At Hot PJ we think it is. Yet it would seem many designers and clients don’t, and in doing so compromise the client’s marketing ROI.

Before the term ‘graphic design‘ came into vogue, it was known as ‘commercial art’ – art for the purpose of commerce – to sell stuff! This is different from the ‘fine art’ we see hanging in city galleries. When I was at design school (many years ago), we were seen by our fine art contemporaries as prostitutes of our art. I had no pretensions so this never bothered me at all.

Good graphic design is a balance between aesthetics and meeting specific marketing/sales goals. What it isn’t is pretty or clever design for the sake of  winning creative awards or satisfying the designer’s ego. In fact, at the risk of being shunned by other designers, if it came to a coin toss between looking good or selling more product, then I’d come down on the side of sales every time.

Guess that makes me a  pimp for sales as well as an artist prostitute!

If your designer doesn’t understand how what they do for you fits into your marketing and sales picture; if they are not asking you what sales or marketing goals you to want to target with a particular project and how you are going to measure the success of it; then it is time to find a new designer who does.

Posted on September 3rd, 2009 by Wendy Riley-Biddle
Filed under: Marketing