Month: September 2018

Maybe you’re already in the industry or maybe you’re just starting out, but there’s no doubt graphic designers are in demand for their skills. The career opportunities are endless. And there are different ways of working.

Perhaps you’ve thought about what it would be like working for a creative agency or striking out on your own as a freelancer or working in-house at a company.

We asked some of our hugely talented graphic designers at Sketch Corp to tell us what it’s really like.

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CAROLINA JARAMILLO, SKETCH CORP. ART DIRECTOR

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Education: 

Bachelor of Film

Masters in Creative Advertising & Graphic Design

Experience:

Working for three marketing & creative agencies over the past eight years.

What are the advantages of working as a designer for an agency?

Dealing with a variety of clients from multiple industries means you’re constantly learning and forcing yourself to innovate. That variety also gives you the ability to experiment with different design styles. Keeping up to date with industry trends and developments, and collaborating with your peers improves your skills and knowledge.

And what are the disadvantages?

The lifespan of a project tends to be quite short, so you’re not involved in the company’s day to day developments. Many times you are responsible for establishing design direction, however are not involved in implementation as this is done internally. And of course, this doesn’t always pan out exactly as you had in mind.

What are the advantages of working as a freelancer?

I haven’t worked as a freelancer, but freelance graphic designers have told me the biggest advantage is the ability to manage your time around other activities in your life.

And the disadvantages?

Usually it’s harder to manage clients’ expectations when you’re on your own, and you end up not charging correctly for the amount of work produced.

What are the advantages of working as a designer in-house?

Again, I haven’t done it before, but I guess being involved in the company’s day to day developments means you acquire more knowledge about the client’s direction and goals.

And the disadvantages?

The job could become quite repetitive and it might be harder to experiment with new techniques and design styles.

What advice would you give to a designer who’s just finished studying and is weighing up their options?

I think a designer should specialise in an area and not try to cover everything. Junior designers should be wary of jobs that ask them to do “everything”.

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JOHN FLOREZ, SKETCH CORP. SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

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Education:

Bachelor in TV & Film Making. 

Graphic Design at Shillington College, Brisbane

Experience:

I’ve worked in a digital agency, a creative agency, as a freelancer and as an in-house senior graphic designer for a large Australian training organisation.

What are the advantages of working as a designer for an agency?

It gives you the opportunity to work for multiple clients which pushes you to be more creative and to consider multiple target audiences.

And the disadvantages?

Working for a small agency is convenient if your goal is to have close and professional communication with your clients. Sometimes when you’re working for big agencies, the large number of people involved can distance you from the client.

What are the advantages of working as a freelancer?

Managing your own time can be a great advantage IFyou’re good at it.

And the disadvantages?

The biggest disadvantage is the constant, time-consuming chase for clients.

What are the advantages of working as a designer in-house?

One of the best parts of my previous job as an in-house graphic designer was to see the evolution of the brand I was working for. I was able to see how my work played a role in the success of the business.

And the disadvantages?

It can be slow and repetitive sometimes.

What advice would you give to a designer who’s just finished studying and is weighing up their options?

Research, be humble and don’t be afraid of failure. Keep in mind that being a graphic designer is probably one of the most underrated careers out there. This makes it our mission to constantly prove the importance of what we do.

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MITCH CLAYTON, SKETCH CORP. JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

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Education:

Graphic Design at Shillington College, Brisbane

Experience:

I’ve worked as a freelancer and also as an in-house graphic designer for an Australian education start-up.

What are the advantages of working as a designer for an agency?

You rapidly solidify the skills you’ve learned at Design College. The work is often fast-paced so you quickly develop organisational and time management skills.

And the disadvantages?

Sometimes you get pushy clients, briefs lacking in detail, or other challenges. But if you apply your skill and knowledge to the best of your ability, you’ll come out the other end happy with the result.

What are the advantages of working as a freelancer?

The end-to-end exposure you have on a project.

And the disadvantages?

There’s no buffer between yourself and the client. If something goes awry, it’s your sole responsibility to deal with it. You’re accountable for every aspect of a project, from design to accounting. It can be a lot.

What are the advantages of working as a designer in-house?

More consistent work hours and more consistent work. Dealing directly with decision makers is an advantage. There may be opportunities to make more money and transition into different roles not available to you in an agency.

And the disadvantages?

A lack of variety, but you can make up for this in personal projects and freelance work.

What advice would you give to a designer who’s just finished studying and is weighing up their options?

Go to industry events, mingle, and keep educating yourself. If you’re not sure what sort of graphic designer you want to be, give yourself some space to figure it out. I remind myself why I got into the industry – a love for design.

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Here at Sketch Corp. we’re always on the look-out for talented, passionate graphic designers. If this sounds like you send your resume through to [email protected]

Think of some of the hugely successful brands shaking up industries or transforming consumer habits. Say Uber, Airbnb or Aldi for example. Often they’re described as being either a disruptor brand or a challenger brand. These terms might sound like they’re similar, but they’re actually very different.

Here at Sketch Corp, we know that helping you understand your brand is crucial to the success of your business. It’s what we do every day. So when a client recently asked us what the difference was between a Disruptor brand and a Challenger brand, we thought a clear explanation was in order.

So what is the difference?

A Disruptor brand is generally a game changer in an industry. They’ve spotted a gap in the market and a better way of delivering what the customer needs.

They might not be the first to do something, but they make sure they’re the best at it. They give the perception that they’re somehow NEW or the only brand around that can give the customer what they’re after.

Think of ride sharing giant Uber or the world’s largest accommodation sharing site Airbnb. Huge advancements in technology and the rise of smartphone use has helped them turn an industry on its head. And they’re changing long-term consumer behaviour along the way.

Often these Disruptor brands are led by a founder. Like Elon Musk, the charismatic CEO of electric car company Tesla with his social media fan base in the millions.

Disruptor brands also evolve to make sure they keep on meeting the consumers’ needs. And some of them have become part of our language along the way. How often do you hear a successful start-up described as the “Uber of..” something? Or friends discussing what show they recommend “binge-watching” on Netflix?

 

 

 

 

A Challenger brand on the other hand isn’t the market leader, but they do things differently. They challenge the norm and gathering a loyal following of customers along the way. They don’t always have the resources to match what they want to do, but they’re ambitious nonetheless.

German supermarket chain Aldi is an example of a Challenger brand. They have their own way of doing things. It’s certainly a different shopping experience to the market leaders. The store layouts are the same with that middle mystery aisle. Pack your own bags and pay quickly or you’ll hold up the line at checkout. And make sure you’re front of the queue on Special Buys Day!

But it’s all resonating with consumers. This year, Roy Morgan’s Net Trust Score survey crowned ALDI the most trusted brand in Australia replacing the iconic flying kangaroo, Qantas.

 

 

 

 

As The Challenger Project highlights, Challenger brands are “rewarded with significant and sustained growth through their marketing actions”. Not that they won’t change it up and disrupt the way they’re doing things if they feel the industry is changing quickly and it’ll help them continue to grow their customer base.

Whether a Challenger or a Disruptor or another type of brand altogether, it’s critical to be clear in knowing what your brand is all about. This is where marketing experts can help you narrow down your brand’s purpose, architecture, positioning and target audience to get your message across.