Pretty Isn’t Enough: Design for the People You’re Trying to Reach
I currently design for a nightclub here in the BVI called Onyx. I created their logo, and even though it is a nightclub, they wanted something clean and creative with a subtle club or bar element.
That meant I couldn't simply design something I thought looked good.
I had to design for the brand and, more importantly, for the people the brand wanted to reach.
Good Design Starts Before You Open the Design Program
When developing the Onyx brand, I chose purple as one of the main colors because, as I always tell my students, colors evoke emotion.
Purple can communicate luxury, creativity and a relaxed but elevated vibe. That aligned with the atmosphere Onyx wanted to create.
But I couldn't make that decision based only on what I personally liked.
I had to understand:
The club and the experience it wanted to offer
Its competition
Its target audience
What would connect with the people it wanted to attract
See what happened there? Market research.
Same Business. Different Event. Different Design.
I also design Onyx's event flyers, and every event does not attract the same audience.
If Onyx is hosting a Bouyon night, I may use brighter colors, a strong image of the DJ, bold typography and language that feels energetic.
Something like:
“BIG BOUYON FRIDAY AT ONYX. The energy is up, the drinks are flowing, and Topmankee is bringing the heat all night.”
I obviously wouldn't use dull colors and a random picture of food.
What am I trying to sell?
That question sounds simple, but it's one designers and business owners should ask before creating almost anything.
Now Change the Audience Completely
Imagine I'm designing for a financial services company.
Completely different approach.
Instead of creating the same energetic nightclub aesthetic, I may lean toward greens, blues, greys and other colors that can communicate stability, trust, professionalism and success.
I'd use clean fonts, a simple layout and imagery the audience can relate to without covering the design in dollar signs.
The message could be:
“Still spending the first of every month buried in your books? Let us handle the numbers so you can focus on running your business.”
Same designer.
Different audience.
Different objective.
Different solution.
Pretty Isn't the Goal. Connection Is.
Knowing your client is only part of the job.
You also need to understand their market, their audience and what they're trying to accomplish.
That's why design and marketing aren't as separate as people sometimes think.
Before you choose the color, photograph, font or headline, you should understand who you're speaking to and what you want them to think, feel or do.
Your design should support that goal.
A design can be beautiful, but if it doesn't connect with the people it was created for, did it really work?
Before You Design, Ask Yourself:
Who am I talking to? What am I trying to sell or communicate?What should the audience feel when they see this? Does this design fit the brand?Does it fit the audience or just my personal taste?
Because sometimes the design you personally like the most isn't the design your audience needs.
Think BIG. That's what we're here to do, right?
Before you create your next flyer, make sure you know who you're creating it for.
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