Your association’s visual identity tells the story of who you are. And in a time where information overload and fatigue plague the masses, emphasizing the humanity of your brand has never been more important. The visualization of concepts and ideas is imperative for true connection and understanding and empathy. How your association members see you is also how you will motivate and inspire them.
So far in 2023, MCI USA’s Creative Services team has won eight industry awards for exceptional client work. At the heart of these projects is a commitment to bring these associations’ brands to life — to use powerful visuals to evoke emotions, to resonate with their audience, and to foster a sense of shared values and purpose.
Here, we share an inside look at our creative process from start to finish, as well as tips you can use within your association to create an impact through visuals that entice members to engage and elevate your brand identity.
Getting started
Our design team starts every project with the “discovery” process. We begin by gathering information about the project through research, surveys, interviews and discussions with the association we’re working with, so we can understand the objectives, target audience and specific requirements. Then we review the collected information to gain insight on the association’s needs, pain points and motivations. This forms a solid foundation for the design process.
Gathering inspiration
Inspiration can come from anywhere and everywhere. We tend to gather inspiration as we are going through the discovery process. Typically, we look at websites and social media to find out what is trending; we also research the association’s competition to make sure we are differentiating ourselves. In addition, we investigate type treatments and fonts to integrate into the art in a clever or unique way, and if we’re working on conference or event collateral or branding, location can often serve as design inspiration.
Tip: Following other designers on social media is a good way to get inspired while learning, as many of these individuals upload video tutorials on new tools and techniques you can use. Adobe Creative Cloud is always changing and updating its features, so it’s a great way to keep your skill set up to date and to stay on trend with the latest tech advances.
Working together
This is the main reason our design team is successful: collaboration. Over the years, we’ve built a community of trust, respect and mutual understanding. By embracing diverse perspectives, fostering creative thinking, leveraging our collective skill sets and providing constructive feedback, we have not only experienced growth as designers, but we’ve also cultivated a positive, award-winning team dynamic.
One practice we implemented to cultivate this culture is weekly idea-sharing sessions. These meetings create a collaborative environment that encourages each of us to explore fresh possibilities. There is a wide range of skills and strengths on our team, and collaborating allows us to leverage each other's expertise. Whether it's in illustration, web, UX, infographics or branding, we learn and grow from one another.
Collaboration also ensures the quality of our work. Peer reviews help us identify potential flaws, refine ideas, and catch mistakes or oversights. Every project can benefit from a fresh set of eyes before it goes to the association we’re working with. This results in a more thorough and polished final product.
Lessons learned: 5 tips for your association’s design team
1. Communication is key. When starting a new project, don’t be afraid to ask questions and dig deep — it will create a more impactful result. Get clarity upfront to prevent unnecessary work and extra revisions that could’ve been addressed in the first round. Communication is also important when it comes to transparency about timing. Be clear about the steps it takes to create quality design and ensure key stakeholders you’re working with (i.e., the marketing team, your executive director, etc.) are aware of the process and on board with timelines. This applies to vendors, too. For example, if you’re working with a printer, you want to be sure to provide ample time to proof, print and ship.
2. Fully understand what makes your association tick — what gets its leaders, volunteers and members energized about the mission and the vision. Knowing this will help you bring the brand to life. In addition, as a designer, it’s important to refrain from making assumptions about what you think a project should be or what it should aim to achieve. Everyone has creative preferences based on their own experiences. Know what your blind spots and biases are and keep an open mind throughout the process.
3. Work with your marketing and content team. Everyone is working toward the same goal. If you need new or more content, ask the content manager or editor. If you have questions about how the designs will be distributed or promoted, ask the marketing team. Having a better understanding of the entire process will make for better designs.
4. Make sure the right people are involved in the creative process. Bringing in the right people at the beginning of the conversation helps ensure everyone is on the same page from the start. There can be a lot of moving parts, and the lack of planning and communication with key stakeholders can quickly derail a project.
5. If at first you don’t succeed, try again. While this saying might be cliché, it’s true. Creativity doesn’t happen overnight. Sometimes you have to find out what doesn’t work to find out what does.
Give yourself the time and space to experiment and explore. Lean on your fellow designers for support and inspiration. Great design is a marathon, not a sprint.
Dreaming of a design refresh? Whether it's a brand overhaul, publication revamp or a digital makeover, MCI USA is here to bring your vision to life. Let's create magic together.
Kelsy McCarthy is the associate vice president of MCI USA’s Design Services Division.
MCI USA
