Design-Centered Companies

IDEA is honored and appreciative to have been given the opportunity to moderate a panel for the Mom 2.0 Summit that took place Feb. 19-20 here in Houston. With over 350 moms, bloggers, marketers, and supporters, some of the most entertaining and deep conversations took place both in the sessions and hallways of the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Houston. With all of the brands (Barilla, Volkswagen, 20th Century Fox, etc.) and giveaways (i.e. Goldfish crackers from Pepperidge Farm, Wii Fit Plus, Hot Wheels, etc.), I definitely had a chance to let the little kid in me come out. Not to mention, the VIP ride in the Oscar Mayer WienerMobile (see below). Jealous?

Our panel, entitled "Design As A Core Component to Your Brand and Identity," included Kelsey Ruger, Laurie Smithwick, and Dr. Michael Shore (of Mattel). Preparing for this panel was easy for me because I value design just as much as research and strategy. I couldn't imagine any brand marketer or agency executive not placing importance on the design (whether internal or public) of anything representing a brand, entity, or idea.

I tried to take as many notes as I could, but it's tricky when you're moderating the panel with a mic in hand. Please forgive me. Kelsey has summarized the panel as well if you care to read. To get things started, I asked the panelists the question: what is your definition of design and how does it fit within your organization? All of the panelists saw design as a process, the common thread being the word "human-oriented."

"Where do you think design begins?" - Dr. Michael Shore, VP of Consumer Insights at Mattel, stated that design always begin with key consumer insights derived from research. Those insights are given to the design and brand teams to carry into the messaging of the brand, as well as to the product development teams for the design of the product itself. By asking the right questions. (Check out The Designful Company: How To Build a Culture of Nonstop Innovation for more in-depth reading - Kelsey recommended). Laurie said that design begins with knowing who you are as a brand. The mission and vision. The purpose. It takes knowing the reason your brand is in existence.

"How much and what types of research go into design?" - For Mattel, it's about finding 'relevant clarity,' so they employ a series of research methods (ethnography, focus groups, surveys) to dig into what their consumers are wanting out of toys. Laurie and Kelsey included that getting face-time with the client to find who and what they are about, what they like, and what they don't.

"How can design be applied  beyond customer-facing collateral?" - Kelsey said the values of the organization should embody design, as employees will likely be more passionate about the brand, noting the difference between Apple employees and Walmart. Laurie added that the space or environment where people are working should reflect the organization's commitment to design. Your environment can affect your output, whether creative or clerical. Dr. Shore stated that design-thinking (process of using design to solve business problems) is also another way to apply design internally.

"What are some of the characteristics of companies who employ design-thinking?" - Great research. Risk-taking (not afraid to fail). Great at story-telling. Understand the benefit of (structured) play for employees; keeping employees 100% utilized actually affects productivity and innovation. In that, having the discipline, resources, and processes in place to successfully execute the ideas that result from play is necessary. Confidence. They know who they are.

"How much importance should companies (large and small) place on design?" - A lot. 9 out of 10 times, consumers will choose the product/company with the best design (all else being equal) without logical reasoning. Whether small or large, you cannot afford to miss out on sales because you did not invest in or weigh design as an important part of marketing, or communicating your mission and vision.

"Is there a such thing as design overkill?" - Yes. Certain trends in design (i.e. "Web 2.0" bubbles, etc.) are being used long after the trend has passed. Adding embellishments for the sake of adding them overkill the design. Also, using more than 2 fonts can destroy the sanctity of a design.

"What kinds of return come from being design-focused?" - Sales, of course. People (leads and customers) take you seriously.

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There was a lot more information shared and discussed during the audience Q&A, but the essential message is that design is lot more than a logo and starts long before the visuals that the customer/client sees. For me, I think the takeaway that I'll pass on to my team is the importance of structured play time, even in non-creative roles. Granted, we can't all ride in a giant hot dog for inspiration, but there are things that can be done and instituted that will allow for more creative energy to seep in and affect moods, problem-solving capabilities, and camaraderie.

Were you there? Was there anything that I missed that you'd like to add? Or, if you weren't, what are your thoughts on design?

Chris Pitre, IDEA's social media strategist, is an avid fan of social, tech, and pop culture who retains large amounts of life-saving and brand-building trivia.