Design Firm Delivers New Successes

  • A new documentary – Objectified – reveals Smart Design's experience and insight into designing highly-successful everyday products
  • Companies such as Ford Motors and Cardinal Health are seeking Smart Design's proven design leadership with real-world results
  • High resolution image available here
New York, US – 9th April 2009 – Smart Design, a global multi-disciplinary design firm, is sharing insights and experience with new audiences around the world through its involvement in a new film on design and through the continued success of its work for companies such as Ford Motors, Cardinal Health and others.

Smart Design, which was recently listed as one of the '10 Most Innovative Companies' by Fast Company, is profiled, along with a group of top-tier designers and studios, in a feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them. This fascinating new film called Objectified, is the work of acclaimed Helvetica director, Gary Hustwit. The film is travelling the globe and finding enthused audiences.

Objectified will have its UK Premiere on April 16th at the Chelsea Curzon in London, which kicks off a string of European screenings. Objectified recently had its world premiere at South by Southwest Film Festival on March 14th and has been playing to sold out crowds ever since. More information can be found at http://objectifiedfilm.com

Smart Design Founder and CEO, Davin Stowell, along with Dan Formosa, another founding member, describe the remarkable story of how they helped famed housewares manufacturer, Sam Farber create a ground-breaking, ergonomically-designed line of kitchen tools for OXO International in 1989. Smart Design still does the lion's share of OXO's designs, having created over 750 products for OXO and helped develop the world-renowned, thriving brand. Smart's team of designers are featured prominently in the film to help to lift the veil on this process of designing the everyday products around us.

Two other recent projects have highlighted the informed insights Smart Design brings to its work with a variety of global companies:
  • Looking to break out of the pack and harness some expertise in consumer electronics interface design, Ford Motors came to Smart Design to help create their new LCD instrument panel called SmartGauge, which has recently launched in the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrids. The SmartGauge has been receiving many accolades for it's revolutionary new design from auto critics and environmentalists alike. Ford worked with both IDEO and Smart Design to research and design an interactive instrument panel that actually influences driver behavior to save gas and increase MPG. SmartGauge has been taking the auto industry by storm and creating great enthusiasm for design-led innovations to help fix that faltering industry. Smart Design's Dan Formosa has recently written a white paper on the project outlining the innovation and thought process. Please click here to download the white paper.
  • Global medical manufacturer, Cardinal Health came to Smart Design to develop a high-impact, low-cost, redesign of surgical scrubs worn by doctors, nurses and hospital staff. Working to re-imagine this long-neglected medical necessity, Smart Design’s design teams uncovered some of the key problems that medical professionals have with the existing ‘pajama-like’, uncomfortable, uni-sized, drab clothing. The designers used those insights to create a professional, durable and stretchable, and infinitely more comfortable set of scrubs based on elements found in performance athletic wear. Recently released to excellent reviews, the Endura Performance Apparel Scrubs highlight the type of redesign thinking that will help save the healthcare industry.
More information on the Ford SmartGauge and Cardinal Health’s Endura Performance Apparel Scrubs can be found at Smart Design's website: www.smartdesignworldwide.com

About Smart Design:
Smart Design creates informed and inspired design for people and memorable brands for their clients. For 30 years, Smart Design has been turning insight and innovation into successful consumer experiences. Their strategic approach integrates product and brand to ensure winning solutions. Smart Design’s consistent results are delivered by its multi-disciplinary, international staff working in teams across offices in New York, San Francisco, and Barcelona.

For more information please contact:

Mercedes Coats
Marketing
Tel: +1 415 355 6205
Email: mercedes.coats@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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