Bad Design always Bad Design?

My last post left me wondering... If something is known for being bad design, can it be/should it be mimicked?

Lost cat/dog posters have always been ugly, but you know that when you see a centered photograph sandwiched between two HUGE sanserif headlines, it's because someone desperately wants their pet back. So, did I execute my Lost Website poster properly? No.

I got the gist of it but failed to take it a step further. Granted, I only spent 5 minutes on it and it was just a joke, but it reminded me of this awesome blog post from a while back. The first three posters are probably the most effective ever. I would totally stop and stare at it stapled on a telephone post if it were in my path. BUT I would have no clue what was being advertised to me.



Of course, after way too many rounds, the designer falls back on the sanserif sandwich. Client's happy, designer isn't, and the cat is probably long gone by that point. I realize this whole story of Missy the Missing Cat is fictional, but it brings up some great points.

First, clients aren't the only ones afraid of thinking outside of the box. So many times I have had a project placed in front of me and my mind goes directly to creating an end product that looks identical in format to everything that's come before it. I make excuses to myself saying, "Well, folks are more familiar with this layout... Gotta be user-friendly... Blah blah blah.". Ultimately it doesn't matter. If something is well designed, people will get it.

Second, don't bring in an orange cat. Sure, it may look cooler, but it's not the right cat. In the past I was creating something like an email or web banner that had to adhere to the Microsoft brand guidelines. What I made probably wasn't the best thing ever, but it looked rad. I was kind of stoked on it until my boss came over and casually pointed out how I'd broken a brand rule. I had lost half an hours worth of work. I was bummed. Now I know to really read those chunky brand guidelines.

Finally, and this is something I'm still working on, communicate upfront and clearly that you will only work on 3 rounds. I really suck at this and am trying to be stricter with myself about it, especially when it concerns projects for friends.

In conclusion, will I re-do the Lost Website poster for my own odd satisfaction? Hell no. I'm still trying to understand why I spent all this time writing about lost pet posters. However, the next lost [item] poster I do create will be better. I think.