Reflect on what you’ve learned from reading the material and watching the videos. Elaborate on the three most important concepts or ideas that you can take forward in your future work.
This week I learned a lot about doing research into the companies that I’ve proposed to rebrand, and their competitors. I realized that there is a lot more to it than fist meets the eye. And I saw a lot of references in the reading about the importance of doing the research and really getting to know your client and their motivation.
1. The design concept that made the most impact on me this week is that simplification is key. Hillman Curtis says, “And just as the haiku’s beauty lies in its apparent simplicity, so, too, does a good design’s”. (Curtis 2011) I have always been aware of this concept, but the reading this week really made me think about it a lot. Kit Hinrichs also had some good things to say about simplification. “The thing when we did muzak was this simplification from the whole name down to a single symbol. As they went forward, it wasn’t just a matter of, gee, how do we change their identity that way? How we change the way we communicate about them? Simpler, stronger messages as you go through, not overly complicated things.” (Hinrichs 2013)
2. Companies today need to get to know their customers and to build relationships with them. A company and its brand need to continue to live and grow with their customers into the future. “According to Michael Porter, a world-renowned strategy guru, a business can differentiate itself from competitors based on the following: (1) the core product or service, (2) price, and (3) the total relationship and customer experience. Companies are finding that the first two are difficult in today’s competitive environment, and are focusing on the importance of developing strong customer relationships. Relationship marketing, or one-to-one marketing, requires that an organization be committed to the development of a customer relationship.” (Levens 2013)
3. The first thing you need to do when you’re starting on ta new project for a new company is to find out what their story is. What is it that they really want to accomplish and communicate? Hillman Curtis says that is often the best thing to ask first. “So there it is. One question — What’s the story? — And I had the company’s history, its points of pride, its shortcomings, and its core values under my belt. And as any designer knows, that much information is pure gold. (Curtis 28)
References:
Curtis, Hillman. MTIV: Process, Inspiration and Practice for the New Media Designer, 1/e Vitalsource eBook for Full Sail University. Pearson Learning Solutions, 12/2011. VitalBook file.
Hinrichs, Kit. 2013. Retrieved from http://www.lynda.com/search?q=Kit+Hinrichs