I recently posted on Twitter something to the effect that "MarketingProfs.com makes me angry". Specifically, Matthew Grantʼs post “Design Needs Marketing, But Does Marketing NEED Design?” was the most recent pain point for me.

Absorb Mr. Grantʼs statement:

“graphic design (print design, web design, logo design, package design, etc.) is rapidly losing, and to a large extent has already lost, it's relevance and value.”

Itʼd be lame to just burn MG for his point of view. Instead, I serve up my own thoughts to broaden the readerships perspective (at the very least, stick up for “design stuff”). One caveat: writing isnʼt my gig, design is. And I am Canadian. Sorry for the Northern spellings, ʻeh? And yes... I promise to avoid any “Apple proves my point”-isms.

Maybe itʼs the word “design”.

My issue is actually more that MarketingProfs doesnʼt seem to get design. And it really doesnʼt do web design any favours. At the most primal level, “design” is to define a plan. Design solves problems. Cool? Weʼre cooking with gas now.

Web Design. Stop thinking itʼs a subset of graphic design. Please.

Web Design, although borrowing from principles of graphic design and working in step with graphic design, is an entirely different discipline. Web Designers donʼt design “a page” like you think of with traditional graphic design. For starters, they design for a collection of pages (or information) which requires moving users from one point to another. This then involves interaction; designing for behaviours, offering affordances, helping users complete tasks. Web Design relies as much on visual design skills, like contrast and hierarchy, to solve problems as it does on technical skills to deliver solutions. For example, well written, valid mark-up is mission critical for hitting target audiences (amongst other awesome things)... But only if issues like SEO, browser compatibility, and content reuse are of any “relevance and value” to you (oh, snap!). Simply, weʼre not just talking “look and feel” here. Web Design enables experience, and how that experience “works”. Yeah, so I did go a little Steve Jobs there. Sue me. =)

Marketing needs design now more then ever.

Design gives context and meaning. One of the most interesting and compelling aspects of design is how it communicates the message before you read any of the copy. Equally, design delivers emotion and creates connection. This is the exact kinda mojo we want from our branding efforts, no? Itʼs not a marketing article these days without some “social media” yak, so Iʼll end on a Twitter-ized rant. Please RR (re-rant). Beautiful things work better. Demand well-thought out experiences. Aesthetics matter.