My grandfather and my uncle were “instrumental” in reviving and restoring the WKY Kilgen Theatre Organ. My uncle still directs the programming of the organ recitals at the Oklahoma History Center where the organ resides. He ask me to print some business card size promotions for the organ recital season and sent me the art:
I thought the piece could use some updating, so I ask my uncle if I could redesign it. I wanted the piece to be dramatic and feel like a “performance”. More like Broadway than boardroom. I choose black as the background and white and yellow gold for the fonts:
My uncle sent the design to the Oklahoma History Center and they responded with some concerns. My uncle’s initial reaction was it would be way too much work to meet their standards and we should just back off.
I’m not the “back off” type.
I worked with the Deputy Director of the Oklahoma History Center Museum to make sure their brand standards were followed but they had two concerns.
- Accessibility, and Readability
The black and yellow combination raised some accessibility concerns, particularly regarding contrast and legibility. - Background
The full black background did not align with their current guidelines.
I responded with some information and an appeal:
- From an accessibility standpoint, the yellow and white on black are actually more accessible:
Yellow and white text on a black background provides high contrast, often beneficial for low-vision individuals, particularly when using matte (non-glossy) finishes to avoid glare. While and yellow on black is often preferred by those with specific visual impairments like Usher’s Syndrome, white-on-black generally offers better, more consistent contrast for most users, similar to standard black-on-white.
Accessibility guidelines recommend a contrast ratio of 7:1 or higher for standard text and 4.5:1 for large text to ensure high visibility, adhering to WCAG standards (which technically recommend a 4.5:1 minimum for regular text, but higher is better for print).
Their yellow on black yields a contrast ratio of 8.12:1
White on black yields a contrast ratio of 21:1
Therefore, from an accessibility standpoint, this design is fully accessible and readable. - With regards to their guidelines, I respectfully submited that the organ recitals are unique from the perspective that they are performative in nature and as such warrant a more theatrical approach to the marketing materials. The design as submitted generates the emotional response desired to illicit a “buy” or “attend” response from the target audiences. I therefore ask that they allow this minor deviation.
The response? “I have truly enjoyed working on this project with you. These images are approved for printing on our end.“