Designing Out of a Downturn - Part 1
Reuben
I am going to highlight a company and see how design has helped a company buck the current spending trends.
I need to emphasise that the views expressed about this product in my blog are mine and
before
I go any further I will emphasise, I recently bought my first iPod … my
first MP3 player … a 160GB iPod Classic and I love it.
Apple has announced that their last quarter profit in 2008 hit a record
for their company, with iPod sales hitting an all time high. This
occurred during the weakest term of retail expenditure in most
developed countries for decades, and during a time when many first and
second world economies were entering recession. So how did they do it?
Although a very controversial topic in our office which is full of
designers and started more than one argument, we will look at two
common Apple products, the iPod and MacBook.
In terms of a dollar spent to storage capacity, both the iPod and
MacBook are far from one of the most competitive products in the
marketplace. The iPod is restrictive in use compared to many
competitors with some people struggling with iTunes and the management
of their songs. ‘Sync to one computer, what are you talking about
iTunes?’ The Apple MacBook is also a very poor contender with many
windows PC based notebooks, with a comparison of power for your dollar
being very week. Although very reliable, the MacBook is not that much
more reliable than a professionally constructed Asus Notebook and does
not have as many warranty options as a Dell Laptop. No Apple product is
significantly upgradable via hardware like almost all competitors and
modern technology solutions. So when you take a very close look, few
Apple products give you real bang for your buck from what you would
expect in a modern technological marketplace … so how are they defying
the trends and convincing people like me to buy their products?
The answer is in their image and innovative design.
Apple has an image that people want to be associated with, a stigma
associated with owning their products. Apple products look good, are
sleek and functional, they provide comfort and you’re not embarrassed
to be seen with them. Their boxes and labelling is clear and concise
with little to no wastage. On a side note how often do you open a box
and find the product takes up 10% of the space … is that not
frustrating! Apple advertising is always uniform and innovative,
strengthening their brand and image in every way rather than just being
a pretty picture.
Apple is the epitome of how good design; product design, graphic
design, advertising design, packaging and marketing collateral can buck
market trends.
It is at this point I again answer the simple question we have been asked multiple times in the past few months.
Q: “We need to do something to maximise our exposure and get new clients!”
A: ‘Follow the example of Apple – Use your brand and design to prosper through the downturn’
(Source: BRW)
(Source: Harvard Business Review)
(Source: Design Council of UK)
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