What is the Social Role of the Graphic Designer?
Drawing and illustration is my passion, graphic design is my career. The role of graphic designer is confusing to some people. From explaining what I do to a friend or family to weather my role has any social influence is a hard task. Do I have a social role in society? Am I a just a neutral messenger of the company's message, am I influencing the client to make certain decisions? What exactly is the social role of a graphic designer in the world?
I found this essay by Pierre Bernard, co-founder of Grapus and Atelier de Création Graphique, that discusses the social role of a graphic designer in depth. Keep in mind that Grapus was a group of idealist artists and graphic designers which were members of the Communists Party. No, I'm not endorsing the Communist idea, I'm just warning you that I'm aware of their political stand and some of the points he makes in the essay are valuable even in our capitalist consumerist world. Graphus disbanded in January 1991, splitting into three independent design groups.”
"One of the major social functions of graphic design is: broadening the cultural horizon of the public directly concerned. It is through the message that the graphic designer as co-author finally confronts his or her knowledge, culture, conceptions and sincerity. The graphic designer must define a strategy and be aware of other existing social strategies, including those that arise from different national situations. In relation to the message, the graphic designer applies pertinent expression codes whether derived from local, national, or international culture — thus producing emotion and meaning." Read more.
Watch video of Pierre Bernard, from Slanted Magazine.
I believe a graphic designer's role has some social influence for sure, but it's a delicate balance between fulfilling the consumer capitalism mentality integrated in today's marketing and knowing the adverse effect it has on society in general and knowing where do I come in when I'm translating or communicating the message forward to consumers. I need to do my research on whatever company I'm working with to make sure the message is honest and truthful. The power of such 'manipulation'(consumerism) is not straight forward, it manipulates the consumer into buying the idea of projecting the kind of person who they want to be, not who they really are or that they should be happy with what they have. Educators and parents, need to educate the younger generation of the power and manipulation of the advertising and marketing techniques and teach them to make strong, moral, ethical decisions when it comes to purchasing and defining their needs vs. wants.
The origins of consumer capitalism comes from the development of American department stores in the 1850s, notably the advertising and marketing innovations at Wanamaker's in Philadelphia. Author William Leach describes a deliberate, coordinated effort among American 'captains of industry' to detach consumer demand from 'needs' (which can be satisfied) to 'wants' (which may remain unsatisfied). Edward Bernays began his career as the 'father of public relations'and 'propaganda' and successfully applied the developing principles of psychology, sociology and motivational research to manipulate public opinion in favor of products like cigarettes, soap, etc.
Probably the most obvious example of consumer capital tactics in the United States' history occurred during the first world war. During which the United States' government put out several campaigns and advertisements aimed to gain support for engaging in the war. The government manipulated the public by turning commercialism into a sort of nationalism, pride and support of one's country. The French philosopher Bernard Stiegler argues that capitalism today is governed not by production but by consumption, and that the techniques used to create consumer behavior amount to the destruction of psychic and collective individuation. The diversion of libidinal energy toward the consumption of consumer products, he argues, results in an addictive cycle, leading to hyperconsumption, the exhaustion of desire, and the reign of symbolic misery.
Sources: Slanted Magazine, Wikipedia, Backspace.
I found this essay by Pierre Bernard, co-founder of Grapus and Atelier de Création Graphique, that discusses the social role of a graphic designer in depth. Keep in mind that Grapus was a group of idealist artists and graphic designers which were members of the Communists Party. No, I'm not endorsing the Communist idea, I'm just warning you that I'm aware of their political stand and some of the points he makes in the essay are valuable even in our capitalist consumerist world. Graphus disbanded in January 1991, splitting into three independent design groups.”
"One of the major social functions of graphic design is: broadening the cultural horizon of the public directly concerned. It is through the message that the graphic designer as co-author finally confronts his or her knowledge, culture, conceptions and sincerity. The graphic designer must define a strategy and be aware of other existing social strategies, including those that arise from different national situations. In relation to the message, the graphic designer applies pertinent expression codes whether derived from local, national, or international culture — thus producing emotion and meaning." Read more.
Watch video of Pierre Bernard, from Slanted Magazine.
I believe a graphic designer's role has some social influence for sure, but it's a delicate balance between fulfilling the consumer capitalism mentality integrated in today's marketing and knowing the adverse effect it has on society in general and knowing where do I come in when I'm translating or communicating the message forward to consumers. I need to do my research on whatever company I'm working with to make sure the message is honest and truthful. The power of such 'manipulation'(consumerism) is not straight forward, it manipulates the consumer into buying the idea of projecting the kind of person who they want to be, not who they really are or that they should be happy with what they have. Educators and parents, need to educate the younger generation of the power and manipulation of the advertising and marketing techniques and teach them to make strong, moral, ethical decisions when it comes to purchasing and defining their needs vs. wants.
The origins of consumer capitalism comes from the development of American department stores in the 1850s, notably the advertising and marketing innovations at Wanamaker's in Philadelphia. Author William Leach describes a deliberate, coordinated effort among American 'captains of industry' to detach consumer demand from 'needs' (which can be satisfied) to 'wants' (which may remain unsatisfied). Edward Bernays began his career as the 'father of public relations'and 'propaganda' and successfully applied the developing principles of psychology, sociology and motivational research to manipulate public opinion in favor of products like cigarettes, soap, etc.
Probably the most obvious example of consumer capital tactics in the United States' history occurred during the first world war. During which the United States' government put out several campaigns and advertisements aimed to gain support for engaging in the war. The government manipulated the public by turning commercialism into a sort of nationalism, pride and support of one's country. The French philosopher Bernard Stiegler argues that capitalism today is governed not by production but by consumption, and that the techniques used to create consumer behavior amount to the destruction of psychic and collective individuation. The diversion of libidinal energy toward the consumption of consumer products, he argues, results in an addictive cycle, leading to hyperconsumption, the exhaustion of desire, and the reign of symbolic misery.
Sources: Slanted Magazine, Wikipedia, Backspace.
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