A patent is a form of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, selling and importing an invention for a limited period of years, in exchange for publishing an enabling public disclosure of the invention. In most countries patent rights fall under civil law and the patent…
An industrial design right is an intellectual property right that protects the visual design of objects that are not purely utilitarian. An industrial design consists of the creation of a shape, configuration or composition of pattern or colour, or combination of pattern and colour in three-dimensional form containing aesthetic value. An industrial design can be…
Copyright is the exclusive right given to the creator of a creative work to reproduce the work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, educational, or musical form. Copyright is intended to protect the original expression of an idea in the form of a creative work. Copyright may…
A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression which identifies products or services of a particular source from those of others, although trademarks used to identify services are usually called service marks. The trademark owner can be an individual, business organization,…
We all live within an interior environment and most of us work, study, shop and worship inside of various buildings. Today’s integration of sustainable practices with interior design support enhancements in the productivity of workers in an office space, increase achievements of students within education campuses, attracts visitors in an exhibition and improve patient recovery…
Visual information design is concerned with the visualization of data, content, and navigation, rather than interactive functions. It is distinguished from information design in that it is less concerned with the content’s editorial and information architecture issues, focusing instead on the graphical presentation. This skill set is particularly important in designing data-intensive applications, where users…
Interaction designers are responsible for understanding and specifying how the product should behave. This work overlaps with the work of both visual and industrial designers in a couple of important ways. When designing physical products, interaction designers must work with industrial designers early on to specify the requirements for physical inputs and to understand the…
In our practice, we’ve come to recognize that visual interface design is a critical and distinct discipline that must be conducted in concert with interaction design and—when appropriate—industrial design. It has great power to influence a product’s effectiveness and appeal. But for this potential to be fully realized, visual design must not be an afterthought—it…
When designing a convergent product, industrial designers must define the form of the physical product, embodying the brand with shape and material. For the purposes of interaction design, they specify physical input mechanisms. Interaction designers can perform research into the users’ overall needs and the device’s goals as a whole. Industrial designers lay the groundwork…
Until the last 20 years or so, the discipline of graphic design was dominated by the medium of printed ink, as applied to packaging, advertising, environmental graphics, and document design. These traditional practices were not developed to address the demands of pixel-based output. However, the discipline has evolved considerably in the last two decades, and…
Online marketing is the practice of leveraging web-based channels to spread a message about a company’s brand, products, or services to its potential customers. The methods and techniques used for online marketing include email, social media, display advertising, search engine optimization, Google AdWords and more. Websites Firms have increased their emphasis on communicating with customers through their websites.…
Direct marketing contains a variety of traditional and new forms of marketing communication initiatives. Traditional direct marketing includes mail and catalogues sent through the mail; direct marketing also includes e-mail and mobile marketing. Internet-based technologies have had a profound effect on direct marketing initiatives. E-mail, for instance, can be directed to a specific consumer. Firms…
Personal selling is the two-way flow of communication between a buyer and a seller that is designed to influence the buyer’s purchase decision. Personal selling can take place in various settings: face-to-face, video teleconferencing, on the telephone, or over the Internet. Customers can buy many products and services without the help of a salesperson, but…
Sales promotions are special incentives or excitement-building programs that encourage the purchase of a product or service, such as coupons, rebates, contests, free samples, and point-of-purchase displays. Marketers typically design these incentives for use in conjunction with other advertising or personal selling programs. Many sales promotions, like free samples or point-of-purchase displays, are designed to…
Public relations is the organizational function that manages the firm’s communications to achieve a variety of objectives, including building and maintaining a positive image, handling or heading off unfavourable stories or events, and maintaining positive relationships with the media. Like advertising, this tactic is relatively passive, in that customers do not have to take any…
Advertising is extremely effective for creating awareness of a product or service and generating interest. Mass advertising can entice consumers into a conversation with marketers, though it does not necessarily require much action by consumers, which places it on the passive end of the spectrum. Traditionally, advertising has been passive and offline (e.g., television, magazines,…
A well-defined and executed brand strategy affects all aspects of a business and is directly connected to consumer needs, emotions, and competitive environments. The strength of any brand development exercise is in its planning.
A brilliant name is the basic core differentiator of your brand. It helps to build awareness and convey meaning. Inspiration for a great name can come from anywhere – mythology, storytelling, family, history, and flora and fauna can all provide impetus.
