Good design means something different to everyone. It depends on perspective. For example, you might remember an advertisement you recently saw while running errands, a brochure that caught your eye, or a shopfront display that brightened your day.
But maybe you don’t remember the best graphic design you’ve encountered – and that’s probably deliberate.
For our Darwin graphic design team, good graphic design can equally be a brightly-coloured outdoor banner or the subtle tweaks that make annual reports feel trustworthy. Because ultimately, “good design” is whatever gets your brand’s message across in the most impactful way.
Defining graphic design
“Design is the art of arranging elements in such a way that they create a visual impact.”
- Gerd Arntz, renowned German modernist artist.
There are lots of ways to spin and stylise graphic design. It’s really about communicating ideas and messages using various visual elements like images, colours, typography and layout. Design is pivotal in bridging the gap between a brand and its target audience.
How the best graphic design builds brands
A strong, memorable brand identity is essential for any business.
The things we typically think of as “graphic design”, such as logos, colour palettes and visual elements, play a central role in making your brand memorable. The best graphic designers understand how to convey a brand’s personality and values in a way that’s instantly recognisable and sticks in people’s minds.
The elements of graphic design
“Design is a solution to a problem.”
- Saul Bass, the American graphic designer and Oscar-winning filmmaker best known for iconic title sequences and movie posters
In this case, the “problem” is marketing. Attention is a hot commodity nowadays. With few exceptions, you have just a few seconds to grab your customer’s attention and convey your message. All the individual elements should fit together to make your marketing material greater than the sum of its parts.
Logo design
A logo serves as the face of a brand. It’s often the first thing people associate with a brand. A well-designed logo encapsulates the essence of a business and becomes a stand-in for the brand name.
Colour psychology
Colours evoke emotions and perceptions, making them a powerful marketing tool. Understanding colour psychology enables our Darwin graphic designers to create material that strikes the right chord with your target audience.
Typography
Font choice can greatly impact how a message is perceived. From bold and attention-grabbing to elegant and sophisticated, typography plays a crucial role in conveying the right tone.
Imagery and illustrations
Eye-catching visuals are essential for capturing attention, conveying complex ideas and giving the eye a rest from reading. Curated imagery, infographics and illustrations play an increasingly important role in marketing.
Print-ready design
Printed materials still hold significant value in the digital age. From vehicle wraps to annual reports to outdoor signage to brochures, our print-ready designs ensure your brand looks its best wherever people see it.
Material choice
Design is about look and feel. A creative idea that looks great on a brochure might not translate to a vehicle wrap, and a teardrop flag has different design considerations to an A-frame sign. This is why our Darwin graphic design team sits alongside our printing and signage specialists, so every project comes to life in the most effective way.
What makes good graphic design?
“Good design is good business.”
- Milton Glaser, the graphic designer behind the I❤️NY and DC Comics logos, and Bob Dylan concert posters
Good is often a matter of opinion and interpretation. However, talented designers rely on universal principles to create appealing designs that make your marketing effective.
Clarity
The message should be clear and easy to understand without asking the viewer to decipher the design.
Effectiveness
Whether the goal is to sell a product, inform the audience, direct foot traffic, or simply create a nice aesthetic, the elements of the design should work together to achieve that goal.
Creativity
Good graphic design is fresh. It stands out from the crowd and captures the viewer’s attention.
Consistency
From a single vinyl sticker to a printed and bound annual report, the finished product should look and feel like a cohesive and unified whole.
Simplicity
The design should not be overloaded with unnecessary elements which distract from the message and confuse the eye.
Balance
All the elements should be arranged to create a sense of visual harmony, including ‘negative’ or ‘white’ space where nothing is going on.
Relevance
Good graphic design appeals to the brand’s target audience and accounts for context. For example, our Darwin designers might make different design choices for a brand’s annual report design than an outdoor banner.
How graphic design influences consumer perception
“Design is the silent ambassador of your brand.”
- Paul Rand, the legendary art director and graphic designer who created logos for IBM, Westinghouse, UPS and Enron, among others.
Let’s stick with the example of annual report designs for a minute. Although they are official documents packed with financial figures and operational updates, annual reports do not need to be bland. Inspired design can make an annual report easier to understand, more impressive, and more effective in securing stakeholder support.
Most marketing holds a viewer’s attention for less than one second
A global study of web ads by Omnicom Media Group (OMG), Yahoo and Amplified Intelligence found that “53% of all ad formats studied met viewability standards, but achieved less than 1 second of active attention”.
Less than one second.
Attention spans may be longer for physical material like annual reports. Still, the message is clear: make your point quickly.
The difference between average and good design is that professionals understand how to distil complex topics into a design that viewers can digest in a split second. They don’t crowd the space. They don’t get too fancy. They focus on effective, efficient and impactful tactics that build brand awareness and achieve marketing goals.
How do we know?
Because it’s how our Darwin graphic design team does it.
As Darwin’s largest printing and signage provider, Colemans Printing and Signage understands the pivotal role that graphic design plays in impactful marketing.
From defining brand identities to designing eye-catching marketing material, our graphic design team is the best choice for local businesses.
By staying ahead of emerging trends, leveraging the latest technology, and collaborating with in-house printing and signage specialists, we bring brands to life through powerhouse marketing.
Ready to take your marketing to the next level?
Contact us today and make Colemans Printing and Signage your partner in visual storytelling.
