Smoking Ban for the UK

I like the colours used. I do have concerns with the typeface used at the top being different than the one used on the bottom. If you want to use two different faces, I think there needs to be more of a contrast between the two. (although I think using one throughout would be the best option)

Also, I would stack the paragraphs, or adust the leading so that the type lays on the same baseline grid thoughout the piece. However, I think stacking the text would provide a better layout. What if you were to use only one of the secondary headings and have three paragraphs beneath it? All flush left and running along the left side of the piece? I think this will create a good balance of white space on the right to the text on the left.

I'm unsure about the line running from edge to edge, it braks the poster in half. I think if you like the line the way it is, the heading at the top needs to be moved, actually it can be taken out altogether. It's not needed and its repeated in the heading on the bottom. It seems out of place way up there in the top left corner all by itself.

Just my thoughts....take them as you will.

For starters I don't understand why you're designing one when there is standard material available from the government with all the correct wording and signage on it.

The design gives out ALL the wrong messages for me.
The cigarette is awful quality and will look like crap when printed.
Either get a higher resolution picture or redraw it as a vector.
Having a poster the colour of a nicotine stain is neither the right image for a campaign for a smoking ban, nor is it particularly visually attractive or eye-catching.

Secondly there are serious issues with the copy.

I'm going to assume you know it's wrong, but just on case:-

"Be Free From Smoke" < --- This doesn't read well. I'd also suggest trying to stick to headlines similar to those on official government literature.

"All smoking areas in will be no longer, making our workplace a healthier place to visit or work in." < --- This makes no sense. None. Not even slightly. Start again, completely re-word it.

It concerns me that your HR dept signed off on it actually but that's another rant.

"Healthy Visitors and Workers" < ---The message is fine but the layout looks wrong. It just doesn't sit well on the poster.

"A free from smoke will protect everyone from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke in our workplace" < --- This is ok. It's still worded pretty badly in my opinion but it's passable apart from the first section "A free from smoke", a what free from smoke?

"A Cleaner and Healthier Environment for Everyone" < ---This again is ok but the layout isn't good.

"The good news is that it's estimated free from smoke will save thousands of lives over the next decade" < --- Incredibly poorly worded and it sounds like you're patronising smokers. I'd suggest checking out www.smokefreeengland.co.uk & www.cancerresearchuk.org for better more accurate stats and a better wording of that sentence, or better still, call them and ask them.

The design is ok, I see what you're trying to do but it really doesn't work for me and is unnecessarily confusing as there are different messages to those which are being promoted by the official sources.

I personally would move the entire 1st Headline, title & paragraph up above the red line.
I think there are also too many variations in the size of the type if it's all going to sit there next to each other.

The initial headline at the top is weird.
1) Why is it a different typeface to the rest of the type?
2) Why two shades of red?
3) Why is it worded "Free From Smoke" when the NHS and government campaigns use the strapline "Smokefree"?

Again this all comes back to the main gripe I have with the poster is that it doesn't conform to any standards, if you're going for a poster like this then yes you want it to be unique but try to tie it in with the actual government campaign.

To put it bluntly, the copy sucks.
Reword it all, research it properly from the official sources rather than making it up and make sure it actually makes sense.

Play with the layout of it.

Don't take the above as me being overly harsh, take it as constructive criticism. It's stuff you need to know, I work for a cancer charity and have been involved in many smoking campaigns, including the smoking ban in Scotland and I've also been helping many companies prepare for this up coming ban in England. If you need any more advice on the issue let me know.

Ooops, double post, my bad.

White on yellow is very very hard to read. For all practical purposes, I would have made this black.
Needs a better cigarette picture. How about smoke instead? You may be making people crave them if you put a cigarette up if they are trying to quit.

There are several grammar issues I won't even bring up :)

I am going to assume your company is not primarily English-speaking. That's the only reason I can imagine for why your HR department approved this poster because most of the wording is gibberish. How embarrassing that it's already been printed and is on display! One can only hope that English-speaking visitors to your company are so intent on doing business with you that they won't notice the poster.

Your poster doesn't show the clean fresh air that I hope to be breathing by July 1st, or even sooner when I give up! I would choose a plain white background or something healthier looking anyway. Doesn't really work for me either as an eyecatching design, sorry.

The cigarette is bang in the middle and doesn't really make me want to read the copy. Maybe offset it to add some interest and add smoke or some other elements?

Also is there a reason you have used a different red for the word smoke in the top header?

I think you know about the copy problems by now, so won't go over that again.

I've been helping companies with the signage for this ban but not the posters, however, after looking at this I thought it would be a good idea to pitch some custom posters like these to a few clients as the stock posters they've received are inadequate and look out of place with their own brands.

The FIRST thing I did was to go to the official government website for the smoking ban to look at the official material and there not only is an entire resources section dedicated to company signs and posters, but lo and behold a brand guideline PDF on how to approach the ban.
http://www.gosmokefree.co.uk/extranet/downloads/Smokefree_Guidelines.pdf

Direct quotes from the guidelines:

There are two ways of looking at smoking.
One is dark – about slavery to an addiction. Its images are of stale butt ends and disease.
The other is bright. It’s about freedom and the triumph of the human will. Its images are about health, freshness and clean air.

As an identity, SMOKEFREE is firmly in this positive area. It celebrates vitality.
Standing for more than just giving up smoking, it’s an emblem for a brighter, healthier, SMOKEFREE future.

These guideline specifically relate to the NHS campaign but even if you don't follow them to the letter, you really must read them to get the message in the correct context.

Another question for me out of sheer curiosity... Why is your HR department approving artwork?