Sometimes it is all worth it

The creative process is not easy. It is not just sitting down and this inspiration comes over you – voila a masterpiece. For design it is even more difficult. Art is very personal and meant for contemplation. Design is meant to be useful and to communicate. Designers must constantly remember that their goal is to meet the client’s needs. So often you are convinced that it is the perfect design, the president walks in to see it (after being approved by the marketing department), one hour from the media dead line, and the president hates it. For those not in marketing and advertisement, this scenario may not seem real – Believe me it is real!
Then you have yesterday. Having worked several weeks, and many long brainstorming sessions, we completed the concept phase of a totally new marketing and advertising approach for a national bio-mass energy company. The concepts were somewhat “edgy” but would be very effective. We went in, presented the 10 different communications channels that would be designed. There was silence in the room (oh boy that must have been a bomb, we were thinking). The chairman looked up with the biggest smile on his face and said “Love it – different and that is what we need”! It is moments like this that makes our industry truly enjoyable and satisfying.