Designing the Recession

In times of economic hardships, many companies as we all know are cutting budgets to stay afloat of the struggling times. While we see financial institutions, the car industry and the housing market make significant historic changes, we also see other companies prosper with some help from the design community.

Designing through an economic crisis is a decision that can only lead to positive results. Vision, or visual communication revamped to give potential customers something new and exciting can enhance the users experience and bring more business. A new aesthetic or branding can entice a new audience helping to maintain competition. Design is also a powerful tool when helping to achieve objectives, long term and short term goals.

Good design can also take a company’s product and enhance it to save money. For example, designs main focus is to enhance the users experience, get attention and bring new prospects to the forefront by introducing other possibilities then what has been thought of in the past. Taking something that works and making it better can save money and add potential growth to whatever market it is targeting.

In some cases, a company’s identity may need a little revamp to appeal to a changing demographic, or one that may be basing their spending habits on the economic failings. This may be a simple logo change making the product look less ‘fancy’ and more practical, even if the price of the particular product isn’t changing at all. The perceived value of that item, or items, can be communicated by something as simple as a color or typography shift.

You may see these things happening in supermarkets. Higher end goods will most likely start focusing more on health benefits or natural ingredients rather than depending on their name. Product design will be changing to grab the attention of shoppers more interested in eating healthier and cheaper.

From food to music, liquor to banks; design has the power to change and will without question. In times of financial stress, it is design that will get us out by using informative and good (and bad) practices to allow the consumer to make the right choices while trying to educate and supply the growing demand for  and survival. In a Capitalist society, the ones with the best designs and the most thought provoked messages will be the ones that stay abreast of the times we are witnessing now.

It is indeed an interesting time to be a visual communicator. In the end, it is the implementation of technology and good design that wins.