Why Creative Competition Is Necessary

Nothing gives insight into a creative profession like a reality television show. Everybody knows that. Fashion designers, chefs, interior designers, artists and now even sci-fi costume creators all have their own reality shows on various cable networks. So what about graphic designers? Well, that reality show lives at the AIGA Pivot conference. It's called "Command X." It comes complete with a celebrity host, a theme song and a panel of brutally honest judges. The premise is 9 young designers from all over the world competing against each other with tasks such as designing a logo, brand identity or product packaging in a very limited time frame.

I had the privilege to be in the live audience at the conference in October. Though this conference exclusive reality show was entertaining, it was also an insight into what a designer does. There's something about competition that legitimizes what we do. Or at least explains it. Design doesn't have a set formula. It's creative based, making it difficult to see how much strategy goes into a piece. Anyone can recognize when there hasn't been strategic thinking behind a design. Good design makes it look easy. You don't have to strain to figure out the point of communication.

Within KPS3, the strategy and goal behind the design is always the first conversation. Without it, the communication gets lost. Some competition between our designers also helps us come up with the best solution. To see for yourself and get a little bit of insight into the day-to-day of what graphic designers are capable of, check out a season here.