Our graphic designer, Jordan, shares her top three takeaways from the 2024 CreativePro Week that was held from July 9 – 12 in Washington, DC.
At Devaney & Associates, our team members are always encouraged and supported when it comes to pursuing continuing education opportunities. As an agency that finds value in fostering growth and staying forward-thinking, each of our departments strive to be at the forefront of industry developments and trends, the newest tools and technology to boost our efficiency, and innovative ways to enhance our creative craft to better serve our clients.
Our graphic designer, Jordan, had the chance to do just that at the 2024 CreativePro Week in Washington, DC. There, she attended several informative sessions and immersed herself in the latest trends, tools, and techniques for design professionals.
At D&A, we believe in sharing the latest marketing knowledge—so, here are Jordan’s top three takeaways from the event:
1. Streamlining the Design Process and Boosting Productivity
A common theme at CreativePro Week was how to leverage the latest and greatest tools to streamline workflows and enhance productivity in the creative workplace. Here’s what Jordan learned:
- Software for Seamless Processes – Any designer knows that ad resizes may seem like a mindless activity, but they can actually take up a ton of time. Jordan had the opportunity to explore a software solution called Santa Cruz that makes ad resizes easier using AI. All you have to do is upload a single ad design and the software will automatically create different ad sizes for you. While it may not always be perfect, it does save you a lot of hassle—plus, you are always able to edit your files to ensure accuracy and consistency.
In addition to the AI tool, Jordan was introduced to PageProof, a software that consolidates all proofing tasks in one easy-to-use platform. From emails to websites to ads, PageProof simplifies the process of receiving feedback on your work—so you can focus all of your energy on finalizing your design.
2. Understanding and Supporting Design Flexibility
Let’s say you’re a member of an in-house marketing team. A big part of working with other people is having to navigate how projects are viewed. Not every person on your team will feel comfortable with the tools we use as creatives to review projects—and that’s totally understandable! Designers have to be flexible and willing to try out more user-friendly methods that make our designs accessible to a wider audience, regardless of the platform they use. Let’s take a closer look at the alternative Jordan learned about:
- Interactive PDF Alternatives – Adobe Express is a content creation tool that serves as a great alternative to creating interactive PDFs. The tool provides a more comprehensible way to design and send any type of creative content that needs to render seamlessly across multiple viewers’ devices.
3. Pushing the Creative Boundaries
One of the best parts of working in marketing is exploring modern applications that help you bring your out-of-the-box ideas to life. But sometimes it’s about finding new ways to use the tried-and-true applications that allow you to truly put your creative skills to the test. See how you can use PowerPoint and After Effects to your advantage:
- Animation in PowerPoint – PowerPoint might seem like a dated form of marketing your brand, but there’s a lot that can be done to make a PowerPoint presentation more dynamic. The CreativePro Week speakers encouraged attendees to push boundaries in PowerPoint using animation—something that we already have been utilizing for our clients at D&A to help them stand out from their competition!
- Motion Design in After Effects – Captivating motion graphics don’t have to take hours and hours to make. Speakers shared insight on the After Effects application and how it makes motion design a breeze. Plus, Jordan learned that our agency’s workflow and thought processes for using After Effects align with industry standards—another bonus for Team D&A!
Educational events such as the 2024 CreativePro Week help increase our team’s creative inspiration and abilities—allowing us to return with new techniques and ideas to take our clients’ marketing to the next level.
Need a fresh solution for your upcoming marketing project? We’re here to help! Schedule a call with our team today.
