The value of design
What is design worth? A work by Banksy, or the Nike swoosh, once developed for 35 dollars. Strategy is allowed to cost money, but design is often seen as expensive. Unfairly so, and we'll show you why.
What is design worth?
Design has both soft and hard value. Soft: beauty and identity, hard to capture in a number but tangible. Hard: function and distinctiveness, which translate into ease of use, conversion and competitive advantage. You recognise good design, even if it's tricky to quantify.
The soft: aesthetics
Design is everywhere, from a tea bag to a piece of packaging. You recognise good design intuitively: you sense what works, even if it's hard to capture in figures.
The hard: function
Design conveys a message through visual language: pictograms, infographics. Interaction design makes a website more usable and increases conversion. Think of the GGD travel vaccinations, where illustrations make complex information simple, or Smeva, where imagery radiates a passion for freshness.
Being recognisable
A recognisable identity counts, from a logo to a complete organisational style. Brands like Rituals and Apple show how a consistent identity builds value.
Different from the rest
Competitive advantage comes from colour, form and core values. For XPEL we linked the brand identity to a European feel and to customer motivations; for Bibliotheek Midden-Brabant a new identity turned a negative image around and usage rose.
Return on investment on design
Research (source: BNO) backs up the value of design: 77% of respondents consider design important for their brand or product, and 89% agree that design helps build and maintain a lasting competitive advantage.
Creativity reaches further than design alone, all the way into strategy and market development. It's precisely in measurable, online environments that design and concept are underestimated. Creativity is and remains human work, not something to be automated. That unquantifiable extra: that's where the real value sits.
Read more about how we add value with brand and design in the brochure.
Just ask Peter.
A creative challenge? We'd love to get to work together on design that adds value.