Business professionals and designers

There are roughly three kinds of professionals closely involved with brands:

- marketing & communication professionals
- business professionals (p&l-responsible)
- design professionals

Until now, marcom and business professionals are the people taken most seriously when it comes to brands. They are the heavyweights in this trinity, the ones developing brand strategy, managing the brand and the brand architecture, and achieving business targets.

Yet in everything they do, every plan they make, every rebranding, product launch, packaging improvement, retail refreshment, direct mail campaign, website relaunch; they are sure to end up with designers sitting at the other end of the table.

Profession and profile

Design is a difficult matter to marcom and business professionals. That has to do with both character and education. In their professional education, most if not all focus lies in the development of analytical, strategic and commercial skills. They chose this profession because of their talent for analytical and strategic thinking and because they are attracted to commerce. It means they rely heavily on the left part of their brains: the rational part. They process information, manage projects, develop ideas, judge risks and opportunities, from a mind set that is mostly rational. It’s what makes them so valuable to their company.

Business and marketing professionals (BMP’s) are strong in strategic-analytical thinking and in managing processes. Their mindset and their professional career spur them on to develop these qualities even further. That’s why design is a difficult thing for them to grapple with. Important tools in the daily work life of BMP’s are software programs such as Windows, Word and – not to forget – PowerPoint. The dress code is closer Wall Street than to world of art.

In walks the designer. Of course there is an increasing number of people in design agencies wearing suits. Especially in a country like the UK, where the business side of design is well developed. But still, the creative designer that does the job is a totally different person. Far away from Wall Street, probably driving a second hand car, sloppy-casual dress code, and maybe even a five o’clock shadow on their chin. An Apple addict, who works with paper, marker and Adobe.  Their right brain– the intuitive/emotional part – is most active. And their education trained their aesthetics talent and judgment to perfection. The term business case doesn’t mean much to them.

The one with the dominating right brain needs the left-brain BMP get a project, employ his talents, show the world a portfolio and earn money. The BMP with the dominant left brain has his whole plan together, knows what he wants to achieve, what the strategy is, but needs the creative designer to get there and earn money.

Although invisible marketing would be a great concept for the environment: it doesn’t work yet. Until that moment, the visual side of marketing & branding is dominant (see also outline 6: The comprehensive idea of Visual Branding).

Of course I am talking stereotypes (and of course you are the exception), but typecasting helps to make the situation clear. And honestly, I see it confirmed in projects involving creatives and BMP’s all around the world.

Integration

A simple solution to close the gap between designers and BMP’s is putting account managers in between. Quite practical, but I like to look beyond that. I see it as part of the challenge of this century to create a synthesis between design creativity and business.

As strategy director at Studio Dumbar I, for instance, avoid the typical account manager and try to create direct contact between the designer and the BMP as much as possible. And as a strategist, I am closely involved in creative development and creative reviews. I believe that is the direction to take. Because the more you are able connect design creatives and BMP’s, the higher the level of energy: the more powerful the results.

Design creatives and BMP’s represent complementary talents and skills. The better they are able to work together, the more successful a project will be. Look at success stories in marketing like the Heineken Beertender or Philips Senseo. These started with the creativity of marketers; just as big design cases (like Apple) have a lot more to it than just aesthetics.

There are modest signs of integration. Professional educational programs in marcom and business are opening their minds and started to integrate design into their curriculum. And design academies have understood the message that aesthetics only, is not enough for students to succeed in their careers. So they are integrating communication and brand strategy into their programs.

Visual Branding must be seen as a contribution to this integration of design and business. Just the wording itself is already helpful in this respect: ‘Visual’ representing design and ‘Branding’ representing marketing & business.

Visual Branding integrates the complementary expertise/professions of design and business in one term; it takes the mindset beyond the tunnel vision of specialists and shifts the focus to the overall objective that they share.