The art of storytelling ft. The Archive 81 show
As a marketer, you need to decide the type of audience you are catering to.
A poster acts as a good medium to target the right kind of people. The people you created value for. The people you seek to serve.
The font type, colors, information, graphics, etc. used to design the poster speak volumes about the story you are telling the people. This story may resonate with some while acting as a distraction for others.
Dropping the “right clues” in your poster through semiotics narrates the story you want the “right kind of people” to relate to.
Let’s analyze the clues dropped by the creators of the Netflix Original, Archive 81 to see how they attracted their target audience.
Before we move ahead, let me tell you that I don’t know what this show is all about. I have decided to make things interesting for you and me by interpreting the creator’s artwork solely through the poster.
Let’s begin the road to inspiration and observation!
Well, there are two faces looking on opposite sides separated by a line. If you look closely, it’s similar to the “No Signal” effect which comes on the VHS (Video Home System) tape.
To further play on this videotape effect, the graphic designer has left a few other hints in the poster too!
See the tagline of the show in the top left corner: "Rewind to reveal the truth." The word “rewind” corresponds to the VHS effect.
You have to go back (rewind) to see what actually happened.
In fact, the red button used in the “C” of the title “Archive” relates to the recording button that appears while recording the video on a VHS camera.
To make sense of the matter at hand, the lead of the show could be searching for the truth about an incident that happened years ago and was recorded on a videotape.
A full stop has also been used in the tagline to assert the importance of “finding truth” through the videotape as if the evidence lies there.
But how will the protagonist find the videotape?
Doesn’t the title drop some hints too? A digital Archive. The lead has to search the tape in a collection of video files or records to seek out the truth.
81 could be the number allotted to that specific archive file.
Amidst such signs and clues, the red color used in the poster attracts the most attention. The story may revolve around passion, anger, heat, love, danger, and strength.
Over the bright red color, the white color used for the title along with an amazing choice of the font title (I’m guessing), Neue Kabel ExtraBold, strongly conveys straightforwardness, thereby highlighting the word “archive” as a strong and powerful concept in the show’s story. The bold weight and distinctive design of the font make it highly visible and attention-grabbing.
The looks and the feel of the poster specifically appeal to people who like solving mysteries and actively engage in watching thrillers.
Well, what did you interpret from the poster? For those who have watched the show, were you able to relate to some parts of my interpretation?
Let me know what you think! Would love to know your thoughts and point of view!
