The Business of Design
“I truly believe that design has the ability to transform business whilst enriching people’s lives.”
Gerry McGovern
Chief Creative Officer for Land Rover
In my first session of this morning's Adobe Max 2020 Creativity Conference, Gerry McGovern, Chief Creative Officer for Land Rover, said I truly believe that design has the ability to transform business whilst enriching people’s lives. It inspired me to call my parents who built our family business together over thirty five years ago. Their vision for Adamo Stone Design was to create a compelling, approachable brand supported by consistent premium execution.
The evolution of Adamo's design and tools reflect what interior stone should be in 21st century homes. As a brand guardian, my challenge throughout 2020 as we evolve and expand Adamo's offerings is to be respectful of our past. This devotion to our unique heritage, however, can feel creatively limiting at times.
Gerry McGovern is also striving to protect his brand's original design intent— but as I learned in this morning's session, Gerry's key role at Land Rover is to reinvent "an icon". He shared how designers across disciplines can take his insights for experience design reinvention and apply them to their own work.
Harness the passion and design of your people.
Use design as a catalyst for change.
Remember that design has the ability to create a compelling vision.
Design is not limited to typeface or vehicle shape. It's a vision. By shifting focus to create a compelling vision, we can ask ourselves what our brands should strive for in a modern age experience.
In his world of premium luxury products, Gerry is striving for Land Rover to be a visually compelling vehicle that wears its design and engineering integrity with uncompromising commitment, while connecting emotionally to consumers. Through design, the Land Rover brand is securing a seat in the modern age by upholding its brand equity while creatively reinventing itself and welcoming change.
Gerry says the only way to truly differentiate our brand and products from the overwhelming amount of local and global competition is through design— You build brand equity by designing and building truly compelling products. When you're designing any product the way you present it to the world is fundamentally crucial. There needs to be that direct correlation.
Until today I had only attributed Adamo's success to the hard work and expertise of my parents. It seems now that what forged my family business through these unprecedented times is its ability to connect emotionally with consumers through design.
What I've learned from Gerry today is that design has the ability to transform business whilst enriching people’s lives. It plays an integral role across all industries. Through a compelling vision, we can be respectful of our brand's past without feeling harnessed by it.