Turning off the Tap, produced by the aids2031 consortium of partners, aims to understand the HIV/AIDS pandemic response, consider the implications of the disease in a changing world and chart a long-term response to the pandemic to change the face of AIDS in Africa by 2031 in Africa.
Flow Communications was approached to design the booklet and the project became my responsibility.
The booklet is basically a one colour (black type on white pages) document; the cover is full colour. We conceptualised the cover design based on the project’s focus: Africa and the HIV/AIDS challenge it faces.
We used the iconic African continent image as a silhouette and as a geographical map-type version. The AIDS awareness ribbon wrapped around Africa symbolises the booklet focusing on the continents struggle with the pandemic. This idea is further reinforced by the African continent standing out from the background globe.
The cover’s background colours, blue and turquoise, were chosen to complement the central image of the continent wrapped with the red ribbon. These “calm” colours don’t detract from the central image, but rather emphasise it.
Page design focused on making the text-heavy document readable; we emphasised page numbers on a wide page-top header so readers could easily note their place in the booklet. There are no images, but pull quotes are highlighted in grey boxes – breaking up the text-heavy pages.
The final impression is that of a thoroughly researched booklet, dealing with a vitally important issue; exactly what Turning off the Tap is.