If you're looking for advice on graphic design, Norwich based graphic designers Special design have an extensive professional background on which to draw, pardon the pun. For any aspect of graphic design, Norfolk based Special Design have a reputation for providing unique, original concepts and solutions, and are able to provide advice and suggestions on graphic design for anyone who is investigating the business for the purpose of improving brand identity, promoting brand awareness and improving corporate communications.
One of the first problems which many people experience when they approach a graphic designer is that the solutions, ideas and eventual design tend to be the designer's rather than the business's. In some cases this might be acceptable, but in many cases it is not, and certainly when it comes to offering the service of graphic design, Norwich based Special Design don't believe that solutions should always be designer led.
After all, who knows more about your business, its values, its principles and its aims than you? It is for this reason that any new graphic design project needs to be initiated through dialogue. A consultation session in which the business can communicate its values, principles and aims, discuss the problems or challenges it is experiencing, and make it clear to the graphic designers what the requirements are is essential.
This makes sense in many ways, not the least of which is the fact that if you have gone to a graphic designer, then you'll presumably already be aware of the fact that there is a need or a problem that needs to be solved, or an issue that is in need of being addressed. Initially it will be important for the business to communicate these ideas, through discussion with the graphic designers.
But the next important issue is about the direction taken in graphic design. Norfolk based Special Design Studio believe that once the business, company or organisation has discussed its needs, and provided the graphic designers with the challenges or requirements, it is the design team's responsibility to provide a direction which is original and appropriate to the business.
This might sound obvious, but it is surprising just how many graphic designers don't do this. The trouble often seems to be that some graphic design studios have trademark styles or approaches, and that almost any solution will be developed through this trademark style or approach.
Whilst this may be fine in some cases, there are three problems with this approach in graphic design. Norwich based Special Design believe that trademark styles or design approaches represent enormous limitation, and that not every company, organisation or company is going to be best served through the same narrow range of choices. Instead, each client needs to be provided with an approach which is entirely suited to their needs, rather than the studio's.
The second problem with this approach is that it is not a little arrogant of a graphic designer to attempt to promote their own business trade through their clients' logos or corporate designs.
If a graphic style is in any way reminiscent of the graphic designer's style or trademark approach, which can often be the case, then this is self serving, and wholly inappropriate in terms of business led graphic design. Norfolk based Special Design have only one trademark approach - and that's original professionalism.
They don't set out to develop a new logo, brand identity or corporate communication style by looking through their own narrow selection of lenses. By looking at the challenge through the eyes of the client they are able to see unique and original ways of addressing the requirements in a way which is sympathetic, supportive and appropriate.
But there is a third issue with such an approach, and that is that if a graphic design studio applies only a limited range of styles or approaches, either by attempting to promote its own brand identity or simply because of a lack of experience or understanding of a wider range of possible approaches, the end results can be less distinguishable than they could be.
There have been instances where businesses within the same town have received brand identities or logos so similar that they can be easily confused by customers. This is very unwise, and when it comes to graphic design, Norwich based Special Design believe strongly that each brand identity, each logo and each graphic design solution needs to be capable of standing alone, representing the client, and only the client, and being unique.