Ziba: Experience Through Design

“It is estimated that nearly 80 percent of all products introduced to the marketplace just don’t make it.” This may come as no surprise considering the diversity of products that exist today. As the market becomes more convoluted, it becomes more difficult to introduce a new product that catches the consumer’s eye, sometimes regardless of innovation. Sometimes it seems as though it has all already been done and now companies are only looking for another gimmick to sell. However, there are companies that continue to successfully introduce new products to the market. A design and innovation consultancy called Ziba helps companies learn about their customers and design products that will be successful in a dynamic marketplace. 

Ziba’s team is made up of a diverse group of specialists from all around the world, and they credit this diversity for their ability to gain a 360 degree view of the consumer. Ziba’s design and development is centered around understanding consumers in a deep and profound way. Rather than starting product development in R&D, Ziba begins with extensive consumer research. They examine both the market and the competition, followed by thorough market research which is then turned into valuable customer insights. Their approach to new product development is unique in the sense that they begin their development by studying the targeted consumer.

Sohrab Vossoughi, the founder and president of Ziba, explains that “people are in search of meaning these days. We have enough stuff to choose from. We have enough companies that can give us whatever we desire. It’s got to be meaningful, and to be meaningful you’ve got to understand your customer." Vossoughi asserts that market share is no longer the point; it’s customer “mind share” that you really care about. He explains that “you’ve got to create something that is meaningful to the customer and authentic to the brand." Ziba believes that to have a successful product today, it must connect with consumers on a deep emotional level. An emotional experience with the product and brand is what creates true brand loyalty.

As holistic marketers recognize the emotional power of design and the importance to consumers of how things look and feel as well as work, design is exerting a stronger influence in categories where it once played a smaller role. Ziba uses this emotional power to their advantage when working with their clients by ensuring that the design is in line with the targeted consumer as well as the brand. Design is a great way to differentiate a product and grab the attention of the target consumer. The advantages to the company that Ziba serves is that a well-designed product is easy to manufacture and distribute, and to the customer a well-designed product is pleasant to look at and easy to open, install, use, repair, and dispose of; all playing into the experience that the customer has with the brand.

The first question that Ziba asks a new client is whether they know their customer. They assert that a company must know what motivates their target customer; what drives them. Additionally Ziba inquires about the company’s values and how these values are incorporated into the messages that are sent out to the customer. According to Ziba, all designs and products should be made within context. The context that a company operates in is the market, the consumer, current trends, economic factors, etc. With the strategic target customer in mind, Ziba begins their integrated process of creating a meaningful customer experience. Design must be in line with the brand, and it must speak directly to the targeted customer.

Ziba believes that every project needs to tell a story which creates more of a holistic experience for consumers. Experiential marketing not only communicates features and benefits but also connects a product or service with unique and interesting experiences. Most eloquently stated, the idea is not to sell something, but to demonstrate how a brand can enrich a customer’s life. As earlier stated, consumers want meaning in their products, and the best way to give a product meaning is through experience that connects with consumers on an emotional level. A survey revealed that four out of five respondents found participating in a live event was more engaging than all other forms of communication.

Another important factor considered by Ziba is timing and whether or not the market is ready for a particular product. This is based on trend analysis and synthesis as well as trend application. Jeremy Kaye, the creative director at Ziba, explains that it’s all about “the right time for the right product for the right consumer from the right company." Steve McCallion, Ziba’s Executive Creative Director, explains that “one of the things that [Ziba] has to do is to be ‘archeologists of the future,’ and so [they] are not trying to make up the future but trying to understand the patterns that exist today that will manifest themselves in the future."

Ziba is an extremely successful design and innovation consultancy because of their ability to identify the target consumer, determine their needs, and design products and promotions in way that speaks directly to that consumer on an emotional level. Ziba stresses the importance of knowing the customer before moving into product design because products should be made to fit the customer rather than making a product and trying to make the customer fit it. For a truly rewarding emotional experience that creates solid brand loyalty, companies need to do their research and determine current trends within the target market and find ways to innovate within the context that exists.

References

Kotler, Philip, and Kevin Keller. (2012). Marketing Management. 14th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc., Print.

Ziba Design. (2009). Pearson Education. Retrieved from
http://wps.pearsoned.co.uk/ema_uk_he_hollensen_globmark_5/170/43546/11147834.cw/ content/index.html