Use When
Poster campaigns are most effective when authorities hide decisions from the public, restrict civic participation, or suppress protest.
They can expose opaque decisions and explain how people can intervene.
They are especially useful when public meetings are limited or moved without notice, helping people find alternative ways to participate.
Posters can safely share information, name abuses, and provide reporting or support channels.
Instructions
- 1
Clarify one simple demand such as "publish the contract," "reopen polling locations," or "stop illegal fees."
- 2
Draft a headline under eight words, a short explanation in plain language, and one clear call to action with a short link or quick response code.
- 3
Co-design the layout with people directly affected to ensure language, imagery, and accessibility work for them.
- 4
Map where your audience actually moves: bus stops, markets, campuses, clinics, and faith centers.
- 5
Check local posting rules and prioritize permissioned boards and supportive businesses.
- 6
Print affordable, high-contrast posters in several sizes.
- 7
Train volunteers on respectful interactions, documentation, and basic de-escalation.
- 8
Photograph posters in place and share them online, tagging media and partners.
- 9
Refresh posters regularly and track scan visits so you can report back what impact the campaign is having.
Historic Parallels
- Paris, 1968: Student-led Atelier Populaire produced 600,000+ posters, unifying 10 million strikers to bypass state media and force a 35% minimum wage hike.
- Gdańsk, 1980: Solidarity movement posters on shipyard gates bypassed a media blackout, informing the public and winning the right to independent trade unions.
- Hong Kong, 2014: Lennon Wall mosaics used crowdsourced posters to sustain a 79-day occupation and force global media coverage of the electoral reform crisis.
Paris, 1968: Student-led Atelier Populaire produced 600,000+ posters, unifying 10 million strikers to bypass state media and force a 35% minimum wage hike.Modern Examples
- A citywide "Who Profits?" poster series uses clear icons and short links to show which companies benefit from a rushed infrastructure deal, with a quick response code leading to a simple objection form.
- Tenants create multilingual posters for laundromats, churches, and clinics that explain illegal rent hikes, list basic rights, and point to trusted legal aid and housing hotlines.
- Students design bold, accessible posters that map censorship of books or speakers on campus, directing people to a petition, a teach-in date, and an encrypted reporting form for incidents.
Participants
Individual
Yes
3–5 people coordinating design, legal review, and mapping, plus 10–20 volunteers for printing, distribution, weekly refresh, and follow-up outreach at key locations.
Helpful Materials
- Wheatpaste (wheat flour + water)
- Posterboard
- Foamboard
- Acrylic Paints
- Markers
References
- Gene Sharp, The Methods of Nonviolent Action, 1973.
- Beautiful Trouble, Wheatpasting and Postering Guide, 2021.
- International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, Civil Resistance Tactics in the 21st Century, 2021.
- Gene Sharp, The Methods of Nonviolent Action, 1973.
- Beautiful Trouble, Wheatpasting and Postering Guide, 2021.
- International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, Civil Resistance Tactics in the 21st Century, 2021.
Use of Action Playbook educational materials must adhere with Unruled Masses’ Terms of Service.
Stay Nonviolent. Coordinate Strategically. Take Back Your Power.