Blog 2

1. I think to some degree, consumers have always played a big role in the design and branding process for most companies. The spending behaviors of consumers may fluctuate with the economy. There have been several shifts in the behavior of consumers over the last few decades, almost always in relation to the economy. When times are bad, consumers look for the products that will give more bang for their buck, vs. more buying expensive products when times are good. It’s apparent that in the midst of the most recent recession, people have been spending their money a little more carefully. Consumers are also spending more time researching products before they make purchases. Forbes has a great article that goes into detail about the spending habits since the recession.
http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/04/consumer-spending-recession-leadership-managing-mckinsey.html . It says that for products like Alcohol and tobacco, people continued to buy the same brands after the recession; but bought cheaper versions of medicine and some foods. It’s apparent that the products people were willing to spend the same amount of money on have gained customer loyalty, and offered some service that couldn’t be duplicated.

2. Design can really make or break the truth of a brand. Everything that the company stands for, and is known for by its costumers need to be seen in a visual way, through design. Everything from the company’s logo, color scheme, and packaging needs to further add to the experience of the company. Customers can make judgment calls about companies based solely on their advertising, whether its “true” or not. A company called Clean Design shares their view about designing truth for their client’s companies. http://www.cleandesign.com/process.html
It says that “find a truth about your brand means we have made a direct connection with you and your audience. It’s all about emotion and experience, and design can create that.

3. I think producing happiness amongst customers is what essentially creates loyalty with that company. People will return to that company if they happy with their service/product, and had a good experience as well. Concerning the customizable products from the readings, it seems like those companies are all about creating happiness for the customer. The buyers are given a chance to “participate” in the creation of their own products, allowing customization and personalization. They are given the tools to create a product that they will be happy to have, not simply pre-made designs that requires some sacrifice on the customer’s side. Loyalty will come because of the positive experiences had by the customer.