Reinforce Your Brand Story with Design Research
The right design does everything for a brand: With a single glance, it tells customers an authentic and compelling story. It’s what makes an iPad different from any other tech purchase, or a Dyson unlike any other vacuum. At Lippincott, we’ve noticed an increase in clients asking for research that ensures that design is on strategy. Suzanne Hogan, Lippincott’s chief operating officer, explains what makes that research so powerful, and how it can backfire:
Q. First, how big a role does design play in strategic positioning?
A. Every brand has an image, an identity—a story that customers understand the minute they see it. Design can't do everything, but it should always support that strategy. Each component, from the company signage right down to the smocks associates wear, either adds or subtracts from that narrative.
Q. How does design research help?
A. Done right, it zeros in on whether changes, such as a new identity or visual system, will enrich customer perceptions, or seem completely out of character. We've used it to help companies like Dell, Walmart and TACA assess people's reactions, reshaping designs as we want to make them even more effective.
Q. What types of questions are asked?
A. The best questions are crafted to uncover what a specific design communicates to key audiences about the company. Is what the design says about the company, whether what it conveys—in image, tone and feeling—in alignment with the brand story objectives? If research simply poses questions about whether people like Design A better than Design B, it doesn't really get to the heart of the matter. We've learned that in general, people initially like the old version of anything better—we choose what's familiar to us. And those who are most loyal to the brand may be the most resistant to change, at least at first.
Q. So it sounds like sticking with a familiar design poses the least risk?
A. That depends upon the business strategy. It may not be the best strategic course of action if a brand needs to be re-defined for the future. When we devise a research strategy, we may expect a design without any visual equity to perform as well as familiar choices. For that matter, going with a design purely based on what people "like" can be high-risk, too. People may genuinely prefer a design that is way off strategy. People might say they like a very luxurious feeling cabin interior on an airplane, for example. But that would be a poor choice if it contradicts a carrier's no-frills positioning.
Q. So likes don't matter. What does?
A. Uncovering what potential customers think a design means. How would they expect this company to treat customers? What does the design convey? Does it belong to a company that is warm and friendly? Brisk and efficient? Modern or traditional? This feedback will show us whether something new is in keeping with the brand's core personality and its evolving storyline.
Q. Why are more companies using design research?
A. Well, certainly to protect their investment. But it's also the new reality—we know Gen Y has shown they are keenly aware of design quality. Their favorite brands include Target and BMW, Blackberry and Nintendo. And the primary place they experience these brands is online, a world where content is updated constantly. In research, this key demographic may say they want the familiar. But in reality, they want brands that continually delight and surprise them—all while staying true to their brand story.
Q. What can't research do?
A. Make a decision for you. It can help, but ultimately, brand execs usually have to make some tough judgment calls. As much as we'd like it to, no single design can express all the desired attributes.