From Moodboards to Metrics: Why Design Without Strategy Is Just Pretty Guesswork

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” -  Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Designers often start with inspiration - moodboards full of colours, type, texture, and energy. But without a plan, those visual ideas can become just that: ideas. Without a clear strategy, a strong message and a smart distribution plan, even the best design can fall flat. But when creativity meets planning, you don’t just create - you convert, which is everything in business, because guessing is expensive.

Why Moodboards Are Only Half the Story

As a designer, I love a moodboard. They’re emotional, expressive, intuitive. But moodboards don’t make decisions. Strategy does. Your colours might be beautiful, but are they legible on mobile? Does your font choice reflect your positioning? Does your layout help your audience take action - or just look nice on a PDF?

This is where design without context starts to unravel. If the brand visuals don’t align with the customer journey, business goals, or real-world placement they’re just decoration - not design - and that’s not what your business needs.

What Designers Can Learn from Media Planning

In marketing theory, planning is everything. The RACE model (Reach, Act, Convert, Engage) reminds us that every piece of communication should be tied to a specific phase of the customer journey. The design needs to support that. Helen Katz talks about delivering the right message to the right person at the right time. That means thinking about where your designs will live, who they’re for, and when your audience will see them. It's not just about the vibe - it’s about visibility and timing. (I unpack more of Katz’s thinking in my previous blog on media planning if you’d like to dive deeper into the strategy side.)

From Storytelling to Strategy: The Airbnb Example

In my MA work, I explored Airbnb’s “Strangers” campaign - a masterclass in using emotional storytelling as strategic brand positioning. By taking viewers on a psychological journey from fear to familiarity, Airbnb reframed the narrative of hosting to eliminate fears of guests as well as attract new hosts.

Orlando Wood’s theory of right-brain advertising - rooted in character, place and story - was at play here, creating resonance and memory. Peter Field also argues that emotion outperforms rational persuasion in long-term brand growth, which this campaign proved.

And this wasn’t just marketing. It was visual strategy. Airbnb used storytelling to build a brand feeling - and that’s what I aim to do with my clients at TWO30 Designs. A moodboard may start the process, but strategy brings it to life.

This campaign is a brilliant example of how emotional storytelling and strategic media planning come together - and it’s exactly the kind of crossover thinking designers can learn from.

From Visual Impact to Business Results

We all want our designs to make people feel something - but they also need to drive results. Whether that’s more engagement, more leads, or more recognition, design without a goal is just a wish (thanks again, Antoine).

I help my clients design with data in mind: looking at what works, where it lives, and why it connects. Design can be emotive and effective - and when it is, it becomes magnetic.

The Creative Superpower

Storytelling is the spark, but planning is the match.

Design gets you noticed. Strategy gets you remembered.

At TWO30, I build visual identities that do both - with soul, structure, and serious staying power.

Let’s Connect

If you’re a creative who’s tired of making pretty things that don’t perform, or a founder who wants branding that actually does the heavy lifting - let’s talk.

Strategy and soul? That’s the sweet spot.

And I live there.