Tag: print

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What’s #Trending

I know we all like to see what’s the best new trend in just about any market. We all want the latest in gadgetry, social media, clothes, and more. However, should this spill over into graphic/web design?

Wait! Don’t click away, yet. Let me explain.

In talking with other designers and creatives, in general, we’ve all found that potential clients sometimes want to know what’s the latest trend for their product. Presumably, this is so they can appeal to a younger audience, which is good logic. However, trends shouldn’t always be the determining factor in a business decision.

At WMS, we tend to look at trending designs in this way: Does it fit for you? A construction company doesn’t necessarily want their website to look overly artsy, so they don’t want something that looks more like a photographer’s portfolio (like this). A company providing a necessary service (like a medical institute, fire department, etc.) will need their site navigation to be easily found, thus the trend of making the menu blend with the rest of the site won’t help them.

Let’s look at this in other aspects, shall we? Another thing we’ve recently seen a lot of companies change is their logo and/or branding. Here, too, what’s trendy shouldn’t be the crux of your decision for this change. Example: a law firm doesn’t necessarily need the bright colored gradient in their identity (think of the Instagram branding for that visual). On the flip side, a beauty salon doesn’t want to look too dressed down or overly serious (like, say, the Chase Bank logo or the logotypes often used by law firms).

In reality, a design/media company should suggest designs that benefit your business. Someone should be able to look at your website or printed material and say, “Yes, this has [business name] written all over it.” If there’s too much of a disconnect between what you do and how you present your business, then people might look for alternatives.

So, what was this all about? In short, it’s just a reminder. We just wanted to remind you that trends come and go, especially website design trends. What’s considered trendy one day will be old hat the next. So when you’re looking to refresh your business’ look (whether online or via print), take trends into account, if you like, but focus on getting a good design that fits your identity.

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Do You Need Print in Your Life?

Thought time! Washington Media Services has seen a lot of clients look away from print products. However, we’d like to run down a little rabbit hole on the importance of print…

First off, we don’t want to say that digital isn’t important. Digital ads and promotions can be a business lifesaver. It’s super efficient for projects that are meant to be one time things and run on a short shelf life. This post is meant to look at the importance print can play in our lives. One isn’t necessarily better than the other, but one has been touted as superior, to be sure.

So, what are we talking about when we say print? Everything. From the small items like business cards to large publications, anything material can make a difference in how people interact with your business/organization. While digital media is efficient and clean, it also takes away an aspect of an important human sense: touch.

Imagine you’re meeting with potential customers. After you talk to them for a while, you’d like to let them know how they can get in touch with you or your business, right? You can point them to your website (which is a good thing to do regardless), but actually handing them your business card gives them something tactile. It allows them to make a bit of a connection. They have your information right there in their hand… easy, right?

Let’s try another. Imagine you run an organization and want to put out a newsletter so your members know about all the events your organization is putting on. Sending out email newsletters is effective and uses fewer resources, but are people actually reading your newsletter? Let me explain my question a bit. In doing some research for this piece, I came across a paper called “What Can Neuroscience Tell Us About Why Print Magazine Advertising Works?” In reading through the paper, I found an interesting point. The researchers put forward the idea that (at least in most cases they witnessed) reading on a screen was mostly comprised of skimming through data. It showed that reading a printed piece was usually slower and subjects read deeper into the material.

In short, print isn’t dead. Print hasn’t truly come close to death. Some studies suggest that young people purchase physically printed (non-digital) magazines and papers more than was done a decade ago¹. So, when you are looking to have a project created, don’t just assume digital publishing is your only option. Instead, ask “Is my audience going to value a printed copy?” In the end, you have to know your audience and predict what they might prefer.

 

¹Scott McDonald, Ph.D., What Can Neuroscience Tell Us About Why Print Magazine Advertising Works? (A White Paper from MPA– The Association of Magazine Media, 2015).