how good concepts make good design

How Good Concepts Make Good DesignPresented by Christopher Santoro Creative Director

From day one, we are exposed to and interact with beautiful

things; from billboards and posters, to album packaging and wine bottles with pretty labels. Some of these things make us laugh, feel sad, empower us or weaken us, or even make us feel really good.

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Did you ever wonder how we’re actually drawn to these things? How they’re so memorable to us at times? Believe it or not, these things look a certain way for a reason.


WHAT IS A CONCEPT?

A concept is the soul and life of the design. Design functions as a mode of communication. The visuals support or compliment the verbal message, and vice versa.


EXAMPLES OF CONCEPTS

CHIP KID: NAKED David Sedaris’ “Naked” was written about his time in a nudist colony. This classic example of American book jacket design features a belly band, in which readers can literally “take the pants off” of the cover. But when they do, they see the human body in a different way.


NIKE LOGO The most well-known lifestyle brand, Nike was originally named after the Greek Goddess of victory. The symbolic “swoosh” creates a sense of perspective going into infinity.


NESPRESSO In response to the huge market boom of instant coffee started by Keurig Coffee, Nestle© created their own instant latte’ maker called Nespresso. They soon launched a wide advertising campaign, including transit advertising that turned bus stations into the Nespresso machine.


WHAT CAN CONCEPTS DO FOR ME?Design driven by concept works with the senses to create a clever and unforgettable experience. Concepts deliver a message through well thought-out visual & verbal balance. Furthermore, concepts give design a reason for being.


HOW DO I COME UP WITH CONCEPTS?Good concepts are thought up in various ways, but mostly through lots of sketches and notes. Design is an iterative process, and it takes many iterations to really work an idea. In conjunction with that, look at and document the world around you, and you’re bound to be inspired or influenced by something!


SANTORO DESIGN CASE STUDY: UPRISE MEDIA

UPRISE MEDIA is a digital content marketing agency that specializes in highly

dynamic brands with backgrounds in the creative and fitness industries. At the time, they were looking for a brand identity that would articulate their approach. Their

competition were other marketing agencies who, ironically, didn’t look or feel the part they were offering to their clients.


Santoro Design worked with them to create the name “UPRISE Media” and their tagline “Movement Inspired Marketing” with the idea that their brand and services should

inspire a “revolution” within their clients. With that in mind, the logo took the form of a megaphone, in order to reflect that sense of “branding revolution”. This was then

reflected within all of their marketing materials and website design.


IN CONCLUSION…Design without a strong concept is merely a decoration. If it doesn’t communicate something, it doesn’t work. Next time you walk around the city, take a look at the advertisements and signage around you. Ask yourself what it’s trying to accomplish and whether or not you “get it”.


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