DESIGN
Design and the future: “Appliances might offer new functionality and design, but they will only be bought by the average consumer if they promise to be user-friendly and cost effective to run” Rita Balestrazzi, Marketing Manager, Baumatic
white and stainless steel still retain their obvious style status, the introduction of Grey Pearl appliances makes a viable alternative to current high-end colour standards, and one that we believe will enter the mainstream in the future.” Likewise, from Electrolux comes a visually consistent and co-ordinated collection of products in the form of the new Inspiration compact range. Appliances are small enough to fit into a 38cm niche, yet offer the same high performance features of full size models. The glory of compact appliances is flexibility of installation. They can be positioned in line, in a column or square and teamed with standard-sized ovens, too. In recognition of the kitchen having become the ‘hub of the home’, the brand has added a 19-inch built-in LCD TV to the collection, offering consumers the full monty in the way of an aspirational, streamlined focal point and kitchen retailers an add-on sale that complements the compact ovens, combi microwave and builtin coffee machine in the range. Baumatic’s Balestrazzi also comments on the draw of compact appliances as a potential design statement, but says that retailers do need to display such products in built-in banks to encourage multiple purchases.
MONITOR AUDIO’S ULTRATHIN SHADOW RANGE OF SPEAKERS
Consumers won’t and shouldn’t have to compromise style over substance, or vice versa” “It is definitely true that the first visual impression can sell a product and encourage trade-up too,” agrees Whirlpool’s McKelvie. “Ensure that appliances are sited in the very best displays so your target audience can relate to the design. “Creating the right visual impact with beautiful, colourful and well designed displays, combined with demonstration to highlight the features of products, is always to your advantage, and a great asset which will ‘wow’ and impress your customers.” And as good retailers are aware: demonstration and education go hand in hand. Speaking about the E-learning module for Hotpoint’s Aqualtis laundry range, Darren Peake, Senior Category Manager for Laundry and Dishwashers, adds: “Retailer training can help bring the magic in the machine to life.”
Design in CE
OFF THE WALL’S ‘MOTION’ TV STAND
In Consumer Electronics, the design “inside the box” is paramount as “Smart” TV, 3D TV, sound systems and connectivity becomes the focus across ranges of devices that are bringing the PC and home entertainment together. Looks, too, are of massive importance, and the choice of blade-thin TV panels, mounts, stands, furniture
A CELEBRATION OF TIME AND DESIGN…
and accessories gives consumers the opportunity to say something about themselves through the style of their homes. The colour television market may be experiencing one of the most challenging periods in its 45-year existence, but, for most manufacturers, investment in bigger, better, thinner, technology- and design-led products continues, as can be seen in the recent introduction of Samsung’s voice, motion and face recognition control LED TVs – technology which represents a “world first” for the category – and in LG’s newly designed, 1mm bezel Cinema 3D and Smart TVs. JUBILEE ISSUE JUNE 2012 GET CONNECTED
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