Must Design

Reading a gaggle of predictions for 2019 design and marketing we found agreement. "Original" art, illustrations, videos, and ideas will rule marketing in 2019. Original is in quotes because you, me, and everyone we know will use stock images next year, 

The Curagami.com post shares tips on how to modify stock images to eliminate the soul and branding killing sameness. Making something original out of stock takes ten minutes. But most websites won't invest a little extra time to create original art, illustrations, and videos. 

Want to know how to make millions online? We share two rules with our consulting clients. 

1. Take a little extra time to BE ORIGINAL.
2. When in doubt refer to Rule #1. 

The bad news is there's no free lunch in digital marketing anymore. The good news is 99% of websites don't care about being original. Ready, set, GO, GO, GO. :). Martin 

How is one of my "go to" graphic design resources. 

Look Closely At Trends #2 and #3
Immersive Design (#2) and Exposed Mechanics (#3) are related. Immersive Design looks toward virtual reality. VR is a subset of a more significant trend - experiences are the new branding. 

Why would people pay to run through cold, mud, and over rocks and steel? Tough Mudder knows experience is the new branding. And I agree with the founder. Will Dean when he insists no social media means no Tough Mudder. Tough Mudder is immersive and built for sharing. 

Exposed Mechanics elevates process. Process becomes a shareable product. Exposing mechanics creates and shares vulnerabilities. Sharing process in real time or near real time removes a barrier, encourages engagement, and creates conversations. Perfect is left in favor of content capable of producing, rewarding, and inspiring a tribe. 

Sharing process, warts and all, break the third wall - the wall between visitors, viewers, and creators. We develop enough of a framework to receive feedback and then cooperate with those special customers to shape a two-sided dynamic conversation. Happening NOW.  

Experience always happens NOW — these two trends, immersive and exposed, wreck marketing as practiced in favor of community, conversations, and customers. Control, still a figment of a marketer's imagination, moves from marketers to curators and analysts. 

After such a shift any message meant to brainwash a passive audience sound false, thin, and discouraging. Experience moves passive consumption out in favor of active collaboration. Once the DVR, streaming and a ubiquitous Internet change consumer expectations in favor of exposed mechanics and immersive collaborative tribal experiences going back to passive consumption is impossible and annoying. 

Maddening means now there's a penalty for being only slightly out of touch. Create a passive one-sided campaign, and you'll do more than spend money carelessly. Preach without conversation, and you'll pay with cash and brand equity. And the later is the vastly more valuable and hard-earned currency. 

Promise to blog about this topic further on Curagami.com. M