So who needs design? (article)

Well, in the broadest sense, we all do. Everything in our society is effected by design. Design not only decorates our homes and our dress, it also influences the decisions we make when purchasing anything. Package design has more influence on whether or not we buy the product than any written information on the box. We make our decision before we even hold the actual product in our hands.

OK. The product has to be something that we want in the first place but how do we decide that it’s something we want? Maybe we see an advert on TV. Again, our decision is inflenced by design. Maybe we read a press review in the newspaper. If it’s just editorial copy, we might think Hmmm. That sounds good. But, if there’s no photo, the chances are that the information will be stored somewhere in the back of our minds until we see a photo of the product; then it becomes truly desirable. How a product looks is created by designers and how it looks influences our decision to buy.

But I’m not offering a product. I’m offering a service. How does design influence my clients’ decisions?

Make no mistake: You are offering a product. Your skills, your know-how, your ability to solve your clients’ problems are all part of that product. It has to be packaged the same as any other product. New potential clients who have yet to discover your value will be more influenced by the design of the information you present to them than by the information itself. You want to reflect your marketing edge in the design as well in your promotional literature.

Very basically, you want to convey to your customers one of two things: you’re the best or you’re the cheapest. Either is fine and both have formidable market pulling-power. Your design must reinforce what you are telling your potential customers otherwise you won’t be believed. If your marketing edge is that you are more cost-effective, more economical than anyone else, you don’t want your logo and your corporate ID to suggest upmarket quality. Likewise, if your edge is quality, you don’t want to look like a cut-price discount store.

An obvious example of this is illustrated below. Let's assume that both ads appeared on the same page in the same local paper on the same day. On the surface, it would appear that they are in competition with each other. Both are offering the same service and both describe their service as "High Class".

However, they are not in competition because they each offer a different marketing edge that is implied in the design. One is a master craftsman who is the only decorator in the area capable of restoring and installing molded plaster cornices. He can produce work to a first class finish and, although he is rather expensive, he is much sought after by those who can afford him. The other is a competent decorator who gets the job done quickly and with little fuss. He charges by the hour but, because he is so quick, he is the cheapest decorator in the area and is much sought after by those who want the job done quickly without too big a hole in the budget. But which is which?

Both ads are the same size and in monochrome so they both cost the same to insert. Yet, despite the mutual claim of "High Class", the sedate and refined tone of Brian Cowles' advert suggests that he would be the more expensive of the two but also that the standard of his work would be higher. He's used a script font for his name and his logo is simply a monogram of his initials. He's used white text against a background of regency stripes, suggesting the kind of wallpaper found in large country estates. He would be the choice of anyone looking for high standards of workmanship.

Fred Bloggs actually paid more in advertising costs that Brian Cowles because he paid a friend to produce the cartoon for him whereas Mr. Cowles did his own ad on his PC. Fred has paid that little bit extra to convey the message that he's the cheapest. The look is 'cheap & cheerful'.

So which is the best ad? Well, they both do their job perfectly well by targeting the right market. But, rather than convey the message in words that may not get read, they convey the message with design which is seen in an instant. If you wanted the job done to the highest standard and were prepared to pay the extra for it, you would be contacting Mr. Cowles even if you'd never heard of him. If, on the other hand, you wanted to save money, you may be inclined to give Fred a call.

This is the objective of design. It doesn't have to be read. Just a quick glance is all that it takes for a well designed ad to convey 90% of the message. The rest is just details. Good design is about delivering the right message to the right target.