Brochures are an excellent device used to disseminate information to a variety of audiences. Donate Life America created a brochure to educate others about the importance of becoming an organ donor. The authors of the brochure incorporated many effective techniques that conveyed the message that organ donation is easy to do and can help save lives.
The brochure is meant to be distributed to individuals and read on their own time; it displays basic information that the readers can use to self-educate about the topic and grasp an understanding of organ donation. It then provides readers with quotes and pictures of people who have recovered from organ transplants and are now living happy lives. For example, a girl named Christine received a kidney transplant and says that she “can do what [she] want[s] now. [She is] back in life, not on the sidelines.” A nutrition educator would be interested in using this brochure to provide patients with motivation, self-efficacy, and hope in knowing that people heal from difficult situations. By seeing examples, patients can see that if others have transformed their health, so can they.
The layout and design of the brochure had many qualities that allowed the authors convey their message effectively. The title, “You have the power to Donate Life” not only informs readers that the organ donation is being addressed, but is also entices them to read more within the brochure; the title makes the reader feel like they have the ability to impact somebody’s life. Below the title is a picture of young girl playing with a hula hoop. That picture further conveyed to readers that they could be responsible for continuing another person’s life, such as that happy girl on the cover.
Although the number of fonts added positive aspects to the brochure, the size of the font could be improved. Two fonts were used throughout the brochure, a handwriting font emphasized certain quotes and titles while a scholarly font emphasized factual information. Using only two fonts decreased confusion and clutter within the brochure and therefore increased the readability of the brochure. The font size, however, was small and was not easily read by those with declining eyesight, such as those who are aging. Therefore, increasing font size is an effective way for authors to increase their audience demographic and gain more response.
Visual images appealed to readers’ emotions because they consisted of pictures of people who have received an organ transplant. The pictures show that these patients are capable of living a happy life because they have revived a donated organ. When readers see that they can be a reason that somebody can continue a healthy, happy, life, the reader might be enticed to donate and be a part of the humbling experience of saving a life. Furthermore, green boxes drew attention to important quotes and pictures that further captured readers’ attention to important quotes and information.
Along with the layout, the written elements of the brochure were also effective. The authors of the brochure conveyed a convincing argument because they used active voice. Active voice shows readers that the information is concrete. However, there were few instances where the authors used the passive voice. They mentioned, “donation should not delay or change funeral arrangements.” In some cases, the authors used passive voice because the passive voice was most appropriate for the context.
The reading level appealed to those who have some basic knowledge of medical terms. Therefore, several language barriers might exist with readers who are unfamiliar with medical jargon. For example, one section discusses “corneas are needed to restore sight. Skin grafts help burn patients heal…heart valves repair cardiac defects and damage.” These sentences clearly discuss what each organ does in a transplant; however, some people may be unfamiliar with what corneas, skin grafts, and heart-valves are and where you can find them in the body. If the reader cannot fully understand the information because of that barrier, the message the organization wants to convey might not be as clear.
The brochure contained only positive diction and therefore, impressed a positive message to readers. For example, one aspect of the brochure described that the demand for organs is greater than their supply. Rather than saying, “those who need organs cannot receive them because not enough people are donating,” they conveyed the message in a positive way by saying that “the need for donors is much greater than the number of people who actually donate.” That creates a more welcoming atmosphere that encourages readers to read more.
The brochure does not overwhelm readers with too many concepts. It contains six main concepts including what organ donation is, the types organs a person can donate, where those organs go to, facts about donation, advice about making a decision, and how a person would go about donating.
The most interesting aspect of the brochure was the appeal to nature theme. The brochure incorporated sky blue and green nature colors. Furthermore, the photos were taken in nature and edited with a rustic filter. I am wondering if the appeal to nature was in response to an increase in a nature-driven culture. On the other hand, maybe the appeal to nature was a method used to relieve stress about the idea of donating organs.
The authors incorporate a variety of techniques that increase readability. The brochure’s readability was designed effectively because even distribution of words, pictures, and white space made the information within the brochure less overwhelming for readers to learn. White space between text decreased the density of information on a page and therefore, avoided overwhelming readers. Margins and pictures further broke up sections of the brochure to encourage a proper flow of information.
The content of the brochure helps the authors effectively disseminate information and increase response rate. The brochure guides readers into donating organs because it clearly lays out websites and other resources that readers can use to begin the process of organ donation. The text encourages readers to take action by increasing their knowledge of the organ donation process and communicating to them that organ donation is easy to do and can save another person’s life. By introducing a basic understanding of organ donation, readers are more informed about the process and will be more willing to sign up to donate.
Overall, the brochure was excellently created. The content was clear and concise. The information was accurate, clear, and up to date. The overall appearance was professional and the length was appropriate. The brochure would be more effective if the font size was larger because then the brochure could appeal to both young and older audiences who encompass an array of eyesight. Furthermore, medical jargon can create a language barrier between some audiences and therefore, the Donate Life organization should consider explaining medical terms such as “skin grafts.” Nonetheless, Donate Life’s “You have the power to Donate Life” brochure provides an excellent example for those seeking to learn more about health information education though written materials. In my brochure, I will strive to incorporate elements from the Donate Life brochure such as, colors, fonts, white space usage, into my own brochure so that I can convey my message as effectively as Donate Life conveyed theirs.
You can find Donate Life’s website here!
You have the power to Donate Life. Philadelphia, PA: Donate Life America; 2013.