How do I initiate change? pt. 1 – the problem

Posted by Lindsayanng

I have been hearing this question so much lately. Maybe it’s because people are getting so sick of the state of the nation as a whole, maybe it’s because I have my ear to the ground more. No matter what the reason, I would like to answer this question publicly.

I don’t have any misconceptions about my little blog here. I know a I have a solid small group of regular readers and a bunch of passers by, so I know that this is not a nation-wide platform. I also know that if I can give a few people ideas on how to initiate change and get inspiration to do so, this post will have served it’s purpose.

Basically, I hear designers all the time complaining about what we like to call “mac rats” These mac rats, bottom feeders, and $50 logo designers are the bane of a lot of designers’ existence. Although these types of designers really chap my hide, they do not infuriate me like they do other designers, they do still drive me almost to the point of insanity. Why? because these home-made designers who are good with a computer and own the Adobe Creative Suite are the reason that the average Joe’s perception of design is dumbed down.

So many designers complain that small businesses are turning to their neighbor’s kid down the street to is “pretty artistic” or the major corporations who hire the in house secretary to start designing brochures because “she’s good with word and has an extensive clipart gallery”. All of these things are clearly in the vein of saving money. If you think about it logically, why would you spend more for the exact same service?

This is where you, as a designer, start screaming in your head about “It’s not the same! My logo design is more money because you get a high quality design…(blah)(blah)” Well, save your breath, I know that argument and have said it myself over and over again but guess what, this holds no water when you are talking to someone who does not see good design. We are talking about people who are surrounded daily with seeing more and more crap design. Ah ha! There is the real problem!

Did I just say that the problem was the client not seeing good design? Are you telling me that you are going to show them good design in your portfolio? Well, again, save it. You can not just show someone a portfolio of great work and tell them that it is good design because we all know that really good design has to speak to you. When our clients are deaf to design, how do we get them to listen?

People in general are becoming deaf to quality design because there is so much stuff out there posing as good design that people have a hard time understand what separates one from the other. There are loads of $50 logo companies out there boasting top notch designers with quality outcomes and guess what, at first look, that is what you see. I mean, look at places like crowspring or just google “affordable logo design” and you will see that a lot of the sites out there are actually nicely designed, look professional, and show the best work on the front page.

These websites, while definitely feeding the problem, are not the actual problem. The real problem, as I stated before, is that people are blind, deaf, or indifferent to good design. Next time you are out in your town, head to your green (or strip mall) and have a look. Look at what you are surrounded by. Crappy logos, advertisements, and branding that range from a small mom and pop store to the major corporations. When people see design, most of the time they are told whether or not it is good. When they see a major corporation’s design projects they instantly assume that it must be good because big corporations have the money to pay the professionals.

Now, after you have a look at all of the advertisements and design elements that you are surrounded by, have a look and see what type of art you see (if any). Do you have a community or artists? Do you see any good design or art in your community at all? If you expect your clients to know and understand what quality design is, where do you expect them to get that information from?

So you can probably see where I can getting at with the solution. My solution is grass roots all the way. You might be shooting for that national campaign with a company that already told you that they have their secretary on the brochure making case, but if all of us start making a difference in our own communities, there will be a national difference made!

stay tuned for part 2

p.s. wanna know what Creatives for a Cause is? Stay tuned for that as well!

Categories: Design | Tags: | 4 Comments »