To envision is to imagine – to invent. Supervision requires control and focus. Where they overlap, you’ll find vision – intelligent foresight, clear perception and solid judgment. Carving image from imagination takes discipline (experience doesn’t hurt either). Good communication starts out from the intersection of creativity and common sense. It survives the trip if we keep our eyes on the horizon while watching every step. Knowing the terrain helps (that’s where experience comes in handy).

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The best reaction to graphic design is always “I see what you’re saying,” instead of “I see how cleverly you said it.” Good design isn’t the subject. It’s a vehicle. Just like you, graphic design needs to work hard for a living. Its task is to clear a path for communication while flying under the radar. Dotted lines, little squigglies and “this year’s colors” might be all the rage, but they don’t deserve the space they occupy unless they do their part to help articulate the message.

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First impressions count. A logo needs to speak – and not just small talk. Introducing yourself in a noisy room can be challenging, and the visual clutter surrounding us is the “noisiest room” imaginable. Your logo is the very first handshake with a potential customer, the ice breaker – your first sales call. It should introduce you like a proud and dotingmother. If it’s done right, your logo will be the cornerstone of your identity and will set the tone for all future communications.

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illustrat!onSometimes, illustration just speaks headtalk, explaining how to apply direct pressure to a wound or how an engine works. However, the most effective communications are bilingual, speaking to both the head and the heart. While illustration comes in many flavors – from computer stylized to cartooning – from photography to 3D construction, its usual duty is to translate from headtalk to hearttalk – elevating responses from “should” to “want.” It adds the cherry to the sundae and the sizzle to the steak.

we itedesignbsIn he won whose sever bend is a pointed buys bell Czech nose that technology is no substitute for clear communication. While bells and whistles have their place, they should only be used if they promote easy navigation and an agreeable online experience, rather than more quality time with your computer’s hourglass. A journey through a website should be a pleasant excursion where the map is clearly marked, and all of the road signs are simple and seldom needed. Technophiles may appreciate seven different options to get from A to B, but the average user wants one simple, intuitive path.

advertising!Advertising needs to ring a bell in the marketplace and in the viewer’s mind. First you differentiate. Explore until you discover what’s unique about your product/service – what sets you apart from the competition. Then you communicate.Decide on the optimal way to convey that information. Finally you accentuate. To cut through the clutter, your message needs to resonate on a personal level. Words need to cajole. Images need to entice and persuade. Make sure every element in your communication is doing its job. Above all, do no harm. Don’t let ego or preconceptions get in the way of your message.

Creativity can turn a problem on its head and view it from a new perspective. Creativity’s a scene stealer and is an indispensable skill. It’s one of the most vital and essential items in the toolbox of communication. However, it is just a tool and not a final product. While it’s quite sufficient if you’re only interested in selling creativity – if you’re in the business of selling business, creativity needs to be harnessed, tamed and refined. If you allow the other necessary tools of the trade (strategy, logic, and focus) to become rusty through disuse, a new perspective can all too easily turn into a lost perspective.

Oh my indeed. The essential definition of economy is careful management of available resources. Assuring that your communications are making the best use of the tools at hand shouldn’t become a strategy only when funds are scarce, but when budgets are (shall we say) a little skimpy, it becomes all the more important to think creatively and efficiently. When you only have a few nails, you need a well-planned blueprint and an experienced carpenter who can swing a hammer.

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To uncover the correct solution, first uncover the correct question. This calls for throwing away all preconceptions and peeling away the layers of a product or service to look at what it’s really providing. At the deepest level, most promise the same thing, whether it’s a new flavor of soda that will wake up your taste buds or an insurance policy that will provide you with peace of mind. Once you find the essence of the promise, you just have to explain how you’re going to help your target customers close the distance in their pursuit of happiness.

MeyerCreativeA D V E R T I S I N G / D E S I G N / I L L U S T R A T I O N

David Meyer

9341 Chimneyrock Blvd.

Cordova, TN 38016

901/725/0740

dmeyer@meyercreative.com

www.meyercreative.com

Communication. It’s what connects U and I. Meyer Creative has been in the business of creating effective communications for a long time, supplying everything from logo designs, brochures and casino promotions – to annual reports, humorous greeting cards and paper promotions. If you’re looking for a dog and pony show, just wait until the circus comes to town – but ifyou’ve learned to value experience, direct conversation and an eclectic approach to problem solving, let’s U and I communicate.

communicationMeyer Creative has been providing graphic design, illustration and advertising solutions for over twenty years. To find out if

Meyer Creative can be of service to you, visit www.meyercreative.com, email dmeyer@meyercreative.com, or call 901-725-0740.