Good design is easy to spot, but difficult to find. The reason, says A.J Hightower, a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience in design and print, stems from a common misunderstanding of what constitutes good design.
“Design isn’t a product you can simply pick off the shelf,” he explains. “It’s a process that demands a specific skill set and deep knowledge.”
Having managed both his own Kwik Kopy franchise and design agency 121 Creative since 2008, Hightower emphasises that hastily-designed budget logos or flyers, often found online, can add little value to your business and may even harm your brand. He warns that purchasing a logo without proper vetting can result in copyright infringement.
“Good design starts with a process of understanding your client and their business. What is their market, who are their competitors, what motivates their prospects, how can design improve the customer purchasing journey. Good design helps build a brand that adds value to the business.”
Into the playground
A simple example of what he’s talking about is the work 121 Creative did for Kompan, a company specialising in commercial playground equipment. Initially, Kompan requested a simple flyer for sending to their database, conveying a basic message: ‘We make playgrounds – contact us.’ The flyer featured a small photo of a recently constructed playground. Hightower notes, “This is a common request from many of our clients.”
However, Hightower and his team proposed a more innovative approach. “We designed a 3D pop-up card that when opened transformed into one of their signature playground constructions, complete with actual ropes and pop-up children integrated into the playground. The impact of the card, as the playground was revealed, truly captivated the viewer’s attention.” Moreover the team provided assistance with sales scripting for the campaign, a service offered by his copywriting team. Hightower emphasises, “To me, the process of the campaign is just as crucial as the visuals. It’s about considering all the touchpoints that lead to a sale for our client.”
Despite the client’s modest database size, the creative team understood they were targeting other creatives, such as landscape architects and city planners. Recognising that playgrounds are significant investments, a creative execution could potentially yield substantial returns for the client. Hightower recalls, “They ended up selling at least six playgrounds in the first six months. By creating something out of the ordinary, people knew exactly who Kompan was when they called; they remembered the campaign, and were impressed by it.”
A creative piece can also have a long shelf life. Many prospects kept the card on their desks. Even two years after the campaign, when sales reps visited offices, they often found their mailer displayed on bookshelves. “This approach resulted in a substantial return on the client’s investment. Hightower concludes, “That’s the kind of return you can expect from good design. When I’m advising my clients, I always emphasise, ‘Good design equals good returns’.”
Quality matters
You can tell if the design service you’re getting is good quality, Hightower says, by the questions you are asked at the start of the process. “The questions we typically pose to the client are: What does your business do? Who are your competitors? Why would people choose your business? What are your business’s ultimate goals? We’re not just inquiring about what you want us to print; we’re delving into why you want to print it. What’s the actual purpose behind it?”
Even if a client intends to produce only a flyer within a limited budget, Hightower probes further. “Why are you creating a flyer? What’s the purpose behind promoting your business in this way? What unique, purposeful, and meaningful message are you conveying to your target audience? How do you differentiate yourself from your competitors? Are you actually competing with them or are you just pretending that you’re the only person in the playground?”
This approach isn’t exclusive to large-scale projects. As Hightower notes, Kwik Kopy offers budget-friendly options and is adept at working within those financial constraints. The key is not to compromise on design solely based on budget.
“121 Creative’s offering is positioned at a higher level than Kwik Kopy and involves a more comprehensive process. However, it’s important to recognise that Kwik Kopy has the capability to handle projects of any size. If a client has a budget of only $100, that’s fine; we’ll find a solution. But we also have the capacity, within our system, to manage projects as large as a $100,000 rebrand. Branding is dynamic and can be scaled up or down based on the size and growth stage of a business. The goal is always to achieve the maximum return within the allocated budget.”
