mission

what do we stand for?

 and how do we explain it to the rest of the world?

4 5
The new AIGA messaging system
After a century of success, AIGA has outgrown
its original purpose as a club for New York Empower
graphic artists—book designers, typographers designers Energize
and printers. We’re now the leading association organizations
for communication designers—visual designers, Enrich
identity designers, environmental designers, society
information designers, editorial designers,
package designers, motion-graphics designers,
interaction designers, customer-experience
designers, strategic designers and others.
The initials that originally stood for American
Institute of Graphic Arts must now stand for
something much bigger.
This little booklet is designed to help you
a) understand our mission in the midst
of accelerating change, and b) communicate
our bigger value to the outside world. You’ll
find it useful when you get stuck for a concept,
stuck for the right phrase, or just stuck in
an elevator with someone who asks:
“Tell me again what AIGA stands for?”

6 7
Who are we? What’s our mission?

To advance designing
AIGA
the professional association as a professional craft,
for design strategic tool
and vital cultural force

8 9
What are our goals? How will we get there?

1
To empower designers Publish information
through information, about design and
inspiration, education, the designing process
recognition and advocacy

2
To energize organizations Promote designing
with strategic thinking, as a strategic
creative collaboration and organizational competency
design excellence

3
To enrich society by Clarify complexity
infusing people’s lives with to make the world more
clarity, delight, meaning understandable
and value

10 11
 Organize events Support education
that inspire thinking, learning across the arc
and the exchange of ideas of designers’ careers

Facilitate collaboration Foster exceptional talent

among all professionals to address the full range
engaged in designing of design roles

Bring aesthetic delight Add meaning

to everyday objects by communicating with clarity,
and experiences depth and compassion

12 13
 Give recognition Advocate designing
to those who further to business, government
design excellence and the public

Create value
by doing valuable things

14 15
Why does it matter?

By increasing the influence

of design we can improve the to be more precise...
human experience

16 17
AIGA messaging by audience
It feels good to talk about “improving the human
experience,” but what does that mean to our
particular audiences—students, practitioners,
client organizations, government agencies, the
public? All they really want to know is, “What’s
in it for me?” ers in-
tit ion hou
rac se d
This next section contains sample messages that r mp esig
-fi ner
address each of our six main audiences. You ign s
des
can use it as a quick reference guide when you’re
designing communications for your chapter,

public agencies
lining up a sponsor, or simply trying to explain

students
AIGA to a student. Of course, you needn’t feel
limited by these messages—they’re only here to
make your life easier, and to help you align your
own messages with the overall mission. As
long as you don’t contradict our mission, you clie
nt o
should be on solid ground. rga rs
niz tne
ati
ons par
The next time someone asks, “What does AIGA
stand for?” you can simply say, “the professional
association for design.” And take it from there.

18 19
For design-firm practitioners:

Whether you work on a team or

on your own, the better your
network, the bigger your success.
AIGA expands your opportuni-
Excellence thrives in a network.
ties by bringing a broad range of
designers together into a single
community where you can net-
work, collaborate and share ideas.

20 21
For in-house designers:

The most respected internal

designers are those who can bridge
strategy and creativity to create
a competitive advantage. AIGA
Empower your company.
connects you with new ideas and
new tools to help you build
powerful brand experiences and
drive your organization forward.

22 23
For students:

The fastest way to build a career

is by leveraging a network. AIGA
offers the inside track to mentors,
collaborators and opportunities Scale it up.
for excellence. No matter how big
you imagine your career, AIGA
can help you make it bigger.

24 25
For partners:

Influence starts at the top.

By partnering with AIGA, our
sponsoring companies can reach
The buzz begins here.
the influence leaders who define
the way stories are told at every
level of the industry.

26 27
For client organizations:

In an age of marketplace clutter,

differentiation always wins.
AIGA is where companies come
for the most outstanding talent— Design is differentiation.
to connect with customers, build
brand value and help design
the way forward.

28 29
For public agencies:

In the information age, the success

of our society will be determined
by our concepts, creativity and
imagination. AIGA is the largest
A better world by design.
organization of communication
designers in the world, with the
skills and passion to improve the
lives of everyone, everywhere.

30 31
This booklet would not have been possible
without generous support from the following:

Printing
Hemlock Printers, a pioneer in stochastic printing,
located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Hemlock is FSC-certified and holds the 2006 title for
Most Environmentally Friendly Printer in Canada.
www.hemlock.com

Paper
Mohawk Options, 80# cover and 100# text.
Options is made from 100 percent post-consumer
recycled fiber using non-polluting, wind-generated
electricity, and has been FSC-certified.
www.mohawkpaper.com

Design
Neutron LLC
www.neutronllc.com

AIGA National Partners

32
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164 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.aiga.org