In the sense of product and communication design : investigating the role of sensory-related design benefits in marketing management

Abstract

Basically, every design consists of a composition of sensory design elements. As a result, there are numerous possibilities for marketing managers to design products and conduct marketing communication. In addition, this broad spectrum of design opportunities offers rich value potential and therefore the design can be an important strategic tool for companies and brands. Today, design is mainly considered as an instrument to generate a competitive advantage in the market. Specifically, an appealing product design may help to positively differentiate the company’s own products from competing products with similar properties and features. To create an appealing product design, not only knowledge from design theory, but also a comprehensive understanding of the perception of design from the customer’s point of view is of fundamental importance. Accordingly, the need for new insights into the influence of product design on consumer behavior has increased significantly among researchers and practitioners. In particular, efficiently communicating the product’s benefits through product and communication design represents an essential issue for marketers. This dissertation, consisting of a total of eight research articles, therefore focuses on two main areas of research. In the first module, existing research gaps regarding the impact of product-related sensory design elements and design benefits on consumer behavior are identified and empirically investigated. Further, the second module focuses on the influence of sensory design elements in marketing communication on the perception of product design and design benefits. Both modules consist of four research articles each. The results of the various research contributions confirm the important role nowadays attributed to design in marketing management. Furthermore, the new insights provide valuable practical implications for a multitude of application areas in marketing across different industries and additionally set the foundation for future research directions in the field of value-based design research.