National Geographic built and launched a completely new website to serve education prospects and customers in November 2009 and Project Big Fish, a company I work with in DC, was recently hired to deliver a brochure marketing this site to publishers. Project Big Fish decided that instead of having one designer create two variations for NG, they would give the same creative brief to two different designers to see what they came up with.

The outcome? Very interesting.

Project Big Fish’s in-house designer created one comp and I, the other. And while both designs adhered to the guidelines of the creative brief, the end product was completely different. Both used the NG trademark colors of yellow and black with secondary colors blue and orange. Both had curved elements, website screenshots and visually highlighted the wide range of video available on the site… But the in-house designer went for an overall dark theme and I went very light. She designed a more commercial brochure and I, more educational… Similiar ideas translated into vastly different designs.

In the end the client decided on using my layout for this specific project but both designs have their merit. It is always interesting to see how different designers approach the same creative challenge. More proof that is always smart to show clients varying comps/looks/color choices – sometimes the layout they move forward with is exactly what you would guess, and other times they surprise you.

*This is the first draft, changes/final edits to layout may occur.