HOW TO LEARN FROM OTHERS
I will be the first to admit that I have fallen into the habit of replicating Pinterest layouts as part of my creative process. But I am working to get away from this, and I want to encourage you to do the same.
This habit shows that you understand current trends, but it can also limit you. If clients cannot see your ability to be original or to adapt trends to their brand, you lose value as a designer.
A real shift happens when you change your mindset. Instead of placing elements in almost the exact structure you found online, ask yourself why you were drawn to that layout. Go back to the fundamentals you learned in your design education. Does the piece have strong repetition, scale, contrast, hierarchy, or alignment? These concepts may feel basic, but under the pressure of deadlines, it is easy to forget why something works.
A great example of this is the surge in funky olive oil packaging. Graza transformed how olive oil is marketed. Now countless designers are copying their look. Instead of duplicating their visuals, creatives should study why Graza’s approach was successful and apply those strategic choices to their own concepts. Creating a carbon copy only sets you up to be outshined.
According to @Brian|ProductDesign on TikTok, the key is to do what your competitors will not do, not what they cannot do.
You need to adapt your design processes to fit your business model. Anything else will feel forced and inauthentic.
So what is the bottom line? Learn from others’ success, in every area of design. Understand their process, their positioning, and their strategy. Do not replicate it. Adapt their systems to support your goals and build something that feels true to you.