There is nothing new about the idea that the package is where brands and visual branding were born. The package, as icon, is the key to consumer mindshare, trial, purchase, and repeat purchases. Through the personal process of discovery and acceptance, the package becomes the brand. The relationship the package develops with all who come in contact with it creates the bond with the brand. Packaged goods companies are rediscovering that ultimately the package is the primary expression of brand that truly matters. It’s the package that makes the emotional connection and carries the promise that consumers rely on.

What is new are mass-market retailers that dominate the marketplace and a burgeoning global economy, resulting in packages that require a more complex skill set to produce (knowledge, processes, and technology) and the need to move from design concept to shelf quickly and efficiently. This often means bringing together disparate teams and partners who usually have never worked together, causing coordination that is more problematic, designs that often can’t be produced, and delays in getting a new product to market. Simply put, the old way of getting out the core brand message—often spending an extra six months figuring out production problems—is the death knell to any new product.

Read the complete article

Article submissions are welcome; please contact jtobin@dmi.org.

INNOVATION/05
The 9th European International Design Management Conference
March 9-11, 2005
London, UK

“The Innovation Economy: We’ve walked on the moon, built the Net, and have decoded the genome. Have we run out of worlds to conquer? No. As a matter of fact, we’re on the cusp of a fresh innovation boom.”—BusinessWeek, October 11, 2004

What will be the role of design in the Innovation Economy? Does design have an opportunity to transform its role in our economic future? What role will design play in fostering responsible innovation? How will the infusion of design thinking into the innovation process facilitate bringing new technologies to market effectively, bringing significant improvements to the quality of our lives? Are design professionals prepared to meet these coming challenges? Are design educators building programs to provide leadership for these imperatives? Understanding and answering these questions is a formidable challenge. They will be addressed through extended, in-depth keynote sessions, lectures, and case studies.

Speakers:
Sir Terence Conran, Chairman, Conran Holdings (United Kingdom)
Dieter Rams, Design Director Emeritus, Braun AG (Germany)
Sir Christopher Frayling, Rector, Royal College of Art (United Kingdom)
Mark Barngrover, Director, European Design Program, Procter & Gamble (Switzerland)
Franco Clivio, Lead Consultant for Gardena (Germany)
Jaime Moreno, CEO, Mormedi (Spain)
Harry Rich, Deputy Chief Executive, Design Council (United Kingdom)
Oscar Pena, Creative Director, Philips Design (The Netherlands)
Matthew White, Design Consultant for B&Q (United Kingdom)
Bettina Von Stamm, Ph.D., Catalyst, Innovation Leadership Forum (United Kingdom)

Invited Speakers:
Directors of Design at Kodak, Sony, Samsung, and Bang & Olufsen

Participation in INNOVATION/05 will be limited to one hundred and ten. Early registration is strongly recommended. Please visit the DMI Web site for the latest information about the program and speakers.

New DMI Seminars

DMI is proud to announce two new seminars for 2005, “Design Research Fundamentals” and “Building Innovation Scenarios and Simulations: An Introduction.” Look for more announcements about other new DMI seminars in future eBulletins.

This seminar will expose you to the full range of research methodologies typically used to facilitate the design process. Created to complement Darrel’s popular Design Research for Product and Brand Innovation seminar, this class delves deeper into the specifics of how design research tactics are actually planned and executed. While not intended as a training program for professional researchers, it will provide design managers with the perspective to lead programs where research is an important component. If you have ever been frustrated by the application of market research to your initiatives, this seminar will give you the tools to take control and get the kind of information that your team needs. Prior participation in “Using Design Research for Product and Brand Innovation” is recommended but not required.

What you will learn:

• Why apply research to design? The philosophy of Design Research.
  Differences between Market Research and Design Research.
• Basic objectives for using design research: Contextual, generative, and evaluative research.
• Research phases: Pre-design, during design, and post-design research.
• Defining the customer: Strategies for segmentation research.
• Methodological approaches: Secondary, quantitative, on-line, qualitative, observational, & experiential research.
• Applying research to design: Positioning, naming and nomenclature, brand architecture, packaging graphics, packaging structure, retail display, retail environments, advertising, product design.
• Managing research: Process issues, pitfalls, checklists.
  Research deliverables: What to expect and demand from Design Research?

Who should attend:
Any designers, design managers, marketers and researchers who need to participate in or lead programs where research is integrated into the design process. More information.

In today’s complex global business environment, companies have a tremendous need for mechanisms to anticipate and adapt to emerging market conditions. However, management preoccupation with the immediate present tends to thwart the kind of longer-term, imaginative thinking necessary for meaningful innovation. Scenarios are powerful vehicles for managing these strategic challenges. Organizations, offerings, and customer relationships are rapidly changing in fundamental ways, and scenarios are useful meta-design tools for innovating new business concepts, integrated strategies, brands, and branded experiences. As sophisticated, multi-dimensional designs, scenarios also represent the widest, most ambitious context for design management today: The modeling and simulation of alternative futures. Advanced design teams are being engaged earlier in the development process to conceive and visualize, not just to make or stylize as a sub-function of manufacturing or marketing. This emerging development role for design as an enabler of management vision brings with it future opportunity. It also requires demanding new design management capabilities.

What you will learn:
This immersive, two-day workshop introduces the theory, background, and practical application of scenario development, with special relevance to design. Participants will engage first-hand in the process of creating and simulating imaginative, yet plausible, scenarios for the future of an important business issue. Scenarios will be developed by small teams in the context of a hypothetical company that requires new brand direction and integrated business strategy. The product of each team collaboration will be a compelling management presentation based on the scenario development work.

Who should attend:
If you’re a smart, imaginative design manager, staff designer, marketer, or engineer who’s open to new thinking and big challenges, who learns best by doing, and who can work productively in a team setting, this workshop is for you. If you want a design career that’s relevant, stimulating, and sustainable for many years out, this experience offers information and practical methods you can put to use to benefit your career and your company. More information.

Upcoming Seminars:

Creating the Perfect Design Brief
Taught by Peter L. Phillips, Design Strategy Consultant
February 3-4, 2005, San Diego, California, USA
April 14-15, 2005, Chicago, USA
May 12-13, 2005, Montréal, Canada

Managing Design for Strategic Advantage
Taught by Peter L. Phillips, Design Strategy Consultant
March 17-18, 2005, New York, USA
June 9-10, 2005, Chicago, USA

Marketing Graphic Design Services
Taught by Cameron Foote, Principal, Creative Business
March 4-5, 2005, Los Angeles, USA

The New Marketing: Understanding It, Working with It
Taught by Bruce Clark, PhD, Associate Professor of Marketing, Northeastern University
March 3-4, 2005, Boston, USA

Managing Strategic Creativity and Innovation
Taught by Alison Rieple, Professor of Strategic Management, University of Westminster—Harrow Business School
July 11-12, 2005, London, UK

Strategies for Designing Meaningful Brand Experiences
Taught by Dave Norton, Ph.D., Vice President, Experience Strategy and Research, Yamamoto Moss
May 5-6, 2005, Chicago, USA

Design Research for Product and Brand Innovation
Taught by Darrel Rhea, CEO, Cheskin
March 17-18, 2005, San Francisco, USA
May 19-20, 2005, New York, USA

For complete information and the latest schedule, visit www.dmi.org/seminars.

Free Download of the Month
Joining People and Brands
By Michael Eckersley, Ph.D., Managing Principal, HumanCentered, and William O’Connor, President, Source/Inc.
Design Management Review, Summer 2004, Vol. 15, No. 3

As the focus of relationships that customers honor with pride and loyalty, strong brands don’t just happen; they are designed and nurtured. In this endeavor, it is crucial that companies know their customers intimately. To get beyond the superficial, Michael Eckersley proposes—and Bill O’Connor illustrates—a “deep dive” research methodology that unveils the kind of thorough understanding essential to building powerful brands.

This free download has expired. Click here to read the executive summary for this article and the opportunity to purchase the article for direct download.

Michael Eckersley is introducing a new DMI seminar in 2005, Building Innovation Scenarios and Simulations.

DMI members can download all DMI Review articles for free on the DMI Web site. Visit www.dmi.org/membership for more information.

 

DMI is pleased to announce that Dr. Brigitte Borja de Mozota has been given the Design Management Institute’s highest honor, DMI Life Fellow. Dr. Borja de Mozota was presented the award by DMI President, Earl Powell, at the 12th International Design Management Research & Education Forum held in conjunction with the recent International Conference on Innovation by Brand and Design Management in Seoul, Korea. Dr. Borja de Mozota’s many contributions over the years to DMI include serving as Chair of the DMI Research Advisory Council, organizing and managing the research and review process at several DMI International Research & Education Forums, and editing the two issues of the DMI Academic Review. Dr. Borja de Mozota is the Maître de Conférences for Université Paris X Nanterre / Essec. Dr. Borja de Mozota is only the sixth person to be named a DMI Life Fellow.

Calendar of Events

365: AIGA Annual Design Exhibition 25
December 16, 2004-February 25, 2005, New York City, USA
This competition extends a legacy that began more than 85 years ago and is widely recognized as the most selective statement on design excellence today. Info: www.aiga.org.

The 6th International Conference on Computer-Aided Industrial Design and Conceptual Design (CAID&CD’2005)
Paper Submission Deadline: December 31, 2004
This event will be held at the TU Delft, The Netherlands from May 29-June 1, 2005. Info: www.io.tudelft.nl/caidcd2005.

APDF Royalty and Licensing Summit III
January 7, 2005, Las Vegas, USA
Presenters will explain approaches that have worked well and those that have not for their firms. The event will be held in conjunction with the CES. Info: www.apdf.org.

Managing Markets in Turbulent Times
January 14-15, 2005, Taj Lands End, Mumbai, India
A two-day integrated marketing seminar, sponsored by the Mudra Institute of Communications (MICA) and All India Management Association (AIMA). Info: www.mica-india.net.

1st International Design Congress of ESTAL Students: The State of Art in Design
Call for Papers Deadline: January 15, 2005
This congress will take place in Lisbon, Portugal, October 13-15, 2005. Info: www.cidae.net.

Unbuilt Chicago
Through January 16, 2005, Art Institute of Chicago, USA
Major architectural projects that were never realized encourage visitors to imagine what Chicago might have been. Info: www.artic.edu.

BraunPrize for Young Designers
Deadline: January 31, 2005
Total prize money is €30,000. The overall winner has a choice of €12,000 or a six-month paid internship in the Braun Design Department. Info: www.braunprize.com.

DESIGN does not equal ART
Through February 27, 2005, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, New York City, USA
The first museum exhibition of virtually unknown design works by some of the most influential artists of the last half century. Info: ndm.si.edu.

IDEA 2005
Deadline: February 11, 2005
The IDEA awards are dedicated to fostering business and public understanding of the importance of industrial design excellence. Sponsored by the IDSA. Info: www.idsa.org.

ICSID Interdesign: Sustainable Transport
April 3-16, 2005, North-West Province, South Africa
Designers from different countries and cultures work with local experts for an intensive two-week period. Application deadline: January 15, 2005. Info: www.interdesign2005.org.za.

Call For Papers, Special Issue of the Journal of Product Innovation Management: “Branding and New Product Development”
Deadline: August 31, 2005
This special issue will advance understanding of the role of branding in the new product development process. Info: Prof. Erik Jan Hultink, Delft University of Technology, tel.: +31-15-2783068, e.j.hultink@io.tudelft.nl.