Identify a current example of how design is being used (intentionally or not) as social, political or environmental critique or protest.

This protest poster of the Shell Oil Company struck me because if you don’t read the text, it almost looks like an advertisement from the official Shell company. I also liked how a recognizable symbol was used to catch immediate attention. The simplicity of this poster is also refreshing because it allows the viewer to focus on the burning shell and the text instead of additional visual imagery. Another reason why this poster struck me was because of the rhyme of “shell” and “hell.” I thought it was very clever and a nice way for the poster’s slogan to remain on people’s minds after viewing it.

I think the audience is drivers who fuel their gas tanks or even just people who ride public transportation like buses. I think the location is interesting because it looks like the side of a bus stop so it would be readily viewable to all people, even those just walking on the sidewalk. Because of this location, I think the usefulness of this poster is questionable; if it was a billboard on the highway I feel like it would be more effective. In areas where public transportation is readily available, there is a high possibility that many of the viewers do not regularly encounter gas stations. The minimalist approach gets straight to the point and allows viewers to easily see the entirety of the poster without getting distracted from their tasks, like driving. Additionally, the location of this poster is in a well-traveled area that is open to families and kids. I think it plays into the little kid mentality of “bad words” and how they tend to remember things they consider “rebellious.” Although I don’t think children are the target audience, I think it is an interesting way that could unintentionally grab their attention.

I think the meaning of this poster is personal and hints at the individual beliefs of people. Since the poster mentions hell, I think it is playing into the common consensus that hell is a place of eternal torture and probably the worst place imaginable.

Advertisements like this poster that protest the use of gasoline as a means of transportation are important because they consider the environmental damages of fossil fuels and their impact on all people. Efforts like this are effective because I think it is only with repeated exposure that people will truly understand the drastic consequences of our actions. However, I think that there are better ways to protest against companies such as Shell that profit off the oil industry than simply calling them hell no matter how eye-catching and more appealing the poster can look.