I have an original work by my favorite designer hanging in my office. I actually had the pleasure of watching him create it. He is four-years old and lives in my house and as he was drawing it, I asked, “What is it?” He replied, “Just designs, dad, just designs.” Exactly. Just designs. What good are “just designs” anyway?

A great photograph of an automobile is not going to make me plunk down $30k anymore than a cuter-than-the-next image of a baby will persuade me to buy one type of diaper over another. So why do we bother? As marketers, why do we spend all this time, money and effort on getting a design just so? For me, the answer is simple: it something I call the gentle nudge.

I do not think a great design is the thing that drives a consumer to click the “Add to Cart” button but maybe that is not the purpose. Perhaps design, simple or grand, needs to be just enough to get the consumer to take the next step, to roam where they would not usually roam. It needs to be just enough to nudge past an initial thought and touch an emotion that is buried or dormant – just enough to tap into a feeling that, perhaps, they did not know existed.

On a recent flight, I was skimming the latest Atlantic Monthly, and came across an article titled “The Fortunate Ones”. The synopsis told me it was about research done into the anxieties, sense of isolation and worries of people with fortunes over $25 million. “Poor babies”, I thought sarcastically. I was about to move on when I glanced at the image on the opposite page. On a golden background, there was a perfectly poured glass of champagne with (pause for drama) two floating, bubbling Alka Seltzer.

Immediately, I hate to admit this, I felt a little empathy for these millionaires. Maybe it was empathy. Maybe it was morbid curiosity. Whatever the case, I started reading the article. Half way through I stopped and thought, “Why am I reading this?” It was that darn champagne glass. Well played, Mr. Art Director, well played. I had been officially persuaded.

“Dad, do you want to take this design to your work?”

“Yes, son. I will hang it up first thing tomorrow.”

“Dad, can I have a cookie?”

“Yes, son, you can have two.”

Just designs. Indeed.

IMAGE CREDIT: LEONELLO CALVETTI/BERNSTEIN & ANDRIULLI

James Heughens, SVP, General Manager at Organic