Larsen Idealog

Blog Action Day: Web banners missing one key word

Here at Larsen we’re delighted to be part of the first Blog Action Day. And our office is committed to becoming more and more green. But as a design and interactive firm, a few of us couldn’t help but notice that the Blog Action Day promotional banners (which hopefully you’ll see in your Web travels today) are perhaps missing one key word: “environment.”

Make no mistake: The banners are attractively designed, with skillful use of Helvetica type set on an expansive black background. (See the image displayed with this post.) And they’ve been made available in all the requisite sizes and shapes — square, horizontal, vertical — on the Help Promote the Day section of the Blog Action Day site.

But when I spoke with Todd Nesser, Larsen Design Director, he concurred that the globe graphic with the floating leaf might not adequately communicate the topic of Blog Action Day: the environment. "Perhaps that graphic has equity in Sydney, Australia where Blog Action Day originated, but it isn't instantly recognizable here," said Nesser.

In the larger banners, "Get involved” and “Unite!” are powerful calls to action. And the Blog Action Day tagline is a classic, three-part example that builds to a satisfying conclusion: One issue. One day. Thousands of voices.

But consider this revision:

One issue. One day. Thousands of voices. The Environment.

Or, better yet…

One issue. One day. Thousands of voices. Our Environment.

OK, this is a writer's solution. I can hear my design colleagues chiding, “Doesn’t the addition of the word “environment” clutter the ad?” Yes, perhaps, but it also clarifies. And it can be skillfully designed into the layout, not just *caboosed* onto the end of that lovely tagline.

I’m gathering from what I read on the Blog Action Day site that next year the day will address a different worldwide issue. If this is indeed the case, all the more reason to include the word “environment” or find an appropriate design solution, says Todd Nesser, so the tagline can remain the same:

One issue. One day. Thousands of voices. Hunger.

One issue. One day. Thousands of voices. Breast Cancer.

One issue. One day. Thousands of voices. Autism.

One issue. One day. Thousands of voices. Child Abuse.

It will be fascinating to gauge the success of this worldwide effort — both in monetary contributions to environmental action groups and heightened public awareness. I’m hoping the missing word won’t dampen the impact.

— That’s words on words.