Context

In 1917 Indianapolis, Addie Munroe, founder of a line of hair products for black women, opens the local newspaper to find a large, full-page illustrated advertisement from her competitor and former employee, Madam C. J. Walker. To her horror, her own ad is much smaller and graphically simpler, and is dwarfed in comparison. My task was to design a period appropriate newspaper prop containing two hero (scripted and will be featured on screen) newspaper ads to help sell the story of the scene.

Method

I thoroughly researched period newspaper ads and gained a familiarity with historical Madam C. J. Walker artifacts (ads, packaging, and pamphlets) to match the style. Consulted my script breakdown and collaborated with the props master to figure out how the actor was going to interact with the prop and ensure the graphic elements within the ad matched the prop products that would appear in later scenes. A library of period appropriate stock images and typeface was created to support the design.

Design Process

Sketched ads were digitized and refined. I inserted my work into scanned period newspaper spreads. Following approval from the production designer, the newspaper was presented to the director and producers for their approval. Legal clearances followed and multiple copies were printed in time for filming.

Madam C. J. Walker's newspaper advertisement is large and full of graphic flourishes, decorative text and detailed illustrations of her hair care products; it is clear that her business is booming. Addie's ad, on the other hand, is small, containing only text, and is found at the back of the newspaper. This minimal, frugal advertisement visually departs from the elaborate advert for Addie's salon grand opening we see at the start of the series. Both ads look at home inserted into a period newspaper.

The ultimate sign of an effective graphic is when the it is featured in the final edit. The advertisements support Carmen Ejogo's performance as Addie Munroe to visually convey the crux of the scene: Addie realizing she has been surpassed by Madam C. J. Walker.