by Artwell Nwaila (@artwelln) Not so long ago I was asked by the good folks at Open Design Cape Town to write a short article on how design can be used as a tool for change. That got me thinking: can design really change how we look at the world or is it some more hipster fairy-dust mumbo-jumbo?
My goal today is to prove that the hipsters are correct. Design is about solving problems; it’s about communication; and it’s about impact.
Let’s take a look at five examples that will support my case.
1. Propaganda posters
These influential poster campaigns encouraged the populations of Britain and America to support the armed services during the First World War.
Sometimes, dramatic design helps move a nation (and, yes, I realise it was true for the other side as well).
2. Che Guevara
In 1967, Jim Fitzpatrick designed one of the most iconic designs, based on Alberto Korda’s photography. This design is now a power symbol for revolution.
3. Ideas that matter
Still don’t believe that design can influence change? The people behind Ideas that Matter, a grant programme that supports the designers who donate their time to charitable causes, certainly do.
Since 1999, this programme has funded more than 500 non-profit projects, contributing US$11 million worldwide to causes that enhance people’s lives through the power of design.
4. Design can also manipulate; ask any adman.
The power of design is that it can talk to you from a subconscious level. A good example is how ad agencies and brands manipulate colour to do further emphasise their message.
Ever notice how the top fast-food companies all have the colour red in their branding? The colour that stimulates appetite.
5. Apple
Last, but not least, is Steve Jobs’ brilliant idea to transform boring clunky home PCs into beautiful pieces of art.
In 1998, the iMac took everyone aback with its brightly coloured body and, a year later, Jobs released the iBook’s unique shell design. After that, Jobs never stopped coming up with new products that were as aesthetically pleasing as they were technologically advanced.
This would be the first time that design became as important as hardware and engineering, transforming the world of tech as we see it today.
In conclusion, you can only really understand how effective design is when you become aware of how it drives your life and determines your daily decisions. It is then that you will see that design can be used to facilitate change on a large scale.
Artwell Nwaila (@artwelln) is a creative director at Offlimit Communications and publisher of the award-winning creative publication SA Creatives (@thesacreatives). His monthly column on MarkLives, “Creation”, takes a look at creative work from around the world and what we can learn from it in South Africa.
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