DESIGN : design as general language....symbolism

I made several meetings with people that eventually have the same problem - probably just like what happened to you; they have a very good product and service, and a good mission too. They surely have ambition and dedication to their works...but also, they do have the same problem...

...nobody "listen" to them....

not that people don't care with the issue, but probably, if we push people to 'sit down and shut up!' then people willing to hear what you've done, but you can't keep asking people to do it, and most of the case you also don't have the power to do it; so how to make them listen and care about it without keep 'asking' them to?

you have to speak their 'languange'....get them through what's important to them, coz you know, people have their own problem and other things to care about...then you should implement strategy so the people have a reason the hear more about you, by 'connecting' what's important to them, and to you....

(and) design is one of the tools that you can implement as 'connecting device'...

for example; Sony-Ericsson. Ericsson, by reputation has long experience creating very good product in telecommunication, they have technology that proven works - but at the same time they fail to 'sell it in the market' (thanks to Nokia) . For the buyers that care about telecommunication technology -ericsson has do more than enough, but how many of us really care about it ?(my wife, surely not) she doesn't care about those "additional" capabilities, for her, mobile phone is a, mobile phone, period. so why she has to upgrade the phone that she has to "better one"? - it still works right? she still could make a call....so while (long...long time ago) ericsson tries to introduce their new product, people didn't really care about it..or even willing to change their current phone at that time....so that's why Ericsson fail in the market.

Sony in the other hand, has a very, very clever way to have an emotional attachment with their users, imagine, how many walkman models last time their introduced? while ALL OF THEM has the same feature; a tape player....and Sony keep the numbers of walkman selling rising up....that's because Sony, could see through what's important in the people's mind...the reason to buy new walkman...not only as a tape player...but as a status symbol...it simply because you wear it in the public, then your friend could see you with this 'cool gadget' and they know that 'it's expensive' - so by wearing Sony product, you are the 'cool and expensive' person, or person who worship 'coolness and expensiveness' ....Sony acting as more than people who sells technology, they are the people that 'serve' your needs...being cool and hip through...their products...

So when Ericsson merge with Sony (a very clever strategy - look my writing about podbrick down there) they (ericsson) manage to create a "connection" between their expertise to what people need...and Sony excell this connection/emotional relation between product and user through....DESIGN.

Design; simply put, a bridge between what's important to you and what's important to other people....so they will listen to you...