Richard's Sign - Joshua Leigh

Richard's Sign
Graphic Design

In the years following the global economic crisis of 2007-2008, workers across a range of industries in many cities were affected.

On my walk to work across London Bridge early one morning I encountered a white-collar worker holding a rather shabby looking home made sign. He was an I.T. manager who had been made redundant from his job in the City.

I didn't know how I could help, I had no connections in I.T., however I did feel I could help him communicate with passersby more effectively. I chatted to him about his situation and asked if he'd like me to design and print him a better sign – my studio was just around the corner. He agreed.

I reorganised the information on his sign, placing him at the top of the hierarchy. His story was the most important factor for catching attention, then what he did, what he wanted and finally how to contact him. I chose a striking red colour to catch attention and clear, simple typography. I printed and mounted the sign and returned to him 20 minutes later.

I also took a photo of him to share on social media, knowing that the before/after story itself could be a compelling way to spread his message online.