Those who grow through design

Design is one of the most important elements in branding and growth. Companies now use ‘design’ as a tool which expresses their product’s and service’s difference, functions and quality. In the rest of the world, Samsung is frequently cited as demonstrating the power of design; and this power has now also been discovered by Turkish companies. From Vitra to Arçelik, Paşabahçe and Koleksiyon Mobilya, many Turkish companies are using design to demonstrate what gives them an edge and make their name known abroad.

Up until 1993 Samsung was just another brand in the electronics sector. It was not one of the leaders of the sector but one of those who followed the leaders. But in 1993 Samsung President Lee Kun Hee visited Los Angeles and became aware of a vital reality. The brand was not taken very seriously outside Korea. Particularly in the crowded market in America it was lost. After Hee had returned home he called an urgent management meeting. He announced that, instead of trying to reduce costs, they now needed to develop designer products. From then on, instead of competing on price in the lower league, Samsung would try to rise to the global league through its excellent products. Indeed, at that meeting, Hee set the target by saying: “We want to be the Mercedes of the electronics sector.”

After the target had been set, Samsung began to push at its limits. In 2006 it won the Industrial Design Excellence Award (IDEA) five times. As a result, it became the first Asian company to win more awards than its European and American rivals. Since 2000 it has won more than 100 awards in the most important design competitions in America, Asia and Europe.

The Most Powerful Competitive Tool
Samsung is one of the best recent examples in the world as a whole of companies coming to the fore through design and growing. But it is not alone. The number of companies which have demonstrated the power of design in their applications is growing by the day. Companies from different sectors such as Adobe, Nokia, Toyota and Virgin give importance to design, transform consumers into customers and make their names mentioned everywhere.

In parallel to the rest of the world, in Turkey the concept of design is also becoming one of the most important elements in growth. Companies use ‘design’ as a tool which expresses their product’s and service’s difference, functions and quality, the lifestyle they offer the consumer, their dynamism, durability and other similar features. They focus on growth through design. Capital studied the companies in Turkey which have grown and come to the fore through their designs and successful applications. It asked a 30 person jury composed of designers, marketing staff, advertising executives, communications experts and academicians, each an expert in their field, about the companies which have come to the fore through their successful designs in Turkey in recent years. As a result of the jury’s careful evaluation, a list was prepared of the companies in Turkey which have used design in the best way and grown.

Nilüfer Gözütok
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