Local Style for Global Products

Should a company use local decoration and pattern on their consumer electronics products when selling them in a strange and far away land?

Designing a product to look area-specific makes some cultural assumptions. Especially when the people doing the designing are not indigenous to that area. It's easy to assume that far away consumers are somehow inherently different to consumers near you but that's not necessarily true. I'll get to that in a minute.

First let’s get to why and when culture-specific design is a bad idea. Firstly there’s fairly convincing evidence that the fundamental values of all cultures are similar. In addition, consumer electronics are seldom conceived as indigenous items, they’re usually a global phenomenon. So why are we trying to decorate appropriate to indigenous culture? People buy consumer electronics predominantly as utility items but they also associate status and aspiration with the product. It's also easy to forget that users everywhere have access to information and expect to be able to get the same products available elsewhere.

There are two risks that one runs when designing in a culture-specific style. Firstly, there’s the risk of misunderstanding tacit cues in regional decoration. For example can one be sure that there's a common set of decorative features that would reinforce the brand message of the product for everyone that may buy it? Secondly there’s the risk of being perceived as patronizing or fake.

Consumer electronics are global products. That’s part of the value they carry even in highly localized settings. Showing respect for a foreign consumer sometimes means assuming they're a global citizen.

Sometimes cultural-specific design does work, especially when, although it references local style, it is aimed at consumers around the world. This means that local pattern and decoration is elevated to the role of a global influence. This is appealing to foreigners because the products look exotic and it appeals to local consumers because such a global influence is aspirational, rare and highly valued.

Of course it’s essential that the design work is well executed. Interestingly, outside designers sometimes reinterpret local decoration and style in a fresh way which also resonates with local consumers. Often though, the involvement of local designers may add the local savvy that allows local adoption of the products. In our studio, our most successful cross-cultural work has been collaboration between locals and foreigners.

Locals add the savvy, foreigners add the twist.