E M P I R I C A L O B S E RVAT I O N S
presentation of the firm was recognized to an above– average level. The discussion about the reason for being was equally well recognized across the cases; whereas the consequential state—the public recognition – received minor attention. The emphasis of the concerns of presentation is in line with the fact that all the firms selected for this study were seen to be, and understood themselves to be ’brand houses’. Appearance
Player
Reason for being Upbringing values
Humanist
Plumber
Gardener
Guardian
Adventurer
Symbol of ideology
Saving water
Extending hand power
Protecting buildings
Self– identification
Presentation
Slogan
Fashion publicity
Single brand
Orange symbol
Technology profiling
Luxury brand
Public recognition
Favour
Appreciation
Desirable
Acceptance
Credibility
Well received
Table 24. Cross–Case Comparison of Observations of Appearance. The obvious barrier in this field of discussion is what is commonly called as ’absence of a common language’. The problem of different languages may actually be rooted in cultural differences. As one managing director said: ’The UK design process underperforms. They do not understand the language. They cannot understand it from their own cultural perspective. They do not understand our thinking’. In this case the lack of shared meaning may have come closer to the definition of the problem. The difficulty in being heard in the market clearly manifested itself in many ways, either as agreeing on the message or the output. As a chief designer said, ’I ask our UK marketing manager when he brings products independently, “Does the new product correspond with the brand”’. Or, to quote Adventurer’s managing director on getting the right meaning to the market: ’We tend to confuse our customers, as much of the media attention is on our racing activities, leaving cruising in the shadow’. Or, as Guardian’s division director said of conveying the message to receivers who are hard to reach: ’The top experts of the security authorities do not read commercials; they become convinced by testing themselves’. And,
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