As design students, we are given assignments to create visual advertisements by using imagery and typography to convey a message. And although this task requires many components of design and creativity to merge into a whole aesthetic message, designers need to be aware of why they are creating a particular design and be able to convey their strategies to business and marketing areas.
Douglas Davis’ book, “Creative Strategy and the Business of Design” was recommended to me by Sarah Bieber, Art Director of Farmers Business Network. The book, which is written for “creatives”, is written in a common sense tone with insightful personal stories from the author, but also shares step-by-step ways to implement the marketing strategies into the design of the advertisements. Awareness of the target audience is essential to creating an effective and relevant ad.
In order for “creatives” to understand the task at hand, communication with marketing and business area is very important. Chapter 1, explains some of the terminology of the marketing world. By understanding each other, marketing and design areas can work together to accomplish the stated objectives of the project. I found that the objectives of the project are what really should drive the designs that I create. For example, is it awareness of the brand, engagement of the brand’s customers or is it revenue? As a designer, I need to know what the objective of the campaign will be before I start designing.
For those designers which have a limited marketing education or background, the book is a great source of marketing information from the “purchasing funnel” to explaining how to create a creative strategic framework.
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