We have seen arts and the artists, aesthetics of the artworks, paintings, drawings, sculptures, and varied art forms. From the global historic names like Pablo Picasso, Vincent Von Gogh, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo to the great Indian names like Maqbool Fida Hussain, and Tyeb Mehta, all are well-known for their work of art.
Design and art always communicate something, from abstract to explicit, depending upon the art and the artist. Of course, it’s always been an expression of the faculties of their right brain coming out on canvas through a myriad of colours, strokes, and drawings, leaving the viewers to watch, absorb, understand, interpret, and appreciate through their minds and in their ways. It’s more about how the viewer experiences, than what the artist may have wanted to say.
Unlike above, the design is always used in corporate communications to deliver a powerful communication to the desired audience, in an opposite way. While an artist makes an abstract art and leaves it to viewers’ discretion the takeaway of the meaning of his art in a million ways, a corporate communicator uses the design to create, deliver, build, and reinforce a specific message strategically to a well-defined, segmented, and targeted audience.
Corporate communicators work towards brand building. Idea is to create an association, an engagement, an excitement, an enthusiasm, an interest, and finally an action towards the brand. The whole look, feel, and design of any communications campaign is “designed” to deliver key messages towards brand building. Idea is to share information through visuals, graphics, films, audiovisuals, and similar forms to impact the audience’s behaviour, perceptions, thought process, and decision-making conserving the brands.
In today’s omnichannel marketing communications environment, design plays a great significant role, as it’s no longer about creating some good graphic designs. It’s about the whole, it’s about the totality of communications, it’s about the holistic view, it’s about the all-inclusive way to look at the branding. Looking at multiple platforms like the website, social media, and mobile apps equally, simultaneously, and consistently, the communications design is much more strategic, as against being just creative.
Keywords, graphics, designs, visuals all are used in storytelling to the audience, which creates engagement, conversations, and develops relationships with the audience at multiple touchpoints in a homogenous manner. This storytelling is in harmony with all communications including advertising, marketing, human resources, sales, customer, and business associates for that matter. Just a single visual, just a single design can communicate a lot of information to the viewers across platforms, and such is the power of communication design.
As it works brilliantly through the external communications on the desired audiences, it aptly delivers the same within the organizations. Great visual designs can reach the message of leadership through the entire value chain of the organization. It can impact the internal processes, communicate to employees, and enhance a collaborative culture to achieve the organisation’s goals.
The design can show purpose to the audience. It’s not just about liking or appreciating a great creative, it’s all about being influenced, being motivated, and being able to act upon the calling of the creative. Great designs not only separate you from the competition but also deliver the message accurately to the audience. They integrate the aesthetics, beauty, and creativity of the creatives with the relevance, usefulness, and purposefulness of any brand in the minds of the audiences.
Designs through communication help brands establish an emotional connect and develop long-lasting relationships with their audiences!
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
Praveen has been closely associated with many national and international events related to cinema for children, art and culture. He has a well-rounded experience that cuts across all key sectors of PR & Corporate Communications.
He started his career with URJA Communications, an advertising agency specialising in technology brands, where he was instrumental in developing the PR division. Post this, he had a stint with Horizons Porter Novelli, a global public relations consultancy. Thereafter, he was heading the IT & Telecom division at Clea PR, a leading Indian public relations and communications company followed by a fairly long stint with Omnicom Group agencies viz. TBWA\India and Brodeur India.
Loved this article! It was a great read , thanks for sharing.
Interesting take Praveen