'Personal Meaning' overtakes technology in product design

  • Keynote presentation by Dan Formosa of Smart Design at 'Next Generation Product Design Forum 2008', Barcelona, 3rd June
  • Click here for full Forum programme

27th May, 2008 - Dan Formosa, a founding member of one of the world's leading consumer product design firms Smart Design, will deliver a speech at the Next Generation Product Design Forum that will claim that the understanding of people's perceptions and emotional connections has now become more important than other brand attributes for designers and creative directors in providing the biggest competitive advantage for their customers. Dan Formosa joins speakers from Nike, Virgin Atlantic, Motorola and Toyota at the top level conference.

This new approach is at the core of Smart Design's methodology and has enabled leading businesses such as HP, Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson and Vicks to strategically increase their customer lifetime value and create brand affinity and loyalty. Dan Formosa, whose work for OXO Good Grips helped establish the brand as an icon of Universal Design, will explain the importance of the company's Femme Den initiative, which specialises in designing products geared towards the female market.

"At a time when competitive benefits are hard to come by, information obtained through the Internet and other sources of data, as well as personal meaning will replace brand loyalty as key drivers for consumers' choices," commented Dan Formosa, one of Smart Design's founding members. "This means that paying attention to people's emotional needs, anatomy and cognitive abilities becomes more important than the mere aesthetics and functionality of a product. At the Forum, I will discuss these issues in more detail, as well as highlight the implications this shift will have for future trends in Product Design research."

Smart Design's unique multi-disciplinary approach to design provides its clients with strategic and actionable insights, resulting in solutions that create positive consumer experiences and strong emotional bonds with brands. It helps clients build strong consumer brands by creating solutions that focus on people and connect with them. The company's integrated, experience-based approach ensures that every aspect of the design, both functional and aesthetic, makes a meaningful contribution to the final product.

About Smart Design
Smart Design has been turning insight and innovation into successful consumer experiences for over 25 years. The company's approach integrates product development, interactive experiences, brand communication, and strategic insights to ensure winning design solutions. From its pioneering Universal Design collaboration with OXO International, developing its renowned line of kitchen tools, to its work with leading multi-national companies including HP, Microsoft, Lexar and Acer, developing user-friendly electronics and humanizing technology, Smart Design creates products that truly connect with the consumer. Smart Design has offices in New York, San Francisco and Barcelona. Please visit www.smartdesignworldwide.com for more information or contact:

Thomas Isaacson
Marketing
Tel: +1 212 784 4052
Email: thomas.isaacson@smartdesignworldwide.com    

Manuela Whittaker
The PressOffice - PR for Smart Design
Tel: +44(0)1780 721433
Email: mwhittaker@pressoffice.targetwire.com

Aldo deJong
European Office Contact
Tel: +34 935 846 615
Email: aldo.deJong@smartdesignworldwide.com

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