By Rachel Mecham (Senior Graphic Designer)
Every graphic design student enters college with dreams about how their work will one day impact the world. Few imagine that work might one day shape how voters understand a political campaign. Some envision themselves at a top advertising firm, crafting campaigns for major brands. Others imagine designing UI for developing apps and programs or creating the cover of a bestselling book. For me, these weren’t just abstract possibilities—they were real questions shaping my expectations for the future.
But as I neared graduation, reality felt less like a clear path and more like a maze. The possibilities were exciting, but also overwhelming, and I realized that the journey would be as important as the destination.
Graphic design is an overwhelming and competitive industry, but it is also broad. Right after graduating with my BA in Art at Brigham Young University-Idaho, I was on the job hunt. Nothing prepared me for how competitive the industry was. Like most college graduates, you apply for jobs and hope one sticks, even if it is not exactly what you want in a career. All that matters is building your portfolio and gaining experience.
I applied for a job I never thought I would get. In 2021, I applied to work for Ascent Strategic as a junior graphic designer, and to my surprise, they liked my work. I think it is important to highlight that I had no political experience before working with Ascent Strategic. I had not worked on a campaign or studied strategy; my political education was limited to required history courses and what I read or watched in the news.
My intention in applying for the position was not ideological; I was simply looking for an opportunity. It turned out to be one I loved.
Designers who are not politically rooted often approach voter communication differently. This isn’t about being apolitical; it’s about starting from a design-first perspective. Political professionals often begin with message and strategy. Designers tend to start with how people actually see and process information. Both perspectives matter, and when they work together, campaigns communicate more clearly with voters.
With an outside perspective, I first look at materials with a technical eye. I focus on visual clarity, clear and concise communication, readability, and visual hierarchy. I want the audience to understand the main point within seconds. That is my ultimate goal with every design I make.
In campaigns, that moment of clarity matters more than people realize. Voters rarely study political materials the way campaigns hope they will. Most interactions happen in seconds: a quick glance at a mail piece, a scroll past a digital ad, or a yard sign seen while driving down the street. Design has to do more than look good; it has to communicate instantly. If the main idea is not clear right away, the voter moves on.
With every mailer, digital ad, yard sign, palm card, and social media post, I see a problem to solve. Voters are busy and skim through things. If you don’t catch their eye, they won’t bother to look. We do judge books by their cover, despite Author George Eliot’s counsel not to. We are drawn to beautiful, eccentric, clean, and orderly designs. Yes, the mission and messaging are the core of a candidate’s campaign and hold significant value. But how that message is delivered determines whether voters actually absorb it.
Candidates are deeply passionate about the issues they want to take on. These are not abstract talking points to them. They represent lived experiences, long conversations at the kitchen table, and are influenced by moments spent staring at a stack of bills that need to be paid. Handing that passion to someone else and asking them to translate it visually requires significant trust.
At Ascent Strategic, Amanda, our Vice President of Creative and Marketing, and I take that responsibility seriously and with the utmost respect. We work closely with our clients to understand not just what they are saying, but why it matters to them. From there, we look for bold and strategic ways to visually communicate that. We are grateful for the trust that our clients put in us.
Working with the voters in mind has taught me that great design is not about politics first. It is about people first. When you approach campaigns with a design-first mindset, clarity becomes the priority, trust forms the foundation, and every choice is shaped by thoughtful intention. Being outside of politics did not limit my perspective; it strengthened it. It taught me that great campaign communication doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when strategy and design work together to make a message clear, immediate, and impossible for voters to ignore.
