I took this picture 2 month ago in Mumbai airport just one week after the terrible attacks in the city. I really like the lightness of the design. It uses lots of whitet space and a very decent and subtle color palette excluding black. The mandala-symbols used on the right and left side of it give it the necessary cultural indian touch but neverthelss it feels quite international.
They seem to use these designs with citations from different known Indians such as Mahatma Gandhi throughout the whole airport so there is a strong feeling of consistency. It was developed by the Argentinian design studio Steinbranding, who also worked on Ezeiza Airport in Buenos Aires and Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport.
Well done guys.

First impression
modern, natural and people-related

Conceptual idea and language
Contentwise the folder is designed in two parts.

1) Cover and double page after first opening
This part involves a strong storytelling and makes the reader become aware of a refugees problems in a very personal manner.
On the first page we are told that there is people who lost everything and by listing up what exactly they lost: “possessions, house, family, friends, language, culure, country etc.” it finally says that they lost everything that was familiar to them. We as readers feel personally touched by this list as we internally go through our own familiar environment. We happen to make a connection to the refugees.

Opening up the folder the new part of the story unfolds.
It tells us that they found a new home. Again making a connection on a very personal way.

2) Inside and back
After being emotionally captivated by the personal story on the first two pages we now are told specific information about the organisation. At this stage of the story we are very receptive for all this rather rational content, ending in a form to support their cause.

The most outstanding thing about the use of language here is the keyword headlines on top, saying “lost” on the cover and “found” on the inside. This gives an intuitive access to further content.

Use and division of space and shapes
Basically the folder is divided by rectangular shapes. This pattern is interrupted by the usage of the logo in a transparent version in the background. It makes the flyer appear balanced.
Throughout the flyer there is a rectangular block about 1/8 of the sites height high on top enclosing the keywords. This seperation by form stresses the keywords and drags ones attantion on them.

The shape of the logo – a seed i suppose – perfectly goes in with the claim “resettle,prosper and grow” making a metaphorical connection between the flying seeds and the refugees.

Cover
Dominated by the sad looking face of the asian woman the cover quickly rises the readers emotional attention. The first things we see are the word “lost”, the sad face and the word “familiar”. So we feel: Oh my god, thats sad, she lost something familiar …
The repitition of the logo element in the background not only makes the folder visually more consistent but also establishes a connection between the person and the refugee services.

Colors
light green, black/gray and white

The black/gray and white combination gives the whole flyer some sense of seriousness.
The green brings in some vividness – as it is about people – and kind of represents the hope that the service ofers to those people. Everytime something hopeful or regarding the service is described greem comes into place.

Typography
For headlines an Egyptienne Serif font is used, similar to Bitstream Vera and for normal text it is a SansSerif Helvetica-like one. Both together make up a modern appealing look.

Images
Images either show refugees or service workers. If not embedded on a whole page the photos are shown in small polaroid-like frames. This brings in some vividness and creates the image of a simple down-to-earth helping organisation.

Medium and/or physical appearance (foldings, etc.)
The folder uses quite normal folder paper approximately about 150 g/m² and has standard folder size.

• First impression
• Conceptual idea and language
• Use and division of space and shapes
• Cover
• Colors
• Typography
• Images
• Medium and/or physical appearance (foldings, etc.)

This article is about the “Great Idea, volunteer!”-flyer of the IHC (www.ihc.org.nz) organisation in New Zealand.

First impression

Heartful, diverse and very active

Conceptual idea and language

As the target group probably is young persons willing to spend their time helping differently abled ones the language adresses their needs and worries. As a young person you might be worried about the seriousness of such a job and that you may not have fun while doing it. Thats why the folder succesfully adresses you with sentences like: Have fun! feel good! make a difference! In this way it is conveyed that you do make a difference BUT you will have fun while donig so. It also states: “Volunteering at IHC will challenge your ideas about what volunteering is all about” which makes a lot of sense referring to this specific folder as it creates a very vivid, active, authentic and involving image of the job. Emotion seems to be the trigger word.

Use and division of space and shapes

Absolutely no circles or round shapes. Predominantely rectangular to square shapes plus ripped looking frames. As roundness in a way suggests harmony so corners and rectangular graphics do suggest something a little rougher or more down to earth. The relatively chaotic arrangement of the images supports this life-like message. It conveys that working at IHC is about taking part in real life rather than in some perfectly ordered and arranged and sterile business. The other side of the folder (showing the huge image) is purely emotional using this vast space not for information but for a single image that creates a positive atmosphere. On the parts where some info is placed the necessary space is simply divided by a small pink layer that has a ripped looking edge. This simplicity and “roughness” also goes in with the rest of the design as roughness (ripped edge) mostly indicates a high level of involvement (adventure etc.)

Cover

The image of helping and helped woman comes with the simple message “Great idea, volunteer!” It seems as if the laughing disabled woman on the left says this to you as reader which gives it some authenticity.

Colors

Pink, white and black
The concentration on one color (warm pink for emotion) to mark and stress things helps support the simplicity-message.

Typography

Besides the SansSerif-font for logo and some more serious information the main font used for headlines etc. is some kind of Dakota-Handwriting-like font. It perfectly goes in with the rest as already explained before -> Handwriting = personal = involvement

Images

The photos used are natural and emotional. Most of them show a helper with someone who needs help. Their color ranges‚ are all non-artificial and daylight-like.

Medium and/or physical appearance (foldings, etc.)

The size of the closed flyer is about 12×12 cm while it is 24x 48 cm as soon as it is unfolded.

The whole folder brings some sense of playfulness with it. The folding technique makes you have fun while opening and lets you play around.

It is a relatively thick (about 250 g/m²) natural appealing paper which goes in with the down-to-earth-impression of the whole folder.