Awareness of the Role Graphic Design Play in Advertising among Small Furniture Enterprise Managers in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Graphic design (GD) is expressed through text, image, or both text and image, and large-scale furniture companies have embraced it a lot in their firms. GD is usually transmitted through print and electronic media, including websites and several social media platforms. Despite GD's significance in large-scale furniture companies, Managers of Small Furniture Enterprises (SFEs) rely on word of mouth, referrals, and informal exhibitions, which does not reach the external market. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of graphic design in advertising among small furniture enterprise managers in Nairobi County, Kenya. The specific objective of this study was to establish SFE managers' awareness of GD's role in advertising. The study was guided by ‘The Graphics Triangle Theory' by Bruce Brown (1979), whose central tenets are: Explanation Values, Persuasive Values, and Identification Values coherent in any appropriate GD messages. A sample size of 273 small furniture enterprise managers (SFEM) and 9 Small Furniture Enterprise welfare Leaders (SFEWL) was used. Questionnaires and interviews were used as methods of data collection. Findings revealed that most (SFEM) and (SFEWL) are fully aware of GD's role in advertising and the various graphic design types. Most managers are highly aware of graphic design statutory regulations being enforced. Their unanimous assertion illustrated a high prevalence of awareness that some of the enterprise graphic designs are created by SFEMs or employees. The high rate of SFE managers' attention is because of their formal education and advertising experiences acquired from other enterprises. Although SFEs engage graphic designers to a small extent, other entities involved in GD production are printing firms, signwriters, artists, ICT officers, media houses, painting technicians, web developers, and architects, which further illustrates their conscience for quality graphic design support in advertising. Despite the high rating on GD awareness, it was established that appreciation and application of GD in SFEs advertising are relatively negligible. The study, therefore, recommends future SFE advertising strategies to consider available GD opportunities in SFEs. Enhanced graphic design awareness amongst SFEs management, its appreciation, and application can ultimately improve visual communication values in SFE advertising.