“Design is our ticket to the world”
As part of my professional development here at Revel, I had the opportunity to attend the Brand New Conference in Chicago, which focused on branding. The above quote from Mark Kingsley of Malcontent in NYC helps illustrate a recurring theme from speaker to speaker: While each had their own unique outlook and approach to a project, it was evident that they all spent a huge amount of time researching and talking with their client. By being well informed and understanding when to take risks, they were able to find unique pieces that helped manifest beautiful and effective work.
Roanne Adams, owner of RoAndCo tells us, “Start with the idea to create something meaningful.”
As designers, it’s our job to understand how our clients’ business operates and translate that into a visual medium that engages the outside world. The creative element naturally follows an empathetic yet objective look at a company’s personality. This personality is shaped by the sum of many parts: a belief system, stories that promoted growth, a shared vision for the future among employees, and other tidbits that arise from an honest and unbiased look into the inner workings.
Roanne reminds us of a great quote by the late Wally Ollins, “Fundamentally, branding is a profound manifestation of the human condition. It is about belonging: belonging to a tribe, to a religion, to a family. Branding demonstrates that sense of belonging. It has this function for both the people who are part of the same group and also for the people who don’t belong.”
