Do you know of Shepard Fairey? You definitely know his work. He’s the Obama “Hope” and “Obey/Giant” guy. He’s got some interesting ideas about art, advertisements, propaganda, etc. The gist is that we should be mindful of and question the messaging we are constantly bombarded with.. This media is usually displayed – without our consent – in an attempt to sell us a product or idea.

Early in his career, a more “punk” Shepard Fairey used street art (some would argue vandalism) to shock the viewer into forming an opinion. When we are mindful of the propaganda we are shown, we can protect ourselves from manipulation and/or reawaken a sense of wonder about our environment.

Campaign season affords us the perfect opportunity to do exactly that!

If candidates insist on plastering the landscape with their propaganda, they are challenging us to react and search for meaning in their message.

Challenge accepted.

 

AT LARGE

Rita Mercier – Incumbent

What could I possibly say? Belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of Lowell Council Signs.

This sign will likely echo through the ages…

“I will outlive you and everyone you love.”

“I am eternal.”

“I am time itself.”

Erik Gitschier – Incumbent

Ironically, a sign of few words. Some would say boring, while others would argue that it’s efficient. The text tells you only what you need to know. The subtext tells you that this is a candidate who is not going to waste money on extras. I wouldn’t be surprised If the design was commissioned on Fiverr and he got $3.50 back in change. If it’s me, I’m spending a few bucks on some yellow/gold lettering to set my sign apart from the other blue-white signs, and as an obvious nod to Greater Lowell Tech. A missed opportunity for sure.

Vesna Nuon – Incumbent

Another classic. CLEAN. Immaculate layout of a simple font and excellent color choices.

I should wear glasses, but rarely do, so I appreciate the large letters. That said, before looking closely, I always thought that little red ribbon was Massachusetts.

Maybe it’s just my perception, but it feels like Vesna is starting to fade into the background of recent councils. The sign, however, always stands out.

Sixto DeJesus – Challenger

I love it. Really well done. The blank canvas of a white background needs to be handled with care, and this design plays it just right. I don’t mind the mix of serif and sans-serif fonts, and the colors are understated but just right. The 45-degree, cursive “Sixto” ties it all together.

Perhaps it’s the “Jesus” talking, but the oversized “t” reminds me of the Orient Heights cross in East Boston or the Redeemer in Rio. Is there, in fact, a religious undertone? Based on how few of these I was able to spot in the wild, it may take divine intervention to knock off an incumbent for an at-large seat.

Emil Kaufman

If they exist, I couldn’t find one. If I missed it, shoot me a picture and I’ll get to it in Volume 2.

DISTRICT 1:

Dan Rourke – Incumbent – Unopposed

This sign tells me that the meeting will start on time and not run a minute longer than necessary. A no-nonsense design from a no-nonsense Mayor. We don’t even have time for a first name – a bold move for sure. What if Ryan Rourke ran again? Full-blown chaos is my guess. The first of several blue background/white letter signs for our consideration.

DISTRICT 2

Corey Robinson – Incumbent – Unopposed

The font and stars give just enough visual interest to carry a blue/white sign – which has otherwise been beat to death. It’s pretty obvious that the stars are designed to invoke the view from the top of the Rez on a clear evening. Consistent messaging. Slogans are often just tacked-on to fill space, but Corey is one of the few candidates who uses his year-round. As such, the reader expects to see it so it doesn’t feel crowbarred in.

DISTRICT 3:

Corey Belanger – Incumbent

Councilor Belanger is an interesting case to study as he has experimented with several rebrands over the years. As such, we have an opportunity to judge this year’s entry against previous years:

“The More you Know”

This year’s Belanger sign is all about the shooting star – reminiscent of the old public service announcements that began running in 1989. I feel like Council Belanger has been running for council just as long. However, this year’s candidate has perhaps learned from the past and has tailored his message to the district. Gone is the firebrand councilor who would talk about Obama’s “failed immigration policy” during meetings. Rather, he has been replaced by a councilor whose main issue is traffic calming on Andover Street. The more you know!

“The Authoritarian”

City councilors don’t use gavels. Thus, its addition is instructive. This was the sign of a candidate who saw a chaotic society begging to be brought to heel by a blunt-force instrument. The gavel signifies a desire to be seen as a figure of power, control, and order.

[Random aside: in my memory, this sign had a maroon background with white lettering. Was there another version?]

“The Positive Association”

This one was pretty unique. I believe this was a supplemental sign to The Authoritarian. Kind of like a City Connect Jersey for campaign signs. Points for originality for rolling out an issue-specific sign.

Premise 1: People generally have positive feelings towards first responders.

Premise 2: Belanger supports first responders.

Conclusion: If you don’t vote for Belanger, I guess you don’t support first responders.

“The 2-D MAGA Hat”

Christ almighty.

Erin Gendron – Challenger

An elegant sign for a more civilized district. It looks like it smells of fresh-cut lavender and lilac. You don’t see a lot of purple out there, so these definitely pop on District 3’s immaculate lawns. Purple is the color of royalty; thus, the association with an established and well-recognized name is on point.

I like that she didn’t feel the need to cram text onto every square inch. Rather, there is a clean layout employing the Rule of 3rds with 1/3 of centered text sandwiched between 2/3 of negative space at the top and bottom. Much like Sixto DeJesus, the cursive first name adds a touch of classy visual interest.  No reference to the district, so this could foreshadow higher ambition.

The double-meaning of the slogan suggests she’s a runner, right? That said, running is unpleasant, usually unnecessary, and I don’t want to be asked to do it.

Belinda Juran – Challenger

This is the sign that’s replaced the BMW as the status symbol of choice in District 3. The emphasis on the first name adds an informal and friendly touch. However, as much as it pains me to sound unfriendly – I don’t think the slogan works. I do appreciate that the printed sign at least melds the W/V concept into a single letter, as the website couldn’t seem to pull off this trick:

Finally, the checkmark is notable and worthy of attention. This race has a unique feature in that the incumbent was appointed to the seat; nobody actually living in District 3 (excepting Councilor Mercier) got to vote.

Challengers had a rare opportunity to attack the process and (by extension) the incumbent without having to resort to personal attack or even policy differences. Why is no candidate blatantly exploiting that with their propaganda?

In a climate where democracy is under attack – why wouldn’t you want to market yourself as “Your Choice for our District” or a “Finally… A Choice for Belvidere” or something clever?

If that was the intent of the checkmark, I award extra credit. If not, you can lie to me, say that it was and I would never know the difference.

Dan Finn – Challenger

[A tiny bell rings as Candidate enters print shop]

“I’d like a sign, please.”

[A shopkeeper leaning on the counter and studying a racing form looks up over glasses perched on nose and nods with solemn understanding. An antique pen and worn leather notebook are produced from a small but tidy drawer. Shopkeeper brings pen to paper and cocks an expectant eyebrow.]

“Do you want us to make it interesting or anything?”

[Candidate briefly ponders infinite design possibilities]

“Nah.”

On the plus side, green is my favorite color, and the name “Finn” is synonymous with “saint” to a Centralville kid. Otherwise, this entry would be dangerously close to winning the 2025 Cirillo Award for Lack Excellence in Graphic Design.

[I’m going to level with you – This blog was a terrible idea. We’re only 10 candidates into this mess, and I’m running out of things to say. If I get snarky, I’m just trying to keep myself engaged.]

P.S. Did you imagine that the shopkeeper was male? Because they were not.

Stay tuned for Volume 2 later in the week!

I’ll also be dropping some campaign finance stuff as well.

I will not be doing any School Committee signs. 

I’m sorry Danielle, it looks very nice.