Paper-Mate Ad

Herbert Leupin's PaperMate ad design features a vibrant and dynamic composition that draws the viewer's attention. Against a clean white background, bold, vibrant illustration depicts a cheerful Native American character in a headdress. The multimedia piece captures the fluidity of the pen's motion and range of color. The overall design exudes a sense of playfulness due to the childlike illustration and crayon used for the drawing.

The choice of incorporating a Native American figure into the ad raises questions about cultural appropriation and sensitivity. The lack of deeper meaning for referencing this culture makes the designer’s perception questionable, reflective of the time period it was made.  Native American culture at this time and even into the 21st century was defined by stereotypes, reduced to a costume, cartoon, idea, or character. This lack of reverence, and care to accurately depict Native Americans is what perpetuates a misconception about their culture at this time, starting with a young generation.