Utilizing Your Graphics in the 21st Century
We live in a culture of information overload where consumers are increasingly image conscious and market savvy. In a fiercely competitive marketplace, it is critical for a business to use its design and graphics to project a strong brand identity. As we approach the next century, the rapid convergence of both interactive and printed materials will also require businesses to use their design in a way that can accomplish this goal across the board through each medium.
Today, a company’s brand identity program must be a broad-based, integrated communications effort. This requires critical understanding of how those media are used. The question a business asks should not only be, "what are my messages?," but "how can I optimize the integrated media to best communicate my message to our constituents without diluting our brand equity?"
The traditional requisites of building a communications program, either through print or the Web, remain the same: knowing the audience, understanding the marketplace, and identifying the company’s strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. Yet the rules for branding through design are different for each media type. Designing an integrated program requires revised approaches and strategies for presenting information that companies must grasp to remain competitive.
Collaborate with the right designers:
With an integrated communications effort, a graphic design consultant knowledgeable in both print and the Web is a critical piece to maintaining brand integrity. Companies must now be certain that their design consultants are not trained exclusively for print, but are also able to exploit the vast capabilities of the Web. And because information is going to be presented and accessed in new ways, a more collaborative approach between company and designer is both necessary and advantageous.
Learn To Read Again:
People don't read printed information in the same way as they read online information. A recent report from Sun Microsystems states that users read 25% slower and 25% less on a computer screen than on paper. Because one’s attention span is much shorter on the Web, print copy must be especially fluid and to the point.
People access a printed piece and a Web site differently as well. A printed piece can be mailed or handed out at a conference. It has a longer shelf life and is designed to last for a certain amount of time. The Web is a democratic medium, accessible to all at any time. And true to the very nature of this medium, information needs to change constantly to attract a loyal audience.
Have a Clear Picture:
Pixilated photos or images that look clear and sharp in a brochure don’t translate well to the Web. It’s important to make sure that all photos or illustrations are not too fuzzy or detailed, in order to maintain quality in both media.
Color is another important consideration. Almost any shade or hue can be reproduced through printed materials, but a computer screen allows no more than 216 colors. Again, be careful that your graphics and illustrations translate consistently between each medium.
Treat Your Brand According to the Medium:
Remember that integrated communications allow businesses to promote their brands differently through the different requirements of each medium. Printed communications provide for a more traditional representation of brand with a more traditional audience. The Web opens up new avenues to present your brand to a less traditional audience. You can treat your one brand very differently in the two media as long as your communications support the overall brand promise.
Companies used to be able to focus solely on creating their graphics and presenting a nice look. Now, the need for designing an integrated brand identity program requires new approaches and strategies for presenting these graphics and information. Understanding and following the new rules can be the difference between a business that thrives in the 21st century and one the barely survives.