What is Graphic Design?

Graphic Design, Defined

You asked, we’re here to answer. Graphic design is the art of putting together text and/or images to communicate an idea. Designs are typically found on websites, in advertising, on marketing collateral, or through typography. Similarly to copywriting, graphic design is often used to promote or accompany some other content in order to persuade the viewer to take action—like buy, explore, or learn more.

WHAT MAKES IT GRAPHIC DESIGN?

It’s the arrangement of visual and text elements in a layout purposely created to direct the viewer’s eye to the content and information being presented, and includes colors, shapes and images. It’s used in media—both print and digital. There is a whole lot more that makes graphic design effective. Also similar to copywriting, there are a few things that the designer must keep in mind when creating. At its most basic, you might think of the 3 C’s:

Composition – this is how the items (images and text) are laid out in relation to one another

Components – this is the images (color, shape) and text that are used in the design

Concept –  this is the idea that the designer wishes to convey to the viewer through the design

TYPES OF GRAPHIC DESIGN

There are different types of graphic design, from packaging design to game design. But the ones that we at Zipcode Creative use are more common. Zipcode Creative’s graphic design for multifamily includes: web design, advertising and marketing design, and typography design.

Most often, you’ll find us using advertising and marketing design for your apartment brand.

WHAT GRAPHIC DESIGN IS NOT

Some things aren’t graphic design:

• Photography
• Painting
• Physical drawing
• Fashion design
• MARKETING 

So about that last one. Graphic design isn’t marketing because it doesn’t analyze numbers and sift through data—it’s creative at its core. Now, design is there for a purpose, to communicate an idea, so it’s a marketing and branding tool. But it’s not all there is. And it’s not exactly the same as marketing.

Graphic Design for Multifamilies

All that explanation of what graphic design is, and you may still be wondering how graphic design is used in multifamily, specifically.

Graphic design is a big part of the brand, the visuals, and the overall vibe of your community. Like so:

BRANDING GUIDELINES

In our brand guidelines, we outline all kinds of goodies for your apartment community.
Among those that are graphic design items? Plenty. Here they are:

Logos – Primary logo, your secondary logo and any submarks (logo best practices here)

Colors – Your color palette, along with their identifying codes: Hex, RGB, CMYK and/or Pantone

Typography – Font styles, sizes, and spacing, as well as their specific hierarchy as titles, headings, subheadings, and body copy

Design Elements – Brand patterns, brand shapes, brand collage styles, and brand stamps

Imagery – Iconography (icons representing your amenities) and illustrations (large graphics meant for a website backdrop or large wall art) are helpful for residents to skim over your designs

SIGNAGE

Nothing like an attention-grabbing, big, beautiful sign. Apartments can benefit from an array of signage for branded curb appeal and attracting drive-by or walk-by traffic:

• Yard/Bandit/Bootleg Signs
• Banners

• Table Tents

• Posters

• MDO Signs

• Wall Murals

• Window Clings

Honestly, that’s a lot, and amazingly, there are even more. Billboards, custom wraps, parking signs, A-Frames, your logo and name will be everywhere. Sounds like a lot of graphic design would come in handy, eh?

MARKETING COLLATERAL

So, is your community the epitome of modern-luxury-meets-classy-timelessness? Or are you going for more of a trendy-urban-upscale vibe? 

Your graphic design pieces from your logo to your color palette to your typography should all underscore the idea that you’re going for. There are so many pieces that require graphic design—and if you only need one, that’s all you should pay for. That said, all the marketing collateral we provide includes:

• Stationery (business cards, letterhead, envelopes!)
• Rack Cards or Direct Mailers
• Brochures
• Price Sheets
• Flyers

There’s plenty more where that came from, too. And don’t forget your event booth stuff, too (tablecloths, branded promo products, booth walls.) First impressions mean a lot—more on that later.

DIGITAL DESIGN

Graphic design covers everything online as well. Emails, websites, digital ads, graphics for social. You’ll want to make sure your website specifically (which is the biggest marketing tool you have) is aligned with your brand. The best way to do that is to hire a graphic designer to professionally design it—and then a copywriter to write it.

MAPS

This one gets forgotten sometimes. But honestly, where would we be without maps? (I’ll see myself out.) Graphic design is necessary for all your floorplans and maps. It ventures into architectural design territory, but we’ve got it covered. For the following, you’ll need graphic design:

• Property Sitemaps
• Location/Area Maps

Why is Graphic Design Important for Apartment Communities?

You might be hesitant to hire a pro graphic designer for all the needs at your community. 

Isn’t a logo enough? Never. Logos can’t carry an entire brand on its shoulders—there’s plenty an apartment logos can’t do. We also want to make sure your community is branded according to your property class and we want to make sure you’ve got all your bases covered. A la carte menu options for design? Sure thing. 

We know that not all creative agencies work the way we do, so we’re ready to have you take the lead. We’ll guide as needed. Here’s why we think graphic design is important for apartment communities:

FIRST INTERACTION

It won’t be in-person, that first interaction. It’s more likely they’ll see a digital ad or a flyer. Whatever they see, it will be designed. And it will have one of three effects: 

1. They’ll want to know more.
2. They’ll be meh.
3. They’ll never think of it again.

So make that design a good one. And make sure it lines up with the rest of your brand. (Handy thing is, if you hire a graphic designer to do it all, it will have a much better chance of being similar and aligning.) Tell one visual story.

BUILD CULTURE

Design elements can come together to tell a story and give a better sense of community. Similar to messaging that offers up the ways you’re different from your competitors, your visual identity helps build up your brand’s culture. Use it to attract your residents.

HIGHLIGHT REEL

We’re good at what we do, including graphic design for multifamily. We’re expert problem solvers, too—we are, after all, creative.

The idea that you should always be communicating with your graphic design:

HERE IS HOME.

Visually, you can do this through the message you convey and by offering up solutions to their problems and pain points. So, pick your best side and graphic design it up!