Designing products, utilizing culture

Design Issues in Europe Today addressed the place of culture within all forms of design. As design enhances, it is becoming more and more difficult to differentiate products and services based solely on the way they appear. Where design alone cannot create a differentiating stance, a brand's cultural value (represented by its aesthetics, significance and function) works to set it apart from everything else. Users and consumers demand something more than just functions, they want values, and they want to find them within everything with which they interact. This is already quite visible in certain categories, such as food, clothing, and real estate, where culture lies at the base. But this need for culture and value is extending into new areas, such as airlines, banking services, and electronic goods. Culture needs to be communicated at all times in order to maintain the connection with the public. Use is relevant, but what lies beneath is becoming even more important.