Emotion and Design

“We operate off the premise that human beings are powered by emotion,” says Global Head of Design for Whirlpool Corporation J Mays.

 

Transcript

J Mays
Global Head of Design
Whirlpool Corporation

"I often get asked, well, what is it you want consumers to see or to feel? And I think probably the easiest way to explain that, is that we operate off of a relatively simple premise.

"We operate off the premise that human beings are powered by emotion, not by reason. So every decision that a human being makes is based off of an emotional input that they get when they look at a product, or actually, when they look at anything.

"I always think that people purchase products because they're prepared to spend part of their life with it. And that relationship that they have with the product is not unlike you would have with your spouse or your significant other.

"So, if you think about when you fell in love with your significant other, you didn't fall in love with them because of practical reasons. You didn't really fall in love because of performance or trust or reputation, all the things that companies look to. And all those words are sort of an inspiring code of conduct. They won't pull the trigger on a lifelong commitment. And that's sort of where love comes in.

"So, when we're talking about products or relationships, we say, what is it about love? Is it mystery? Is it sensuality? Is it intimacy? And I think those are three really key words, because when I think back on when I fell in love with my spouse, those were the things that actually engaged me with that person, and committed me to that person for life. Well it's exactly the same if you purchase a product.

"You want to have a customer that is so in love with your product, that they're not only committed, but they're in a monogamous relationship with you for life. That means they keep coming back to the brand that you're selling, because they're in love with it."

GET IN TOUCH

By closing this message, you consent to our cookies on this device in accordance with our Privacy Notice unless you have disabled them.