Design is on the rise
In an ever growing world with an ever increasing amount of messages, products, and brands, design is more important now than ever to provide a point of difference and cut through the cluttered world we inhabit.
The digital age has increased the prevalence and importance of design by unprecedented levels. With ever expanding touch points, design, and indeed communication, have become more fluid, allowing brands and business to evolve as the landscape changes.
Graphic design is an inherent part of strategy. It is employed not only as a means of communication, but also reinforces a brand’s voice, becoming the conversation rather than the brand.
Apple was the leader in creating products so beautiful, that a mouse, phone, or the curve of a screen became the conversation. This constant iteration and reliance on design to create unique features drove their product sales and centered the conversation about Apple on design, not function.
Design is transformative in a way few other things can be. Retaining function while reimagining presentation is inherent in great design, and allows a business to reposition themselves quickly. Design is a change that can be implemented faster than any culture.
The value of design
The value of design to business is quickly being recognised across the globe. An increasing number of design agencies are being acquired by consultants and advisors who realise the value of good design and the added value it brings to the clients they advise.
Deloitte has long understood the value of design, and acquired the renowned San Francisco agency Heat in 2015. They are far from alone. McKinsey’s, Accenture, IBM, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers are all very active both in acquiring agencies and providing the service to clients.
The integration of branding, graphic design, and content expertise sits well as a partner to many of the big players’ core offerings. They see the value of design and how it enhances a company’s culture and bottom line.
At the core of this is understanding the importance of customer experience and their interactions with businesses products, whether that is a large and complex financial network or an app. Function without a good experience is an opportunity wasted, and good experience is rooted in good design.
Great graphic design, digital design, content and all the associated services are not just the reserve of large corporations. Design is just as important for SME’s. Brands are created by a series of disconnected and connected experiences, and at the heart of this are customer experiences that are shaped by design.
Businesses today can reach audiences far larger than they could in the past by using their digital voice. More than ever before, small businesses can compete on a global scale and attract audiences that were previously unreachable.
Design matters now more than ever, because it is design that drives these increasingly far-reaching experiences. Deep consumer interactions are occurring now with no prior knowledge of brands, driven by multiple touch points with design and creatives at their heart.