Abstract

The article presents the author's opinion that marketing managers can profit from an understanding of the dynamics of change in visual design and its influence, both from the consumer's standpoint and from the designer's standpoint. The modern marketer is basically concerned with the dynamics of change in all its ramifications as it concerns the consumer. Visual design is only one aspect of his total task. In the past, marketing decisions have been made primarily by rule-of-thumb methods. Today's marketers are searching for criteria to use as more valid guides in making executive decisions. The search is gradually leading them toward the development of marketing theory and principles to be used for guidance in the planning, execution and control of marketing activities. The historical development of styles outside the sphere of business activity may provide the marketer with meaningful insights. This avenue of approach is beneficial, because the principles developed from a study of the history of visual design can be objectively focused on the marketing task and the criteria developed can be accurately tested in the crucible of the marketplace.