Effective Design Boosts Business Success
🛍️ Designing a consumer's pathway to a product that transforms it into a seamless, intuitive journey - that's no longer just the dream of traditional designers. It's the 21st-century reality!
In the kaleidoscopic realm of design, there's no longer a simple means of traversing from point A to B. Design has evolved into an intricate tapestry of disciplines, with threads interwoven across fashion, interior, graphic design, product design, and visual communication.
Gone are the days when the design world was viewed as a quirky, peculiar niche of high-strung artists and creatives. Today, with cutting-edge businesses, big brands value design thinking far more than technical or business skills.
Take, for example, Apple, the design maverick that elevated the art of visual communication into a lucrative, empire-building tool. Apple's brand has been built primarily on well-crafted, finely honed design, turning the company into a 21st-century phenomenon.
The Apple Empire
"🍎️ Another Apple logo," you may think, but let's delve deeper into the enchanting stories every Apple logo encapsulates and the powerful impression it leaves on consumers.
Some might argue that the iPhone and its companion, Whatsapp, were the stealthy icebergs that sank BlackBerry's Titanic. While the iPhone wasn't the first smartphone and it doesn't even command the largest market share (13.9% compared to Samsung's 21.4%, according to this IDC report ), its enduring presence has carved a formidable niche for itself, much like its Macintosh computers and laptops before it.
Apple's dedication to "design is king" has influenced not only its products but drips over into other aspects of the consumer experience as well, thanks to clever marketing campaigns like the late-2000s "Get a Mac" ads. An Apple product now serves as a coveted status symbol, a statement piece that speaks volumes about the class and individuality of its owner, whether economically affluent or socially influential.
Apple's hallmark minimalism can be found across its portfolio of devices, from iPhones, MacBooks, iPads, to its software – delivering an air of confidence, sophistication, and, some would argue, a slight hint of arrogance (Android boasts a commanding 82.8% market share, according to this IDC report, but Apple has managed to inspire a sense of smug superiority in its customers nonetheless).
But how does Apple manage to instill such a feeling of self-assured superiority in its products (and by extension, its users)? Through design, of course!
The Artistry of Apple's Design
Let's examine a few key design elements that make Apple's visual communication so potent:
1. The Menu Screen
Upon unlocking an iPhone, users are treated to a dashboard of applications and folders right on the home screen. Where Android phones require an extra step to access the menu tray through a separate button, the instant access offered by Apple is a prime example of functional design. Why complicate a simple action when it's unnecessary?
2. The Home Button
Apple's recognizable, round home button is a testament to the company's commitment to a "look." With the introduction of fingerprint scanners in the iPhone 5s, Apple enhanced security while preserving the iconic design element. The home button has become such a central part of Apple's identity that its new HQ (still under construction) is inspired by it.
3. The Apple Logo
The illumination of the Apple logo on MacBooks is a stroke of genius in visual communication. Not only does it create an aura of intense work or groundbreaking creativity, but it also sets Apple apart from ordinary laptops. The illuminated logo makes for the perfect canvas for custom laptop art, further solidifying the Apple brand's connection with its customers.
4. Rounded Edges
Apple's unyielding persistence in patenting rounded edges for its handsets was a controversial move, but it boldly set Apple apart from the competition. This design choice has been both an emotional touchstone for loyal fans and a bone of contention for rivals.
Design is the foundation on which the Apple empire has been built, and it continues to be the driving force behind Apple's innovation and consumer appeal. As we venture further into an era of interconnected commodities, consumers, and experiences, design will undoubtedly continue to play a pivotal role in shaping our digital future.
- The seamless consumer journey is no longer a dream for traditional designers; it's the reality of the 21st century, weaving together fashion, interior, graphic, product, and visual communication design disciplines.
- In the realm of modern business, design thinking has become more valuable to companies than technical or business skills, as exemplified by Apple's rise to fame with its well-crafted, finely honed designs.
- Apple's brand has transcended the simple logo, encapsulating enchanting stories that leave a powerful impression on consumers, as seen in the case of the iPhone and its impact on other companies like BlackBerry.
- Apple's dedication to design extends beyond its products, influencing consumer perceptions, turning their devices into coveted status symbols and statements of class and individuality.
- The Apple product portfolio showcases a commitment to minimalism, providing an air of confidence, sophistication, and arguably a slight hint of arrogance, while maintaining a strong presence in the market despite not commanding the largest share.
- To instill a sense of self-assured superiority, Apple relies on clever design elements, such as the instant access offered on the home screen, the recognizable round home button, the illuminated Apple logo on MacBooks, and the patenting of rounded edges for handsets, all of which serve to set Apple apart from competitors and solidify its brand connection with customers.
