The advent of digital advertising has placed posters on the backburner. But what most business owners don't know is that posters are still an effective tool in marketing. Here are fifty poster designs that will help you spark creativity.
1. MTV
Cable channel MTV is known for its original series, celebrity news, and of course, music videos. They are easily recognizable with their bold and creative identity. They are known to set the trends instead of following them.
In this poster they published for a Red Hot Chilli Peppers gig, they used bright pinks and violets to add shock value. They opted for illustrations of the band which made it more impactful.
2. Ailsa Bay
A distillery company that leans on the unconventional, Ailsa Bay has published this eye-catching poster. They use technology to generate data in their brewing processes. This is where their design team got their inspiration from.
Calling the art generative, they perfectly captured the spirit and identity of the brand. The seemingly dark and somber atmosphere of the poster design added to the brand's mystery and sophistication.
3. Empire of the Sun
Movie posters are a must for every producer as it's one of the most awaited marketing materials for most movies. WarnerBros' Empire of the Sun is a Steven Spielberg epic that requires an equally legendary poster design.
The movie is a coming-of-age film set in World War II, as seen from the poster. It has the sun as its focus, with a soldier under and a plane going down in flames. Movie posters aim to tease, and this one does it so well.
4. Henri Matisse
Regarded as "the greatest colorist of the 20th century." Henri Matisse designed a poster for his exhibition in 1946. The French artist created it back then. It was sold on February 4, 2010, as a vintage poster for $2,040.
The artist created works of art using a wide range of colors and complexity. If you need a poster design to spark your creativity, this is an excellent source of inspiration.
5. Dunkin
Posters are proven to be excellent communication tools. In this Dunkin poster, they showed their sympathy to people going through hard economic times. They offered discounts for their donuts on a particular day in hopes of helping bring a smile to those who need it.
This effectively got people's attention as the poster design targeted those who have the means and those who don't.
6. Le Silpo
Ukraine supermarket chain Le Silpo published this beautiful poster when they opened new departments. The company is a chain of self-service supermarkets geared towards connoisseurs and gourmands. Thus, a poster design that's clean, elegant, and eye-catching.
The poster includes a kiwi inside an alarm clock against a lemon-colored background. It gives an impression of freshness and energy any supermarket will want to have.
7. Pepsi
To advertise their limited-edition cans, Pepsi released this striking poster. The design uses the beverage company's colors and showcases the product alongside a tall glass filled with Pepsi. The logos of both Pepsi and the event organizer are included.
The information included on the poster is adequate to have plenty of white space around. This gives the poster high readability without sacrificing aesthetics.
8. Magnum
Chocolate-covered ice cream Magnum is also getting quite the attention for its brilliantly designed marketing materials. From its digital and print ads to poster designs, the company releases design magnificence one after another.
Below is the poster design they published for the introduction of their new line, 5 Kisses. The concept is patterned after French pastries and possibly, French kisses.
9. Lost&Found Market
Barcelona vintage market, Lost&Found, regularly publishes posters for events they host. The example below is one among many brightly colored and tastefully designed posters. This projects the image the market wants: a vibrant, lively, and engaging place to shop.
The use of bright colors and captivating illustrations are a sure way to get attention. The poster exudes a charm with minimal texts that require no need for blocks of texts that can drive away viewers.
10. Take the Stage Performance Company
Typographic posters are the best ways to go when you need to put more details on your posters. Check out what Take the Stage Performance Company did on their poster design. The title of their musical was Dynamic, and the design did justice to it.
The poster effectively delivered the company message while informing the readers about the musical. Overall, it's an engaging design worth taking inspiration from.
11. Netflix
Movie streaming service Netflix releases some of the best movies and series there are today. Not only that, the company is an excellent resource for poster design inspiration. The example below is one among many.
This poster for the movie "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" is filled with fantastic imagery. It excites the eyes as well as the mind, filling the viewers with anticipation.
12. Oreo
In 2015, Oreo launched the "Play with Oreo" campaign wherein they invited artists to design a poster for them. They used a word that the artists will describe in their designs, and the poster below is one of these.
In this one, the word Twist was used, and this is what the illustrator came up with. The design is light, fun, and superbly groovy.
13. Canadian Fair Trade Network
The Canadian Fair Trade Network created this thought-provoking poster to tell the story behind the garment manufacturing industry. The poster seems to answer the question, "What if the label tells the whole story?" And so we see a hoodie with a very long label.
The design concept is to make people aware of the whole process of making our clothes. This includes the cotton gatherers, the people who dyed the fabric, the sewers, and many others.
14. The Sunday Times
For their "Eyes" campaign, The Sunday Times created this poster about the Film and Screen Season. The campaign aimed to allow viewers to see movies through the eyes of the heroes. Thus, the posters have eyeglasses shapes with visuals from a movie peeking through.
In the poster design below, the movie obviously is about the movie Despicable Me. It shows a profile of its main character and antagonist, Felonius Gru.
15. Taco Bell
This poster design inspiration is from Taco Bell's "Routine Republic" campaign. It is a series of posters poking fun at the communist era where McDonald's is the supreme ruler of the dystopian totalitarian fast-food world. The goal is to make Taco Bell seem like the underdog while making everyone smile.
The illustrations are loud, colorful, and somewhat scary, having associations with state sanctions and oppressed society. But overall, it's fun, exciting, and engaging.
16. ZVSHK, the German Sanitation, Heating and Air Conditioning Association
In 2014, ZVSHK, the German Sanitation, Heating and Air Conditioning Association, launched their poster design contest entitled "Water is Life." Hundreds of entries poured in from students of design, architects, and professionals. The poster aims to promote awareness of the importance of water.
The poster below is the winner of the competition, and rightly so. The design depicts how essential this fundamental resource is to everyone and everything on the planet.
17. WWF
With its goal of preserving the wilderness and reducing human impact on the environment. The World Wide Fund for Nature creates posters to help spread awareness. The poster design below is one in a series of posters aimed at the need to curb the extinction of animals.
The posters are moving, gripping, and persuasive. The images they used provide us alarming views of what we take as common animals but, in reality, are in danger of becoming extinct.
18. My Neighbor Totoro
Critically acclaimed animated movie My Neighbor Totoro has a poster that's as legendary as the movie. The design features the two main characters in a rainy setting that has a mysterious yet charming feel.
The best movie posters contain these elements: attention, interest, lasting appeal, and style, among many others. This poster has them all.
19. DePaul
A Charity based in the UK, DePaul created a campaign geared towards homelessness. The posters describe why people typically fear homeless people and give reasons why we should dispel our preconceived notions about them.
One side of the poster shows why we should fear them, and if you view the other side, you'll see why we shouldn't. The layout is creative and compelling.
20. Banque Transatlantique
Financial institutions and similar companies can also benefit from using posters to market their brands. This poster design from Banque Transatlantique is a great source of inspiration. The French bank used stunning illustrations and photographs to convey its message of stability and trustworthiness.
There are no blocks of text, but the message was delivered. They are a company that has been around since 1881, thus, a powerhouse with a rock-solid reputation.
21. Peugeot
French automobile manufacturer Peugeot created the poster you see below for their Technical Support department. The text "The right part doesn't work in the wrong place" with an illustration of a brush with its parts in the incorrect places.
In this poster design, bright colors are used to convey an optimistic and lighthearted scenario. The use of illustrations worked better than using edited pictures.
22. Hipoglos
A skin protection cream for babies, Hipoglos released posters that used public spaces creatively. They strategically placed their posters to show how their product will protect a baby's folds from rashes and other skin irritations.
The poster design is simple, straightforward, and uses a whole lot of white space. Like Peugeot, it uses humor to get people to notice them.
23. California College of the Arts
For their MFA Show in 2013, California College of the Arts created the poster below. The design with ribbons in different colors is striking and intriguing. It is minimalistic and leaves so much to the viewers' imagination.
The white background provided perfect support to the colors making the message loud and clear. There was no need for blocks of text as the letters were enough information.
24. Greek Graphic Designers Association
To celebrate their 30th anniversary, the Greek Graphic Designers Association held an exhibition called "e/Design Your Expression." On show were the works of the most accomplished of their members. The organization called for its members to design posters for the exhibit, and of course, they were never disappointed.
The example below is only one among many of the entries. It uses bright colors and exciting illustrations to make the design stand out and get viewers' attention.
25. Braun
German consumer products brand Braun created this poster to introduce their Multiquick Culinary line. It shows one of their tools in action, so we see energy, motion, and speed in fine detail. The black background emphasized the tool and efficiently showed its power but has done it elegantly.
The poster wanted to show why passionate kitchen geniuses need assistants to help them create their very best. Its simplicity has projected the brand's message of providing high-quality products.
26. Jobsintown.de
An online recruitment company from Germany created the funny poster below about terrible jobs. Jobsintown.de wanted to encourage people to get out of the rut of facing dreadful work each day. They had the tagline "Life's too short for the wrong job," and we all know they're right.
The series of posters showed people working as an ATM and doing other indescribable work. The message is clear, compelling, and a bit distressing.
27. Aspirin
We all have experienced headaches one time or another, so the poster design inspiration below is relatable. Aspirin understands aches and pains so well they didn't need any text on their poster to get their message across.
The advertising campaign was entitled "Rude Words," with what seems like symbols on the floor to depict them. This shows exactly how one feels when something is aching, and the solution is just around you in the form of a tablet.
28. IKEA
Space is a vital design element, and furniture brand IKEA has mastered its use even in poster design. The example below says to create space and displays an excellent way to do it with their furniture. The poster does it perfectly well, too.
While some people think utilizing all available space in your poster will get you your money's worth, it's quite the opposite. Negative or white space makes a poster pleasing to the eye as it removes clutter and confusion.
29. Future Landfill
A project to combat supermarket chains from using plastic toys to sell their product, Future Landfill created a series of posters as part of their protest. Australians Alex Wadelton and Tom Whitty found these short-term promotional products damaging the environment long-term.
The project they founded used Disney movies to show the environmental damages these toy plastics do. In the poster below, we see a parody of the movie Frozen and the damage to the polar caps.
30. McDonald's
To let people know about their 24-hour service, McDonald's released this poster design. The burger chain is known to create some of the best-looking marketing materials, and this poster design is no exception.
It did not need anything more than the night light and the inscription "open 24 hours." The simplicity of the design made the message crystal clear.
31. MoneyGram
With the promise to get you your money anywhere on the globe, MoneyGram released a series of posters with flags from different countries. The posters show flags from two countries that are interconnected through the money transfer company.
The design shows the flags and the words "bringing you closer," which needs no further text. These types of posters work well as the message is clearly conveyed without much ado.
32. Leica Shop
Camera company Leica Shop published this poster for their Leica D-LUX 5 Digital Camera. The main features of the camera include face recognition, among many others. But what makes it stand out is the vintage feels of the poster design.
Leica releases products that use advanced technology and historical cameras, the reason for the vintage look of their poster.
33. Ariel
Detergent brand Ariel created this remarkable poster that features a shark chasing away clothes stains. The overall image of the poster design is clean as what Ariel wants customers to associate their brand with.
The detergent liquid in the shape of a shark shows how tough the product is, which adds humor and fun to the design. The colors used for the shark and the stains make them stand out from the whites of the clothes.
34. Mattel
This poster design example from Mattel shows their promise to create toys that will encourage kids to use their imagination. The ad materials consist of a series of ads, and the one below is for their Dinosaur campaign.
The images show how kids imagine their toys would be and what Mattel can create. Although some people find the photos incorrectly placed, overall, the poster design is eye-catching and appealing.
35. Morton
Most people's criteria for finding homes are warmth and a welcoming feel, like a beloved pet. This is why Morton, a Russian real estate company, used a dog for their poster design. The dog is illustrated in the shape of an apartment and in a friendly pose to show how inviting their apartments are.
The design is cute, humorous, and attention-grabbing. Not many details and texts, but it gets the message across efficiently.
36. Nestlé
To promote their coffee creamer, Nestlé compared it to a mini vacation which you can see from their poster design below. A small holiday is what they called it, and so, they placed a tiny hat on top of a piece of little luggage.
As you will notice, poster designs on this list are usually those without many details but drive their messages across. That's because posters don't have the same time to get your attention as online ads have.
37. Top Gear Magazine
To create a strong message about seat belts, Top Gear Magazine published this ad that they also used on their poster designs. The poster advocates for seatbelt use, more specifically, the ones for the back.
The design shows an ice cream cone coming from the back seat. Many people tend to ignore them, but scenarios such as this one prove their importance.
38. Mini
Renting out Mini Coopers is the second-best way to get one, according to this poster the automotive company released. The poster is to announce their offering of renting their Coopers to those who don't want to commit to buying one.
The design is striking as the automobile itself is lovely on the eyes. So in effect, the car is selling itself, or in this case, is renting out itself.
39. Duracell
This poster design from Duracell shows how "some things shouldn't end before the end." The tagline is cleverly crafted, but more so for the design. It shows the Duracell mascot powering a lighted board.
The images stand out with the use of black background but show the concept more effectively. The bunny is emphasized as it is the only element in the poster that is not green or black.
40. Toshiba
Having a winning concept is what's good about this poster design from Toshiba. One of the world leaders in tech products, Toshiba launched this poster series that promotes their products' power and efficiency.
The designs show different people multitasking using their laptops. The one below shows a man watching a game while working.
41. Vanish
Stain remover Vanish wants your clothes to keep their identities with this cleverly designed poster. It shows the front of a pair of jeans with the name of the jeans merged with a known catsup brand name. It means that the stain has incorporated itself in the jeans, and they now share the label.
The poster wants to assure readers that using their products will get rid of the stains and the clothes keep their identities. The design is witty yet very simplistic.
42. Facebook
Social media isn't all about fun and games. It also needs some mindfulness and responsibility. This is what Facebook wants to show us with this poster design. It shows the famous thumbs up for liking on the platform, but it's holding a knife this time.
The poster wants users to think before clicking on that Like button as sometimes, this can hurt someone's feelings. What we think of as a harmless gesture may be hurtful to some.
43. Volia Broadband
Watching movies online can be a hassle if you have a slow internet connection. Volia promises strong connections through this creative poster design. It shows King Kong holding tightly onto a tall building.
Instead of wreaking havoc, the poster shows the giant gorilla holding on to dear life as a strong wind carries it away. It shows clearly how Volia is strong enough to give you uninterrupted movie-watching experiences.
44. Brucciani
While Brucciani has already closed shop, their poster design is still noteworthy to be on this list. When they introduced free WiFi to their shops, they released this poster to let people know. The cafe created a poster design that's simple yet impactful.
It showed a coffee cup filled to the brim with black coffee with ripples in the form of a WiFi signal. The minimalist poster uses a dark brown background which emphasizes the white saucer and cup.
45. Energia
To show how diverse their customers are, Energia, an electric and gas provider in Ireland, came up with this funny and cute poster design. They claim to power a range of businesses, from hairdressers to farms. And to show this, they used a scene from a beauty parlor with a farm animal among its customers.
The design has a vintage look and feels to it. It uses bright colors that give life to the characters within the image. The unpretentious scenario shows the company's human side.
46. Philips
Consumer electronic company Philips promoted their hairdryers using a variety of marketing materials, including this poster design. They claim to have hair dryers that are as quiet as a simple shhh when putting your baby to sleep.
The poster came in a series with babies asleep in their cribs with the products beside them. The overall atmosphere of the design is that of calm, peace, and quiet, a perfect description of the hairdryer.
47. Alice in Wonderland
The Disney-produced movie Alice in Wonderland has one of the most iconic movie posters. It shows Johnny Depp as The Mad Hatter in a colorful costume. It is as imaginative as the story and the movie version of it.
Movie posters need to pique viewers' interest and give a summary of what they can expect. This example does that quite so well.
48. Éléphant Bleu
French carwash company Éléphant Bleu launched their "Reflections" campaign earlier this year. The example below is one from that series and shows warped reflections of different sceneries and countries. The goal is to show how shiny your car will be after going through its carwash services.
This design is different because it is not the usual concept used in cars and car care products. The designs have that dreamy, light, and airy feel to them that's almost magical.
49. New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority
To show their fight against Covid 19, the New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority launched the State of Respect campaign. The project aims to give awareness to the state's efforts in combatting the deadly virus.
The poster design consists of illustrations of people wearing masks in the shape of the state. The series shows the resiliency, strength, and connection of New Yorkers during the pandemic.
50. Pizza Hut
If you ask people to describe a Pizza Hut poster, they'd probably tell you pictures of pizzas, drinks, and other food items. So the poster they created for their unlimited soft drinks and ice cream will come as a shock to fans of the restaurant chain.
The poster design shows a snowy land on one design and a patch of sea on the other. The snow has a scoop sticking out while the sea was shown with a straw buried in it.
FAQs
How to get poster designs designed?
There are many ways to get a poster design. You can hire a freelancer to do it, use an online design template, or get the services of an unlimited graphic design company.
How much does it cost for poster design?
The pricing varies from one graphic design partner to another. Factors such as the complexity of the design, the time frame, and the designer's experience also come into play.
How long does it take to design a poster?
It can take hours to days for a graphic designer to complete a poster design. Again, this depends on the project so that it can be shorter or longer.
