Package What You Preach
I am always amazed at how many organizations and ministries speak of “excellence” yet develop products that fall into the “mediocre” category.
Graphic Design….the term now a days is really incorrect in my opinion. With the advent of computers and software everyone now “knows someone” or feels that because they have Corel or Word Paint they can say “Hey, I can design! Doesn’t this purple and gold box covered in flames look great!” Sure you may be able to design a newsletter or develop content for your website with certain generic templates, but when it comes to designing a package for retail it is important to understand what it takes to do it right.
As having extensive experience designing packaging for entertainment and corporate clients, there is usually a difference between what these organizations package and what many ministries release. I find that the ministries who understand consumer expectations see a much greater return with the success of their products. It’s similar to selling a home. You could spend years and lots of money renovating the inside of your home but if your shutters are weathered and your paint is cracking and your landscaping looks neglected then who will ever open the door? This same idea holds true with your message or product.
If your designer has never touched Photoshop, doesn’t know the difference between RGB and CMYK, doesn’t understand terms such as bleed, leading, or tracking then it’s probably not a good idea to do your own packaging design. Consumers are visual….bottom line. If you release a product that lacks the sizzle to stand side by side with other commercially released retail products then all your great content development is wasted.
Budget that extra time and money to hire a professional designer/agency. Give your product/message a fighting chance out there in a cluttered marketplace that is bombarding our attention every day.
