RESOURCES · E-NEWSLETTERS · THINK · FEBRUARY 2006
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GREAT DESIGN ENSURES YOUR BRAND IS DRESSED FOR SUCCESSAny time a company or a brand is represented graphically, there's an opportunity for it to shine or shame. This includes product collateral, stationery, advertisements, signage, displays, packaging and Web sites -- basically anything in print or pixel used to communicate within or outside a company. That's a lot of pressure on pieces that many times don't get much consideration during creation. Design is analogous to the "clothing" a brand wears. It speaks not so much with words, but by inviting an emotional response and visual reaction. Outdated, inconsistent design can paint an unattractive picture just as unflattering clothing does. Flashy, trendy, cheap design does the same. But good design, executed well, does wonders for a company's image in ways that pay dividends on many levels. When design is done right, the style represents the essence of the brand. Design can show qualities of strength, heritage, reliance, efficiency -- you name it. Consistency in design shows a brand delivers as promised. Quality in design execution, like the paper or print method selected, shows a company has paid attention to detail and cares about quality. Professional ResultsJust like the clothes we wear, the design a brand wears can be "one-size-fits-all" or custom-tailored to fit perfectly. A brochure can arrive fresh from the corner copy shop, adorned with all the fonts and clip art Microsoft offers. It will convey the right information. The phone number will be correct, and there's the logo. But does it evoke the right feeling, the right emotional response? How does the reader feel about the product? Professional designers know how to use right colors, inks, fonts, paper, photography and illustration -- all powerful tools that create a custom style that works for a brand, a style that is comfortable for the brand and lets it look the part. Professional designers work with a company to learn about the brand and the buyers of the brand. Each decision is made with purpose, to represent the brand in the correct fashion to the right audience. |
