You might have experienced this: assigning a designer who excels at print materials to design a website or app UI, only to end up with something that feels awkward or hard to use. The opposite happens too. A UI/UX specialist might create visuals for an ad, but the result feels oddly flat or emotionally disconnected. Although it’s all called “design,” the required skills and thinking process vary quite a bit by medium.
🌟 “A designer can design anything,” — have you ever thought that? It’s a surprisingly common assumption.
Take illustration, for example. It often gets lumped together with “design,” but in reality, it’s a completely different skill set. Some designers can illustrate, sure—but whether they’re good at it, or whether they can draw in a specific style, varies a lot. Some specialize in graphic design, others in UI, branding, or motion. The word “designer” covers a wide range of disciplines.
Being mindful of every stage of the marketing funnel is the key to achieving sustainable success. Awareness, Interest, Consideration, and Action — rather than focusing too heavily on one, designing a strategy that thoughtfully covers all stages leads to long-term growth.
For brands and products with limited market presence or low brand recognition, focusing on the “middle funnel” is especially crucial. Most consumers don’t make purchasing decisions on the spot. Instead, they first develop interest, engage in comparison and evaluation, and then finally take action. Without the right approach at this stage, even if you succeed in building awareness, many potential customers may drop off before making a purchase.