Actually, I'd say yes - that McCain poster looks like Christian art of the kind popular in rural America. eg. http://www.christianartforyou.com

And that's the constituency he's courting right now. Socialist-themed design wouldn't really work with that audience.

Andrew, great post. That is exactly what i was going to post. You have to know your audience.

Rule #1: Design solutions need to be tailored to your audience.

While Obama's posters are of interest to me and design savvy folks around the world, this style will not likely interest nor change the opinions of McCain's supporters. In fact, to Andrew's point above, it may cause some to view this particular design (and candidate) as overtly socialist.

Yes, McCain is appealing to his particular audience while Obama is appealing to a completely different one. Either candidate's marketing team should begin to question this approach when they find the need to court votes from the "other camp."

The larger argument here, is that thanks to the speed of bits, this design style can now be thrust into the faces of a nation, creating an interesting evening of news from FOX News or Stewart/Colbert, depending on your particular side.

This is an interesting exercise in "human branding," nonetheless.

Andrew: Thanks for the link, and the insight. You are indeed correct. This is exactly the tone and message that McCain's campaign is aspiring to with this poster. I suspect my designsnobism was too apparent here.

Is it me, or could you easily swap out McCain's face for Harrison Ford and have a suitable movie poster for "Air Force One"?

Who is designing Obama's campaign graphics? Does anyone know?

The design and marketing of the two candidates is as clear as their positions on the issues. Obama is progressive and ready to lead us to a brighter and better future while McCain is stuck in the here and now and has no plans for change. Bravo to the Obama camp for the design and marketing they are doing!

I totally agree that Obama's design team is better. I'm just confused that Obama's stuff has a European design and he's campaigning oversees. John McCain's design is an expected American design that could be characterized as cheesy. But at least McCain has figured out that American's are his TARGET AUDIENCE.

Obama will definitely win Germany, but does their vote count in November? Don't confuse good design with good marketing. In our business, good design has to be married with the right message to the right people to garner the response you want.

Jay

I agree with most of the above comments. I think Obama's design team is better. Clearly Obama has a very socialistic approach to America's challenges. Socialism smacks of government control and from a political point of view that's a bit scary.

What McCain's poster has going for it is simplicity. It's a bit too "movie-ish" but it I can read everything quickly, even on the small web pic. I can't do that with Obama's. McCain is presenting his strength which is experience and wisdom over time--something Obama lacks.

Tim

[WARNING] Redundant Comment Follows:

Obama's creative is a trendy revamp of a popular style from the past, which happes to suit my personal, artistic sensibility.

However, Good design is more than a pretty picture. Good design reaches it's target audience and commands a desired reaction. Keeping that in mind, I proclaim that McCain's creative is just as masterful a display of good graphic design as Obama's.

Both teams have answered the design opportunities superbly!

It's too easy to vent one's political biases. Let's not smear Graphic Design with politics. Let's judge the creative on merit alone.

Even though the words on McCain's poster are legible, the overall image clearly states his philosophy-- WAR, not peace. The picture depicts fighter jets, which use force. Where's the wisdom?

Hey Lisa,

Ask a few McCain supporters what the imagery says to them.

I believe you may get responses like "patriotism", "peace" because a stronger US Military may deter an attack, the "wisdom" of a man who has military experience, etc.

These are not my personal views, but my point is that you may not be the correct target audience for McCain's poster. Therefore, your personal reaction to the images and what they represent to you will very likely contrast to those of people it was created for.

Stephen makes a good point. I think personal political views are starting to creep in. Each candidate has their own strategy and philosophy for life, America and how to run their campaign.

Concerning marketing and design: Obama - more interesting design, on target for his German target audience, which evidently German support, and international press is part of his strategy. McCain - not going to appeal to the design crowd as much, but on target to appeal to a large segment of U.S. voters. The target audiences are apples and oranges between these two pieces (Germans, Americans). If both pieces were in English and targeted toward American voters, we'd probably even have a tougher time keeping political views out of this discussion.

In reference to Steven's initial post, Obama is much more likely to win a design award which makes his team more "design savvy." Perhaps it could be deemed more branding and marketing savvy too by industry types. Return On Investment (ROI) and audience action, which is what my clients care about will be determined in about three months.

Steven, keep showing us the interesting stuff out there and educating us on origins and influences.

peace is "born"? who actually speaks like this way? Oh yeah, the Bible. And on the 5th day the Lord sendeth F22 Raptors... (John: 316)

Echoing Lisa's earlier question, does anyone know who makes up the Obama design team? In-house from great campaign team hiring or outsourced to an agency? Anybody have the scoop?

The brand evolution starting with the unveiling of the mark so long ago really has been quality. Once he became the presumptive nominee and they started to unleash variations or a second tier of the original brand, McCain's team was forced to answer with a bootleg version of new mark that mirrored Obama's and that awful kelly green. Both of which disappeared almost immediately and the McCain camp was forced to get more serious about its own visual identity.

Sound design has always been lacking in political campaigns so it has been great to see both sides swing away at actually branding themselves.

New Take On McCain Poster
http://gallery.12thfloor.com/gallery2/d/288268-1/mccain_restinpeace.jpg

The Obama poster looks identical to every piece of Communist propaganda I have every seen.
The McCain poster makes me immediately thing of the light of God shining down (minus the fighter jets).
Two images that make me not want to vote either way.

The communists in Russia and China and fascists in Hitler Germany also were also "design savvy". It doesn't make me want me to vote for them. Obama's collateral pieces, from Shepard Fairey's poster to the one posted above, evoke the Communist propaganda posters of the 20's and '30s. I'm not sure if it's necessarily a good thing. Lastly, are we voting for the President of the US, or who has the best campaign designs? I would say the former.