Creativity is subjective. There’s a reason why one person might bristle at the sight of a nude painting while the next individual shows nothing but admiration for it. This is also why no one can ever seem to agree on whether or not Die Hard is an action flick or a holiday tradition. Believe it or not, the same subjectivity occurs when it comes to brands and the creation of visual identities.
To avoid creating in a vacuum and to ensure the success of each of our projects, we employ a deep understanding of three key areas – the client, best practices, and the market. At the intersection of these three areas is where great design – and project success – happens.
The client
As the client, you’re the subject matter expert (SME). You know the service, offering, and solution better than anyone else. You’re likely passionate about what you do and why you do it – which is why this input is invaluable. This information can be provided in a myriad of ways; sometimes it’s through an interview and other times it may be through prior thought leadership pieces that have been developed.
The market
The market is about the industry at large. Sure, an SME may have good – even fantastic – insight into what the daily needs of the business are, but it’s also the understanding of the market that provides a full context to the end product or service. Researching competitors and gaining a general understanding of the pain and pleasure points of the clients and stakeholders the business serves, is vital to creating an identity that ultimately speaks to them.
Best practices
Finally, infusing our experience as designers, writers, web developers, videographers and marketers in the world of branding and visual identities, allows us to bring our best practices to the table. We put forward the strongest possible ideas for every mandate, guide our clients through questions and considerations, and provide design context for every recommendation.
If any one of these three factors is given undue priority, the results can be unbalanced, subjective or produce an ill-fitting design. When all three of these things are factored in correctly, however, the point where they overlap is the sweet spot for true project success.
