When 3fold’s creative director Angel Membrere first started designing, he quickly realized something crucial—design is more than just colors, fonts, and layouts. It’s about people. Specifically, it’s about creating something that resonates with the communities we serve. 

One of his first projects involved a campaign aimed at reaching a tight-knit local neighborhood. The campaign looked polished – modern fonts, perfect color palette, professional stock photos of smiling people. But something felt off.

He’d visited the neighborhood we were trying to reach. Went to businesses, talked to community members. And these stock photos? They looked nothing like the vibrant community he’d gotten to know.

So he tried something different. Angel grabbed his camera, went back to the neighborhood, and asked if he could take some photos. Real people. Real smiles. Real stories.

When he swapped those authentic images into the design, everything changed. The campaign didn’t just look good – it felt right. And the community noticed. People started pointing themselves out in posters. Sharing the social posts. Actually showing up to events.

It was Angel’s first big lesson: design isn’t just about making things pretty. It’s about making things matter to the people who see them.

Five Things We’ve Learned About Design That Actually Connects

1. Walk in their shoes before you design for their feet

You can’t Google your way to understanding a community. Sure, you can find demographic data and trends, but that doesn’t tell you how it feels to live there. Research, conversations, and lived experiences provide the insights needed to design something that genuinely speaks to them. 

Before we design anything, we try to experience the community firsthand. What restaurants do people love? How do they get around? What makes them proud of where they live? These details matter more than any design trend.

2. Sometimes the smallest changes make the biggest difference

Angel has redesigned an entire campaign because he noticed people in the neighborhood used different words to describe their community than our original copy did. It wasn’t wrong before – just not quite right.

Something as simple as adjusting the language in a campaign or selecting imagery that authentically represents a community can shift the way people engage. Details matter, and small changes can be the difference between a campaign that blends in and one that stands out.

3. Trendy doesn’t equal effective

Trends come and go, but a design that truly connects with an audience is timeless. Jumping on design trends just because they’re popular often leads to work that feels disconnected from the audience it’s meant to serve. Instead, focus on what feels natural and meaningful to the community.

When Angel designs for communities, he asks: “Will this still feel authentic next year? In five years?” Trends fade, but authentic connection doesn’t go out of style.

4. New tools are great, but only if they help real people

Every week brings some new design technology or platform changing how people consume media. Embracing new design tools and digital platforms allows designers to reach audiences in fresh, relevant ways. Being open to innovation ensures that design remains dynamic and engaging.

However, even while these embracing innovations, it’s important to ask: “Does this actually help us connect better with real people?” If the answer is yes, we dive in. If not, we stick with what works.

5. Trust what you learn from listening

Design confidence doesn’t come from copying what everyone else is doing. Great design comes from a mix of skill, intuition, and continuous learning. Staying curious about new techniques, listening to feedback, and trusting your creative instincts help build confidence and create impactful work.

By embedding authenticity, thoughtfulness, and community insights into every project our team ensures our designs do more than just catch the eye—they make people feel seen and understood. Because at the end of the day, the best designs don’t just speak; they listen.

The best design doesn’t just catch eyes – it opens hearts

Some of Angel’s best work happened after he scrapped his first three ideas and just listened to what the community was actually telling him they needed. As an agency, we’ve learned that when design truly connects with a community, people don’t just see it – they feel it. They recognize themselves in it. They share it. They remember it.

And isn’t that the whole point?

Curious about how your story could connect more deeply with your community? Let’s grab coffee and talk about the people you’re trying to reach. No pitches, no jargon—just a conversation about what makes your community unique and how we might help you reflect that authenticity in your design work. We promise it’ll be the best meeting you have all week.