Articles

New philosophy. New Look.


Author: Zach Arvidson
Date Published: 8.1.2011

We have changed our look and our mission! Elicit Design has gone under the “knife” and developed a brand that we truly believe in.The re-brand was necessary because of a different and exciting path that we want to travel down as a company. Our look has changed, which is reflection of a change in philosophy.

We design with you, the client, in mind. The message you wish to present to the public is what matters and what we are here to help with. That’s it! It’s graphic design with you in mind! It may seem obvious, but so many designers tend to stray away from that idea. Most designers will interview their clients and gather information from them before starting and brainstorming or designing. This is crucial to creating an idea and strategy for designing. Sometimes, the initial idea is not even close to the ending result that the client receives. That’s where Elicit Design is different. You are involved during every step and every turn. Your initial idea is seen through to completion.

We feel like we have evolved from where we were in the past. Everything we do from now on is going to focus on you, our friends. So watch for all of new and inspiring designs that will be coming in the near future. We also want to say thank you for following us and spreading the word about Elicit Design.



The Difference between Progressive & Conservative Clients


Author: Zach Arvidson
Date Published: 2.16.2011

Marketing and graphic design play such a significant part in the success of a business. I believe there are two different approaches that business owners take when it comes to the design of a new marketing campaign: progressive or conservative. Some of this has to do with the region or area that a company is located. I am from Minnesota, so the examples I use will be based on the locations around this state.

Elicit Design has worked with clients, from different regions of Minnesota and western Wisconsin. After working with clients from small towns and larger cities, I have seen a pattern with the decisions that business owners make regarding the vision they have for their marketing and visual communication. I have noticed that companies located in or around larger cities for example, the Twin Cities, tend to take more chances and risks when deciding on a concept and eventually, a finished campaign. They tend to think to the future and want to be on the cutting edge with the freshest visual communication styles and techniques in their industry. In rural Minnesota, some of the clients we serve are more conservative. Graphically, they tend to take the passive approach.

Why is this?

In the cities, there is a lot of competition for potential customers. On the flip side, in rural Minnesota, there is not as much competition. In other words, rural businesses need to reach a wide audience across a large area, while companies in the Twin Cities can reach that same number of potential customers in a much smaller area because the population is denser.

Another reason for the difference is the laid back nature of people in rural Minnesota. Laid back people want to deal with laid back companies. The relationship between the customer and the company is very important. Businesses outside of the Twin Cities are trying to establish long lasting relationships in order to sustain long lasting business with the customer. In general, the companies in the Twin Cities tend to concentrate on the volume of customers and getting the customers what they need fast so that they can move on to the next customer and generate more sales.

Because their styles of business are so different, their graphic design and marketing styles tend to be different. As stated earlier, rural businesses tend to be more laid back to create a long lasting relationship with their customers. This is reflected in their design. Graphics tend to be simpler and easy to understand. There are not many drastic differences in style and look from one business to another. Even between competitors. I believe rural companies are not too progressive with their visual communication because there is a fear of losing customers if they take on a more aggressive style. So they tend to take the safe route and stay conservative.

On the other hand, Twin City companies feel a need to be different from their competitors in regards to marketing and design. Graphics from these companies tend to be on the cutting edge. Each business tries to one up their competitors in every aspect of business, especially graphic design and marketing. They are looking to appeal to many potential customers quickly by catching their eyes with fresh and progressive styles.

There is a difference in the graphic design styles between businesses in these different areas. However, each company makes the decision that is best for that specific business. There are good and bad decisions. Trying to bring a conservative style into the city might not work. Bringing a more progressive style into rural areas may be the wrong choice. The important thing is that each business studies their market carefully to make the best possible decision. Elicit Design enjoys the challenge that comes with both styles, and we look forward to assisting the next business with these important choices.