The Social Responsibility of Positive Communication Within The Graphic Design Industry

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The purpose of this report is to explore the social responsibility Graphic Designers have regarding communication with the mass media. Berman remarks how designers “have a disproportionately large influence in these three areas: 1. How messages intended to influence the behavior of large audiences are selected, crafted, and delivered 2. How people are portrayed and represented visually 3. How raw materials for designed objects are consumed” (99). It will consider the influence and power designer possess, the negative outcomes of bad communication, and how designers can do good. This research is significant because the world today needs to be accountable for the issues it has caused, one designer at a time, one person at a time. Influence & Power Do you think of graphic designers when you see a logo or advertisement? Is it possible that they are a compelling force in our brand choices? Or in the way we respond to the environment? Or even how we communicate? It’s important to understand the role they play and the responsibility they share through the onslaught of marketed messages we absorb everyday, so that as a community we can make informed decisions. Globalization and the singular community When it comes to the power/influence Graphic Designers possess, Berman discusses the “triple bottom line” (132): people, planet, and profit. With the increase in communication technology, globalization is now integrated into the core of our everyday lives, and this triple bottom line has grown closer than ever. The community we live in has expanded in its communication accessibility, and we take for granted the instant connections and ease of language interpretations. Berman quotes Naomi Klein who declares, “logos ha... ... middle of paper ... ...ifference isn’t the argument, it’s the kind of difference a designer chooses to make. Joining an eco-friendly design firm could be a first step; becoming a member of the GDC’s Code Of Ethics or the AIGA’s Standards Of Professional Practice is a start. Berman even lists Eight Top Tips for Buying Sustainable Design (p.133), while bringing it back to the attainable concept of People, Planet, and Profit through organizing our priorities in our global community. In conclusion, everybody has influence in one way or another; we need to take charge of the decisions we make and the results they produce; and we must be aware that moving forward in sustainability is a positive necessity. Words Cited Berman, David B. “Do Good Design.” Berkeley, California. January 2009 McDonough, William & Braungart, Michael. “Cradle to Cradle.” North Point Press, New York. 2002.

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