Bad Design Sells
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- mantra
This title sums up my 30 minute conversation with the owner of the agency that I work at.
He proceeded to 'lecture' me that packaging, in this case ice cream packaging, should not be designed well because subconsciously consumers like big pictures on packages. Good design would confuse or turn-off would-be buyers.
He also proceeded to tell me that as a designer, I am here to make the clients money, not create ground breaking/creative design.
/wrists
- jamble0
I sincerely hope that 30 minutes was the only time you will ever spend speaking to that person for the remainder of their natural life.
- harlequino0
You must be new to the industry. Welcome, you will enjoy your next 40 or years here. There some additional unhappy truths to be learned, but we'll let you find out. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
- kelpie0
I'm sure he must have mis communicated this to you to get your hackles up like this, but in many ways he is essentially correct.
- kelpie0
eg: you may hate this aestheticaly and it may break all the 'rules' you or I might hold dear, but my God does it work! and if you made it look 'better' it would lose some of it appeal to the people its meant for
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Ho…
that'll be what he means.
and also - you absolutely ARE there to make your clients money, bottom line. Do the groundbreaking beauty in your own time, anything else is a totally cack handed arrogant take on your professional duty
- Fariska0
Further reading:
http://www.underconsideration.co…It's not bad when you get used.
- monoboy0
Maybe he was trying to make the point that it all depends on the target market. You wouldn't design a 99p ice cream to look like the £3.99 gourmet stuff would you.
- mantra0
harlequino: indeed i am new to the industry, though im not nieve to think that i'm hired to create ground breaking design.
i do believe that good design can make money. from seeing work that has spanned over the years here, bad design seems to be the norm.
again, i dont think i can change this vicious cycle of shit thats been produced here, i guess I have to grin and bear it...
- babaganush0
You can still strive for both.Like a story, a BRAND story...might be rare to get them right but if you strive to innovate given the constraints of the 'story' to be told then if you pull it off,you'll have great,functional design...
- hallelujah0
there are 2 alternative universes, both equally true. swim toward the light of the universe in which good design is a goal
- mistermik0
"I am here to make the clients money, ' he is correct.
- mcLeod0
i think you need to educate him on the profession of graphic design and its actual purpose.
- mantra0
he also brought up how "real world marketing situations" isnt implemented to design students in the University... which i agree with to a point.
i just think that he is a bit stuck on how mediocre his packing has been for the past 10 years and doesnt want to change, although he's able to bill the client for these projects and they eat it up.
- mcLeod0
As designers our job is to solve the problem at hand with a proper visual solution. if your task is to create package for ice cream, then find out about the target and the business goals, then design the shit out of it to help sell the shit out of as much ice cream as possible. you should never create bad design unless you are a bad designer and don't know any better.
there is a difference between designing something cool and designing something functional.
- ********0
leave. at that agency.
- stem0
kelpie is spot-on... it cost no more to design 'good' packaging than it does to design 'bad' packaging. I just think you boss communicated it very well, or you got the wrong end of the stick.
It's about understanding the end-user/buyer of the product.
Most ice-cream is seen as 'fun', almost entertainment rather than food, even the so-called luxury brands don't take themselves too seriously.
- stem0
Designed to appeal to the (seeking) working-class of Yorkshire!
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- exador10
too many variables..a lot can depend on the client of course, but also your boss....get a decent boss that enjoys design as much as he does business, and you'll get to do more adventurous stuff...take more risks etc...
- mantra0
its hard to argue with the guy.
i dont agree with his design decisions, but he's ran an agency for 25+ years without going under. that says alot in this area.
he's kept long term clients happy for many years.
his designs are just not good at all.
- mcLeod0
i don't even think its about working for someone who enjoys the cooler, trendier, more hip design work. it's about educating people that good design communicates a message, and bad design does not.
if research shows the consumer likes large photos of ice cream, the use large photos of ice cream as an element in your design but don't put any less effort into it.
- SkyPoo0
Its a harsh reality. More design is done badly against the aspirations of the designer, but to greater effect in the market place.
The commercial application of design to sell is a world away from the considered application of design to enrich. They're almost mutually exclusive disciplines.
Take solace: the need for unbeautiful work that sells is far greater than the need for heart stopping understatement, and the budgets are always much bigger too.