Recently, I started pondering a very simple concept.
Some of the best movies from the 1980’s contain great metaphors and advice for today’s print-on-demand creators.
Every day this week we’re going to take a look at a different 80’s blockbuster and see what lesson it holds for POD.
First up: The Breakfast Club.
A classic 80’s hit, there are many lessons about life that can be gleaned from this cinematic gem! In my opinion, a vital lesson is that good things can result from putting misfits together — jocks, nerds, girlie girls, emo kids, “bad boys,” etc.
This is a thought I’ve often had and shared with other sellers when offering portfolio feedback. Everyone’s MBA account should bear some resemblance to The Breakfast Club. In other words, we need to design for vastly diverse audiences with wildly different interests, attitudes, and perhaps most importantly…. styles. Yes, niches and niche audiences aside, this advice is especially pertinent to design styles and aesthetics.
In POD, extremes are your friends. I’m of the mindset that the simplest way to ensure that you’re not making too many designs that look and feel the same is to navigate between extremes from time to time and when appropriate given the niches at hand.
From understated and minimalistic, to in-your-face bold with maximum color intensity, having a mix of designs in your catalog that cater to polar opposite audiences represents a significant hedge against getting stuck in a pattern of making too many designs that look like they were made by the same person for the same customers.
Photo / Copyright ©Universal Studios
