As students of design, it's easy for all of us to get so wrapped up in our own work, in grades and teachers and deadlines and class and work that we forget design is first and foremost a vehicle for direct communication. It's not just homework; someday it might be real work. It's not making something look pretty or sell better; well it is, but there's more to it than that. A glance at a piece of design is a scratch on the surface of something altogether bigger, and whether or not the designer is skilled enough to properly execute that or the viewer is smart enough to understand that, there are lines of communication being drawn behind what the eye can readily see and/or what the mind can readily comprehend.
Status is driven by branding, something we've all come to realize is a lot more complicated than a photograph and some text. As stated by Marty Neumeier, '"Because it works" will no longer suffice as a design rationale.' Branding is a complex system, the result of a strategy to deliver the kind of message that is not only seen and read but also felt and remembered. Good status is good branding, good branding is smart strategy and successful execution, and good business is dependent all of these things. So what does status have to do with the financial agenda? In short, everything.
Here's a quick and current example. The Huffington Post is one of many news sources that have been covering a move to rename high fructose corn syrup 'corn sugar.' According to the article 'Goodbye High Fructose Corn Syrup, Hello Corn Sugar (Signed, Corn Industry),' corn syrup consumption has fallen to a 20 year low - mainly due to a largely unproven assumption in Americans that corn syrup is unhealthy and more likely to lead to obesity than sugar. Given their financial woes, a new strategy was developed by the corn industry to renew corn syrup's status in the public eye. Advertising campaigns have already begun as corn syrup begins its rebirth - in this case, it's less about gaining a positive status than it is about shedding a negative one. Regardless, the effect on business has been undeniable.
1. Fredrix, Emily. "Goodbye High Fructose Corn Syrup, Hello Corn Sugar (Signed, Corn Industry)." The Huffington Post. 09/14/10.
2. Neumeier, Marty. "Survival of the Fittingest." AIGA. 04/07/10.
Status is driven by branding - Hmm, I think you are right but what of kings and queens and their birth given status and how is that in relation to branding. Now if you tell me Mercedes is about Status I agree, but the quality of that brand came first - did't it? so more questions about questions. Yes I think the Corn Syrup article is trying to get their brand into a higher status!
Richelle
Creating a brand is creating status in some little way, sure the company already has an existing status but a new brand look can alter that dramatically. About 3 or 4 years ago Walmart changes it brand to something much more refined and elegant in an attempt to appear higher quality. I dont think it worked to many people already know Walmart and its low prices so any attempt at making it more sophisticated would also need to come with some business changes as well. A more successful example is Buick, here in America who drives Buicks? Old people, but recently Buick launched a whole new line of vehicles, with new brand design, in Japan and the target market is young people. And it worked, all the young people in Japan think that Buicks are the coolest cars you can get. They have completely changed there status.