Brand Strategy
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Design for a better brand experience

15.02.23

All great design starts with people, or at least it should. Understanding how people think and feel about the brand, how they use the product or service, and what they do next, is key to brand design which results in meaningful connections and a better experience.  

‍

‍

So why, when we know that people buy, use, and love brands with which they have an emotional connection, is the digital purchase experience so often rational and transactional?  

Allison Spence
7 min read

Perceived wisdom about online purchasing is that people are roaming on and offline: researching, and narrowing choices, so that when it comes to the moment of purchase, they have already made the decision. Perhaps that’s why the experience is accepted as a rational one. This wisdom, however, also assumes that the values, needs, and behaviours of people offline do not need to be (or cannot be!) met on the digital path to purchase.  

‍

‍

But is this true? Most people want to feel a connection wherever they happen to be, or whatever mode they are in:  browsing, researching or decision making. When we can replicate, augment, and enhance online, brands may be missing a trick to make their digital representation work harder.

Allison Spence is Director of Brand & Packaging at Seymourpowell.

Innovation Strategy
RELATED INSIGHTS
Brand Strategy
arrow icon
Return to LAB

Design for a better brand experience

15.02.23

All great design starts with people, or at least it should. Understanding how people think and feel about the brand, how they use the product or service, and what they do next, is key to brand design which results in meaningful connections and a better experience.  

‍

‍

So why, when we know that people buy, use, and love brands with which they have an emotional connection, is the digital purchase experience so often rational and transactional?  

Allison Spence
7 min read

Perceived wisdom about online purchasing is that people are roaming on and offline: researching, and narrowing choices, so that when it comes to the moment of purchase, they have already made the decision. Perhaps that’s why the experience is accepted as a rational one. This wisdom, however, also assumes that the values, needs, and behaviours of people offline do not need to be (or cannot be!) met on the digital path to purchase.  

‍

‍

But is this true? Most people want to feel a connection wherever they happen to be, or whatever mode they are in:  browsing, researching or decision making. When we can replicate, augment, and enhance online, brands may be missing a trick to make their digital representation work harder.

Indicators
Mireille Steinhage
Solar Empowerment

In an effort to bring renewable energy to those who need it, design graduate, Mireille Steinhage, has invented a self-heating, solar-powered blanket which is made from conductive yarn.

Studio Floris Schoonderbeek and Sweco
Local Food Systems

The Circle Farming project, from Studio Floris Schoonderbeek and Sweco, provides a comprehensive solution to bridge the gap between urban and rural food production. This community revolves around agricultural-circled fields and provides housing, nature, and recreation on the fringes of the green space.

Sunne by Marjan van Aubel
Designing with Sunlight

Sunne, by Marjan van Aubel, is a solar-powered, indoor light which stores, produces, and captures light. It harvests energy from the sun during the day: at night, it brings light inside.

Luma Arles Arts centre
No Space for Waste

Designed by Frank Gehry, the Luma Arles Arts centre in France has been clad with a progressive palette of locally produced, natural materials, including salt, algae, and sunflower waste.

Syntropia Re-FREAM
From Seed to Shoe

The Syntropia Re-FREAM project, initiated by Sophia Guggenberger and Eugenia Morpurgo, explores the regeneration of ecosystems through circular manufacturing, from 'seed to shoe'. The shoe's framework is unique, designed to be flexible and modular, made from bio-based materials harvested from one polycultural field.

Yes, there are some limitations online, but also multiple opportunities – some which we don’t have in the physical world. Instead of taking a cut-and-paste approach from offline, why aren’t we using digital capabilities to make the experience more people-focused and therefore better, in every sense of the word?

‍

‍

A recent survey [Spryker in its UK Online Grocery Report 2022] suggests that 80% of people would do more food shopping online if the user experience were better, yet the task of ordering groceries online is often a joyless chore to be endured. In the true spirit of Seymourpowell thinking, how can we make this experience better?

‍

‍

As designers and brand owners, we spend so much time crafting the pack and, what is more, consumers correlate superior packaging with a higher perceived value of product: according to The Grocer, 6 June 2018, ROI on packaging is estimated to be as much as 2.5 times that of spend on advertising and social media. Yet, it is often represented as a pixelated thumbnail. Why aren’t we making a hero of the pack or using the design assets and semiotics that work so well offline, to make an emotional connection online?

‍

‍

Transactions are driven by experience and, as we know, experience is multi-sensory – this is not something we often consider when bringing our brands to life in a virtual space.  We like The Drum’s encouragement to brands to design virtual sensory logos for metaverse experiences: “brands will need to rethink what it means to be experienced by their customers, and to think about what they ‘feel’ like”.

Indicators
Nowhere
Combatting Inequity

A Metaverse meet-up platform has been designed to combat social inequalities which exist on other Web 3.0 platforms. Nowhere developers have designed the platform to remove barriers to access: you don't need an NFT or crypto wallet to join, thus reducing financial and technical requirements. The 3D voice chat feature increases the volume of a user's voice as they move closer to you, making contact more authentic and frictionless.

Soul Machines
The 'Digital Workforce'

Soul Machines is a personalized, AI-based simulation service with a Human OS platform. It features a patented 'Digital Brain' which helps deliver human and machine collaboration. It's designed to democratise the service industry, with digital 'people' placed in the WHO and New Zealand police.

SenseGlovel
Meta Touch

Wireless gloves from Dutch start-up, SenseGlove, let users feel the size, weight, texture and density of virtual objects when worn with VR headsets.

Institute of Digital Fashion
Avatar Representation

Research by Institute of Digital Fashion shows that people want more choices for diverse representation in online spaces. There are clear demands from consumers for: better accommodations (including text to accompany audio) and avatar customisation which takes into account bodily differences.

It is well-known that aroma is the most powerful tool to evoke memory and provoke response, but although we don’t (yet) have a scratch-and-sniff capability online (or in the metaverse), we can still use sensory cues to connect. Sonic idents, ASMR, textures, colour, shape, and form all assist people in conjuring up the sensory landscape of the product and help buyers to feel closer to the brand.

‍

‍
Charles Spence, of Oxford University's Crossmodal Research Group, explores the growing field of multisensory flavour perception. His research found that different genres evoke different taste experiences: establishing that music can impact our perception of taste. Spotify is already capitalizing on this relationship between sound and taste, with its ‘Songmelier Edition’:  a wine-music pairing service. It’s only a matter of time before we will see similar concepts unfolding in the mass market.  

Indicators
Miele
Tech Repair

At the Salone del Mobile 2022, Miele's 'Longevity Lab' used an exploded installation to communicate the brand's inherited value around longevity. The brand celebrated their policy of keeping spare parts available for fifteen years after a home appliance is discontinued, encouraging everyone to care for and repair their home equipment.

Yamaha x ECAL
Reimagined Touchpoints

In a project with ECAL, Yamaha proposes an alternative approach to physical interaction with sound-play devices. Incorporating AI, live-streamed performances and ASMR, the students designed six new music players and accessories which offer a novel music listening experience, as well as physical appeal.

Paul Coenen
Mono Material

Paul Coenen folds a single sheet of steel to create furniture which is designed to be passed from generation to generation. The mono-material furniture and homeware collection offers superior durability through the use of stainless steel without the need for added coatings, adhesives or fasteners.

Disruptive Berlin
Anti-impulsive Consumerism

Disruptive Berlin offers its community an alternative lifestyle and perspective when it comes to consumerism. With an exclusive password-protected shopping area on their site and Instagram channel, they encourage consumers to question their potentially 'impulsive' decisions before buying new/ second-hand clothing.

According to a survey conducted by Havas (Havas Group Meaningful brands report 2021), 66% of people would like a more meaningful experience with brands, yet almost half of brand content is not meaningful to people. We need to stand out online as much as in the physical environment, but why not use the tools that we have at our disposal and stand out with meaning? According to Forrester, 45% of US shoppers will abandon an online purchase if they cannot find the details that matter to them. But this does not mean communicating everything to everyone, all at once.

‍

‍

Layering of information will enable people to explore the brand and product based on their own values. If consumers want to know about your sustainability credentials, for example, display them as a pop-up. If they are looking for nutritional specifics, make sure they are easy to consume. Tell the human stories behind the manufacture with warmth, big up the benefits with passion and evidence. Consider the beauty of information and power up the infographic.  

‍

‍

At Seymourpowell, we have explored this very notion for ourselves through the tourism industry: adding a 3D augmented layer to an entire city, reimagining the way in which people interact with (and discover!) places.

[Explore Stirling XP]

‍

Indicators
Bethany Williams
Stronger Together

Bethany Williams is building a practice that seeks to challenge the traditional fashion industry. From garments made from recycled book waste to collaborations with community projects, her work tackles social and environmental issues.

Yinka Ilori
Bright Spaces

Yinka Ilori opens his first a pop up retail store in Shoreditch. Featuring his signature colourful, bright motifs, the space is inspired by West African architecture and features his homeware products. The aim of the space is to explore how we can help customers connect, experience and discover.

Brothers Fearon Fabrication
Playful Furniture

Australian studio Brothers Fearon Fabrication creates funky and tactile aluminium furniture pieces, some with whimsical character faces, showcasing pure fun and enjoyment.

Modibodi
Menstruation for All

Modibodi's new All Gender Collection brings non-binary and transgender men into the conversation around menstruation. The campaign brings inclusive design to the forefront, through the LGBTQ+IA colour palette, and accessible design for all body types and genders.

‍

Direct to Consumer and subscription brands have been making their mark for some time now. What could be quite a functional, convenience-led transaction, has largely become something anticipated and ritualistic. The model allows personalised experience, of course, but what can we learn? Heinz to Home is appealing to its fans with bundles of packs for specific occasions or packs based on your sporting allegiance. Originating in Brazil, Nestle’s KitKat Chocolatory enables customisation of product and pack, with personalised messaging and home delivery. Both examples are going all out to activate brand fandom. But, any brand, through clever utilisation of assets and explanation of beliefs and benefits, can use the online channel to create more personal, heartfelt interactions by demonstrating empathy, shared passion, and emotional intelligence.

‍

‍

At the very least, why aren’t we using the major benefit of the channel to connect with people for the very reason they are there in the first place: convenience? Show how the product fits into life. Demonstrate how innovation and design is responding to how people live and shop for, use, store and repurchase the brand.

‍

‍

Amidst a cost-of-living crisis, it is more important than ever to prove brand value and to make meaningful connections with people by demonstrating understanding, care, craft, and consideration.

‍

‍

We must start with people: after all, that is where all great design begins.
Indicators
Jonathan Bocca
Curious Forms

Jonathan Bocca uses everyday materials (like paper) to craft strange animal-esque objects. Bridging the gap between sculpture and furniture, his otherworldly pieces take on a personality of their own, pushing the boundaries of traditional forms.

Strange Clay
Expect the Unexpected

Full of weird and wonderful delights, the Strange Clay Exhibition at the Hayward Gallery illustrates the tactile, sensual medium of clay and its endless possibilities: from fantastical creatures and uncanny representations of the everyday to expending the perception of ceramic objects.

Dopamine Land
Dopamine Land

A multi-sensory experience which combines media, technology and play, all in one place. It's an interactive museum which channels the limitless imagination of your inner child into reality.

Ka! Empathogenics
Edible Trips

Ka! Empathogenics are chews which are designed to help users handle moments of stress. It's the first ever natural empathogenic supplement, containing botanicals like Kanna, a South African psychoactive herb, which helps to boost energy, focus and creativity.

Allison Spence is Director of Brand & Packaging at Seymourpowell.

Innovation Strategy
RELATED INSIGHTS
Brand Strategy
arrow icon
Return to LAB

Design for a better brand experience

15.02.23

All great design starts with people, or at least it should. Understanding how people think and feel about the brand, how they use the product or service, and what they do next, is key to brand design which results in meaningful connections and a better experience.  

‍

‍

So why, when we know that people buy, use, and love brands with which they have an emotional connection, is the digital purchase experience so often rational and transactional?  

Allison Spence
7 min read

Perceived wisdom about online purchasing is that people are roaming on and offline: researching, and narrowing choices, so that when it comes to the moment of purchase, they have already made the decision. Perhaps that’s why the experience is accepted as a rational one. This wisdom, however, also assumes that the values, needs, and behaviours of people offline do not need to be (or cannot be!) met on the digital path to purchase.  

‍

‍

But is this true? Most people want to feel a connection wherever they happen to be, or whatever mode they are in:  browsing, researching or decision making. When we can replicate, augment, and enhance online, brands may be missing a trick to make their digital representation work harder.

Amazon Fresh (Photo credit: Amazon)
*Source: www.filtrestudio.com

Yes, there are some limitations online, but also multiple opportunities – some which we don’t have in the physical world. Instead of taking a cut-and-paste approach from offline, why aren’t we using digital capabilities to make the experience more people-focused and therefore better, in every sense of the word?

‍

‍

A recent survey [Spryker in its UK Online Grocery Report 2022] suggests that 80% of people would do more food shopping online if the user experience were better, yet the task of ordering groceries online is often a joyless chore to be endured. In the true spirit of Seymourpowell thinking, how can we make this experience better?

‍

‍

As designers and brand owners, we spend so much time crafting the pack and, what is more, consumers correlate superior packaging with a higher perceived value of product: according to The Grocer, 6 June 2018, ROI on packaging is estimated to be as much as 2.5 times that of spend on advertising and social media. Yet, it is often represented as a pixelated thumbnail. Why aren’t we making a hero of the pack or using the design assets and semiotics that work so well offline, to make an emotional connection online?

‍

‍

Transactions are driven by experience and, as we know, experience is multi-sensory – this is not something we often consider when bringing our brands to life in a virtual space.  We like The Drum’s encouragement to brands to design virtual sensory logos for metaverse experiences: “brands will need to rethink what it means to be experienced by their customers, and to think about what they ‘feel’ like”.

Artist: Anshuman Ghosh
*Source: Spryker UK Online Grocery Report 2022.

It is well-known that aroma is the most powerful tool to evoke memory and provoke response, but although we don’t (yet) have a scratch-and-sniff capability online (or in the metaverse), we can still use sensory cues to connect. Sonic idents, ASMR, textures, colour, shape, and form all assist people in conjuring up the sensory landscape of the product and help buyers to feel closer to the brand.

‍

‍
Charles Spence, of Oxford University's Crossmodal Research Group, explores the growing field of multisensory flavour perception. His research found that different genres evoke different taste experiences: establishing that music can impact our perception of taste. Spotify is already capitalizing on this relationship between sound and taste, with its ‘Songmelier Edition’:  a wine-music pairing service. It’s only a matter of time before we will see similar concepts unfolding in the mass market.  

Nestlé KitKat’s Chocolatory for Sao Paulo [Credit: Landor & Fitch 2021]
www.heinztohome.co.uk

According to a survey conducted by Havas (Havas Group Meaningful brands report 2021), 66% of people would like a more meaningful experience with brands, yet almost half of brand content is not meaningful to people. We need to stand out online as much as in the physical environment, but why not use the tools that we have at our disposal and stand out with meaning? According to Forrester, 45% of US shoppers will abandon an online purchase if they cannot find the details that matter to them. But this does not mean communicating everything to everyone, all at once.

‍

‍

Layering of information will enable people to explore the brand and product based on their own values. If consumers want to know about your sustainability credentials, for example, display them as a pop-up. If they are looking for nutritional specifics, make sure they are easy to consume. Tell the human stories behind the manufacture with warmth, big up the benefits with passion and evidence. Consider the beauty of information and power up the infographic.  

‍

‍

At Seymourpowell, we have explored this very notion for ourselves through the tourism industry: adding a 3D augmented layer to an entire city, reimagining the way in which people interact with (and discover!) places.

[Explore Stirling XP]

‍

‍

Direct to Consumer and subscription brands have been making their mark for some time now. What could be quite a functional, convenience-led transaction, has largely become something anticipated and ritualistic. The model allows personalised experience, of course, but what can we learn? Heinz to Home is appealing to its fans with bundles of packs for specific occasions or packs based on your sporting allegiance. Originating in Brazil, Nestle’s KitKat Chocolatory enables customisation of product and pack, with personalised messaging and home delivery. Both examples are going all out to activate brand fandom. But, any brand, through clever utilisation of assets and explanation of beliefs and benefits, can use the online channel to create more personal, heartfelt interactions by demonstrating empathy, shared passion, and emotional intelligence.

‍

‍

At the very least, why aren’t we using the major benefit of the channel to connect with people for the very reason they are there in the first place: convenience? Show how the product fits into life. Demonstrate how innovation and design is responding to how people live and shop for, use, store and repurchase the brand.

‍

‍

Amidst a cost-of-living crisis, it is more important than ever to prove brand value and to make meaningful connections with people by demonstrating understanding, care, craft, and consideration.

‍

‍

We must start with people: after all, that is where all great design begins.

Allison Spence is Director of Brand & Packaging at Seymourpowell.

Innovation Strategy
arrow icon
Return to LAB
RELATED INSIGHTS
Brand Strategy
arrow icon
Return to LAB

Design for a better brand experience

15.02.23

All great design starts with people, or at least it should. Understanding how people think and feel about the brand, how they use the product or service, and what they do next, is key to brand design which results in meaningful connections and a better experience.  

‍

‍

So why, when we know that people buy, use, and love brands with which they have an emotional connection, is the digital purchase experience so often rational and transactional?  

Allison Spence
7 min read
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Perceived wisdom about online purchasing is that people are roaming on and offline: researching, and narrowing choices, so that when it comes to the moment of purchase, they have already made the decision. Perhaps that’s why the experience is accepted as a rational one. This wisdom, however, also assumes that the values, needs, and behaviours of people offline do not need to be (or cannot be!) met on the digital path to purchase.  

‍

‍

But is this true? Most people want to feel a connection wherever they happen to be, or whatever mode they are in:  browsing, researching or decision making. When we can replicate, augment, and enhance online, brands may be missing a trick to make their digital representation work harder.

Yes, there are some limitations online, but also multiple opportunities – some which we don’t have in the physical world. Instead of taking a cut-and-paste approach from offline, why aren’t we using digital capabilities to make the experience more people-focused and therefore better, in every sense of the word?

‍

‍

A recent survey [Spryker in its UK Online Grocery Report 2022] suggests that 80% of people would do more food shopping online if the user experience were better, yet the task of ordering groceries online is often a joyless chore to be endured. In the true spirit of Seymourpowell thinking, how can we make this experience better?

‍

‍

As designers and brand owners, we spend so much time crafting the pack and, what is more, consumers correlate superior packaging with a higher perceived value of product: according to The Grocer, 6 June 2018, ROI on packaging is estimated to be as much as 2.5 times that of spend on advertising and social media. Yet, it is often represented as a pixelated thumbnail. Why aren’t we making a hero of the pack or using the design assets and semiotics that work so well offline, to make an emotional connection online?

‍

‍

Transactions are driven by experience and, as we know, experience is multi-sensory – this is not something we often consider when bringing our brands to life in a virtual space.  We like The Drum’s encouragement to brands to design virtual sensory logos for metaverse experiences: “brands will need to rethink what it means to be experienced by their customers, and to think about what they ‘feel’ like”.

Indicators
Nowhere
Combatting Inequity

A Metaverse meet-up platform has been designed to combat social inequalities which exist on other Web 3.0 platforms. Nowhere developers have designed the platform to remove barriers to access: you don't need an NFT or crypto wallet to join, thus reducing financial and technical requirements. The 3D voice chat feature increases the volume of a user's voice as they move closer to you, making contact more authentic and frictionless.

CES Page 07

Soul Machines
The 'Digital Workforce'

Soul Machines is a personalized, AI-based simulation service with a Human OS platform. It features a patented 'Digital Brain' which helps deliver human and machine collaboration. It's designed to democratise the service industry, with digital 'people' placed in the WHO and New Zealand police.

CES Page 08

SenseGlovel
Meta Touch

Wireless gloves from Dutch start-up, SenseGlove, let users feel the size, weight, texture and density of virtual objects when worn with VR headsets.

CES Page 09

Institute of Digital Fashion
Avatar Representation

Research by Institute of Digital Fashion shows that people want more choices for diverse representation in online spaces. There are clear demands from consumers for: better accommodations (including text to accompany audio) and avatar customisation which takes into account bodily differences.

CES Page 10

It is well-known that aroma is the most powerful tool to evoke memory and provoke response, but although we don’t (yet) have a scratch-and-sniff capability online (or in the metaverse), we can still use sensory cues to connect. Sonic idents, ASMR, textures, colour, shape, and form all assist people in conjuring up the sensory landscape of the product and help buyers to feel closer to the brand.

‍

‍
Charles Spence, of Oxford University's Crossmodal Research Group, explores the growing field of multisensory flavour perception. His research found that different genres evoke different taste experiences: establishing that music can impact our perception of taste. Spotify is already capitalizing on this relationship between sound and taste, with its ‘Songmelier Edition’:  a wine-music pairing service. It’s only a matter of time before we will see similar concepts unfolding in the mass market.  

Indicators
Miele
Tech Repair

At the Salone del Mobile 2022, Miele's 'Longevity Lab' used an exploded installation to communicate the brand's inherited value around longevity. The brand celebrated their policy of keeping spare parts available for fifteen years after a home appliance is discontinued, encouraging everyone to care for and repair their home equipment.

CES Page 12

Yamaha x ECAL
Reimagined Touchpoints

In a project with ECAL, Yamaha proposes an alternative approach to physical interaction with sound-play devices. Incorporating AI, live-streamed performances and ASMR, the students designed six new music players and accessories which offer a novel music listening experience, as well as physical appeal.

CES Page 13

Paul Coenen
Mono Material

Paul Coenen folds a single sheet of steel to create furniture which is designed to be passed from generation to generation. The mono-material furniture and homeware collection offers superior durability through the use of stainless steel without the need for added coatings, adhesives or fasteners.

CES Page 14

Disruptive Berlin
Anti-impulsive Consumerism

Disruptive Berlin offers its community an alternative lifestyle and perspective when it comes to consumerism. With an exclusive password-protected shopping area on their site and Instagram channel, they encourage consumers to question their potentially 'impulsive' decisions before buying new/ second-hand clothing.

CES Page 15

According to a survey conducted by Havas (Havas Group Meaningful brands report 2021), 66% of people would like a more meaningful experience with brands, yet almost half of brand content is not meaningful to people. We need to stand out online as much as in the physical environment, but why not use the tools that we have at our disposal and stand out with meaning? According to Forrester, 45% of US shoppers will abandon an online purchase if they cannot find the details that matter to them. But this does not mean communicating everything to everyone, all at once.

‍

‍

Layering of information will enable people to explore the brand and product based on their own values. If consumers want to know about your sustainability credentials, for example, display them as a pop-up. If they are looking for nutritional specifics, make sure they are easy to consume. Tell the human stories behind the manufacture with warmth, big up the benefits with passion and evidence. Consider the beauty of information and power up the infographic.  

‍

‍

At Seymourpowell, we have explored this very notion for ourselves through the tourism industry: adding a 3D augmented layer to an entire city, reimagining the way in which people interact with (and discover!) places.

[Explore Stirling XP]

‍

Indicators
Bethany Williams
Stronger Together

Bethany Williams is building a practice that seeks to challenge the traditional fashion industry. From garments made from recycled book waste to collaborations with community projects, her work tackles social and environmental issues.

CES Page 17

Yinka Ilori
Bright Spaces

Yinka Ilori opens his first a pop up retail store in Shoreditch. Featuring his signature colourful, bright motifs, the space is inspired by West African architecture and features his homeware products. The aim of the space is to explore how we can help customers connect, experience and discover.

CES Page 18

Brothers Fearon Fabrication
Playful Furniture

Australian studio Brothers Fearon Fabrication creates funky and tactile aluminium furniture pieces, some with whimsical character faces, showcasing pure fun and enjoyment.

CES Page 19

Modibodi
Menstruation for All

Modibodi's new All Gender Collection brings non-binary and transgender men into the conversation around menstruation. The campaign brings inclusive design to the forefront, through the LGBTQ+IA colour palette, and accessible design for all body types and genders.

CES Page 20

‍

Direct to Consumer and subscription brands have been making their mark for some time now. What could be quite a functional, convenience-led transaction, has largely become something anticipated and ritualistic. The model allows personalised experience, of course, but what can we learn? Heinz to Home is appealing to its fans with bundles of packs for specific occasions or packs based on your sporting allegiance. Originating in Brazil, Nestle’s KitKat Chocolatory enables customisation of product and pack, with personalised messaging and home delivery. Both examples are going all out to activate brand fandom. But, any brand, through clever utilisation of assets and explanation of beliefs and benefits, can use the online channel to create more personal, heartfelt interactions by demonstrating empathy, shared passion, and emotional intelligence.

‍

‍

At the very least, why aren’t we using the major benefit of the channel to connect with people for the very reason they are there in the first place: convenience? Show how the product fits into life. Demonstrate how innovation and design is responding to how people live and shop for, use, store and repurchase the brand.

‍

‍

Amidst a cost-of-living crisis, it is more important than ever to prove brand value and to make meaningful connections with people by demonstrating understanding, care, craft, and consideration.

‍

‍

We must start with people: after all, that is where all great design begins.
Indicators
Jonathan Bocca
Curious Forms

Jonathan Bocca uses everyday materials (like paper) to craft strange animal-esque objects. Bridging the gap between sculpture and furniture, his otherworldly pieces take on a personality of their own, pushing the boundaries of traditional forms.

CES Page 22

Strange Clay
Expect the Unexpected

Full of weird and wonderful delights, the Strange Clay Exhibition at the Hayward Gallery illustrates the tactile, sensual medium of clay and its endless possibilities: from fantastical creatures and uncanny representations of the everyday to expending the perception of ceramic objects.

CES Page 23

Dopamine Land
Dopamine Land

A multi-sensory experience which combines media, technology and play, all in one place. It's an interactive museum which channels the limitless imagination of your inner child into reality.

CES Page 24

Ka! Empathogenics
Edible Trips

Ka! Empathogenics are chews which are designed to help users handle moments of stress. It's the first ever natural empathogenic supplement, containing botanicals like Kanna, a South African psychoactive herb, which helps to boost energy, focus and creativity.

CES Page 25

Allison Spence is Director of Brand & Packaging at Seymourpowell.

Innovation Strategy
arrow icon
Return to LAB
RELATED INSIGHTS

15 min read

Trend Report

20.01.23

CES 2023: In Perspective

Fancy a plunge into the future of tech? Key themes captured from CES 2023.

12 min read

Trend Forecasting

07.01.23

2023 and Beyond: In Perspective

Unpacking the trends which will influence the future direction of industries and brands alike.

8 min read

ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE

17.02.23

The AI race is heating up: what does this mean for design?

With the recent developments at Google and Microsoft causing a stir online, we take a look at what two of tech’s major players are offering.

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Perceived wisdom about online purchasing is that people are roaming on and offline: researching, and narrowing choices, so that when it comes to the moment of purchase, they have already made the decision. Perhaps that’s why the experience is accepted as a rational one. This wisdom, however, also assumes that the values, needs, and behaviours of people offline do not need to be (or cannot be!) met on the digital path to purchase.  

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But is this true? Most people want to feel a connection wherever they happen to be, or whatever mode they are in:  browsing, researching or decision making. When we can replicate, augment, and enhance online, brands may be missing a trick to make their digital representation work harder.

Yes, there are some limitations online, but also multiple opportunities – some which we don’t have in the physical world. Instead of taking a cut-and-paste approach from offline, why aren’t we using digital capabilities to make the experience more people-focused and therefore better, in every sense of the word?

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A recent survey [Spryker in its UK Online Grocery Report 2022] suggests that 80% of people would do more food shopping online if the user experience were better, yet the task of ordering groceries online is often a joyless chore to be endured. In the true spirit of Seymourpowell thinking, how can we make this experience better?

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As designers and brand owners, we spend so much time crafting the pack and, what is more, consumers correlate superior packaging with a higher perceived value of product: according to The Grocer, 6 June 2018, ROI on packaging is estimated to be as much as 2.5 times that of spend on advertising and social media. Yet, it is often represented as a pixelated thumbnail. Why aren’t we making a hero of the pack or using the design assets and semiotics that work so well offline, to make an emotional connection online?

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Transactions are driven by experience and, as we know, experience is multi-sensory – this is not something we often consider when bringing our brands to life in a virtual space.  We like The Drum’s encouragement to brands to design virtual sensory logos for metaverse experiences: “brands will need to rethink what it means to be experienced by their customers, and to think about what they ‘feel’ like”.

Indicators
Nowhere
Combatting Inequity

A Metaverse meet-up platform has been designed to combat social inequalities which exist on other Web 3.0 platforms. Nowhere developers have designed the platform to remove barriers to access: you don't need an NFT or crypto wallet to join, thus reducing financial and technical requirements. The 3D voice chat feature increases the volume of a user's voice as they move closer to you, making contact more authentic and frictionless.

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Soul Machines
The 'Digital Workforce'

Soul Machines is a personalized, AI-based simulation service with a Human OS platform. It features a patented 'Digital Brain' which helps deliver human and machine collaboration. It's designed to democratise the service industry, with digital 'people' placed in the WHO and New Zealand police.

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SenseGlovel
Meta Touch

Wireless gloves from Dutch start-up, SenseGlove, let users feel the size, weight, texture and density of virtual objects when worn with VR headsets.

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Institute of Digital Fashion
Avatar Representation

Research by Institute of Digital Fashion shows that people want more choices for diverse representation in online spaces. There are clear demands from consumers for: better accommodations (including text to accompany audio) and avatar customisation which takes into account bodily differences.

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It is well-known that aroma is the most powerful tool to evoke memory and provoke response, but although we don’t (yet) have a scratch-and-sniff capability online (or in the metaverse), we can still use sensory cues to connect. Sonic idents, ASMR, textures, colour, shape, and form all assist people in conjuring up the sensory landscape of the product and help buyers to feel closer to the brand.

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Charles Spence, of Oxford University's Crossmodal Research Group, explores the growing field of multisensory flavour perception. His research found that different genres evoke different taste experiences: establishing that music can impact our perception of taste. Spotify is already capitalizing on this relationship between sound and taste, with its ‘Songmelier Edition’:  a wine-music pairing service. It’s only a matter of time before we will see similar concepts unfolding in the mass market.  

Indicators
Miele
Tech Repair

At the Salone del Mobile 2022, Miele's 'Longevity Lab' used an exploded installation to communicate the brand's inherited value around longevity. The brand celebrated their policy of keeping spare parts available for fifteen years after a home appliance is discontinued, encouraging everyone to care for and repair their home equipment.

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Yamaha x ECAL
Reimagined Touchpoints

In a project with ECAL, Yamaha proposes an alternative approach to physical interaction with sound-play devices. Incorporating AI, live-streamed performances and ASMR, the students designed six new music players and accessories which offer a novel music listening experience, as well as physical appeal.

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Paul Coenen
Mono Material

Paul Coenen folds a single sheet of steel to create furniture which is designed to be passed from generation to generation. The mono-material furniture and homeware collection offers superior durability through the use of stainless steel without the need for added coatings, adhesives or fasteners.

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Disruptive Berlin
Anti-impulsive Consumerism

Disruptive Berlin offers its community an alternative lifestyle and perspective when it comes to consumerism. With an exclusive password-protected shopping area on their site and Instagram channel, they encourage consumers to question their potentially 'impulsive' decisions before buying new/ second-hand clothing.

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According to a survey conducted by Havas (Havas Group Meaningful brands report 2021), 66% of people would like a more meaningful experience with brands, yet almost half of brand content is not meaningful to people. We need to stand out online as much as in the physical environment, but why not use the tools that we have at our disposal and stand out with meaning? According to Forrester, 45% of US shoppers will abandon an online purchase if they cannot find the details that matter to them. But this does not mean communicating everything to everyone, all at once.

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Layering of information will enable people to explore the brand and product based on their own values. If consumers want to know about your sustainability credentials, for example, display them as a pop-up. If they are looking for nutritional specifics, make sure they are easy to consume. Tell the human stories behind the manufacture with warmth, big up the benefits with passion and evidence. Consider the beauty of information and power up the infographic.  

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At Seymourpowell, we have explored this very notion for ourselves through the tourism industry: adding a 3D augmented layer to an entire city, reimagining the way in which people interact with (and discover!) places.

[Explore Stirling XP]

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Indicators
Bethany Williams
Stronger Together

Bethany Williams is building a practice that seeks to challenge the traditional fashion industry. From garments made from recycled book waste to collaborations with community projects, her work tackles social and environmental issues.

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Yinka Ilori
Bright Spaces

Yinka Ilori opens his first a pop up retail store in Shoreditch. Featuring his signature colourful, bright motifs, the space is inspired by West African architecture and features his homeware products. The aim of the space is to explore how we can help customers connect, experience and discover.

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Brothers Fearon Fabrication
Playful Furniture

Australian studio Brothers Fearon Fabrication creates funky and tactile aluminium furniture pieces, some with whimsical character faces, showcasing pure fun and enjoyment.

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Modibodi
Menstruation for All

Modibodi's new All Gender Collection brings non-binary and transgender men into the conversation around menstruation. The campaign brings inclusive design to the forefront, through the LGBTQ+IA colour palette, and accessible design for all body types and genders.

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Direct to Consumer and subscription brands have been making their mark for some time now. What could be quite a functional, convenience-led transaction, has largely become something anticipated and ritualistic. The model allows personalised experience, of course, but what can we learn? Heinz to Home is appealing to its fans with bundles of packs for specific occasions or packs based on your sporting allegiance. Originating in Brazil, Nestle’s KitKat Chocolatory enables customisation of product and pack, with personalised messaging and home delivery. Both examples are going all out to activate brand fandom. But, any brand, through clever utilisation of assets and explanation of beliefs and benefits, can use the online channel to create more personal, heartfelt interactions by demonstrating empathy, shared passion, and emotional intelligence.

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At the very least, why aren’t we using the major benefit of the channel to connect with people for the very reason they are there in the first place: convenience? Show how the product fits into life. Demonstrate how innovation and design is responding to how people live and shop for, use, store and repurchase the brand.

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Amidst a cost-of-living crisis, it is more important than ever to prove brand value and to make meaningful connections with people by demonstrating understanding, care, craft, and consideration.

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We must start with people: after all, that is where all great design begins.
Indicators
Jonathan Bocca
Curious Forms

Jonathan Bocca uses everyday materials (like paper) to craft strange animal-esque objects. Bridging the gap between sculpture and furniture, his otherworldly pieces take on a personality of their own, pushing the boundaries of traditional forms.

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Strange Clay
Expect the Unexpected

Full of weird and wonderful delights, the Strange Clay Exhibition at the Hayward Gallery illustrates the tactile, sensual medium of clay and its endless possibilities: from fantastical creatures and uncanny representations of the everyday to expending the perception of ceramic objects.

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Dopamine Land
Dopamine Land

A multi-sensory experience which combines media, technology and play, all in one place. It's an interactive museum which channels the limitless imagination of your inner child into reality.

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Ka! Empathogenics
Edible Trips

Ka! Empathogenics are chews which are designed to help users handle moments of stress. It's the first ever natural empathogenic supplement, containing botanicals like Kanna, a South African psychoactive herb, which helps to boost energy, focus and creativity.

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Allison Spence is Director of Brand & Packaging at Seymourpowell.

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