I have gotten to a second round interview with a digital marketing company and have a chance of being offered the role. I have worked with Marketing companies in the past, some good, some bad. I currently work in a Design agency and now I’m worried that I may be ‘jumping from the frying pan into the fire’.
My worry is that instead of having designers give me feedback on my work, to make it look better, I may now have Marketing managers suggesting changes that have more of a chance of disimproving the work.
Has anyone here made the switch from design agency to marketing agency? Thanks
Everyone’s experience will be different. Maybe this marketing company has realized that they don’t have the design expertise needed as marketing managers. Or they may just be looking for someone to be the hands that just realize their ill-conceived notions.
Remember when you go to be interviewed, it is your only opportunity to interview the company. Have questions to ask. Have them describe what they envision your job to be. Engage them as if you were hiring them.
Thanks for your reply. I guess I’m nervous about change. I have problems with my current role, which is why I am looking for something new. If I make it through to next round, I will have this opportunity to ask more questions.
The purpose of graphic design isn’t to make things look better. The purpose of graphic design is usually visual communication, and typically this involves marketing objectives of some kind. Good looks help achieve these goals since good looks usually enhance the appeal of whatever is being marketed.
For example, if you’re designing components in a marketing effort to sell more widgets, the measure of success will be how many widgets are sold, not how cool or good-looking those components might be. Striving to make those components look better will typically result in them resonating more effectively with the target audience, but don’t confuse the tactics and strategies to achieve goals with the goals themselves.
How various marketing agencies view graphic design varies wildly from one agency to the next. Some regard graphic design as prettying up old-school sales efforts. Others regard graphic design as a critically important part of how they help their clients achieve their objectives.
Where you want to land is up to you. Choosing the right agency involves research, which isn’t difficult. Look at how they market themselves. Look at the marketing they do for their clients. If graphic design seems to play a significant role in those efforts, you can be reasonably confident it’s an integral part of the agency’s culture. If not, the agency might not be a place where you’ll be happy. As @PrintDriver said, you’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you.
Well, as a marketer I wouldn’t be so worried about marketing managers’ feedback. Because there are few marketers who know graphic design essentials or have solid knowledge in design.
Marketers should give the brand identity guidelines, give the understanding about the audience, describe the problems the audience face, and the way they see the solution.
And in practice designers and marketers are always together to find and implement that solution.
If you’re an expert in graphic design then you can easily explain all your decisions. And marketers won’t argue if the graphic design would be based on the guidelines and analytics they gave you.
But if the guidelines won’t be considered or the design still won’t solve the clients’ problems then the marketers are the ones who can ask for editing.
The main issue to consider is the internal communication process. The designer should understand what the marketer is saying, the products’ values, and the problem which should be solved.
If you’re interested in design - I would recommend reading Eleken blog www.eleken. co/blog-posts/ux-design-requirements. Here you may find a lot more information about the design work and marketing.
Marketing departments are all over the map when it comes to design interference or collaboration. It’s up to the interviewee to determine what is likely to be the case in this particular instance. And you are right that a designer has to be able to defend their design decisions. That’s where the practice of in-person critique in school comes in handy, IMO. I even had a professor who would tell you to “do over” a design. After doing that a couple times, often to contradicting observations, you learned to have a defense ready for your design decisions just to avoid that.
I like the advice the professor gave you. That is definitely the one to follow. Unfortunately, only a few employees are keen on doing so. Because you should really love your job. And many people just do their job to earn money.
Concerning the link. That is not advertising. I was working with Eleken agency once. And I have a positive impression. I read their blog from time to time. As their blog is dedicated to designing issues. So, I just thought that could be helpful.
They help people and businesses get their messages across in ways that are memorable, effective, and aesthetically pleasing. To do this, they work with clients to help translate their goals and ideas into design concepts.
