Design has played a vital role in establishing brand personality, enabling them to create and own a place in the market, says Sharad Mehra
Design plays a crucial role in building any brand. If we look at successful brands around us, design has played a vital role in establishing their personality enabling them to create and own a place in the market. A brand that can’t be ignored while talking about design is Apple. Being a forerunner in the technology industry, Apple reflects a confluence of design and technology to create an amazing product, brand and user experience.
Design has become an integral part of our lives. There isn’t a single consumption experience that is without design. Whether it’s the latest phablet, car or a building, today’s designers have pervaded each space and created magic out of mundane which translates to art. Innovation in design is essential for any brand to progress as expectation of the end consumers has been snowballing with the advent of globalisation and connectivity.
India is evolving and with rising incomes and propensity to consume, young India is open to purchasing specially designed and aesthetic products without prices being a hindrance. Thus, Indian brands need to understand the critical role design plays. Brands that are weaving in design to become the pulse of their identity know that design needs to be more than just skin-deep: it needs to become the final expression.
Design isn’t just confined to aesthetics but is closely linked to functionality as well. It’s utility and benefit to the user which leads to sustainability of design. Sometimes simple modifications can lead to amazing products. Elements of design create a brand experience which thrills the consumer much more than just using a product. It helps in acquisition and retention of consumers while strengthening differentiation to sustain competitive advantage.
Designs in logos play a vital role in how a brand is perceived, specially designed packaging can be an equally powerful tool to make brands contemporary. Packaging, much more than advertising, is what causes conversions. It’s what consumers pay for, and dictates actual brand experience closely. Fastrack has broken the mould on classic, elegant watches and has a very strong and distinctive brand personality. The difference between a Titan and a Fastrack isn’t just in the design of the watches. It’s in the attitude and personality of the user as well. Custom websites and great logos are effective enough to create sufficient and fresh business possibilities for business proprietors.
Companies such as Virgin Atlantic, where design has long been an integral part of the structure, to smaller organisations such as Challs, realise the potential benefits of an investment in design. While investment in design can still be an intensive and challenging process, the results can be difficult to objectively measure too. Design has the most compelling results if it’s embedded at a core, high level. Getting to this stage can be a lengthy process but reaps unparalleled rewards.
Design is a complex creative process that draws inspiration from simple to sublime. It takes skill, creativity and the ability to see the obvious that is veiled to others. Perhaps the most important quality of a designer is an open mind that is ready to infuse, engage and echo the environment around them. Design has been considered to be the life force for reviving any brand. In an era of highly cluttered media spaces and pressures on cutting costs and advertising budgets, marketers need to discover the power of design in building brands.
Creativity alone does not make a great designer. It is a combination of the creative process mixed with the understanding of consumer behaviour, functionality and environment that inspires art and incontestable deigns that awe. It is also a versatile skill that is not linked to a domain. Great designers will be successful in any domain — fashion, interiors, architecture, furniture, and product.
Design requires simple ideas like choosing a distinct colour palette to change the brand perception. Starbucks is an example of the distinct role design plays in framing a brand’s identity in the minds of the consumer. The Starbucks logo of the Mermaid creates immediate recall and facilitates recognition. The store design, logo and trendy settings appeal to professionals, youth and families. The phenomenal brand awareness is a result of word of mouth and not advertising. Starbucks spends not more than $20 million in advertising.
The user experience is particularly emphasised upon. Constant innovation in design is increasingly being used beyond traditional remit as a strategic tool which enhances performance and unlocks magic. Design has been defined as the process that links creativity and innovation. It does this by shaping ideas to become practical and attractive propositions for users or customers.
(The writer is CEO of Pearl Academy)