Promotional posters reflect changing times
As the University of Otago celebrates 150 years, Jono Edwards revisits the sights and sounds of Orientations past.
THE history of Orientation colourfully decorates the walls of the Union Hall.
In past decades the semesterstarting celebrations were advertised with both a theme and a creative poster from a local artist.
Posters took inspiration
from the likes of Sesame Street, Shortland Street and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
While the themes did not necessarily flow through orientation events, they could inform the decorations in the Union building for those weeks.
Robert Scott, of The Clean and The Bats, designed three in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
These included one branded ‘‘Mutant Hillbillies’’, featuring a threatening country man and another themed on 1980s television show The Young
Ones.
‘‘It was definitely a fun project and they were exciting times in terms of the bands that were on the lineup,’’ Scott said.
For each of those years the Otago University Students’ Association would develop a theme for him to work with.
‘‘I just came up with a quick draft of an idea. I had complete artistic freedom in how I wanted to present it.’’
Former association social activities manager Stephen HallJones said he always tried to get a cartoonist, and usually someone different every year.
‘‘But you only had limited people you could call on.’’
Current association events manager Jason Schroeder said there was a shift when shows moved to the stadium.
‘‘It became more of a festival, so they became more like festival posters.’’
Posters are now made digitally and the theme is often subtle, if there at all.
This year there is not a theme as such, but the archway and main university building feature prominently on the poster.
‘‘Back then you were selling the idea of orientation. These days it’s about who’s coming and what’s on.’’
The students’ association was now more constricted in what it could do with posters, as the artists featured became more brand wary, he said.
‘‘Things like the font sizes of different artists, billing of artists. It needs to be signed off by artist management, so it becomes quite political.’’