Vox Pop

‘Why are we as designers always demanding more attention? Maybe it’s in our water? The real issues are: does good design improve life and business enough, and would more media coverage help people recognise the power of design. So many creative ideas and processes are developed within the design industry that should improve other aspects of British life – and more media coverage would certainly help us achieve this. Celebrity status? No. But access to a wider audience? Yes.’

Jim Thompson, Managing director, 20/20

‘As a “noun”, design receives plenty of comment in the national media, leading to a cult of the object and celebrity status for its creator. But as a “verb”, coverage lacks in the general media and even design press and is restricted to all but the most serious and specialist media: financial, medical, business publications and so on.’

Frank Peters, Chief executive, Chartered Society of Designers

‘It’s more a matter of headlines than coverage. Design is a catch-all term that the industry uses for everything from architecture to graphics. Journalists talk specifics and on that basis design is well covered; consider Lord Foster’s London building the Gherkin and the iPod. Our task is to focus minds on the economic benefits of good design, and so raise our importance on the corporate agenda.’

Jez Frampton, Chief executive, Interbrand

‘I think current media coverage of design is plentiful and positive. It could be a backlash against much of the advertising world that keeps promoting favourite media and styles regardless of their brief. Carry on producing bespoke, effective solutions – not decoration – and our friends with the potentially poison pens should stand by us.’

Steve Collis, Joint managing director, JHP

‘No. We all enjoy seeing design in the papers and on TV, but too often we are faced with the unhelpful stereotype of design as quirky aesthetics, marginalised to the arts pages. There’s a long way to go until the business pages regularly recognise the role of design as a core driver of business growth. We’re working on it.’

Harry Rich, Deputy chief executive, Design Council