It’s difficult to be open-minded. It’s really damn hard to be open-minded and a Graphic Designer. If a Graphic Designer claims to be open-minded they are bullshitting you.
Basically, if a Graphic Designer thinks those Amish Fireplace Mantle ads are beneath them — well then I’m afraid they aren’t open-minded.
Nathan
on 21 Apr 11What exactly does “open-minded” mean here? I would consider providing a little more context to what you’re talking about. A lot of times people with strong opinions against something are unfairly labeled as being closed-minded.
Tilen Krivec
on 21 Apr 11The ads like that are the ones that actually work, why would that be “under you” :P
Just look at Ogilvy and what he did, back when ads were actually supposed to bring in money. These days most big companies seem to work despite their advertising not because of it.
JD
on 21 Apr 11Nathan, what I mean by “open-minded” is willing to admit that this kind of design works well. There is an opportunity to learn something from it.
Adam Marsh
on 21 Apr 11@Jamie: Well Said! Couldn’t agree with you more…
Josh
on 21 Apr 11I’m not really sure what you mean here… Open to what? In what way is it beneath them? Why do graphic designers have a harder time being open minded than anyone else? Nonsense.
Don Schenck
on 21 Apr 11I completely disagree and will not yield to your point!
:)
Nate
on 21 Apr 11I don’t understand this either. When I see those ads for ‘magical’ heaters (edenpure or whatever is the other one?) I am at first offended by the blatant disregard for the laws of thermodynamics and the insult to the intelligence of the readers… then I think of about 90% of the people I know…and realize they’d believe those claims and buy those stupid heaters.
So does ‘beneath them’ imply they don’t want to be a part of blatantly lying, as opposed to simply spinning the truth? Or does it imply that they deem using advertizing tactics that worked for snake oil salesmen in the traveling circus in the 1800’s obsolete in the world of marketing to more ‘sophisticated’ people?
Guy C
on 21 Apr 11This kind of advertising is fascinating. It just kind of sucks you into a void of compelling semi-absurdity. There’s definitely something to learn from it, the text is like a vice-grip. I don’t think I’ve ever bought anything as a result of these kind of ads, but I can totally see how they work.
The most recent example I’ve seen in the UK is for a kind of hard drive that stores CDs for people who don’t use an actual computer for the same thing. It uses a lot of the same tactics as the Amish ad. I found a scan of it here: http://bit.ly/efuI7E
Daniel Tenner
on 21 Apr 11So, are you bullshitting us, or are you close-minded?
Bill
on 21 Apr 11Actually, my parents have one of those heaters. My Dad shopped around for quite some time before buying one, and that one (I think it’s a Heat Surge?) was a good deal. What I was surprised at most though is the product documentation. I remember the content being well written and precise, and it having a strong tone of customer service.
Chris
on 21 Apr 11That’s a great ad. And yes, it is really difficult. Anything you invest a lot of time and thought to is taken personally whenever rejected. I do feel as though your example is not graphic design—it’s advertising. IMO great advertising.
Scott
on 21 Apr 11@Nate: ‘beneath them’ means that they don’t realize they are doing a job, but instead think they must maintain a level of ‘craft’. Design’s purpose in business is to sell.
I’d love to see 37signals put an end to the current look-and-feel of web apps’ marketing sites. They all look the same. They all follow basically the same template. Yet there’s nothing I’ve seen that shows empirically this template sells best. Startups simply look at what other startups are doing, figure it works for them, and follow suit. People like how such sites look, there is no questioning that. But do they sell? That’s the question.
asdf jr.
on 21 Apr 11This needs a 3D page curl in order to be successful.
Nate
on 21 Apr 11@Scott. Well said and thank you. The quote makes more sense now.
I’m just a bumbling engineer, an artist of a different bent. Too blinded by the absurdity of the ad to think of the meta-meaning of the marketing.
This discussion is closed.