First things first, commerce second for design

I would like to welcome warmly the publication of the First Things First Manifesto 2000; its concerns have become more pressing since its original in 1964.

Hopefully, it will inspire real debate about priorities for graphic design and not merely antagonise those working exclusively in the commercial sector. The industry needs to be more versatile so that studios feel confident enough to also, for example, take on clients from the charity or education work which communicates something other than “spend, spend, spend”.

I’m pleased that Ken Garland, Rick Poynor, Dan Fern, David Crow and others hold a broader view of what graphic design should be. In this way designers, and especially critics, will learn to measure success by something more than whether “they’ve got the Levi’s/ Nike/ Coca-Cola/ McDonald’s account”.

Horacio Herrera-Richmond

Bounds Green

London N1