Analysis of graphic design as a tool for political persuasion in Colombia
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Graphic design, Political persuasion, Visual communication, Cúcuta, Semiotics, Persuasion models.
This article presents an in-depth analysis of graphic design as a tool for political persuasion within the Colombian context, specifically focusing on the city of Cúcuta. The main objective was to examine how the components of visual language—such as color, typography, photography, composition, and symbols—influence the electorate's perception and electoral mobilization. The research is theoretically grounded in the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) developed, which establishes that political imagery often operates through peripheral, emotional, and ideological routes rather than just rational ones. The study also semiotics, which suggests the image is a structured message communicating both denotation and connotation, view of design as a social process aimed at influencing attitudes and behaviors. Adopting a qualitative approach with a descriptive-interpretative design, the study analyzed graphic pieces and videos, triangulating the findings with citizen interviews. The results confirm that graphic design acts as a symbolic and emotional language that significantly affects voter trust, recall, and interest, validating its role as a key persuasive device. However, the research also highlights a significant gap between theoretical recommendations and practical application in Colombia, as participants frequently perceived local campaigns as repetitive, lacking innovation, or excessively emotive and potentially manipulative. The conclusion emphasizes that graphic design is a strategic instrument with social power, requiring greater professional responsibility, innovation, and ethical awareness in contemporary political communication.
Alcaldía de Cúcuta. (2023). Cúcuta Design Week: la feria de diseño más importante de la ciudad. https://cucuta.gov.co/cucuta-design-week-la-feria-de-diseno-mas-importante-de-la-ciudad/
Aicher, O. (2017). El mundo como proyecto. Gustavo Gili. https://www.ggili.com/es/el-mundo-como-proyecto
Avendaño, G. (2018). Fundamentos de comunicación visual. Ecoe Ediciones. https://www.ecorev.com.co/libro/fundamentos-de-la-comunicacion-visual_58507/
Barthes, R. (1977). Image, Music, Text. Hill and Wang. https://monoskop.org/images/1/19/Barthes_Roland_Image_Music_Text_1977.pdf
Bengoa, A. (2024). Análisis del cartel electoral en Madrid [Tesis de maestría, Universidad Complutense de Madrid]. https://eprints.ucm.es/
Buitrago López, Y. C., Morales Holguín, A., García Cordero, M. S., & Muñoz Joven, L. A. (2024). La disciplina del diseño gráfico en Colombia: objetivos, enfoques pedagógicos y tendencias. Kepes, 21(30), 11–49. https://revistasojs.ucaldas.edu.co/index.php/kepes/article/view/9727
Carrión, D., & Ortíz, P. (2020). Análisis de piezas gráficas para identificar el rol del diseñador gráfico y estrategias políticas utilizadas en campañas políticas [Tesis de pregrado, Universidad del Azuay]. https://dspace.uazuay.edu.ec/handle/datos/9971
Cordero, E., & Astudillo, M. (2024). Comunicación visual para promoción política a través de redes sociales [Tesis de pregrado, Universidad del Azuay]. https://dspace.uazuay.edu.ec/handle/datos/13922
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Sage. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/research-design/book246124
Cruz Luna, M., & Garzón Pascagaza, E. J. (2024). Técnicas de marketing político: del color a la elección. Analecta Política, 14(26), 1–27. https://revistas.upb.edu.co/index.php/analecta/article/download/8039/7280/18753
Flick, U. (2015). Qualitative Research in Social Science (3rd ed.). Sage. https://methods.sagepub.com/book/qualitative-research-in-the-social-sciences
Frascara, J. (2004). Communication design: Principles, methods, and practice. Allworth Press. https://www.routledge.com/Communication-Design/Frascara/p/book/9781621536318
García, J. (2015). Identidad visual y comunicación. Editorial UOC. https://www.editorialuoc.cat/identidad-visual-y-comunicacion
Hernández Sampieri, R., Fernández Collado, C., & Baptista, P. (2014). Metodología de la investigación (6.ª ed.). McGraw-Hill. https://www.mheducation.com.mx/metodologia-de-la-investigacion-6a-edicion-9786071512421.html
Kvale, S. (1996). InterViews: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing. Sage. https://methods.sagepub.com/book/interviews
Martínez, A. (2022). Persuasión visual y comunicación política. Editorial Académica Española.
O’Shaughnessy, N. (2020). Political marketing and the visual image. Oxford University Press. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/political-marketing-and-the-visual-image-9780199576781
Perloff, R. M. (2011). The dynamics of persuasion: Communication and attitudes in the 21st century (5th ed.). Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/The-Dynamics-of-Persuasion/Perloff/p/book/9781138948599
Petty, R. E., & Cacioppo, J. T. (1986). Communication and persuasion: Central and peripheral routes to attitude change. Springer. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4612-4964-1
ResearchGate. (2025). Review of Visual Political Communication Research. https://www.researchgate.net/
Revista Chiribiquete. (2023). El diseño gráfico como herramienta de comunicación política en Colombia. Chiribiquete, 4(2), 55–68. https://editorial.radcolombia.org/index.php/chiribiquete/article/view/311
Rodríguez Olarte, S. E., Sánchez Rojas, L. E., Valencia Calderón, V. A., & Lugo Reales, A. A. (2023). Falta de innovación en el diseño gráfico en la ciudad de Cúcuta. Revista Convicciones, 1(15), 45–58. https://www.fesc.edu.co/Revistas/OJS/index.php/convicciones/article/view/316
Silverman, D. (2013). Doing qualitative research (4th ed.). Sage. https://methods.sagepub.com/book/doing-qualitative-research
Tenjo, J. (2024). Diseño y memoria colectiva en comunidades locales. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. https://repositorio.unal.edu.co/
This article presents an in-depth analysis of graphic design as a tool for political persuasion within the Colombian context, specifically focusing on the city of Cúcuta. The main objective was to examine how the components of visual language—such as color, typography, photography, composition, and symbols—influence the electorate's perception and electoral mobilization. The research is theoretically grounded in the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) developed, which establishes that political imagery often operates through peripheral, emotional, and ideological routes rather than just rational ones. The study also semiotics, which suggests the image is a structured message communicating both denotation and connotation, view of design as a social process aimed at influencing attitudes and behaviors. Adopting a qualitative approach with a descriptive-interpretative design, the study analyzed graphic pieces and videos, triangulating the findings with citizen interviews. The results confirm that graphic design acts as a symbolic and emotional language that significantly affects voter trust, recall, and interest, validating its role as a key persuasive device. However, the research also highlights a significant gap between theoretical recommendations and practical application in Colombia, as participants frequently perceived local campaigns as repetitive, lacking innovation, or excessively emotive and potentially manipulative. The conclusion emphasizes that graphic design is a strategic instrument with social power, requiring greater professional responsibility, innovation, and ethical awareness in contemporary political communication.
Alcaldía de Cúcuta. (2023). Cúcuta Design Week: la feria de diseño más importante de la ciudad. https://cucuta.gov.co/cucuta-design-week-la-feria-de-diseno-mas-importante-de-la-ciudad/
Aicher, O. (2017). El mundo como proyecto. Gustavo Gili. https://www.ggili.com/es/el-mundo-como-proyecto
Avendaño, G. (2018). Fundamentos de comunicación visual. Ecoe Ediciones. https://www.ecorev.com.co/libro/fundamentos-de-la-comunicacion-visual_58507/
Barthes, R. (1977). Image, Music, Text. Hill and Wang. https://monoskop.org/images/1/19/Barthes_Roland_Image_Music_Text_1977.pdf
Bengoa, A. (2024). Análisis del cartel electoral en Madrid [Tesis de maestría, Universidad Complutense de Madrid]. https://eprints.ucm.es/
Buitrago López, Y. C., Morales Holguín, A., García Cordero, M. S., & Muñoz Joven, L. A. (2024). La disciplina del diseño gráfico en Colombia: objetivos, enfoques pedagógicos y tendencias. Kepes, 21(30), 11–49. https://revistasojs.ucaldas.edu.co/index.php/kepes/article/view/9727
Carrión, D., & Ortíz, P. (2020). Análisis de piezas gráficas para identificar el rol del diseñador gráfico y estrategias políticas utilizadas en campañas políticas [Tesis de pregrado, Universidad del Azuay]. https://dspace.uazuay.edu.ec/handle/datos/9971
Cordero, E., & Astudillo, M. (2024). Comunicación visual para promoción política a través de redes sociales [Tesis de pregrado, Universidad del Azuay]. https://dspace.uazuay.edu.ec/handle/datos/13922
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Sage. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/research-design/book246124
Cruz Luna, M., & Garzón Pascagaza, E. J. (2024). Técnicas de marketing político: del color a la elección. Analecta Política, 14(26), 1–27. https://revistas.upb.edu.co/index.php/analecta/article/download/8039/7280/18753
Flick, U. (2015). Qualitative Research in Social Science (3rd ed.). Sage. https://methods.sagepub.com/book/qualitative-research-in-the-social-sciences
Frascara, J. (2004). Communication design: Principles, methods, and practice. Allworth Press. https://www.routledge.com/Communication-Design/Frascara/p/book/9781621536318
García, J. (2015). Identidad visual y comunicación. Editorial UOC. https://www.editorialuoc.cat/identidad-visual-y-comunicacion
Hernández Sampieri, R., Fernández Collado, C., & Baptista, P. (2014). Metodología de la investigación (6.ª ed.). McGraw-Hill. https://www.mheducation.com.mx/metodologia-de-la-investigacion-6a-edicion-9786071512421.html
Kvale, S. (1996). InterViews: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing. Sage. https://methods.sagepub.com/book/interviews
Martínez, A. (2022). Persuasión visual y comunicación política. Editorial Académica Española.
O’Shaughnessy, N. (2020). Political marketing and the visual image. Oxford University Press. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/political-marketing-and-the-visual-image-9780199576781
Perloff, R. M. (2011). The dynamics of persuasion: Communication and attitudes in the 21st century (5th ed.). Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/The-Dynamics-of-Persuasion/Perloff/p/book/9781138948599
Petty, R. E., & Cacioppo, J. T. (1986). Communication and persuasion: Central and peripheral routes to attitude change. Springer. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4612-4964-1
ResearchGate. (2025). Review of Visual Political Communication Research. https://www.researchgate.net/
Revista Chiribiquete. (2023). El diseño gráfico como herramienta de comunicación política en Colombia. Chiribiquete, 4(2), 55–68. https://editorial.radcolombia.org/index.php/chiribiquete/article/view/311
Rodríguez Olarte, S. E., Sánchez Rojas, L. E., Valencia Calderón, V. A., & Lugo Reales, A. A. (2023). Falta de innovación en el diseño gráfico en la ciudad de Cúcuta. Revista Convicciones, 1(15), 45–58. https://www.fesc.edu.co/Revistas/OJS/index.php/convicciones/article/view/316
Silverman, D. (2013). Doing qualitative research (4th ed.). Sage. https://methods.sagepub.com/book/doing-qualitative-research
Tenjo, J. (2024). Diseño y memoria colectiva en comunidades locales. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. https://repositorio.unal.edu.co/
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