Blog: Be Different For a Reason

Using something odd or different to grab attention has long been a tool in graphic design and advertising. It causes the viewer to stop and think twice before passing by. But just being different or odd can’t be the whole story. You must have a have substance to your message.

In recent years I’ve seen a lot of “different for different’s sake” but that’s it. Commercials are increasingly bizarre and disturbing yet have nothing to do with the product. Why? Honestly I feel it’s out of the loop executives wanting to appear hip. They think if they do something odd it will show how in touch they are with the kids. Instead, more often than not, the oddness brings on eye rolls from the kids they are trying to impress. And furthermore, even if they did somehow impress a 16 year old, what does it matter when you are trying to sell a $50,000 vehicle to her parents?

But when used strategically, something odd can be very effective. An example was when I branded a company in Seattle named Just Green with a beautiful sky blue color. It got people’s attention but that wasn’t the end of the message. The company sold eco friendly furniture of all colors (not just green). So the sky blue color conveyed not only clean air but also was a subtle reminder that the company didn’t have an exclusively green colored product line.

I encourage graphic designers and advertisers whether in tiny Livingston, Montana, or metro Seattle, Washington, to continue to push the envelope to create new and interesting content. I only hope that when they do, they think beyond the odd, and tie the different to a greater message that enhances the client’s brand.

— Hovie Hawk

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