This poster series promotes the feminist organization UltraViolet, and raises awareness of real issues that affect women. The theme of “Believe Her” comes from the fact that many women’s issues stem from the cultural phenomenon of women not being taken seriously or believed when they speak up about their experiences. Notable examples are in instances of sexual assault and violence or when seeking medical treatment. The posters contain statistics taken from scholarly publications to support the message.

The imagery of a dark-colored silhouette of a woman experiencing distress in the foreground and the silhouettes of others behind them in a lighter color, creates contrast between the subjects representing the social and emotional isolation women may feel when they are not listened to. The stamp-like drawing style is a call-back to old-fashioned protest posters used throughout the 20th century. The large, bold headlines, memorable statements, and handmade imagery have a significant emotional impact and stick in the viewer’s mind. Adobe Illustrator was used to create the vector drawings, which were based on reference photos from Adobe Stock.

The violet and electric blue colors in the posters are UltraViolet’s brand colors. Headline Gothic ATF is a bold display font used for the primary text, and its rough textured version packs a dramatic punch to add emphasis. Urbana, used for the body, is also bold and powerful but does not take away from the importance of the headline. Palatino Linotype was used for the supporting text, as it is a thinner font that is meant to be read last and is readable at a small size.