Marketing Design vs. Art and Design

Design as Marketing: Staples Easy Button

Similar to other mass produced goods, Staples Easy Button became a nationwide hit as a result of an effective marketing campaign. Staples, the largest office supply superstore hired McCann-Erickson Worldwide to create an innovative campaign to motivate Staples and non-Staples costumers to feel good about shopping at their stores. The same Marketing Agency was responsible for the creation of Mastercard’s ‘priceless’ campaign. The commercials, billboards and advertisements attracted millions based on its philosophy that experiences are only a result of money spent.

Leslie Sims, a senior VP and group creative director is responsible for the birth of the campaign. The important question, how do we illustrate the concept of easy? Silly enough, Leslie asked ‘How nice it would be if I could just push a button to come up with a great ad, so we could go to lunch.’ The idea of ‘Easy’ was born. ‘It took an amorphous concept and made it tangible’.

As a result of effective advertising, customers began talking about buying real Easy Buttons. In September 2005 Staples began selling $5 3-inch red plastic buttons that when pushed repeated ‘That was easy’. Staples reported a 37% increase in share prices and its customer recall of advertising has doubled to 70%. This is outstanding considering that most businesses with adolescent advertising techniques expect a 10-15% customer return.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2006/06/01/8378513/index.htm

Design as Art: Limited Production



Limited production is essential for the respect and integrity of the designer and Design. Unfortunately, many designers who work for larger businesses are not credited for their work, physically as well as financially. Almost all ideas and concepts created by designers are placed upon shelves for future exploration and discussion. These ideas and concepts are owned by the company, thus the designer gives up all rights. The problem is that good designers are not compensated for successful ideas created by themselves. While the company is rewarded with increased profits, the designers salary stays the same. Companies will see their product over lifetimes, however the designer only gets paid once.

Limited production created and produced by the designer and his team is important to Design. Although working with a very limited budget, the designer is entirely responsible for his creation. The difference between mass and limited production is that mass production cares only for profit, while limited production cares more about integrity. Please don’t be fooled by companies like Nike who limited productions of Jordans and other shoe styles, they still are only concerned about profits. Nike’s marketing team utilizes the philosophy of artistic limited quantities to increase the value of their product. Nike could care less about the environment or its factory workers making 8 cents per pair shoe.

I encourage all artists and designers to create for the sake of creation. Although profit is essential as a means to survive, we should not loose focus of ethics and integrity.