MANDELA POSTER PROJECT: PAPER PRISON

Credits & Description:

Type of entry: Communication Design
Category: Posters
Advertiser: MANDELA POSTER PROJECT
Product/Service: DESIGN COLLECTIVE
Agency: INTERBRAND New York, USA
Client: MANDELA POSTER PROJECT
Product: DESIGN COLLECTIVE
Entrant: INTERBRAND New York, USA
Type of Entry: Communication Design
Category: Posters
Entrant Company : INTERBRAND New York, USA
Advertising Agency : INTERBRAND New York, USA
Executive Creative Director: Chris Campbell (Interbrand New York)
Senior Creative Director: Craig Stout (Interbrand New York)
Creative Director: Forest Young (Interbrand New York)
Senior Designer: Matt Van Leeuwen (Interband New York)
Art Director: Kristin Labahn (Interband New York)
Design Director: Ross Clugston (Interbrand New York)
Design Intern: Jongwon Lee (Interbrand New York)
Design Intern: Andrea Moore (Interbrand New York)
Brief Explanation:
Is there a greater challenge than to use an A2 poster to capture the legacy of a man who changed the world? We knew these dimensions couldn’t begin to express the sacrifice and spirit of Nelson Mandela. But when we started to think about dimensions, we had an idea. What if we used our poster to show the dimensions of Mandela’s greatest injustice — the 27 years he spent in a small cell? And then we thought, what if we could go beyond showing this story to invite exhibit visitors into the experience?
Describe the brief from the client:
The Mandela95 Poster Project invited artists from all over the world to honor Nelson Mandela’s 95th birthday, and ultimately his life, through the design of a commemorative poster. The size of the poster, A2, was the project’s only creative parameter, so each designer had the freedom to celebrate Mandela in his own way. From the submissions, 95 would be chosen — one for each year of Mandela’s life — to be part of an exhibit that would tour the world before being auctioned to benefit the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital Trust.
Design Process:
At first glance, our poster simply read, “He illuminated the world from an 8-foot cell,” in black sans serif font on a yellow background. But there was more to the message, as the poster was not one page but many, designed to unfold into an 8 by 7 foot rectangle when placed on the ground—almost the exact size of Mandela’s cell at Robben Island, where he served most of his sentence. The contrast of black to yellow was designed to transport viewers into Mandela’s darkness during those 27 years, illuminated only by his enduring optimism and spirit.
Results:
We’re honored that our poster was chosen from over 700 entries to be part of the exhibit, which is now on tour and has been covered by outlets like CNN. To take the project further, we brought our posters to public spaces around the world. Hundreds gathered, and we filmed as visitors stepped inside the space, and for a moment, not only shared Mandela’s experience, but felt his unbreakable spirit. We hope our project will do its small part in shaping a better world: inspiring us to come together, speak up, and challenge the injustices we see, big and small.