How Good Industrial Design Can Improve a Product’s Branding and Marketability

For most of the 20th century, what was considered “good” industrial design was mostly centred around the most obvious functionality needs of the end user. Dieter Rams’s famous 10 Principles of Industrial Design, for instance, makes no overt mention of branding and marketing. Indeed, the influential designer even asserted that “good design is honest,” implying that details meant to sell a product rather than serve the core function were indicative of “bad design.”

However, our understanding of market and individual behaviours has progressed a lot since the 20th century. More importantly, the relationships between products and individuals have been explored more extensively since then, especially in light of society’s continued march towards consumerism. One can now make a strong argument that good design is something that can actually get into the hands of its intended users. After all, what’s the use of a highly functional object if no one even wants to buy it?

Today, rather than simply selling products designed to function well, businesses must also consider the overall messages that products communicate when they’re on store shelves and online listings. When considering industrial design NZ businesses typically follow, they need to look beyond simple functionality and consider how their designs serve a specific market need. Here’s how you can leverage industrial design to make a product that wins at the market:

1. Enhanced User Experience (UX)

Even without directly considering other marketability angles, industrial designs that prioritise the user experience are better positioned to gain market shares. Products with this principle in mind can instil joy and confidence in their usage through better ergonomics and consideration of typical use cases. These positive emotions invariably translate to higher customer satisfaction and the kind of loyalty that builds positive word-of-mouth and repeat sales.

2. Stronger Brand Identity

Unless your business is just starting out, it probably already has a set brand identity that all its products must follow. A well-designed product reflects your brand’s values and identity, which helps set recognition as well as future sales for other products you offer. To facilitate this, designers and brand owners alike must emphasise recognisable design language in the visual elements, materials, and overall UX of the products being designed.

3. Increased Perceived Value

High-quality industrial design can significantly enhance the perceived value of a product. Consumers often associate well-designed products with superior quality and reliability, something that tends to make sense since good design requires time. With better design, companies can position their products as premium offerings, allowing them to command higher prices and gain more favourable profit margins.

4. Better Sustainability

Modern consumers are increasingly conscious of the impacts of their buying decisions. Industrial design that minimises energy and material usage can be sold to potential customers on those merits, usually while also netting your business valuable third-party certifications and gains in production cost efficiency.

5. Higher Cost Efficiency in Production

As mentioned, good industrial design can lead to cost savings in production. Designers who understand manufacturing processes can create products that are easier and less expensive to produce, reducing the overall risks for your business. These cost efficiencies can be passed on to consumers through lower prices or reinvest it back into the business, enhancing its competitiveness.

6. Better Differentiation

Innovative design, by definition, sets a product apart from the competition. Making customers realise that your product has unique features or the ability to solve common problems in new ways can help it gain a meaningful presence in the market. Design innovations are an especially significant selling point in marketing campaigns, as they give consumers and industry media a reason to pay attention to your offers.

7. Emotional Connection with Consumers

Whether a product’s visuals lean on nostalgia, current trends, or some kind of subculture in-joke, product designs are constantly evoking emotions in customers, whether you acknowledge it or not. It’s only when consumers feel a strong positive emotional connection to a product that they are more likely to develop brand loyalty. If you want to develop a long-term customer base and encourage repeat purchases, your product’s industrial design must account for these emotional responses.

8. Future-Proofing

Generally speaking, consumers dislike products that break down because this seemingly implies that they’ll be forced into making more purchases. Knowing this, good industrial design considers future trends, adaptability, and durability as part of the overall calculus. While selling long-lived products may be less than ideal in the short term, they directly contribute to long-term business stability by making future buyers confident in whatever you may still be offering years from now.

Great Industrial Designs Puts Your Customer First

Contrary to what one might expect, marketable industrial design is not about putting pointless features that only look good. Rather, it is about considering how people live and how they might use your product to improve their day-to-day lives at home and work. It can ultimately be argued that investments in industrial design are an act of empathy—one that also happens to be good for your bottom line.