Design and style are having a pervasive influence on the vast middle and aspiring middle market consumer. Nothing demonstrates this better than the crazed reaction to the launch of the iPhone and its predecessor the iPod. The iPod instantly became the new definition of cool. Everyone wanted one. The iPod does not appeal to a specific age group, ethnic group, social-economic group or gender. Young and old, rich and poor and every nationality see the iPod as a listening device and an identity tool. The design, more than the technology completely captured our attention as a nation.
To further demonstrate this point is the overwhelming impact of Target on the middle market consumer with its emphasis on style and design in it’s products and its communication. Target’s communication puts the excitement into everyday products as generic as Tide and Clorox. Target always speaks up to its consumer in how they visually present the message. They select recognized designers that are not overused and can bring a real cache to the brand and they educate the consumer on the design provenance their designers bring to the table, like their relationship with Isaac Mizrahi.
When they started selling products designed by Isaac Mizrahi they launched a cross country promotion introducing their customers to Mizrahi and his legacy in the 
fashion industry. When the Target consumer purchased the Mizrahi pea coat, they wore that extra sense of pride knowing that along with the Bergdorf Goodman shopper, they too appreciated the style of this great designer. When they wear their Isaac Mizrahi coat with extra pride and self-confidence it’s because they understand the significance of the design along with finding it personally pleasing. The value is even deeper because Mizrahi is not a household name and understanding the value of his designs lends a sense of cool.
Everything Target communicates from the sponsorship of New York cultural events to their national reading programs at schools across the country conveys a sense of “Cool” that people want to be a part of. Keep in mind that they don’t have a store in New York City and I’m sure very few of their customers support the ballet and regional theaters. They are a mass market retailer which has set its identity through intelligent style and design. And they are the benchmark for every retailer today in creating an identity that people want to internalize and make their own in some form. We don’t think of just saving money at Target. We want to identify with the sense of cool that Target has created. We want Target to help us define who we are. The extra cache of style puts Target right at the top of the list of exciting Brands to be a part as it trains the eye to enjoy these nuances that add value to our perception of the product.
No frills means no thrills. In a world of abundance there is not much of a market for the mundane.
We are realizing that aesthetics and visual appeal are universal in voice. No need for “swoon” translation when a product is viewed across cultures. Visual appeal crosses continents and cultures with no need of interpretation. Good design, either in the product itself or in the presentation of the product, gives the consumer trust and confidence.
Trust is essential in the online environment. If the product follows up and performs then you have won yourself a loyal customer. Web site design and product design become increasingly more important as we cross cultures in our world bazaar. The design element is the emotional tie between the Brand and the consumer. If you can get into the hearts of your consumers you can engage in the seduction. If you get into their minds they are successfully wooed. Companies like Target and Apple understand how to do both in a most distinctive way.
Joanie Abraham – Livin’ Yaffe Style
