Happy 2020! I wonder how many of us thought about what life would be like in 2020 20, 30 and even 40 years ago. Would it be like the Jetsons in outer space? Would we see more robots? Either way, it makes all of us feel older. The one thing that hasn’t changed over the years is the fact that the graphic design industry is still very relevant and just as important today as it was 10, 50 and over 100 years ago.
First, we are going to cover what graphic design is by definition and what it looks like. “Graphic Design: the art or profession of using design elements (such as typography and images) to convey information or create an effect.” - merriam-webster.com. Its visual communication of a message plays upon our feelings and perceptions to speak its ultimate message. Think about it. Look at a movie poster for a romantic drama vs a suspense/thriller film. There will be 2 different visual imagery styles used to illustrate the types of movies they are because of the feelings that they leave you. A romantic drama will have you wanting to fall in love with the person of your dreams, while a suspense movie will leave you on edge, relieved or even a little scared. And in the same manner, a logo for a financial institution will look different than a logo for a non-profit organization for kids, because there are 2 different associations being communicated to.
Which brings me to my 3 REASONS WHY GRAPHIC DESIGN STILL MATTERS IN 2020.
1) Our world has become more visually driven than ever before. The most obvious sign of this is how social media has taken over the way we live our lives and do business. Whoever has the most interactive, relevant and well-branded social media content (videos, images, links, posts, etc) wins the most attention. This means that everything that represents your business or organization is on major blast to the civilized world. According to https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/, an estimated 2.82 billion people are social network users as of 2019, which is about 35% of the estimated earth’s population. Good graphic design matters.
2) It’s not about quantity. It’s about quality.
The quote just about says it all. Bad design gives a negative impression of your business/organization which in turn hurts credibility which then, in turn, hurts the bottom line. It permeates everything that is used for representation from images of your logo online and print, ads, business cards, etc. According to a report on The Journal of Behavior & Information Technology, visual appeal can be assessed within 50 milliseconds, suggesting that designers have about 50 milliseconds to make a good impression. When the elements and principles of design don’t work together, the design is bad. That includes the colors, symbolism, typography, graphics, and concept. It all works together. Clean-cut, unique and attractive imagery that stands out is 55% of the battle won upfront. Your competition obviously believes in the power of outstanding graphic design, and they’re the ones who will have an incredible advantage.
3) Competition. What about your competitor? How is their graphic design when it comes to their branding? If they have a well-rounded presentation and you don’t, you might want to think about a revamp. This point ties in with the first point I wrote in regards to visual drive. Technology has accelerated so much over the past 20 years and will continue to do so at a pace in which we blink, and then it changes. With that speed, come so many different things that compete for a customer’s attention. Outstanding graphic design will go a long way in gaining your customer’s attention. In the same manner, you can actually have a better product than your competition, but if it doesn’t your customers the impression thereof as a result of poor graphic design, then it’s being sold too short, and the customer is less likely to buy it.
2020 is here. And so is graphic design. It’s not going away anytime soon. It is not, I repeat, is NOT just another expense for your business. It is an INVESTMENT. Like any investment, you put funds into it so it can grow over time. When you invest into outstanding graphic design, you’re investing into your business/organization. It adds credibility and professionalism to what you have, communicates its essence in a unique manner and is pleasing to observe (from a very biased point of view I say this). Look at your own branding. Be honest. Is it helping you get more business or possibly costing you business? It might just be the latter. No need to procrastinate. Invest into outstanding graphic design and watch the glowing spark that will come with your products.
Much love
Joe Gardonis