Brand-Aid

There are times when the profession of a communication designer resembles that of a physician. Companies come in with an ache or a pain and ask us to solve it. Without missing a beat, we jump into action, assess the issue, and administer treatment. A week or so later, they return for a follow-up until the problem is resolved.

But like physicians, there’s a branch of brand medicine akin to what some call “preventative medicine,” a practice focused not just on solving problems, but on preventing them from happening in the first place.

Lately, we’ve had a number of clients come to us asking for nothing more than a band-aid. According to them, it was just a minor issue, get the story straight, fix a few things on the website, and they’d be good to go. Or so they thought.

In reality, these clients were suffering from an infection and didn’t know it. Sure, a bandage might cover the surface, but the real problem would persist. What they needed was something much more intensive.

We’re not doctors. We didn’t go to medical school for eight years and earn an M.D. to become designers. But sometimes I wish we had, because with that title comes a higher degree of respect and consideration. I’m not saying we aren’t respected, but hearing that your product is fundamentally off might sound a little different coming from “the logo guys.” So I get it.

But trust us: we’ve seen more patients in a year than most CMOs lead in a lifetime. We can identify where the real issues are. And while we may not always be the ones to administer the cure, we’re excellent at bridging the gap between diagnosis and execution.

Of the two clients we mentioned, one listened. They’re now rethinking their platform from the ground up. Our assessment, along with feedback from others, helped them realize the deeper problem, and they took the advice to heart.

The other startup? They limped out the door, with nothing more than a band-aid, some ibuprofen, and a not-too-shabby logo.