Pages 32-33, 136-143, 182-183

March 10th, 2022

“Marketing without design is lifeless. Design without marketing is mute.” (P.32)

I had a personal reaction to the above quote from Designing Brand Identity. Not only does it explain the connection between both design and marketing, but it solidifies my personal journey through both.

When I began my college career, I was unsure where I wanted to go in terms of professional practice. I always knew I was creative but had never thought about the possibilities of it as a career. As a current junior in college, I am currently in the process of finalizing my degree in graphic design, with a minor in marketing. Of course, there are still doubts about where my field will take me. But, reading things such as the quote listed above, solidifies my choice to combine both fields.

I figured, when choosing to study both, that one couldn’t exist without the other. The business could not exist without creative instincts, and designers would be creating for nothing if not for business. Getting a taste of both fields would help me understand most of the process when it comes to professional design. How do you make what the product, service, element look and feel like? And then subsequentially, how do you sell it?

Unfortunately, I have recently realized that young students, as well as a professional business, have trouble understanding the vital connection between the two. Of course, there are those who respect both fields and comprehend the necessary characteristics of both design and business. However, from being in the class I have realized that those focused on business, forget where their products, service, and elements come from. There is an unforgiving ignorance when it comes to realizing the weight that creatives hold. These two worlds coexist because of each other, and there must be recognition of their strengths. 

Ultimately, as the book points out, this process functions around strategy, behavior actions, and communication. Understanding the roles of both design and marketing aids an individual to master the big idea of brand strategy and develop a unique and effective identity.