Five rules to nail your Edinburgh Fringe poster design
A stroll/scroll-stopping EdFringe poster is a must for getting those bums on seats.
And after ten years of helping productions market themselves, I know a thing or two about how you can make sure you get the goods you need without shelling out unnecessary ££s.
#1 Start with a high-quality photo
I get it. Budgets are tight - but crappy photos require a crazy and inevitably costly concept that disguises the quality. Or you’ll need a ton of elaborate edits to bring the image up to scratch. Investing in a well-lit, crisp, clear image will go a long way. Like this:
#2 Think simple
Going brat might feel risky, but when it comes to posters and flyers, detail is just clutter. A minimal approach will help you to stand out against those super-glitzy show posters (although they have a special place in my heart, too).
#3 Consider resizes
If you work with a designer, it’s tempting to rejig artwork sizes yourself to save cash. You will, but you’ll sacrifice quality in the process. Paying for all of your formats means you won’t have to worry about a grainy poster appearing in the middle of Edinburgh.
Saying that, I get that every penny counts, and this might be where you can save a few. So if you’re DIYing your resizing, ask your professional for the basic portrait, landscape, and square formats. You can fiddle with them yourself in Canva if you need something different. God speed.
#4 Speaking of formats…
Here are a few more of the most common ones:
For print:
A4, A3 & A2
4-sheet & 8-sheet
For digital:
Website Banner & Small Square
Instagram 4:5 & portrait
Be sure to book your advertising with Fringe poster-printing-and-distribution veterans Out of Hand. If you just go sticking them up yourself, they’ll get taken down. Immediately, Trust me.
#5 Check disclaimer/declaration requirements with your venue early doors
If your show or image contains nudity, smoking, alcohol, swearing, or any of that good naughty stuff, check with your venue contact early and GET APPROVAL. You’ll save yourself a lot of trouble.
No matter what the content of your show is, the venue will need you to include a banner at the bottom of your poster. Request details ASAP if they don’t supply them and send them a copy of the draft artwork for approval before you even think about printing.
Working with a designer can take away the need to worry about all these things and leave you free to make sure you deliver the best damn show possible. AND it just so happens that I have a special Fringe package that will make sure your promos live up to your ace performance. What a coincidence.
Fringe first-timer? Here are some more of my musings on how marketing your show should work.
