What's seen and what's said

© rawpixel via Pixabay

Modern designers tend to give imagery preference, with copy reduced to an afterthought. Though it's often strictly placed and dictated by a brand's corporate identity, copy can do a lot of creative heavy lifting.

Ultimately, neither an image or copy will stand out unless they are based on a solid concept. Designers and copywriters work closely during the conception process, and this common ground is where effective collaboration is critical.

No designer enjoys doing their job by committee, but even unwelcome advice can result in a great piece of work. A strong interplay between a designer and a copywriter will bring out the best in each other’s discipline.

Creatives continuously come into contact with influences, compiling personal databases of visual and mental stimuli. Consulting and sharing a treasure trove of creativity during the concept phase is how strong ideas develop.

Great collaboration is essential

For designers, it's essential to be able to rely on a copywriter's skillset to outline and convey ideas, as well as provide the words to bring them to life.

For copywriters, a designer's visual cues lead the way for word selection to ensure the end product gets consumers' attention. Every agency has a concept process, but great collaboration between design and copy is essential in all.

Award-winning concepts can sometimes be derived from a few descriptive words; words that spark an idea. Those magical words are what designers want people to think and feel when they view and engage with a concept.

To achieve this every design and copy element has to live in harmony. Every element has to communicate the same message clearly and concisely. Within this harmony, it's the concept produced through collaboration that does the selling, and it always will.