Recently a prospective client, in the course of attempting to pay us a compliment, noted our reputation as a creative agency that was great at making things, “pretty.”
“Pretty?” Sorry, but we don’t do “pretty.” Or, “good-looking”. Or, “kinda cute”. We do design. Criteria-based design.
Form does not follow, “pretty”.
Form does not follow, “cool”.
Form follows FUNCTION.
In professions like architecture or industrial design, there seems to be little confusion over this. But in advertising, marketing and graphic design, sometimes even those in the profession don’t know the difference between art and design. Thus, titles like “the art department” and “graphic artist” instead of “design department” and “graphic designer”.
Art and design are not just different. They are basically opposites.
Art, in the traditional sense of the word, is subjective, based on the artist’s personal expression. Design is objective, based on well-organized performance criteria. Good design is not influenced by the designer’s personal feelings and is only beautiful when it works beautifully—when it effectively achieves what it is designed to achieve.
Good design is performed by designers who know the difference between self-indulgent art and criteria-based solutions. Sure, visual beauty, poetic copy and artistic imagery are often a part of what works in marketing. But not because they’re pretty. Rather, because project criteria may call for it.
At Renaissance, we believe knowledge, talent and problem-solving design ability are beautiful things.
So please- feel free to call us “pretty.” Just smile when you do it.