Dandy

Let’s face it every designer wants to be recognised for good work, but what does good creative work mean in the 21st century?

With enough application and skill all designers should be able to create something beautiful, but it’s another thing entirely to create something that works beautifully.

The real challenge for design shouldn’t just be how to sell the latest “this time it’s really, really thin” mobile phone, but how our creative brains can help tackle some of the more complex issues facing our communities today.... the usual suspects… health, education, crime, housing, etc.

Too often these areas are neglected and underfunded with the result that they deliver poor communication, when clear, positive and engaging communication is desperately needed.

With audiences become more diverse, and more media savvy the ability to connect to people is becoming harder and harder. But we know most marketing is built on aspiration and status, and so are these issues. So why are we not getting the same exciting creativity?

As the owner of an agency I fully understand that I’m not running a charity or quango - our agency must trade successfully as a business if it is to succeed and influence all markets. And it would be wrong not to let our talents run free on exciting new products - but the two objectives can go hand in hand.

I genuinely believe that if we begin to really understand and connect with audiences in these challenging areas, there will be a knock on effect in helping them in areas that are commerce based, such as financial institutions (helping them get what they need in life), leisure (understanding the benefits of outdoor/healthy pursuits) and consumer goods (food, diet etc).

It’s good to see that, with the help of the Design Council, the North East have started to tackle this issue with its dott07 campaign, it’s a small beginning but a move in the right direction.

Isn’t it time the creative’s in the East Midlands took up the challenge?