As I’ve mentioned many times, I am a big, big fan of design …
Whether it’s corporate, packaging or industrial, I find it unbelievably interesting and can even look past the fact many of them justify their actions with the sort of explanation you’d expect from some two-bit tinpot dictator.
Over the years I’ve had the great pleasure of working with some amazing designers – and I include my wife in that group because even though she say the odd jillyism late at night, during the day she’s a bloody awesome and talented designer – and it never fails to amaze me how many factors they take into account when they are developing their ideas.
Which leads me to this post.
Imagine you want to develop a product that will help reduce stresses and headaches.
Imagine it’s a product that you have to put on your head to make it work.
Imagine it’s called the uCrown2.
With that all in mind, what do you think would be some important components you’d have to consider in the design process?
Something light weight perhaps?
Something you could feasibly wear at any time and any location?
Something that looks gentle?
To be honest, I’m not sure but I’m as sure-as-shit it wouldn’t be something that looked like this:
Who the hell did OSIM – a Singaporean based health technology company – get to design this, Josef Mengele?
Fuck me, just looking at the thing makes me feel stressed and gives me a headache … so god knows what it must do when you actually put it on.
Am I the only person who thinks it looks like the sort of contraption you’d see in a horror movie or some alien abduction doco?
Seriously, that thing scares me … especially the dial over the ear … that’s pure evil.
Surely it could have been made to look nicer.
I know the man on the ad looks like he’s in orgasmic ecstasy, but let’s face it – it would be more embarrassing being seen coming out the back of a sheep than wearing that poor excuse for a BMX helmet!
In short, it’s absolutely horrendous and whilst I appreciate the ad is to attract interest … whoever had the bright idea to actually ‘show’ the product in use is stark, raving mad … because in a choice between a headache or looking a twat … I’m pretty sure the headache is the much more preferable option.
Saying that, my favourite bit is the fact the ‘talent’ used in the ad is wearing a tie.
Are they really suggesting this is the sort of item busy executives could wear at work to help them be more effective.
Come on, let’s be serious here … if you were seen wearing that during office hours, your bosses would put you in a jacket with no sleeves rather than respect your desire to be sharp and focused.
So to OSIM – who are a genuinely innovative and successful company – may I suggest in future that you either get your products better designed or don’t make your ad agency feature the bloody thing in the ad and just focus on how it makes you feel. Trust me, it’ll be worth your while.