about seven other advertising purposes."
Johanna St. (77), retired nurse
"My first guess was travel - somewhere in faraway Africa. The poster looks inconspicuous. Above all, the font should be bigger. The photo is nice, but in my opinion it has too little to do with the essentials."
Valea Klaeren (19), student at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHDK)
