When done well, humor in graphic design is the ultimate icing on the cake. Everyone’s in on the joke and it resonates with its intended audience, staying with them long after the immediate experience fades. Only a handful of designers are really good at incorporating graphic wit into their work; it’s a rare quality that few have. In this issue’s special section on humor starting on page 76, we’ve got some of the best (read: witty) designers, illustrators, and advertising professionals commenting on what works and what doesn’t.

Many designers are wary of incorporating humor into their work because there’s no guarantee how it will be received. In “What’s so Funny?” on page 78, designer Sam Potts notes, “The thing is, there’s no timing in design. There’s no way to control that pause before a punchline, or to modulate the delivery to change the meaning of something. So a lot of graphic wit is manipulating symbols in various ways, which can be clever and all, but it’s not the same as being funny.”

Clay Weiner riffs about his “funny” advertising clients in “Why Commercials are Funny,” on page 96. His comments are dripping with sarcasm, but much truth resonates from this piece—we’ve all worked with the clients he describes. He also shares his favorite commercial spots of the past year and why they’re so special to him. Nancy Bernard explores the business case for wit in design and advertising and why big businesses such as HP, IBM, and Citibank are finally getting in on the joke (“Funny Business,” page 88). These corporate giants are realizing the intrinsic value a little wit and humor bring to the table by humanizing their products and services.

Stepping Down
On a more serious note, this is my last hurrah at STEP. My family is growing (by the time you read this, I will have had my second child) and I’m pursuing a new professional opportunity. This magazine has been a part of my life for so long that it’s hard to imagine not being intimately involved in the day-to-day production of it any longer. I’ve worked with art director Michael Ulrich longer than I’ve worked with anyone else, and I will miss collaborating with him on a daily basis, as I will miss all the STEP staff. Thank you to all the designers and writers who have contributed to STEP over the years and helped me make it the vital design publication it is today. My only solace in leaving is that I’m passing the baton to an incredibly capable person— my colleague Tom Biederbeck. Tom will bring his own unique perspective to the publication, while delivering the informative and inspirational features you’re accustomed to seeing in STEP. I’m looking forward to seeing STEP grow under Tom’s leadership. Thank you for your kudos, complaints, and support over the years. I’ve learned a lot from STEP readers and I will miss having this reader/editor connection.

STEPPING off,
Emily Potts

p.s. This year’s STEP Design 100 competition offers an exciting new possibility for those who enter. In addition to the 100 winners selected by our judges for publication, we’re also instituting a Readers Choice competition where you can vote online for your favorite projects; the top five vote getters will be published in the March/April 2007 issue along with the judges’ 100 picks. Voting begins Dec. 11, 2006, at www.stepinsidedesign.com/readerschoice and will close Jan. 11, 2007. Be sure to visit and vote.