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Bright future for branding, design in SA
Career opportunities in the design and branding industry are greater and more fulfilling in countries with emerging economies than in the developed world. This is the view of Gary Harwood, a director of branding company, HKLM, and chairperson of think (the South African Graphik Design Council), who also passionately believes that designers and creative people have not only the ability to change the world - but also a responsibility to do so.
Harwood is widely respected and acknowledged as a leader in the design and branding industry, and was recently awarded the University of Johannesburg's Alumni Association's highest honour, the Alumni Dignitas Award. This award has been seen as a major boost for the arts field and serves as encouragement for learners to choose design as a rewarding career option.
Hugely rewarding
As a career choice, he says design is hugely rewarding, challenging and thrilling - but it is an industry in which people need to work together constructively and harmoniously and with absolute respect for each other.
His advice to those looking for a career in design is simple. At the outset, he urges them to read Richard Florida's book,
"We all know that everyone has unlimited access to information these days, but it is what we do with this information and how creatively we use it that will determine our future. Creative people are going to be highly sought after - not only for their design skills but for their creative problem-solving skills too," he says.
More cohesive
"To be taken seriously and to be treated like professionals, creative people have to behave like professionals," he continues. "In his book, Florida says the creative class has to evolve from an amorphous group of self-directed, high achieving individuals into a more responsible, more cohesive group who are interested in the common good."
Talking of common good, Harwood remarks that designers are presented with daily opportunities to make a difference to society. "Think about it. Everything around us that has not been created naturally has originated from a designer's drawing board. Whether it is functional or aesthetic, whether it is a building, a piece of clothing, a vehicle, a machine or a video screen, someone has created it. As designers, we have to ask ourselves whether our creations contribute to society or detract from it. Do we need more Tuscan villas? Must we continue using non-biodegradable products ? Should we be perpetuating a culture where disposable products are the norm ?"
Harwood's view is that 75% of design has a negative effect on society, and that the creative industry has a responsibility to change that.
Design challenges
He believes that South Africa, with its turbulent past and diverse cultural mix, gives the creative class unique insights and abilities to handle design challenges - particularly those of emerging markets.
"I urge students not to rush off to London and New York to find fame and fortune, but rather to spend time in South Africa understanding the dynamics of our complex society and be a pioneer in one of the most dynamic, exciting and challenging industries," he concludes.
