What I learned from design school vs. what I learned in marketing

Design school says: make beautiful, functional designs that serves a purpose

Marketing says: help someone out and serve a purpose 

Here I am holding a menu I drew for the mid autumn festival that just passed last week. 

Designers would say that the type and kerning is all funky. The information hierarchy of the pricing and sets could be better. The design looks like it was done in a single attempt.

For the most part, they’re right. 

On the other hand, marketers would ask: who is this for and do they want it? 

I finally got the answer to that question last week, as sales of our set menus exceeded expectations.

And so: design is important. Design matters. It makes the world a much more beautiful place. 

However, design plays a small part in a much bigger role of commerce. 

Don’t hold back your design work just because you think it’s ugly.