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‘Get Passionate About Design!’ Mr. Marketing ™ / Stephen L. Bainton A number of years ago I was sitting at a fancy corporate dinner with one of our top clients. Their firm—one of the nation’s top motor oil companies—was losing market share. The CEO, who was seated next to me, leaned over and said, “So, Stephen, as you know we’re losing market share. Why do you think this is happening?” Without hesitation, I responded, “Your packaging really stinks.” The CEO nearly choked on his shrimp.
The upside of the above story is that the CEO eventually agreed with my succinct analysis and had us redesign his line’s entire packaging. The result: the company’s market share rose dramatically, surpassing even our best expectations. One honest comment and a smart CEO led to a riveting turnaround, resulting in tens of millions of new revenue.
In the crafting of my company, I’m making a concerted effort to make design a top priority. Unfortunately, most companies think otherwise. Noted author and speaker, Tom Peters, in his thought-provoking book, Re-Imagine!, states, “We view design as a ‘finishing-off process.’ But we must understand that a thoroughgoing ‘design sensibility’ can effectively drive Enterprise Strategy, as at Sony or Nokia, and cease to be a neglected second cousin. We think of designers, when we think of them at all, as odd ducks who should be confined to their cubes, far away from the strategy ‘war room.’ Instead, we must invite the designers to sit, like Braun’s Dieter Rams, on the CEO’s immediate right at the boardroom table.”
Underlying the power of design is a very sensible fact. Most of us base our purchasing decisions more on emotion than on facts. In fact, in a study by the Journal of Advertising Research, “emotions are twice as important as facts in the process by which people make buying decisions.” As Peters writes, “The study involved more than 23,000 U.S. consumers, exposed these subjects to 240 advertising messages, and covered 13 categories of goods (with emotion trumping ‘fact’ in all 13 categories.) In short, emotions rule…and design provokes either strong positive or negative emotions.
To illustrate this point, think about the times you’ve experienced design rage. For me, I despise those little bottles of shampoo in hotel rooms that you can barely read. CD’s are also a problem; trying to open one is a lesson in frustration. Or how about those poorly written and illustrated instructions for toys…how many times have you had to deal with this on Christmas Eve? All of these are examples of poor design, with little or no regard for you or me, the consumer.
The macro implications of poor design are huge. In sum, whether you’re packaging a new cereal or designing computers, the fact remains—if your design is mundane, don’t expect your sales to be any better. Design matters. Design counts. Design is very important! It should be an integral part of your company’s mission—to create great, beautifully-designed products and services. Start today. Develop that design mindset throughout your entire organization…and begin designing a much more profitable future. Stephen Bainton is CEO of Mr. Marketing, Inc. and can be reached at:
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