"Design must be at the heart of Asia's Industrial revolution:" Fitch

In a special series on Spikes Asia 2009, Campaign India brings you a series of interviews with jury heads of each of the categories: Craft; Design; Media; TV/ cinema, print, outdoor and radio; Digital, Direct and Sales and Integrated. Last week, we interviewed Piyush Pandey, head of the Craft jury at Spikes Asia this year and this week, we also spoke to Starcom MediaVest Group's Laura Desmond. Today, Campaign India brings you an interview with Rodney Fitch, chairman, Fitch (pictured), who is chairing this year’s Spikes Asia Design jury. In a chat with Campaign India, he talks about the significance of design in the current economic context and the visible shift in the world's economy towards the emerging world. 

In the current economic context, how much more critical is the role of design in effective communication?

Design remains the bedrock of all creative work, be it advertising, packaging, film etc in both good and bad economic times.  When economies are depressed, both commercial and cultural brands come under greater pressure and that’s when better, more engaging comms, led by good design become even more important if they are to become more noticed, more memorable and thus more effective.

As a continuation of the above question, do you feel that Asia has lagged behind in effectively building on the importance of design at the heart of brand building and innovation? Do you see that positioning changing in the last few years?
The economists tell us that the major influences in the world’s economy are shifting to Asia.  If that is to be so, then good design must be placed at the heart of this new Industrial Revolution since no modern business, yet alone National economy can be successful without it.  This has been the case for 200 years and I cannot see any reason for modern industrial history to be reversed in Asia.

As jury president, what are the qualities that you will be looking for in the work at Spikes Asia?
I’m looking for; firstly a knowledgeable jury and I’m lucky to have a splendid one.  Second, work that contains original, innovative ideas, executed with care and craftsmanship.  Third, since design is not a private affair, I hope to find work that is appropriate, relevant and engaging.

China is an example of a manufacturing centric economy, that is only now realising the importance of effective and sustained branding towards building global brands. Do you have any thoughts on how successful Asian brands have been in attempting to make inroads into the global arena today through branding and design?
Outside of the Western brands hegemony, only Japan and Korea have been successful in building strong global brands; think Sony and Samsung etc in electronics or Toyota and Honda etc in automobiles.  Design innovation and strong brand building have played major roles in this commercial history, driven by the need to export.  So far, China has had little need to export branded products, being content to manufacture other brands.  But if China is to create its own Global brands, then it will have to  make major strides in the nurturing of an indigenous creative and innovation culture in both education and practice.