Logo Design Mistakes

Smashing Magazine recently posted a very good article entitled, "10 Common Mistakes in Logo Design." This is a must read for anyone needing a logo. It explains why you should avoid "cheap" logo designers and what to look out for when presented with logo designs.

Strategic Design

Smashing Magazine recently posted an article called "Strategic Design: 6 Steps For Building Successful Websites." There are a number of good point regarding developing websites that are effective. Most of these points can also be applied to developing other marketing materials, such as brochures, catalogs, print advertising, etc.

The key message is that designing effective pieces is more than just designing something that looks cool. You have to know your audience, be consistent with your brand image (you do have a brand image, don't you?), and have set a goal for the piece.

And the Award Goes to...

I've known many designers who judge themselves (as well as other designers) by the number of design awards they've won. But, what do those awards mean? They mean that the judges (other designers who are considered to be top in their profession) deem your work as being the best of all other work entered in that particular competition. I understand the appeal of being honored by your peers. It can be the designer's equivalent to winning an Oscar or a Golden Globe Award. But, does it really mean that your work is the best?

Whether you're creating an ad, brochure, web site, or logo, what is the true measure of success? For the person paying for the work, it may be increasing sales, growing brand awareness, or generating leads. It certainly isn't winning design awards. For the client, design awards are meaningless. I've yet to see a design competition that used the client's criteria for success as a factor in awarding trophies.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for promoting good design. But good design by itself is simply art for art's sake. If you are a fine artist, that's ok. But, good graphic design must first and foremost, be effective. Those award show judges can only make assumptions about the purpose of a piece as well as how effective it actually was.

Years ago, I did some work for a designer who entered four direct mail pieces in a local ad club design show. His client had hard data that measured the success (or failure) of these pieces. Only one of the pieces were accepted into the design show. It was definitely the best designed of the four pieces. Although the other three pieces were highly successful in generating sales, the accepted piece was a complete failure.

So, even if design awards don't judge on measured effectiveness, there really isn't any harm in them, is there? If I'm a client, I want my designer focused on creating an effective piece, not on winning a design award.

If you're a client, ask your designer or agency if they enter award shows. If they do, find another agency; one that is focused on meeting your goals. If you really love their work and can't bear to leave them, then do not allow them to enter your pieces in award shows.

If you're a designer, leave the award shows behind and focus on creating pieces that are effective for your clients. Work with your clients to make sure there are processes in place to measure the effectiveness. Then, use that to promote yourself. Telling a prospect that you created an ad that increased sales by 10% is much more impressive than showing them all the design awards you've won. And what could be a bigger award than that.

Welcome to Form Follows Function

Welcome to the first post of Form Follows Function. I started this blog to discuss the integration of marketing and design. So, what does that mean?

A great design is fine, but if it doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do, then it’s essentially worthless. A print ad can win design awards, but if it doesn’t sell the company’s products, then it’s a worthless ad. Actually, it's less than worthless; the client paid for an effective ad.

There are plenty of blogs focusing on various aspects of graphic design – techniques, web design, typography, etc. However, I haven't seen a blog that focuses on both graphic design and marketing (that doesn’t mean there aren’t any, but I’ve yet to find one).

So, we’ll talk about marketing issues as they apply to graphic design. We’ll talk about how designers can think like marketers. We’ll discuss what clients want, or should want. We’ll probably also touch on ways that graphic designers can better market themselves.

At least that’s the plan. We’ll see how it goes. I look forward to your comments.