I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about innovation as of late—pondering the role design can play in generating new ideas and, of course, bringing those ideas to life. For me, innovation is about ideas based on insight, wrapped up in a tight, experiential package that consumers are drawn to. So where does design come into the process of defining innovation? When is the right time to engage design in the discussion?Excellent questions. And the answer, “Bake it in early.”
The reality is that some of the most successful new brand innovations have had design embedded into their DNA from the beginning. When Design is integrated early in the process of defining a brand, it becomes an inherent aspect of the brand’s personality, values and expression. The result is a brand that offers much more than just a product—it offers consumers an experience that integrally links the brand message, behavior and presentation. Brands such as Method, Diesel, even Target offer consumers a 360-degree engagement with design as a focal point. The result is a memorable experience that has the ability to flex and grow over time.
In an industry where return on investment defines where the dollars are spent, design is often a second thought. But when design can be engaged in the process early on, the short-term investment can result in a long-term gain.