In a world where we’re continuously swamped by a steady stream of advertisements, standing out from the crowd and differentiating yourself from your competitors is paramount. If you’re looking for the most effective way to do this, look no further than graphic design.
But not just any old graphic design – great graphic design. While you’re probably aware that logos, business cards and marketing collateral are all important visual elements for a business to invest in, what often gets overlooked is the significant impact great graphic design can have on your business’ overall success.
In this article, we’ll take a look at real world examples and discuss the most important reasons why your business would benefit from great graphic design in terms of branding, advertising, sales and overall customer experience.
Creating a powerful brand image
Brand image is the perception of a brand inside the mind of a customer. It’s a combination of beliefs, ideas and impressions that signify what that brand stands for, all of which are formed and influenced by the quality of its graphic design.
From a unique, eye-catching logo to a memorable website experience, there’s no denying the fact that the way your business looks and presents itself will reflect what it’s about and leave an impression with your customers. Because just as great graphic design will help people discover your brand, it also helps them remember it.
Let’s take Nike as an example. What makes their brand image so strong? Their logo is simple and memorable, their design is black and white (literally) and they have a powerful tagline that appeals to the masses regardless of their athletic abilities.
nailing that first impression
When it comes to graphic design, seeing really is believing. Let us explain.
Digital marketing agency Mainstreethost conducted a study to assess the influence of visual imagery in helping people recall information three days after reading it. Their results found that when information was paired with visual imagery, people were able to retain 65 per cent of what they had read three days earlier. On the other hand, the participants were only able to retain 10 per cent of information that had no accompanying visual stimulus.
Why is this relevant to your business? It shows the power that graphic design has in getting people to remember your brand. In fact, the best graphic design can convey a message or an idea without using any words at all (or very little).
Take these examples from Oreo and Ikea. These advertisements are so effective because of their eye-catching imagery, and that they tell a story about their brand offering without actually telling the story – they leave that to their exemplary graphic design.
boosting your sales
Our brains are hardwired to be drawn to things that look good, catch our attention and invoke emotion – unsurprisingly, this also applies to graphic design.
Think about this: the average person is estimated to encounter between 6,000 to 10,000 ads every single day. How many of these ads do you actually stop, click on and read? If you’re like me, not many, if any. The success of an advertisement or marketing campaign is heavily dependent on the quality of its graphic design, simply because if it doesn’t look good, it’s going to get lost deep in the abyss with the other nine thousand uninspiring ads people are going to see that day.
The stats back this up – a study from Stanford University shows that 75 per cent of people make a judgement about a company’s credibility based on their website design, and that 63 per cent of consumers make purchase decisions based on the design of a product’s packaging.
A perfect example of well executed graphic design that got results is the “Share a Coke” campaign that saw Coca Cola achieve a 2 per cent rise in sales for the first time in a decade.
They didn’t change their logo or create a new product – all they did was transform the design of their packaging and put people’s names on the bottles. This simple tactic allowed Coke to target a much larger audience (after all, everyone has a name) by adding a touch of personability.
building brand loyalty
Today’s fast-paced world means companies are working harder than ever to come up with new ways to reach new customers and establish brand loyalty. Companies with a strong customer base faithful to their product have a significant advantage over those that don’t, but brand loyalty isn’t something that just happens overnight.
According to the 2020 Brand Keys Loyalty List survey, the companies that lead the rankings in brand loyalty are: #1 Amazon (online retail), #2 Netflix, #3 Amazon (video streaming), #4 Apple (smartphones) and #5 Dominos. These brands are some of the biggest in the world, but have earned their brand loyalty through high-quality offerings and by persistently reminding current and potential customers of their products, services and core values in visually appealing ways.
Each of the brands mentioned above have memorable logos, clean and user-friendly website designs, inspiring advertisements, creative packaging, and visual consistency throughout their social media pages, and are all subsequently reaping the rewards of their efforts.
Creating a visual language
Graphic design is essential in establishing a brand’s ‘visual language.’ A visual language is defined as: ‘a system that communicates through visual elements. It is perceived by our eyes and interpreted by our brain, which receives the signal and transforms into sensations, emotions, actions and thoughts.’
Let’s take a look at how Apple does things. The brand’s metallic look, minimalist designs and lack of text on their packaging gives the feel that artists, designers and ‘cool people’ use Apple computers.
Now compare the Apple brand to that of Dell or HP – they too produce high-quality products, but do their brands make you feel anything like Apple does?
Another great example is Coca-Cola. Regardless of what language you speak, if you saw any of the logos below on a bottle or can – even the ones without the word ‘Coca-Cola’ – you’d know what’s inside simply because of the red and white colour palette and cursive typography.
conclusion
As you now probably understand, great graphic design is essential to a business’ success. A little consistency, creativity and aesthetic direction are the three keystones to creating a memorable brand, and will get your business well on its way to increasing its revenue.
Having a visual identity for your brand is crucial to its success, helping customers connect with you and be more inclined to make use of your services. At Orion Creative, we have an expert team of graphic designers that are highly skilled at bringing your brand to life by taking your brief and creating a range of eye-catching and memorable designs for digital, online and print audiences.
Get in touch with us today or give us a call on (02) 8850 2215 to discover how we can help your business cut through the noise and get noticed by your market.
