This project focused on Televangelists in America and their maniuplative tactics during their broadcasts to use religion as a money making scheme. This is often done through a combination of guilt tripping the viewer, and promising spriritual wealth in exchange for money.
Three interactive posters were created from this concept, with a transparently evil figure compelling you to buy into the scam, with the visually disruptive effects adding a sense of pressure and fear.
Three interactive posters were created from this concept, with a transparently evil figure compelling you to buy into the scam, with the visually disruptive effects adding a sense of pressure and fear.
The first thing created was the televangelist. By looking at popular cartoons at the height of televangelists's notariaty (1960s- 70's) I had got down a few concepts, mostly taking inspiration from Hanna-Barbera. These were caricatured in nature, with very dramatic shapes forming the characters to create an effective and memorable silhouette.
These designs were later settled the smaller character. He's sterotypically evil, with beady eyes and sharp teeth while maintaining that retro era stylistic design.
He was later transferred to the poster where he points and demands for you to engage with his scam.
He was later transferred to the poster where he points and demands for you to engage with his scam.
These posters were created, in short, to be as painful to the eye as possible. This effect grows when close to the paper, as the patterns and colours used can cause a distressing effect- similar to old tv pixels would hurt the eyes if you got too close. This was compounded by the canvas it was printed on.
The type on the main poster is spaced in a way similar to that era of advertisments and comics, with the occasional word stretched to fill the text box. This, alongside the copius use of patterns and visual tricks like the moire effect, causes the viewer a sense of discomfort and distrust, even if subtle.
The type on the main poster is spaced in a way similar to that era of advertisments and comics, with the occasional word stretched to fill the text box. This, alongside the copius use of patterns and visual tricks like the moire effect, causes the viewer a sense of discomfort and distrust, even if subtle.
These posters were placed in public and goersby were encouraged to tear off a coupon from the perforated edges- however the coupons themselves are as laughably transaparent of the scam as the poster. On these coupons not only does it list a ridiculous price, but it also asks questions like "Blood type" and "Mothers Maiden Name" which of course, is only really asked by scammers.
At which point, the viewer has most likely walked away and is left with a scam coupon. An experience which, in my research, is similar to those who have given televangelists any significant amount of money.
At which point, the viewer has most likely walked away and is left with a scam coupon. An experience which, in my research, is similar to those who have given televangelists any significant amount of money.
