The Societal

INFLUENCE
of Graphic Design
Figure 1. Adbusters.
“Stay Away from Corporations
That Want You to Lie.” 1999.
by Cassandra Reese
uman beings both create and relect
H the world around them. The power of
inluence for one individual is substantial,
as every action ripples out into the world
around them. Others regard their behaviors
and—whether consciously or subconscious-
ly—they are affected. While it is impossible to
ever know the total impact one makes in the
world, it is possible to set a personal inten-
tion to be, do and create good. While the
umbrella concept of “good” is elusive, as per-
ceptual judgments can vary, the true colors
behind an action might best be realized in the
intention for collective well-being. Perhaps
Milton Glaser put it best when stating that
at the very least, design should “try to do no
harm” (Soar 576). Designers have the pro-
found capability to inluence the world, if not
simply because design affects every detail
of how individuals live their lives (Heskett 2).
The conversation surrounding social design
is one that recognizes the intrinsic capabil-
ity graphic design has to inluence the social
conscience. Through visual communication,
designers both contribute to and relect the
social and cultural identities of society. By
shifting the focus of design back towards
humanity, it is beneicial for designers to
explore the societal inluence they possess
and to ask themselves what message their
current work is communicating to the world.

2 The Societal Influence of Graphic Design 3


Figure 2. Adbusters.
“There’s a Little McDonald’s
in Everyone.” 2002.
4 The Societal Influence of Graphic Design 5
“Designers have the ability to make
choices that affect how other human
beings live their lives.”
Surely, it is challenging to ind spaces in the world
that are completely natural—that have not been
touched in some way by design. The impact
of design on the modern world demonstrates
mankind’s ability “to shape and make our envi-
ronments…[as well as] serve our needs and give
meaning to our lives” (Heskett 5). Designers are
essentially the molders of experience. What this
means is that designers do so much more than
create concepts for clients; they are also respon-
sible for how ideas are executed, as well as how
beneicial they ultimately are (6). While the cre-
ative skills of designers have been predominantly
used in the areas of “production and consump-
tion” (Soar 570), there is an ingrained, yet latent,
signiicance that designers possess. Designers
have the ability to make choices that affect how
other human beings live their lives (Heskett 5-6).
This power comes with great responsibility in
that designers give form to what human beings
see, consume, as well as waste (Berman 1). So-
cially conscious design, or as Milton Glaser calls
it, “designism,” is about making a commitment to
being aware of how design affects the world and
humanity (Scalin and Taute). Yet it is impossible
to change something one is unaware of. To truly
understand the potential design has to improve
society, one must irst recognize the effect de-
sign is already creating.
Culturally, design inluences consumerism,
socially acceptable behaviors, incomes, as well
as gender roles. Culture is a learned behavior
that is habituated by the society of which one is
a part. Whitely points out that any system one
lives within may appear completely normal, as
one’s values are shaped by the culture itself (2).
The values of mankind are shaped by design in
that it generates a social language that is used to
communicate a lifestyle (Whitely 17). A tool for
visual communication, graphic design promotes
product appeal through positive association. A
product or brand might incorporate desirable
qualities such as success, attractiveness, leisure,
and happiness to create positive brand connec-
tions. By wearing or using a particular product,
one’s self-concept is both created and communi-
cated to the world. The personality of the brand
is adopted by the fabricated personality of the
individual (Norman 53-56), and creates “a rep-
resentation of an ideal, a lifestyle, a philosophy”
(Berman 50). Businesses are aware that design
changes how we “think and act” and are utilizing
its power to inluence consumer spending.
The use of design for consumerist goals has
supported an insatiable desire to consume that
exceeds necessity. Since World War II, America
has moved into a frenzy of mass consumption,
saturating the market with an abundance of
homes, cars, goods and services (Whiteley 15).
Today, the average American encounters over
3,000 promotional visual messages each day
(Berman 53). The designer’s value became
primarily to promote and sell products, and
ultimately to generate revenue for a client’s
company. Consumer-led design places the needs
of the business above the needs of humanity—
the product above the person. One innovative,
non-proit publication, Adbusters Magazine, is
seeking to shift cultural values, by using their
design skills to sell ideas, rather than products
(Adbusters). According to Kalle Lasn, editor of
Adbusters magazine, the average American is
able to recognize 1,000 corporate brands, yet
only 10 plants (Berman 53). Rooted in social
activism, the publication feels corporations are to
blame for corrupting cultural environments, and
are seeking to counteract their efforts through a
political process called “culture jamming.” By
harnessing the power of their design skills for the
beneit of mankind, Adbusters is creating
billboards, TV spots and advertisements (see ig.
1) targeted at fulilling a social purpose. In Fig. 1,
Adbusters created a series of spoof advertise-
ments in response to the effect McDonald’s is
having on global health. The message Adbusters
is sending also calls for designers to take a stand,
rather than to simply be “foot-soldiers for
consumer capitalism.” For one design (see ig. 2),
Adbusters hired typographer Jonathan Barnbrook
to create a billboard for display outside an AIGA
conference held in Las Vegas. The billboard
included a quote by Tibor Kalman, “Stay away
from corporations that want you to lie for them”
(Soar 583), and utilized cropped images of
well-known advertisements. Other efforts of the
publication have included the creation of social
marketing campaigns including Buy Nothing Day
and Digital Detox Week (Adbusters).
 The hamster wheel of production and consump-
tion is certainly having a detrimental effect on
the environment. This is not to mention that
50-75 percent of human beings on the planet do
not have necessities of life (Whitely 3), a further
example of the incongruity between the desire
established through advertising and basic hu-
man needs. Whitely points out the design ield
must pay attention to the concerns of the world
and the repercussions of the work it is creat-
ing. “Designers can no longer take refuge from
responsibility for their own actions and continu-
ally repackage the same old type of consumer
goods… when issues about consuming and its
relationship to the world’s resources and energy
need urgently to be acted upon” (Whitely 15). In
the words of ancient Chinese philosopher Lao
Tzu, “If you do not change direction, you may end
up where you are heading.”
While design undoubtedly has a far-reaching
inluence on global culture, there is the question
as to how much inluence a designer can make,
when they are not commonly the ones deciding
what is being sold or the strategies being
implemented on a grander scale. In many
working environments, the designer acts as a
mediator, giving form to someone else’s mes-
sage. Glaser points out that by simply becoming
aware of the passive role designers typically
assume, they might better realize how the
designs they are creating are affecting the world
around them (Soar 578). Scalin and Taute also
point out that a designer has more choices than
they may initially realize including: the photogra-
phy, the printer, the paper choices, the ink, the
mailing list, as well as the choice to walk away
from a project that does not serve a greater
interest. Designer can ask themselves questions
such as: “Are the workers treated fairly and paid
well?” “Does [the paper] contain recycled
materials?” or “Does the company make socially
conscious business choices” (Scalin and Taute)?
6 The Societal Influence of Graphic Design 7
“...the design field must
pay attention to the
concerns of the world
and the repercussions of
the work it is creating.”
In the era of overpriced goods, planned obsoles-
cence, ‘McMansions’ and growing planetary
concerns, many designers have already realized
the capability they have to bring about change—
and have initiated the necessary steps.
While socially conscious design might appear
to be a newer conversation, the topic has been
around since 1964 with “The First Things First”
manifesto created by Ken Garland and signed
by twenty-one designers. In 1999, the manifesto
was updated and signed by 33 internationally
recognized designers (Scalin and Taute). This in-
spirational, yet controversial, statement brings to
light the fact that designers have predominantly
used their talents for commercial purposes, and
this focus has shaped the way design work is per-
ceived (First Things First). The manifesto calls for
“social responsibility” amongst graphic designers,
and draws attention to the fact that design may
have the potential to fulill a greater purpose
(Soar 573). In their statement to designers the
manifesto states, “There are pursuits more wor-
thy of our problem-solving skills. Unprecedented
environmental, social and cultural crises demand
our attention” (First Things First). Design “has
the power to give a voice to people and causes
without access to multi-million-dollar advertising
budgets and to offer people alternative visions of
how the world might be” (Scalin and Taute).
Figure 3.
Nail Communications.
“Nothing.” 2011.
 Rather than solely working to support corporate
advertising, the concern for human welfare is
gaining attention. Designers are paying attention
to the impact they are making environmentally,
ecologically and socially (Socially Responsible).
AIGA, the professional association for design, has
recognized the potential designers have to make
a difference in their communities. With 22,000
AIGA members, 66 chapters, and over 200
student organizations, there is an enormous pull
of creative ability that, when harnessed, might
truly move mountains—and it already has. In a
movement called Design for Good, designers are
being urged to match their unique abilities with
design projects to ignite social change. Through
this platform, designers are able to plug into the
conversation to gather inspiration, share stories,
read case studies, join forces with other design-
ers, as well as locate opportunities for need.
AIGA also awards grants toward designers and
students interested in taking these initiatives.
Figure 4. Leo Burnett
Toronto.“Helping Hunger
Disappear.” 2008.
8 The Societal Inluence of Graphic Design 9
The vision for this movement not only includes
raising awareness of design-driven social change,
but also seeks to change the way communities
view designers as a whole. The goal is that
communities will recognize designers as a vital,
cultural force that can be called upon, in collabo-
ration with others, to move the culture forward.
The message is for designers to get involved in
any way they can—through programs, with
others designers, or even individually
(Design for Good).
An increasing number of designers have already
created positive change within their local com-
munities. Case studies contributed to the AIGA
Design for Good webpage encompass a broad
range of issues including education, animal activ-
ism, poverty, world hunger, health and wellness,
politics, sustainability, tragedy, and marriage
equality. The magnitude of the issue addressed
is entirely speciic to the strengths and capabili-
ties of the team (Design for Good) though in the
words of the Greek philosopher Aesop, “No act
of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
In one case study, Nothing (2011), the Rhode
Island Community Food Bank worked together
with design agency, Nail Communications, to
dramatically raise awareness of hunger in Rhode
Island. The goal of the project was to increase
donations amongst younger community mem-
bers. When the team realized that nothing could
be done to stop hunger—that is precisely what
they did. A campaign was launched to design a
solution directly rooted in the problem, and cans
of Nothing (see ig. 3) were created and sold
at local food retailers. Not only did this project
dramatically transform the community’s percep-
tion of hunger, the Rhode Island Food Bank sold
14,000 cans, generating over $50,000 in dona-
tions. The results were so effective that three
other states—Ohio, Vermont, and New Hamp-
shire—have decided to license this campaign
(Nothing Can End Hunger). Since that time, the
project has gone on to win several awards, and
has been featured in The New York Times, NPR
and The Providence Journal (Design for Good).
In a similar example, the element of surprise
was integrated in a concept by Campbell’s Soup
Company to draw attention to hunger on a global
scale (see ig. 4). In advocacy of world hunger,
the company stacked cans of soup spelling out
the word hunger. Viewers were invited to take a
can and donate it, and as participation increased,
hunger both metaphorically and literally started
to disappear (Heller, Steven, and Mirko 47).
 “Look around, ask questions
and move toward the greater
good one small act at a time.”
With every day that passes, more and more
businesses are pursuing socially conscious
design. Social Impact Studios (SIS), a design
studio founded in Philadelphia, PA in 1996,
focuses primarily on design as a form of social
activism. What began as a non-proit organiza-
tion grew into a small business when the founder,
Ennis Carter, desired to expand their client base
to address a broader range of issues. The
company’s mission centers on keeping costs low,
working with passion, and focusing on what
Carter calls the “triple bottom line”—people,
planet, and proits. By telling a story through
compelling visuals, SIS seeks to inspire change by
creating meaningful experiences. Their client list
contains well-known names including AARP,
World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, as
well as 200 other groups through which the
organization has designed nearly 2,000 projects.
In an initiative, Posters for the People, the
company is helping to raise awareness of public
issues by recreating lost WPA Posters (see ig. 5)
from 1936-1943. A “national treasure”, these
silkscreened posters were initially commissioned
by Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal administration,
yet were regretfully never archived. To commem-
orate the 75th anniversary of The New Deal, SIS
created a book to showcase the restored poster
designs, as well as launched a website to pre-
serve the new designs. In addition to improving
the world one design at a time, SIS is tailoring its
Figure 5. Posters for the
People. “Work Pays for
America.” 1936-1941.
business model to assist groups with little to no
budget. Through the creation of a philanthropic
service, Lost Treasures, SIS provides access to
unused concepts the studio had previously
discarded—essentially creating a second-hand
store of the graphic design world (Social Impact
Studios). Organizations such as SIS remind us
that the possibilities of how a designer can make
a difference are limited only by the constraints of
their heart and imagination.
In the words of Milton Glaser, “We are all born
with genius. It’s like our fairy godmother. But
what happens in life is that we stop listening to
our inner voices, and we no longer have access
to this extraordinary ability to create poetry.” The
path to pursuing socially conscious design is no
different in that it beckons one to question what
matters most to them—yet they must be will-
ing to listen. Choosing projects that aligns with
personal values and goals may sound idealist,
but perhaps that is where individuals are able
to make their greatest contribution. While an
increasing number of designers are choosing to
step into the arena of creating to improve hu-
manity, there is always more work to be done. It
seems the key behind all of this is to irst become
aware, and then start from where you are. Look
around, ask questions and move toward the
greater good one small act at a time. The impact
will surely ripple out. n
The Societal Influence of Graphic Design 11
 Works Cited
Adbusters. n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.
<http://adbusters.org>.

Berman, David B. Do Good Design: How Designers Can

Save the World. Berkeley, Calif.: New Riders, 2008. Print.

“Design for Good.” AIGA. Web. 30 Sept. 2014. <http://

www.aiga.org/design-for-good/>.

“First Things First Manifesto 2000.” Emigre. 1999. Web.

15 Oct. 2014.

Heller, Steven, and Mirko Ilić. Stop, Think, Go, Do

[Electronic Resource]: How Typography & Graphic
Design Inluence Behavior / Steven Heller & Mirko Ilić.
n.p.: Beverly, Mass. : Rockport Publishers, 2012., 2012.
KentLINK. Web. 26 Sept. 2014.

Heskett, John. Design: A Very Short Introduction.

Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print.

Norman, Donald A. Emotional Design: Why We Love (or

Hate) Everyday Things. New York: Basic, 2004. Print.

“Nothing Can End Hunger.” Nail. Web. 1 Oct. 2014.

<http://www.nail.cc/work/nothing/>

Scalin, Noah, and Michelle Taute. The Design Activist’s

Handbook [Electronic Resource]: How To Change The
World (Or At Least Your Part Of It) With Socially
Conscious Design / Noah Scalin + Michelle Taute. n.p.:
Blue Ash, Ohio : HOW Books, c2012., 2012. KentLINK.
Web. 1 Oct. 2014.

Simmons, Christopher. Just Design: Socially Conscious

Design for Critical Causes. Cincinnati, OH: How, 2011. Print.

Soar, Matthew. “The First Things First Manifesto And

The Politics Of Culture Jamming: Towards A Cultural
Economy Of Graphic Design And Advertising (English).”
Cultural Studies 16.4 (0001): 570-592. Francis. Web. 14
Oct. 2014.

Social Impact Studios. n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2014. <http://

socialimpactstudios.com>.

“Socially Responsible: Design Is History.” Design Is

History. Web. 05 Sept. 2014. <http://www.designishis-
tory.com/design/socially-responsible>.

Whiteley, Nigel. Design for Society. London: Reaktion,

1993. Print.

12