We live in a world of contradiction—we crave the new, but want to be able to cut through the clutter and simplify our lives. Design, of course, plays a massive role in doing both these things. But when it comes to innovation, creation of the “really new” is rare. It is “otherworldly design,” through product, packaging and overall presentation, which is often the ingredient that appeals to our inquisitive nature for new experiences.
The question is how to capture this magical quality and learning from abroad to rethink innovation at home. What is innovation? The Latin word
innovare means to “make new.”
The transition I am talking about is less about “new news,” i.e., derivations on existing formats. The commonly misused word “innovation” is applied here to things like the design evolution of the mobile phone, eventually arriving at the Prada phone or five shaving blades instead of four: a well-known brand served up in never-ending formats—as witnessed in the confectionery market or in new materials and substrates used to over-package duty-free goods. But this kind of innovation is limiting: It plays to finite rituals, isn’t really that fresh and ultimately adds to clutter and consumer boredom.
“Making new” should be about genuinely fresh and stylish offers that anticipate unmet human needs and create new bonds—ideas that seem to come from a genuinely different, foreign place.
What is the macro context for successful consumer brands? Whether in technology, fashion or food and drink, there’s a renewed emphasis on the product, its ingredients and process—where it has come from and how it is made. Brands with genuine roots and a real story to tell are those that are able to create a lasting emotional relationship. From spas to beauty or well-being products, shopping and leisure can become a sensual and inspirational world of discovery—if designed well.
Fashion and artistry are big influences on the way our food looks and feels, bringing to life food’s seductive powers. Maybe because of the intriguing Asian trend of miniaturization in all walks of life, consumers are increasingly turning to smaller, more interesting products over the more overt. Think of Yakult, Mini, Walkman or boutique hotels. From farmers markets to the return of the bespoke product, people are increasingly seeking a true source of knowledge— a genuine authority that sets the tone for everything.
And if we can combine this with a real feeling of the exotic, then the magic of real innovation and the opportunity for fresh, stimulating design can begin. Exoticism can transform the way we look at everyday products and rituals, and changes the things we will pay a premium for—from the foods we consume to the places we stay. It’s the same mind-set that makes us want to avoid a five-star Sheraton cookie-cutter global experience and opt for a local guest house, where the experience can be pleasantly alien and incredibly memorable because it is etched into our minds … having touched most, or all, of our senses in the process.
There seem to be four main elements to this idea of exotic and foreign chic that create an otherworldly perception that then triggers mass desire.
First there is the “paradigm shifter.” This is when something we perceived as being the status quo has been hauled forward in one big jump and had mass take-up. Think Apple, Google, Picasso, Elvis, Beetle, Yo Sushi (which brought sushi to the U.K. in a really interactive way and has since developed into a chain due to popularity) and a really well-designed brand called Edible which sells (believe it or not) edible scorpions, hornets and other insects and oddities. Yes, it’s true. In Japan, we’ve also seen Miso Pretty take Asian food and drink cultures and translate them into skin care.
Then we have the “bona-fides.” These are the unequivocal, and sometimes un-designed, authentic exports that garner immense kudos because of their place of orgin. And if they can tie the product or brand experience with a ritual, then the bond becomes even stronger. Mexico’s hedonism is embodied in premium brands like Patron tequila and Corona beer with a slice of lime, while Verve Cliquot comes with stylish French packaging that beautifully doubles as an ice bucket. Other good examples are the Scandinavian design aesthetic epitomized through Bang & Olufson’s technology that interacts with human response, and Absolut Vodka’s timelessly stylish packaging, recently evolving with the launch of Level Vodka.
The “mockneys” tend to be those that invent foreign heritage, and yet somehow manage to use the allure of the foreign with no actual export arrangement—essentially fabricating brands that meet a need in the export markets. The ones that succeed long term tend to address this missing truth by finding the right way to link the brand to a location. Malibu was launched with no Jamaican link; now it has built a distillery there. Cobra beer was launched by an Indian with no Indian brewery, but in very authentic-looking packaging; now it has production and a market in India. And if you walk the aisles of any supermarket you can find a whole assortment of products and brands with invented heritage.
Finally, the “domestic exotics” are those well-recognized home brands that integrate an aspect of foreign chic into their existing product lineup—to varying degrees of success. Thai Heinz baked beans is a recent example.
So, if the appeal of the exotic is genuine, what can we learn from these examples as we design and innovate for our clients? Well, there are five principles that seem to run through all aspects of foreign chic:
1. Have Restraint. Mean more by saying less and leaving things to the imagination. Create desire by being the magnetic, strong-but-silent type. Being oblique creates intrigue, which inspires faith.
2. Act covertly. Suggest hidden secrets and act like a chameleon, designing for discovery and disguise. Appeal to the mind-set that likes to be in the know and influence others. Think Prada stores.
3. Be radical. Employ extreme aesthetics. Create design that is striking, inimitable and surprising.
4. Be surreal. Transpose familiarity. Be challenging by involving your audience and inspiring a desire for the unexpected.
5. Allow Touch. Create heartwarming connections. Bridge the otherworldly gap by being immediate, intuitive and emotive.
If we can employ these principles when designing then we will be doing what both design and innovation aim to do, which is to invent new products and make things better. In this world of total disruption in all walks of life, where there is breakdown in traditional forms of communication and a changing belief system, it is the role of designers to strive for true paradigm-shifting innovation. The principles of foreign chic can help.
This is why design has a long-term future, which those who seek to innovate should invest heavily in. If done well, design endures, communicates, builds real value and cuts through the clutter.
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