Dialogue | 03. We explore the impact of ‘Lifestyle Design’ and the ‘Colour of Now’.
Hello and welcome to issue three of Dialogue.
In this issue we want to take a whistle-stop tour of two themes we think will be huge opportunities for product brands in the coming year and beyond.
Lifestyle Design 2.0
Soft-Tech, Quiet-Tech, the Google effect. Call it what you will, we feel we are now entering the second generation of the ‘domesticity of technology’.
First came the softening, humanising and crafting of consumer facing SMART-technology typified by Ivy Ross and her team at Google Design. Their vernacular of soft, textile clad forms, and the downplaying of previously overt expressions of performance tech is undeniably beautiful and wonderfully recognisable.
More recently we are witnessing the emergence of the new wave of lifestyle design. Led this time around by LG and Samsung, who are both crafting beautifully executed statement technology pieces. Where the statement is ‘graceful performance suited to life in the now’ and ‘tasteful additions’ to the curated home environment.
OBJET TV (above) from LG is perhaps the epitome of this, whilst it leans on the tropes of theatre and painting as many have before (B&O in the 70’s), its execution perfectly epitomises the gentle domestic minimalism that many search for as part of a more tranquil modern relationship with tech.
Where next?
Invisibility and minimalism will always fight with impact and performance for tech brands but we predict that many more will begin to lean to the former.
Expect the age old marketing gem of ‘personalisation’ to reappear. Allowing us ways to lean into a more fluid, hybridised home decor theme, with colours designed to entice the mindful, sustainable and the youthful between work and home.
Tech-nicolour
Outside of the home, consumer tech is still firmly targeting Gen Z and their huge appetite for bold and colourful personalisation. Bold, gaudy, even purposefully discordant are the watch words for getting the look of now.
This craving for colour presents a huge opportunity for the big players in the industry. Google in contrast to Apple are owning this modern take on colour application. With the former is desaturating brights, matching acids against near blacks, whilst Apple continues to explore the richer, full saturation they used to do so well.
How to connect with Gen-Z
Expect creative, and increasingly frequent, accessory releases by the big players within the industry. We anticipate a shift in ways to accessorise whilst increasing the longevity of core technology as the world backlashes against e-waste and brands seek to remain on the right side of the sustainability argument.
We’re Rodd
The front end of innovation and design is a risky but hugely exciting space. We can help you navigate the pitfalls and unlock key insights to take you forward.
Our user research and foresights combine our appetite for understanding consumer needs and aspirations, with our fascination with the changing pattern of global macro trends.
For teams looking to break new ground and venture into a more ethical economy, our insights provide the clarity and empathy you need to move ahead.
Let’s find your new way forward.
