Differentiation Through Design
For companies to set themselves apart, they must integrate design and innovation in all of their processes pertaining to research and development, production, communications and marketing. Calling upon the skills of a designer is not simply a question of making a product more "beautiful". On the contrary!
Design is a key factor in differentiating products and services : When the packaging is attractive, the brand’s image is improved and in so doing, the client’s recognition of your products is also improved.
Studies prove that design is a genuine economic lever. Are you wary of the additional costs incurred for the services of a designer? In fact, every €1 invested in design yields €2.25 in sales! (Design Council Study, 2006).
In the province of Liège, several companies and research centres are working on developing new materials or adapting existing materials for new applications. The materials are represented in all economic activity sectors and they are in a state of constant, rapid evolution.
SPI attaches great importance to design. Amongst the initiatives led on behalf of companies :
- Publicity and awareness campaigns
- Promotion of conferences
- Dedicated events where the connections forged between designers and entrepreneurs, prospective partners with shared interests, assumes its full importance
- Information and benchmarking missions on the international scene
- Company audits and visits
- Thematic employment workshops
- Preparation of innovation awards candidacy applications
- Editing and publishing brochures and reference guides
- …
Of course, SPI’s best-known initiative is the Métamorphoses trade show.