Attention to detail is something we take enormous pride in here at ads creative solutions, with our graphic designer, Ruth, being no stranger to that.

In our latest blog, we sat down (virtually) with Ruth, to discuss her thoughts and opinions on why design is a crucial part of any company’s marketing plan.

What do you think makes a successful design?

Being timeless, you don’t want to have something that would look dated very quickly. Something that works across all platforms, print & digital and that stands out on its own. Nothing too complicated but clever at the same time.

Are there any brands that influence your work?

I wouldn’t say any particular brand influences me really. I think we are all influenced by things we see around us, packaging, posters, magazine styles/layouts, different trends at the time.

What kind of design projects do you love to work on?

I love working on larger projects. I recently worked on the Jack Brunsdon Brochure; a company local to us. Seeing the beautiful imagery and working on the page layouts was really enjoyable and seeing the final brochure once printed is really satisfying.

What has been your best project and why?

One of my first projects, when I started in graphic design (many years ago), was to create a book with John Dibbs, an aviation photographer. I loved discussing how we were going to layout the pages and enjoyed retouching the imagery, but most of all it was hearing all the amazing stories he told as we worked on it together. Sometimes it’s not always the project, it’s the people and stories that go with it. It probably looks a bit dated now, but it was over 20 years ago! 

What type of design work do you enjoy the most; print or digital? 

I think I’m pretty old school, definitely print for me! I love seeing and feeling the final product once it’s printed. It’s not quite the same for example seeing a pdf brochure online.

Digital is obviously massive now, but there will always be a place for print. From a retail point of view, people like to take a brochure or leaflet home to look at. Flick through and relook at to help them decide.

How do you think the graphic design industry has changed over the years?

It’s changed massively since I started. Macs were only just getting on the scene and it was more making bromides, negatives and dark rooms, colour splitting and planning the film work. Things were much slower. It’s amazing how quickly you get something printed or designed these days.

Why do you think design is important?

A company’s logo and style are something that distinguishes them from their competition. It gives the company a recognisable brand. 

Design is all around us, even when I’m shopping or out and about, if I see some lovely packaging, I tend to buy that product rather than another. (So, it worked!) I love Clipper Tea, Innocent Smoothie, Dorset Cereal packaging and old train posters.

Also, if I get an interesting mailer through the post, I tend to keep it for ideas. If I liked the design or how it folded. I recently got a new watch for my birthday from Olivia Burton. The packaging and leaflets were so beautiful, so I’ve kept it all! I loved those bits as much as the watch! A bit sad really! 

If you want to learn more about Ruth’s work, why not check out our graphic design case studies, or get in touch to discuss your ideas.