Why Should Digital Printing Businesses in the Philippines Incorporate Ethical Designs?

The word “ethical” may suggest images of nuns and priests, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. The term today actually refers to how a company does business.

What is ethical design exactly?

Ethical is a term that has been around for centuries. It comes from the Greek word “ethikos” which means “moral.” Ethical principles include honesty, fairness, and ethical behavior. When a business or industry relies on unethical practices, it hurts the public and the business itself. 

As a designer/artist, it is important to adhere to ethical and moral principles when designing characters, logos, websites, and other printed materials. Doing so helps ensure the authenticity and realism of your final product.

However, arbitrary factors such as politics, religion, and culture also play a role in ethical design.

Why is it important for designers to be ethically guided?

Today’s world is a very competitive and fast-paced place. It’s no wonder many people are influenced by the views of others, particularly celebrities. Unfortunately, most people today look to fancy advertisements to guide product quality and service. With the arrival of social media, many individuals show their fashion choices on Facebook or Twitter rather than in real life.

Many businesses today choose to use the Internet as their prime marketing channel, and because of this, many companies now use gritty, gritty, and gritty images. Unfortunately, linked to this is a trend that sees many companies using very stark and unnatural images of children that emphasize the child’s eye color rather than the child’s face. This is not only unfortunate but distasteful.

Another case in point is the creation of logos that use a technique called “dodging,” which makes the light areas of a photo lighter but produces a dark, hard-edged look. The problem with dodging is that it can be used to trick the public by making an image appear as if it’s not digitally manipulated.

While it will depend on who makes the final decision, designers need to know that their main priority here is to put community interests at parity with personal interests.

Clients need to know that decision-makers in printing firms must be guided by the consumer’s interest and their community.

Why printed materials need to be of ethical design

Since the status quo has become solely reliant on unconventional and unnatural marketing techniques, the business community needs to adjust accordingly. For one thing, too many businesses are using improper marketing techniques. 

Most of these techniques are used because they are cheap; however, consumers are left with a substandard product in the end.

1. Good design is visually honest – it does not misrepresent reality; it does not exploit or deceive.

The ethical design considers how practices affect the well-being of people and the environment. Ethical designers know that although every design choice impacts consumers and society, not all options are equally important. Therefore, understanding whether a particular choice will benefit or harm others and the environment is a crucial responsibility of ethical designers.

An example of a design case is when a start-up attempted to use the national flag of the Philippines as the backdrop. Unfortunately, the instruction breaks the law since the national flag must not be used commercially. 

2. Ethical designers are mindful of how others will perceive their choices.

Many times, unethical designs are created because the designer is not aware that the design choice will have an impact on those who will be receiving the final product.

This can take form in many ways, such as all-new characters/people with dark hair and eyes (not supposed to look like white people in real life). Often, these characters are drawn up to be very idealized in terms of Western beauty standards. 

Another example is the exclusion of certain races in a design. This can lead consumers to think that a particular product or service is only meant for a certain race, and they might develop prejudice towards the product. 

3. Ethical designers respect the intellectual property

Not all designs are created equal. Ethical designers have respect for the intellectual property rights of others, such as photographs and fashion designs. It means that ethical designers will never use someone else’s idea, concept, or photograph without having first obtained proper permission from the creator.

Since design is a form of communication, it is essential to know that copying and using another person’s design without having first obtained proper copyright registration or evidence of legal sale might lead to legal liability.

Conclusion

Ethical designers must understand that their message is not just for the people they serve but also for the people receiving the design, which can lead to indirect impacts on society.