What Makes Design So Important?

Design isn't just for fashion--it's a vital marketing-mix element for any product these days. Here's what three marketers from three very different industries have to say about the importance of design:

• The head designer for Russia's Lada cars (sedan at right) says: "Everyone knows what a Lada looks like, but there has never been a real emphasis on design. That will change in the future." His first step--"emotionalize" the car via design, following in the footsteps of automakers that use design to compete. Read more here and here.
• Nike's CEO sums up the role of design this way: "Any business that wants to realize its potential has to realize good design." He also notes that the world doesn't need more mediocre design. Watch the 30-second video here.
• Apple's Jonathan Ive says the best design is when "It almost appears like it wasn’t designed." In other words, when the product is so intuitive, so natural feeling, and so functional, that customers can't imagine it any other way. Read more here.