Lettering communicates: typography as a means of graphic communication case: “Your Distance is my Progress!” by Plaza Vea

Abstract

Lettering as an element of graphic expression is an important resource that conveys not only ideas but also culture. In Peru, its development has undergone accelerated evolution in recent years, particularly strengthened by the popular graphic style known as letra chicha. Originally used in promotional posters for concerts of this musical genre, its aesthetics represent a fusion of cultures derived from various migratory waves in the country. Its use and variations have become an important part of Peruvian identity and have transcended into different sectors, including advertising. For this reason, the present research focuses on the study of letra chicha as a medium of graphic expression in the “Your Distance Is My Progress!” campaign by Plaza Vea, developed by the agency Fahrenheit DDB in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The posters used in the campaign were created by Elliot Tupac and members of the Carga Máxima collective, renowned Peruvian artists in the chicha-style lettering field. One of the findings is that the lettering used is a key element in the campaign, whose objective was to generate empathy in a crisis context caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as it reinforced and strengthened the linguistic meaning of typical expressions from everyday Peruvian slang.