A well-designed leaflet can contain a great deal of information. This information can supplement messages featured on posters and banners or through television and radio. Leaflets can be distribed by hand or by post.
In general, whether a leaflet, a slightly more bulky brochure, or a simple one-page flier, the key element in the design is the creative use of headlines, text design, and paper.
When a country has a standard paper and envelope size, there are likely to be a few standard pamphlet designs. By folding paper, the designer establishes the equivalent of separate or combined pages, each fold providing an imaginary break. In addition, folded paper enables the designer to establish a cover, or to lead the eye to a new piece of information. Complex
information can be hidden until it is explained, and the reader can be guided sequentially through the necessary information.
The standard A4 page is often folded in a U or a Z shape. A standard A3 page can be folded in half and then treated like an A4 sheet. These provide remarkable versatility, and other more complex folds can be attempted. The Adobe web site gives a range of folding options for small pamphlets.
While creative folding can produce more interesting leaflets and even facilitate the flow of information, it does complicate the production process, requiring either special machinery or significant numbers of people. It will also increase the amount of time required for production before materials can be packaged and delivered. The educator will want to take these factors into consideration.
The advantage of using a single sheet in this way is obvious: it is light to distribute, relatively cheap and quick to produce, and comfortable to hold and read. It does not need binding or collating and can easily be done in an office, on a photocopy machine for small runs.
Fliers tend to be used to advertise events or places and are normally produced in large numbers; an A5 sheet may be appropriate and a simple offset printer can print two fliers on an A4 sheet.
Purpose, Content, and Design
These forms of communication are normally used for mass distribution and a general audience. For this reason they contain simple language, a limited amount of information, and a very clear and logical flow. There is a tendency by educators to shortchange the design on a leaflet or flier for a mass audience, and to over design brochures that have a more elite public. This is shortsighted, as good design will assist in making the leaflet easy to read and ensure a better impact.
So, text should be as carefully considered as illustration. Costs of design are offset against the mass production and therefore work out at very little per unit.
Distribution and Complementary Elements
A leaflet or brochure is a regular component of direct mail campaigns, but the same product can also be used during networking in support of the programme, in briefing of face to face educators, and in packages of distance education materials.
Because many organisations conduct direct mail campaigns, it may be possible to persuade such organisations to include voter education material at no extra cost to their mailing list. In many cases, leaflets and fliers can also be inserted in newspapers and other publications.
Fliers are used to drum up support for an event such as a mock election or rally, or to motivate people to register or vote. In general, bulk quantities are given to individuals and then taken door to door, handed out on street corners, or passed out at large events or community meeting places.
In transitional settings, where nationwide distribution networks may not exist and where the quality of the transportation infrastructure relatively poor, educators may need to assemble ad hoc forces of distributors and allow more time for delivery of materials to their final destinations.
Unintended Use
Becuase leaflets are produced in bulk and sent to someone in the post or handed to them at an event or on the street, it may be the only information that that person receives about the election. It is very likely that it will be stuck on a notice board or wall for others to read.
If the design is a complicated one, this means that it is not read in the form intended. A Z-fold leaflet will be flattened out into a single page/poster. A more complicated fold may result in the leaflet being torn or cut and then flattened out, or covers may appear upside down because the other text is more important. Because the person only has one leaflet, he may photocopy one side, causing red colours to appear black, reverse text to disappear, and so on.
Mailing two leaflets to a community group immediately makes it possible for a better display. Creating leaflets that fold out into a meaningful poster, or ensuring that the leaflet has some instructions for its display are obvious options. If it is decided to create a leaflet that doubles as a poster, the poster design also needs to be considered (see Posters and Banners).
Those who produce the leaflets or brochures can either bemoan the ignorance of community groups or they can be motivated by the community spirit displayed by this use of resources and design leaflets that can be posted on community boards.
Sponsors
The bulk distribution of leaflets and fliers makes them ideal vehicles for carrying advertisements. There are two approaches to this.
The first is to approach a company involved in its own distribution of material and request that it carry voter information or education.
The second is to approach a company, particularly a local company in the vicinity where the leaflet will be distributed, and request that it sponsor the production and receive credit for this.
In other words, the name becomes associated with the product and with the voter education programme.
If this is too close for comfort, a company may agree to place an advertisement on the leaflet. Local small and medium enterprises can find this useful because they tend not to have the budgets to advertise in more expensive media.
Educators will, however, want to stress the non-partisan nature of their undertaking and warn prospective sponsors that a high political profile on their part might be incompatible with the voter education programme.
