Flipping through the channels this past weekend I came across the Grammy’s Red Carpet special on E! Being more interested in what the stars are wearing rather than seeing who wins the awards, I decide to watch. Most of it was the typical “Who are you wearing,” and “you look gorgeous,” yadda yadda yadda, until Lady GaGa stepped out of her limo. Never one to disappoint, Lady GaGa was wearing another crazy concoction – this time a solar-system type of outfit, complete with a metallic star illuminating her fingertip.

After my typical “This girl is wacko!” mumble, I continued to watch the red carpet show where immediately every other question was “Did you see what Lady GaGa was wearing?” And every few minutes she was shown posing in front of cameras. Even the day after the Grammy’s, radio and TV hosts, newspapers, and the Internet was buzzing with opinions about what she was wearing. She caused a whirlwind of chatter in an instant and it got me thinking: “What can Lady GaGa teach me about marketing and design?”

1) Never wear the same thing twice. How boring would Lady GaGa be if she wore the same outfit twice? Boring? Unoriginal? Maybe. Same goes with design. I’m not saying go out and spend money on a new campaign design every time you want to promote your product. However, take a look at your materials, how long have you been using the same concept? The same design? The same color scheme? Just as Lady GaGa wears new outfits in order to keep her image “fresh” you should think about changing things up every so often in order to keep your customers on their toes.

2) Mix colors and shapes. Lady GaGa’s outfit at the Grammy’s mixed silver, white, purple, and yellow. There were textures, and metallics. Not to mention pieces of her outfit popping out everywhere. Sure that deep-blue color might scream “corporate” but why not add an interesting texture to the background? Or maybe add a bold accent color to help make important parts of your materials stand out a bit? Even better, take your normal 8.5”x11” printed piece and change the overall shape. Maybe a square, maybe one side is longer than the other, or maybe the brochure folds into a triangle? The possibilities are endless!

3) Be bold. Large fonts, vibrant colors, unique photography. All things that can help make a statement. If you have a little extra money to spend, why not hire a professional photographer to create a unique set of images for your website or brochure. That way the “people” working at your company don’t look like the same people working for one of your competitors. Just because you’re a “professional company” doesn’t mean you can’t experiment a little and take a bit of a design risk. Combining artistic and classy can be achieved without being as eccentric as Lady GaGa.

4) Push the envelope. Controversy draws more attention than playing it safe. The moment Lady GaGa stepped out of her limo, the press was all over her. If I saw an image of her posing in front of a camera once, I saw it five times before the show was over. If I heard the announcer ask one person if they saw her outfit, they asked every other celebrity they interviewed. By pushing the envelope, Lady GaGa created a swarm of controversy thus drawing more attention to herself and ultimately her work. Why not take this approach with your business? Don’t create such a controversy that you land yourself into hot water, but maybe pose a question that might get people talking on your blog, or come up with a campaign message that might make people slightly uncomfortable. Odds are you’ll create a greater awareness about your company and the product or service you’re selling, than if you played it safe.

5) Think outside of the box. Yes, there have been wacky musicians before. Most of them have probably dressed a little “out there” but when was the last time you saw someone wearing a solar system? By thinking outside of the box, Lady GaGa created a unique style that is unmatched by any of her Top 40 counterparts. What can you do differently that might set you apart from others? Maybe it’s an innovative design or maybe it’s a unique process that your competitors don’t offer and you do. Dare to be different and take some time to think about what can make you unique. Be the Lady GaGa in your industry.

Need help standing out from the crowd or creating an instant buzz? Throw us a bone! At Good Dog/Bad Dog Creative Design, we’d be happy to chat with you about print and online strategies that can help your company develop an exclusive identity. Take a look at our Web site for more information on how to give us a shout.

Tags: E! Online, GDBD Creative Design, GDBD Design, Good Dog/Bad Dog Creative Design, Grammys, graphic design tips, internet marketing, Lady GaGa, online marketing, tampa website design, website design, website development