Having the balls to choose a unique design

Any good designer will take the trouble to find something truly original, a unique design that mirrors the individual values and standards that put your company ahead of your competitors. Next week the skies over Bristol will be filled with an inspiring rise of colour as the 35^th International Bristol Balloon Fiesta gets underway, combining an elegant, timeless way of travel with stylish and often highly inventive designs.

Although there will be hundreds of balloons lighting up the skies, there are always one or two that get more attention than most. One such design project that has been attracting national media attention and considerable sharing on social media is a collaboration between The IT Crowd’s Chris O’Dowd and the Male Cancer Awareness Campaign. The proposed ‘Skyballs’ campaign would see a hot air balloon in the shape of an enormous scrotum being made in Bristol before flying around the country to break taboos and raise awareness of testicular cancer.

For all manner of reasons, having a design that stands out from the crowd is vital if you are to get your message across. When the number of potential similar designs doesn’t just number hundreds of balloons, but millions of websites, you need to get people’s attention to make sure your voice is heard. Of course it’s easier, and cheaper, to just pick a ready-made website off the shelf and spend ten minutes choosing a downloadable colour scheme. The ‘one size fits all’ approach can offer an affordable option to some, but it’s unlikely to impress anyone when they’re trying to find out who you are for the first time.

The money you save in the short term will be a small percentage of the money it costs you when clients decide you’re probably a cheap option and lower their maximum offer accordingly. Ultimately the bottom line of any business is the service or product you are selling is only worth what people are willing to pay for it. Presentation counts for a lot, and for many potential customers the first contact they will have with you is likely to be your website design. It’s your decision whether you’re going to meet then wearing a bespoke suit or discounted tracky bottoms.