A brand has 3 primary functions:

• To help consumers navigate a saturated marketplace
• To reassure the consumer that the brand they are buying from is a quality product or service
• To engage the consumer to identify and relate to the brand

When brand and commercial design collide, it builds a beautiful experience that connects the consumer to the identity and essence of the brand. Commercial design goes beyond the tangible ideals of a brand, when done right it can interpret the vision and values seamlessly into a 3D physical space that a consumer can touch and experience.

Creating the perfect blend between a brand and the physical space can be tricky, you need to do your homework and really begin to connect with the essence of the brands goals and values. We have come up with a few tips and tricks to help your project blend seamlessly.

Brand Presence

To have a consumer truly understand and connect with the brands goals and vision, there needs to be a physical representation of the brand. Whether it be strong imagery or bold colour, the consumer needs to walk in and instantly understand the brand and service they are providing.

Acoustics and Ambiance

Have you ever been some where that’s loud and echoes so badly you can’t hear the other person speak and you instantly think – “I am never going back there again”! This is why acoustics and ambiance is key to connecting a positive experience between the brand and consumer.

Traffic Flow and Efficiency

Traffic flow is crucial for the space to work efficiently. If the space is cramped or overcrowded the consumer will have a bad experience and forever associate that feeling they had with the brand. Remember to have open spaces and give people room to breathe and fully appreciate their surroundings.

Positive Service Experience

For every brand, when you are developing a physical space it is key to incorporate a positive service experience. When it is easy to find help or efficiently purchase a product, the consumer has all their needs met and walks away with a positive experience. A trending example of this is help desks or ‘guru bars’ with dedicated people on hand to help.

Brand is not what you say it is. It’s what they say it is – Marty Neumeier, The Brand Gap

An example of seamlessly blending brand and commercial design is the conglomerate chain McDonalds. They have most recently adopted the new commercial design trend of ‘brand diversity’. Each restaurant is designed specifically for the local market, meaning that the physical experience is geared to suit the diverse needs of the local consumers. However diverse the physical space it still maintains the integrity of the brands goals and messages, the experience at each chain still maintains consistent. Diversifying the commercial design experience has been a turning point for the industry and has seen other brands slowly adopt a new way of developing a relationship between consumer and brand.

Here at Inscape we have just undertaken a similar task in developing the new Emirates Head Office in Queensland. Working closely with Emirates Head Office, Dubai, the Inscape Projects Group team came together to develop a functional, yet beautifully designed and inspired space. The project delivers a dual-purpose delineation of offices above a retail area where Emirates staff can engage with their customers in a face to face environment.