Where is Graphic Design Going?

Graphic design has in years of being a craft for the trained and learned, opened up, and practiced even by the most uneducated. We all know the story, anyone with a computer, the adobe suite software package, a good mouse and some sort of idea can do graphic design. In fact the barrier to enter the once elusive realm of graphic design is so low, anyone really, could apply. While this has affected the overall quality of the practice, graphic design has been pushed in to an uncanny position. Because it is no longer elusive, mysterious or cooky, it has been embraced by businesses as a core to business strategies. It is not strange anymore to see Presidents of entire marketing divisions to be past practitioners of graphic design, or see Creative Directors seated at the conference table, making decisions affecting bottom-line . And also more and more business schools are offering basic graphic design programs to their students as part of their business degrees.

All this sounds great right. After years of trying to get graphic design as part of the business process, instead of a mere side thought, graphic design has finally won. We won. Or is this one of those situations where we take three steps forward and five steps back. When business entities embrace or consume graphic design as part of its process, graphic design begins to lose its core. What is this core, however is often debated by masters of the craft to the point where there is no middle ground. For the sake of argument, lets assume that core of graphic design, is its purpose to communicate clearly. And what better industry to make an example of about the need to communicate clearly other than the advertising industry. Strange. Isn't the advertising industry the same as the graphic design industry? The work might be similar, the offices might be using the same macs, but advertising is a totally different beast. In fact advertising is a fine example of how graphic design can be twisted and deformed to the point of change, that it can no longer call itself the practitioners of the craft.

Advertising places above all else, the core idea of the message that needs to be communicated. Graphic design places both the idea and the execution of that idea on equal grounds. In fact graphic design, places ideas, form and functions on equal ground. Because of this advertising mantra, our world is littered with designs that maybe witty, but hardly beautiful. In fact advertising places ideas on a pedestal, that it is willing to do anything to ensure that idea gets communicated. Even lie and exaggerate the truth. Advertisers are the lawyers of the graphic design industry. Dirty and disgusting, but if you are willing to do it, the money is there. Of course we do have graphic design studios that do the same thing, but thats the mere influence from the practices of advertising.

Now it is the year 2008, and advertising is part and parcel of life. Advertising however is weakening. People get smarter. They have more information. And are less effected by witty copy written by copy writers. Learning this, business is beginning to take advantage of and consume another aspect of graphic design. If advertising is the twisted and deformed abomination of the graphic design's craft of expression of ideas, then we should be afraid of the new beast that is slowly but surely emerging from this modern age unholy union of business and graphic design.

Graphic designers always knew that people make choices not only because of facts presented in their faces. People are ruled by their emotions and as graphic designers, we wield the ability to change moods, emotions and feelings of our audience. The colors we choose, the typefaces we set and the composition we craft are all part of a master plan to evoke a certain mood so our message could better be accepted. While we are still bound by the core – the need to communicate clearly – we know the intangible matters as much. Businesses are realizing this, and beginning to incorporate it as part of a rational process. Imagine – rationalizing the irrational part of the human experience. This new love child of emotion and business is called Branding.

Branding at its ideal, is graphic design fulfilling its true purpose. It doesn't lie, exaggerate or attempt to deceive. Branding allows graphic designers to contribute positively to the realm of businesses and practice the craft at her best. A proper brand is a reflection of the truth and an aspiration towards betterment.

However, many business are turning to branding as a cure it all. They see it as another medium to deceive more customer by creating the illusion that they are better than what it seems. At the end of the day, we will see slick brands poping up all over the place, but with products and services that couldn't stand on its two feet.

So to end this essay on a lighter note, we should take comfort in the fact that graphic design as an industry is poise for greater growth than ever. It has never been a better time to be a graphic designer other than now. But we are at a crossroads right now to ensure direction of our industry do not go to a place where we can no longer look at graphic design the same way. Where is graphic design going is a question we must be able to answer with pride and jubilation. And not shame and anger.