The Power of Design

There’s this little pub in Union Station that I sometimes pass by called Commuters Lounge. On their sign, their name is written in a cursive white font over a red background. When I happened to walk by, was I thinking of commuters lounging? No. On the other hand, I WAS thinking of a tall glass of sweet, fizzy Coca-Cola.

This, my friends, is the power of design. Our reaction to those familiar designs, logos, colours, fonts that have been so engrained in our minds is physical, almost visceral. It is difficult to control, and futile to fight. I know that’s a pretty bleak statement to make. Who are these horrible rich corporations to use us as pawns in their money-making ventures? I am an interesting, intelligent, free-thinking person and I am not affected by something as common as a company’s design!

Hey, I’m with you. When I first went to school for copywriting, I didn’t know a thing about design and was perfectly okay with that. I yawned through Mac Apps, learning about typography and choosing the right typeface. But with time, I came to realize just how many typefaces existed, and why. Design is what truly separates companies. Think about it – how many companies claim to be cheaper/higher quality/#1 in the country/authentic/experts/provide their customers with peace of mind? After awhile, all the ads and messages and taglines start to sound the same. The one unique thing is that no two designs are quite the same (unless you’re a modest shop in Union Station blatantly ripping off a successful beverage company, but this is more of a homage than coincidence).

Design conveys personality. Is a company classy or standard? Bold or understated? Smart or imaginative? A successful design will illustrate whatever the company is trying to say about itself. As consumers, it’s hard to appreciate all that goes into design and what it’s capable of, whether it’s for a company’s logo, website or advertising. But those who design know exactly what they are doing. They are hijacking our subconscious minds to make us love said company. Watch this video about one of the greatest hijackers of all time, Paul Rand (graphic designer of the corporate logos of IBM, UPS, and many more):

I know people who believe they are unaffected by advertising. They say they make their purchases based on the best price, logic, rational thinking and they don’t need a silly ad to coerce them into buying. I also feel I can easily shrug off an ad, even if I thought it was wildly clever and creative. But I don’t think anyone can dispute the impact of design. It isn’t a 30-second storyline we have to follow, it isn’t a punchy headline, there is no ‘get it’ moment. It’s just there, in your face, saying ‘here is our name, our logo, our font and these are our colours.’ Yet there is so much more to it than that. If you want to know what more there is to design, look at this design you may have seen before:

And now look at this one:

And now imagine the words “Walt Disney” and “Microsoft” switched places.

Hard to imagine, isn’t it? It’s like your body is trying to fight off a disease or something. It simply doesn’t fit, doesn’t make sense, doesn’t jive. But it does speak to the power of design.

Now let me ask you, reader, name one brand you can recognize simply by looking at thier logo. I’m sure you will think of plenty. The swoosh of Nike. The golden arches of McDonalds. The three stripes of Adidas. Leave a comment and tell me which brand design has made more of an impact on your memory than the brand name itself.