Member Perspectives: Design and Meme Culture

We've all seen the famous designer memes: such as "Make it pop," "Expectations vs. Budget" and "Just a quick tweak."  Are they really funny? Think again.

As designers, we have a higher calling to bring beauty and clarity to a visually-polluted world. As designers, our job isn't just about making things look good; it's about improving and elevating everyday user experiences through thoughtful design.

We also have a unique opportunity to educate our clients, helping them reach a point where they can appreciate and demand beautiful, functional design. Clients can and should be our biggest allies in this important mission. However, this noble pursuit can be undermined by memes. Yes. Memes.

I found this definition of memes to be quite fascinating: “Memes are cultural ideas that spread and repeat themselves across society.”

Meme culture has become an undeniable force in today's digital world, weaving its way into our daily lives and professional circles. While memes offer a quick laugh, a vehicle to vent frustration and a sense of camaraderie among peers, they can have a darker side, influencing how we perceive and interact with clients.

The Problem with Vilifying Clients

It's common to find memes that poke fun at client requests, behaviours or lack of design knowledge. While these memes can be hilarious and relatable, they also contribute to a culture that normalizes criticizing and vilifying clients. This isn't just unhealthy; it's counterproductive.

When we constantly expose ourselves to content that portrays clients as adversaries, we risk:

• Eroding professional relationships: Clients are our partners, not our enemies. A mindset skewed by negative memes can lead to friction, miscommunication and a lack of trust.
• Diminishing professionalism: Engaging in or endorsing such humour publicly can damage your professional image and the reputation of our industry.
• Creating a toxic work environment: Normalizing negative attitudes towards clients can foster a work culture where cynicism and negativity thrive, impacting team morale and productivity.

Elevating Our Profession

As creative professionals, it's our responsibility to elevate our industry by fostering positive and respectful client relationships. Here's how we can respond to colleagues and peers sharing such memes and shift the narrative:

1. Lead by example: Share positive stories and experiences about client interactions. Highlight instances where collaboration led to outstanding results.
2. Educate and empathize: Encourage empathy by reminding colleagues that clients come from different backgrounds and may need help understanding the design process. Education can transform frustration into productive dialogue.
3. Promote professionalism: Uphold a standard of professionalism in all online and offline communications. This reinforces our commitment to respectful and constructive client relationships.
4. Redirect the conversation: If a colleague shares a negative meme, gently steer the conversation towards solutions rather than complaints. For example, "I've faced that too, but I found that explaining X can help them understand our perspective."

Create a positive meme culture: Develop and share memes celebrating successful collaborations and highlighting the fun and rewarding aspects of working with clients. Although meme culture can bring humour and foster a sense of belonging, it's essential to be mindful of the impact these jokes have on our professional relationships and industry reputation. By focusing our humour on building a culture of respect and professionalism, we can enhance the design profession and foster stronger, more productive client relationships.