I learn some amazing things and meet some wise people as I go along. One such person is Albert. A graphic designer I sometimes work with. Originally from Hong Kong. he’s Chinese Australian or the other way around, depending on your point of view. Albert’s been honing his craft for many years, classically training as a graphic designer way before Adobe or Quark were on hand. In other words he’s an old hand.
One day I was sitting next to him, art directing a piece of marketing collateral. Pictures, text, logo etc. He was laying the page out and it looked good. Me being an advertising > marketing > sales kind of guy suggested he make the offer bigger. It didn’t have the prominence that I thought it should. Maybe I was after the butcher shop window look. This weeks special … portuguese sausages.
With glee in his eyes, Albert said ‘That’s right. We put legs on snake!’
An old Chinese proverb, it took me a second to understand what he meant.
Snakes are perfect. Sometimes they are superior.
Why put legs on them.
Designing content, bear this piece of wisdom in mind.
Don’t put legs on snakes.
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