Forbes champions the design industry in 'tough' climate
Keith Forbes, director of Good Creative and regional head of DBA Scotland addesses the challenges faced by the design industry in the current financal climate.
So doom and gloom descends like the proverbial British summer. The perfect time to discuss why you should be spending your business’s hard fought reserves creatively.
The fact is, the world hasn’t come to an end, it’s simply going through another cleansing cycle. Things will get better. Why? Because humankind is nothing if not resilient. War. Natural Disaster. Financial collapse. All in a day’s work for your average human. Tomorrow we’re back to work with a product or service that we have to sell. A sad indictment on today’s society I agree, but then again, that’s life.
You’ve still got something to sell and you need to tell the world about it. What remains of the economy depends on it. The question is, how best to spend what you’re willing to risk?
The answer is to minimise the risk and spend where you know you can get a return on your investment. There’s no magic wand in the communications business, no guarantees, it’s simply not an exact science. Strategy will dictate where you spend, be it on advertising, digital, dm or indeed design, but what I’d advise is that you spend with someone you can trust.
At the Design Business Association (DBA) we champion effective design and the positive impact it can have on business. Every member has a history of effecting change for their clients and has case studies to prove it. We maintain long term relationships based on relevant ideas, creativity, service and most importantly, results. If you’re looking for someone you can trust in the design world, look no further than the DBA’s membership.
We believe that the question in a downturn shouldn’t be, ‘Should I spend?’, but “Who do I trust to manage my spend responsibly?’