It's a pet peeve of mine that the availability of illegal downloads of software like Photoshop has made the phrase "I know how to use Adobe CS" a coded-phrase for "graphic design is easy". The amount of times I've opened a psd file that someone has sent me (believing it's a perfectly acceptable print-ready file), only to find it has no bleed/wrong resolution/colour-mode (the possibilities are endless) are too numerous to mention. As a result, and as the market is flooded with poorly-laid out literature and packaging, so people's perception of the importance of good design has diminished.
Which is why this article on Creative Boom should be read by those who employ graphic designers as much as those who call themselves one. It highlights how good design can actually drive sales, and slap your brand right into view of a prospective customer. Give it a read.
