| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2009 6:58 am |
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Local News 
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Effective campaign signs are part art, part science These days you see them crowded together on street corners, lined up along sidewalks and scattered around lawns in the neighborhoods.But can you remember any of the candidates' names on all those signs you've gone past? If you do, it probably has something to do with the colors and design they chose. If you don't, it's probably for the same reasons. “The simpler the better,” said Joanie Merten, co-owner of The Sign Shop in Olympia, who makes signs for candidates in Snohomish County and throughout the state. “If you can't read it going by at 35 mph, it's not a good sign.” Though it sounds simple, it can become more involved than you might imagine. Starting out, it's a bit of a no-brainer that candidates should know enough not to use the same color as any of their opponents. If they do, it had better be a different shade and layout. Selecting a shade of color that will be readable and produce a reaction is more challenging. Colors evoke different reactions and emotions, and not all combinations that look good on paper turn out to be effective on a board. “You will seldom have a sign that parts the sea and leads you to victory. But you can definitely have a sign that will shoot you in the foot before you get out of the gate,” said D.J. Wilson, consultant for Superior Court judge candidate Joe Wilson. The two are not related. Mark Wolken, a candidate for Port of Everett commissioner, recounted going through a “very specific thought process” to get a marine look with colors to evoke a marine feel. What Luminous Creative of Everett designed had his name in blue and green lettering above a series of wavy white lines connoting the ocean. How did people react to the sight? “It was phenomenal,” he said. Candidates routinely use color to convey something about themselves. It's common to encounter color coding in partisan races with Republicans using red and Democrats tucking in blue somewhere. “Your yard sign and your logo can be a symbol for what your candidate represents,” said Cathy Duvall, the Sierra Club's national political director. She's been a strategist on campaigns across the country including several in Washington. “People use the red, white and blue because it is American and patriotic and that is often a value people are trying to portray,” she said. “A lot of people who want to toot their environmental record want to use green. But most lawns are green so it sometimes is not a very good contrast.” There are years with little variety. And there are times, like after Sept. 11, 2001, when it seemed every candidate wanted the colors and image of an American flag on their signs, Merten said. Candidates learn quickly about responses different colors can stir. Blue is calming, red can be awakening or angering and green gives off good vibes. Green is one of Merten's favorites. “It is one of the most effective colors but I cannot get anyone to agree,” she said. “I hear people say it'll disappear with trees and bushes. I say it'll actually pop out. The state of Washington uses green.” Combining blue and green is easy on the eyes and emotions while red and black can be alarming. It's a combo typically reserved for campaigns standing in opposition to an issue. This can be seen in this year's battle of Referendum 71. Olive green and white are dominant on signs of the campaign to approve Referendum 71 while red and black are the primary colors on fliers and signs calling for R-71's rejection. Signs also serve a role of getting one's name out into the community. In the judicial race, Joe Wilson is reusing signs from his 2008 bid for a judgeship. With white letters on a blue background and an image of the scales of justice, the signs certainly look familiar to people. And they are quite a contrast to that of Rico Tessandore, one of his chief opponents. Tessandore may be the only candidate using burgundy — though it looks brown at 35 mph — on his sign. Alex Hays, strategist for Tessandore, said he chose burgundy because “it is stately and it communicates stability.” The signs also feature his candidate's four-letter first name. It fits, is easy to read and easy to remember, which aids the candidate's effort to become known among voters. “Yard signs are the least expensive way to buy name recognition but they don't win elections,” Hays said. Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623, jcornfield@heraldnet.com. |
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