Our world is visually very noisy, and brands compete against each other for attention all the time. Whether it’s online or offline, people are used to always seeing adverts, banners, displays, etc., and the risk is that they are so overwhelmed, they block them from their consciousness and simply don’t notice them. This means you have to work extra hard to get their attention, so to have the biggest impact, you need a really great design. Used well, it will have a hugely positive impact on brand recognition, trust and, most importantly, sales.
COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on the high street, and attracting customers to your physical store is more important than ever. Retailers have always used window displays as a way of promoting new products at the same time as reinforcing brand personality. In a crowded marketplace, bigger is better, as we recently demonstrated on Gap’s flagship store in London. The display was huge, taking up most of the building’s facade, so it could hardly be ignored by consumers! We also continued the design inside the shop, with the theme running throughout.
A high-impact in-store display is a sure-fire way of attracting customers’ attention. You can install enticing signage to direct customers to seasonal products, like we did with the Nike campaign we created during the Women’s World Cup.
While colour meanings can vary between cultures, studies show there is a link between colour and buyer behaviour. Blue, for example, is a calming colour, and one car manufacturer Honda used to great effect when it created blue pods in which dealers sat with customers and finalised sales. Sales negotiated in the pods were 35% more profitable than sales conducted in the showroom.
Infographics are always a great way of getting facts across quickly and with impact. Graphics can be used to display top-line information such as survey results, ‘how to’ guides, snippets of related information, or an organisation’s timeline, such as one we created for the developer Willmott Dixon. Eye-catching and quirky, infographics make it easy to digest relevant information, and they can be printed as posters for your office, used as presentation slides, and also shared on social media to help boost your brand.
Great design doesn’t just have an impact on customers and clients, it can also be used to great effect on your own employees. A positive working environment has a positive impact on productivity, and there are scientific studies showing that lighting, noise, temperature and colour can all contribute positively or negatively. Aesthetics can have a huge effect on productivity; one study showed that working in an environment enriched with art and plants boosted productivity. The use of graphics in the workplace can have big effects on the happiness and well-being of your staff. We worked on the new designs for SAB Miller’s UK headquarters, creating bright and cheerful graphics and wall art that have made a real difference.