Learning patterns/Imagery for event promotion
What problem does this solve?
[edit]When promoting an event to potential participants through posters, banners, posts, etc., mere seconds decide about whether an addressee will
- be interested on a subject-matter level and
- expect to be welcome/feel comfortable at the event.
Covering these two aspects in a single concise publication/statement is rather challenging, especially in a verbal-only context.
Think of a hackathon as an example. For those unfamiliar with the concept and confronted with an advertisement for a hackathon, their attention span may just be enough to decipher the word “hackathon” and evoke all the connotations that mainstream media associate “hacker” with: male, solitary, black clothes, hero or criminal[1][2]—an unlikely premise to engage a demographics typically underrepresented at hackathons.
What is the solution?
[edit]Well-chosen (or well-made) imagery can help counter those stereotypes and at the same time convey a sense of what the social setting of a hackathon should be expected to be. This might be especially effective with banners or posts on talk pages that often don’t receive any more attention than a fleeting glance.
Things to consider
[edit]- Imagery used in the promotion of events should convey
- the goal/subject matter/objective activity of/at the event as well as
- the social setting/expected atmosphere/subjective feeling of the event.
- If a single image is used, this can be achieved by imagery showing humans engaging in an activity typical for the event.
- The targeted audience should be able to identify with the humans shown. This can be facilitated by
- depicting a diverse range of persons
- abstraction, for example through the use of illustration rather than photography.
- Some sense of humor is probably permissible in the imagery used if that helps convey the spirit of the event. (See example on the right.)
When to use
[edit]- when promoting events
- in particular,
- when promoting to potential participants unfamiliar with an event’s concept or nature
- when the name of the event may be misleading or otherwise an unfortunate choice
- when promoting to specific—for example, underrepresented—audiences
- in particular,
- when reporting on an organization’s plans for future events
Endorsements
[edit]History
[edit]This learning pattern was inspired by discussion during the breakout session What do women want at a hackathon at the hackathon at Wikimania 2017.
See also
[edit]Related patterns
[edit]- Learning patterns/Festival advertisement
- Learning patterns/Use advanced site notice to promote events
- Learning patterns/Illustrating Wikimedia related publications and blog posts
External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Erin Carson (February 25, 2016). "Photos: Our 10 favorite stereotypical hacker stock photos". TechRepublic.
- ↑ Daniel Solove (March 2, 2015). "The Funniest Hacker Stock Photos". TeachPrivacy.