Design : The New Brand Paradigm

Perhaps, when " Branding " would have been first used for Product and Market Sensitivity. Design was an intrinsic function. Much of it was subdued by attributes, which linked it to reliability and functionality. Most brands got the acts right and peaked on deliverables. And the Brand Paradigm has moved to " Design "

Now " Design " Practically defines the Brand.

South Korea is the only country in the world, which has has the subtlety to recognize that the next generation of product lines would only be " Design " Delights.

Again within South Korea, the one company I admire most is " LG" . Fighting Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Nokia , etc etc and though may still not be the top brand, but the fighting strategy of LG was always "Design" . Considering that almost all product offerings had the same features and same technical specifications, it was only the unique Design, which would keep LG ahead in the race has made them unique.

When I was to change my Hand Phone in the year 2008, I made a general spec of what I wanted and it was simply something which could make a call, sent sms, but without the keyboard and take a picture . After surveying the whole range of product range, I found Nokia was too complicated to understand, Motorola was loosely placed, samsung was ok , but LG had a cute design . However, during that time, there was No Touch Screen . I accidentally came across a Phone, " Prada" . Never did I imagine that Prada was also linked to Hand Phones and not just fashion accessories. It incidentally was the only phone at that time with Touch Screen. Little further exploration and guess what? The phone was made by LG. Prada now runs my communication faculties and still none of my friends and associates have been able to find an equivalent match , nor Prada is easily available.

If you research further LG offerings, you will find that almost all its offerings have a distinct design, which is unmatched by any other product in the global space.

This is only an example of how " Designs" are shaping up Brands and positioning themselves into he murky world of marketing.

South Korea is the first country in the world, which has taken up officially " Design " as the key market differentiators and the Industry is recognizing it as a very major attribute of Product Integrity.

Industrial products have so far failed to factor " Shopfloor Vista " as a product key integrator and hence work experience is insipid and dull in many factories.

Machine makers to Accessories to Utilities have to redefine the designs to make the work place " A Visual Functional Paradise "

Technology embedded and Design Delights will rule the world.