Bodegas Terras Gauda Posters

This semester students in the Advanced Graphic Design 2 course were challenged with creating a poster for the 5th Annual Francisco Mantecon Advertising Poster Design Award for the Bodegas Terras Gauda winery. This annual Advertising Poster Design Competition was created as a tribute to Francisco Mantecon, who was responsible for the design of the corporate image, as well as a friend and partner since the creation of the company. The winning entry will form the basis for the company’s advertising campaign for a one year period as well as a cash prize of 6,000 euros. Participants of this competition are encouraged to base their entries on the theme of their choice, principally relating to its white wines – Terras Gauda and Abadía de San Campio.

To add to the process, additional constraints were added to this project. Although many might think of a constraint as a limitation, we like to think that it provides students with inspiration to think more creatively than they normally would. The first constraint was for students to create their designs using manual techniques only – NO computers – not even for the type. They were also expected to capture the aromas and tastes of the wines visually and in a way that required no verbal (written) explanation. In other words, they were expected to make the poster look like the products tastes, smells etc. They were also reminded that the posters were not advertisements so much as they were art pieces. They were encouraged to create the type of poster you would want to have framed for your wall, which is in line with the ideal function of the poster set by the competition sponsors and the posters selected as winning posters in the past.

Now as you might expect, these constraints certainly added a kink in the creative process, forcing students to think differently than they normally would. Despite frustrations with the constraints, the results are amazing and set a good example for how creativity can grow beyond belief when limitations are put in place. So if the winning poster looks and tastes like wine, don’t be surprised if it’s designed by a VCC student!

If you are interested in seeing the posters in flickr, view them tagged under Bodegas Terra Gauda