https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hs0C2UvVBY#t=67
GoPro: Beyond Hardware & Into Media
The industrial designer of today would have much to explain to the industrial designer from 50 years ago. Back then, if you designed a successful product, you'd be expected to regularly design subsequent updates to that product that consumers would want to continue buying, thus growing the company you were working for. It's simple math: Move More Product, Make More Money. While that phenomenon of course exists today, what's different is that now companies can grow by moving beyond physical devices and enhancing the user's experience through technological, networked means that then emotionally tie you to the device. The hardware, the physical object, is meant to draw you into the company's larger world of diversions and thus become an indispensable gateway. Consider the iPod followed by the development of the iTunes Music Store. Or look at the X-Box, and ask yourself if it would be a success without connecting you to millions of strangers you can play Call of Duty with.
So perhaps we shouldn't have been surprised to hear that GoPro, the inventors of a bad-ass little camera, are seeking to expand beyond the physical device and into the realm of media. While you've undoubtedly read news of the company's recent IPO, you may not have read the fine print on the filing:
To date, we have generated substantially all of our revenue from the sale of our cameras and accessories and we believe that the growing adoption of our capture devices and the engaging content they enable, position GoPro to become an exciting new media company.
Read the whole article on Core77.
Brand Experiences: Narrative Based Packaging
While doing research for past packaging projects, I came across excellent packaging examples that thoughtfully took branding to the next level. The designs were often simple, but included an array of meticulously chosen details that really captured the brand ethos. I started sharing these examples with clients and called it "Narrative Based Packaging" because the unpacking of the product became a story and experience itself. To help illustrate what I had in mind, I defined the term and include some cool examples hoping I could convince them (the client). Here they are:
Packaging focused on brand story-telling or narrative-based practices engage users by unfolding elements, materials, and products in thoughtful ways. Instead of plastic encasings “protecting" products, narrative-based packaging supplements the product to encourage a lifestyle and brand relationship between product and user. Narrative-based packaging can heighten products attributes or work towards a "big reveal".
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Great blog!
I'm always on the look-out for new and different definitions of a brand promise, brand manifesto, brand pillars, etc. I love seeing how these morph and customize into tools for a brand. Its great to see how big and small brands interpret and define some of their core ethos- sometimes getting a little sloppy or strangely crazy.
I've stumbled on this great new blog that does a great job putting a stake in the ground, tackling some big questions on their blog:www.blackcoffee.com/blog
Articles include:
1 Option Paralysis: what happens when consumers are faced with too many options?
2 Brand and Multipliers: branding as multiplication, and not addition.
3 A Product is NOT a Brand: how having a great product is no longer a guarantee of success.
Mohawk Paper - Brand Video
[vimeo 39711730]
GFSMITH // I LOVE PAPER!
[vimeo 37655203]
[vimeo 44111107]
One of the more thoughtful and elegant strategies I have ever seen implemented by a company. Read their story and browse their website. All of their content is inspiring and provides you with a sense quality, craftsmanship, and above all, that they lovingly care and are invested in their customers.
Harder said than done. Especially, if your just a paper company.