Special Report
Innovation in design
gategroup brands deSter and POTMstudios discuss how good design can make all the difference without costing the earth.
During the global financial crisis design went from a focus on style to a focus on cost cutting. As we come out of recession it is important
to remember the lessons we learned and link them to the need to improve brand value. Today’s design challenges are complex and
go much further than making objects look nice and cost less. A good design looks at every element of the process and re-evaluates each one for its value-added contribution. This requires the ability to treat the product as ‘transparent’ before adding new ideas.
“Performing a great service and giving a reminder is a great way to prolong the perceived value”
By working this way a designer can come up
with completely new solutions for an otherwise standard product; for example, the way we stack food in an aircraft trolley. gategroup’s Lean On Me™ concept uses horizontal stacking to increase loads up to 50%. Another solution is the Yucca™ box, which unfolds into a tray. Ideally these solutions both increase value while saving costs. During the design process rapid prototyping
can be an efficient tool in driving the process forward and can work far more efficiently than any market study. The technique of re-combining elements or combining them with external elements is a powerful tool to arrive at new value solutions. Design is a key driver of brand value when it is
applied within the service marketing context. It is the power of brand value that minimises price sensitivity and reduces the tendency to switch. This is true during a crisis as well as in a price- sensitive market. To increase brand value two things need
to happen. First, the customer must have a positive perception of value. Second, the customer must remember a particular event or
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www.onboardhospitality.com
Above: Breaking down the design process to improve brand value at a lower cost
‘trigger’. Here design can help again and out of the numerous options available, two can easily be used in onboard service. We call the first one the ‘souvenir effect’,
which means if you buy a souvenir to celebrate a great holiday or experience then that experience is remembered (and its value perceived) every time you look at that souvenir. Performing a great service and giving
a reminder is a great way to prolong the perceived value of an event. An example is the ‘Sydney Souvenir’ - a give-away cruet set onboard Virgin Australia that resembles the Sydney Opera House. Another way of prolonging perceived value is
to surprise the customer beyond expectation, but this is something difficult to do consistently. Design can help by offering surprise in terms
of functionality, material, colour, shape, smell, surface properties, taste and much more. The use of sweets works especially well in this regard, such as the airberlin or Swiss International Airlines chocolate treats. Combinations of surprise and joy seem to work well. Even simple graphic design solutions, such as asking an unexpected question on a salt and pepper sachet, emotionally engages the customer. In summary, design offers strong potential for
the development of new value solutions while supporting brand-building experiences and minimising risks. Design is not what you do after you innovate, it is what you do to innovate. Contact:
info@dester.com
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