The latest campaign for Coca Cola, devised by Ogilvy New York, has won hearts and acclaim with its artful use of simple but clever illustration. Three of the poster series use negative space effectively to tie together messages of nature and humanism, while there's a bonus optical illusion as the fourth poster, last played with by Animal Collective for their album cover.
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In an allegedly 'post-advertising' world the simplest real-life cityscape, or even stylised model, can carry myriad connotations that clutter, or worse oppose, the brand's intended message. However moving to a simpler illustrated style allows Coca Cola to heighten the effect of their signature red and white and hone the two values of happiness and environmentalism contained within the ads.
Using negative space to create an image within an image offers an interaction with the user and a duality, which can be used to host complementary or contrasting messages. Perhaps the most prominent illustrator working with negative space imagery is Noma Bar, who has created striking images for The Guardian, The Economist and Esquire often focussing on stark symbolisation of conflict.
(credit: the guardian)
Noma Bar went on to create a more accessible but no less intelligent campaign for IBM, that highlighted the computer-giant's leading conceptual solutions to real-world problems, in a fun and friendly way. Well as fun and friendly as the topic of a giant network cameras watching your every move and its Minority Report-ish heading will allow.
(credit: Noma Bar, 'Negative Spaces')
It's no millennial fad though, the use of negative space was explored heavily by some of the key figures in conceptual art, such as Rene Magritte and MC Escher, while the striking designs of Noma Bar bear an obvious relationship to Pop Art. As it turns out, surrealists love a good bird.
Magritte 'The Large Family'
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One of Escher's tesselations
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The level of skill and subtlety needed to create these type of designs sees them become far less over-played than some other current design trends (looking at you, translucent backgrounds and indistinguishable flat icons). When it's successfully executed though it tends to make an impact and the latest Coke campaign only serves to highlight that point. The concept even creeps over into physical space, with clever ambient ads using environmental elements to change the image.
As audiences increasingly tune out images and messaging, it takes a much greater proposition to make an impact, but as Koleston, Coca Cola and IBM have proved sometimes the most focused and direct voice speaks loudest above the noise.
