Design für alle
By Kenneth Pilo
More times than I can remember, I’ve had the question how to make it into the advertising industry as an art director or designer. I always try to be helpful by suggesting how to increase the chances. But an obvious follow-up question ought to be, once there, how do you remain in that industry? How do you stay inspired and on your toes?
Let me take you through a scenario.
Surely you’ve been sitting there, attacking a tentative concept from every angle. Maybe a full day’s work, resulting in nothing. I’ve been there, too. It happens every now and then.
But what is it that makes us walk those dead end streets? Think about that while I give an example of how I have escaped that paralyzing thing called »Lost in design«, or whatever we like to call it.
First, I get irritated for having wasted a day designing and trying to find a solution that at best might be categorized as »Design für alle«. I mutter to myself, not understanding why, until it’s suddenly clear to me. I’ve subconsciously been working along the lines I thought my client expected me to. Not according to my own interpretation of the assignment. Hit by this insight, I get up from my chair. Then I kick the visitors’ sofa hard, getting an angry look back. After that I put on »Step on it« by the Teddybears on max volume, to clear my head. A state of bliss enters, and my brain starts investigating new paths. Almost every time, the pieces fall together and I start doing innovative things again.
Have you finished thinking about those dead end streets? It’s the ugly face of routine. A state to avoid at any cost. If your standards are high, you may demand from yourself always to produce something new. Something never seen or done before. But that’s being hard on yourself. Very few people can do that, which of course doesn’t make it any less admirable.
If you’re not one of the extremely rare people with that gift, don’t give up. If on top of that you’re self employed, you won’t have anyone patting your shoulder or sending you away for stimulating activities. That’s something you’ll have to take care of on your own. But keeping routine at arm’s length is absolutely necessary if you want to hang on to the industry. Stay curious of other media and technologies. Mix and roll it out. Look for inspiration where you don’t expect to find it. Steal and give back.
This is 2009. These are extremely exciting times where loads of technology, hardware, software and experience are woven together. Especially on the internet. Or that thing that possibly will be called something else soon. There’s a lot to keep in mind, and many colleagues feel the pressure. Naturally. Being and staying up to date, all the time. Nothing wrong with that, but there’s alternative advice. Of course you should look ahead, but don’t forget where you came from.
When I first came to the advertising industry, headlines were still made out with Letraset sheets. Photo setting was an expensive luxury, and if proofreading errors were detected new letters were cut into the original. Somewhat origami-like. Repro machines were tractor sized. Staffan Forsman was about to go down in Swedish advertising history with his then companion.
In spite of the latter I have no wish to go back.
But the knowledge I gathered in those days will always be a fantastic asset in my work. No matter what kinds of assignment will surface.
So, why not do something for yourself, not for anybody else? This year too I will go on focusing on that. Change often brings good things. If you haven’t tried it yet, be sure to do it soon. Chances are you’ll like it.
© 2009