Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Does the word "Design" need a makeover

A good topic on the Linked In Creative Design Pros group.

Brand Creation, Rejuvenation and Architecture. Building Brands Without Advtg, Culture Transformation WorkshopsTop Contributor
Design means so many things - from fashion, to graphic, to product.... The popular meaning of design is pure aesthetics. The idea of strategic design has eluded business decision makers. Perhaps a new nomenclature like Strategic Creative Intervention can change the perception of design. Any takers?


This was my response:
I can draw a parallel between Electronic Music/DJing (another area I'm interested in) to the Design world. With the price of home computers and technology coming down drastically over the past 30 years, those who weren't able to afford computers and the software years ago, now can. So everyone is a "Designer" or a "DJ" now. It's a double edged sword. I like the fact that without a ton of money people access to tools they were not allowed to. However at the same time, you end up with a lot of BAD Designers and Design (and DJs!)

However as in most industries, the best really will raise to the top, so I think the word "designer" is still a good one

I think the word "Designer" is getting more muddled in the web profession than perhaps print.Pouring over many job ads, I see companies asking for a "web designer" when they actually are more looking for a web developer with coding skills.
(I won't get into the whole Design Unicorn thing, but you can read more about it here)

It seems a new role has risen up in the web/ui/ux world called the "visual designer". Which to me is a bit of a confusing term.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Why Does the US hate Station Wagons?



One of my hidden loves is Car Design. I wanted to be a car designer when I was a child. I went to the Chicago Auto Show an amazing 12 years in a row as a child. I had a huge plastic bag where I could collect as many car brochures as possible, take them home, then pour over them. I would attempt to make up my own cars. I even had my own car company. It was called Mega Motors! They’d probably be bankrupt by now based on my elementary school designs and drawing ability.

But it’s fun to talk about it here.

Much like Neutella, Kylie Minogue and the Metric System, Station Wagons (or Estates in many countries) and hatchbacks are insanely popular everywhere around the world..except in the US.

Once upon a time in the US wagons were plentiful. Even the Ford Escort and Chevrolet Cavalier offered Station Wagon variants. Celebrity, Taurus, Camry, Accord all had wagons..and not massive Country Squire, Grand Marquis, Colony Park, Roadmaster, Caprice, and Safari Station wagons


You can count the amount of wagons sold in the US on one hand
The Jetta Sportswagen (The Golf Wagen in the rest of the world)
Acura TSX Wagon (The Honda Accord Wagon in the rest of the world)

If you notice, (besides the Jetta) it’s all luxury or near luxury brands offering wagons…mostly out of reach for the average family looking for the Family Truckster.

There have been some sexy wagons in the 2000s but they were more shooting breaks and didnt really have the utility of a station wagon like the discontinued Dodge Magnum or even the still on sale Cadillac CTS-V Wagon. They are also not volume cars.


What killed the Station Wagon in the US..a a triple punch of being horribly uncool, the dominance of Chrysler (then other companies) Minivans. Then Minivans became uncool mom mobiles, so they switched to the SUV. Then the SUV was massive fuel guzzlers so they go for the CUV

Based on article featured on car enthusiast website Autoblog, a GM executive thinks “America Deserves A New Wagon

So what could possibly bring the US back around to the Station Wagon.
It would have to be
affordable
good gas mileage 
good seating capacity
good cargo capacity

GM has some options. They would be badge engineering jobs, but thats Basically what Buick is now right...Opel of America.

Bring over the Insignia Wagon and make it a Regal Wagon


Bring over the Chevy Cruise Wagon


If you need a Shamu wagon from the 70s and 80s, bring over the Holden Commodore Wagon (Which is the new US Caprice Police Cruiser and the Chevy SS)


All handsome vehicles in my not so humble opinion. But would Americans buy it? As ugly as it was, the Chevy Malibu Maxx sold in decent numbers. Maybe an experiment with the Chevy Cruze Wagon is the safest way to go.