Monthly Archives: December 2013

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Marketing in Chinese Language

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DML_Window of the world

I have long believed that marketing is a unique business discipline because it cannot be translated into Chinese. Different from Marketing, other business disciplines have their own Chinese names: Accounting is 會計, Finance is 財務, Manufacturing is 生產, OB/HRM is 組織/人事, and Strategy is 戰略.

DML_Marketing in Chinese

Interestingly, however, marketing department at the Window of the world (世界之窗) in Shenzhen, China, was written in market (市場) department. I wish Chinese marketers either accept the English name of marketing or invent a new name of it in Chinese because marketing, the activity through which people understand a given market or create a new market, clearly differs from market.

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Helmet-shaped booth of an insurance company

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DML_AIA

DML_AIA

OOH (Out-Of-Home) advertising is any type of advertising that reaches the consumer while he or she is outside the home. Since this medium is in contrast with broadcast, print, and Internet advertising, it is focused on marketing to consumers when they are “on the go” in public places, in transit, waiting (such as in a medical office), and/or in specific commercial locations (such as in a retail venue) (see more in Wikipedia).

While staying in Bangkok, I met a creative OOH advertising made by AIA (Chinese: 友邦保險), a Hong Kong-based insurance company who has offices in many Asia-Pacific countries. I found many helmet-shaped booths standing on the street: some are used for bikers or cyclists to take some breaks and others are used for simple demonstration. Although the booths may not enhance the real security of the street, I felt safe when I saw them, which is similar to when I saw Starbucks or Tim Hortons on the street. More importantly, I inferred my psychological security from the real security; I considered AIA as a company who can protect me from a dangerous financial market. Nicely done! 🙂

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TCDC, Design center at Bangkok, Thailand

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Bangkok is well-known for Kao San Road, Pad Thai, and foot massage. Like other Asian cities, however, it has an upscale design center. Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC) is located on the top floor in the Emporium shopping complex, a luxurious shopping mall in Bangkok. As this center is located at the heart of the city (Phrom Phong BTS station) and provides a wide variety of learning resources, it was crowded with young Thailand students who read books, discussed group projects, and participated in exhibitions about, for instance, 3D printing.

DML_Design center in Bangkok

DML_Design center in Bangkok

Interestingly, a huge red board stands in front of the TCDC and it contains many business cards. This board might play a role as a market; people who look for their partners or who need help, they can contact with other experts such as manufacturers, suppliers, traders, investors, consultants, etc.

DML_Design center in Bangkok

DML_Design center in Bangkok

DML_TCDC brochure

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Teaching design in the business school

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Some business schools offer design courses. The first business school that I introduce is the College of William & Mary’s Mason School of Business. According to the 2013 Bloomberg Businessweek Best Undergraduate Business-Schools ranking, it is the best in the nation for marketing (see the article here). In this school, undergraduate students learn and experience “design process” in their design courses such as “Creativity & Innovation,” “Sustainability Inspired Design,” or “Design as Strategy” led by two marketing professors, Scott Swan and Michael Luchs.

20130802_@ Williamsburg (2)

This business school has many top-notch marketing researchers, has a close relationship with other institutions and firms in Virginia, and has a brand new building. However, what truly makes this school stands out among a long list of US business schools includes its interdisciplinary courses and a unique space called Design Studio.

20130803_@ Williamsburg (4)

With Jim Olver, Scott Swan and Michael Luchs spent enormous effort in redesigning a relatively detached, corner space in this building. They flattened the floor, made the moving boards by fastening the plates and metals with ropes, purchased square black cushions, and placed the table tops on top of the carts for moving carts.

20130803_@ Williamsburg (8)

20130803_@ Williamsburg (10)

20130803_@ Williamsburg (7)

Their hard work paid off. When they run design courses in this Design Studio, students have lively brainstorming discussions, instantly review new concepts, and actually build the mock-ups of their outcomes.

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Teaching design to high school students

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DML_Martin Linder

Martin Linder, Industrial Design Professor at San Francisco State University, gave a speech at Yonsei University on his unique program called iDo. iDo started in 1993 with 6 mentors; now it runs with more than 25 mentors for 40 weeks of five-weekly classes. According to the webpage:

Industrial Design Outreach (iDo) promotes the field of industrial design and uses its methodologies to enhance the education of both high school and university students. Through hands-on interdisciplinary design projects, iDo provides high school students with experiences that foster curiosity, promote creativity, and build self-confidence. By developing and delivering design curriculum to high school students, university students gain experiences that promote teamwork; enhance communication, organization, and improve presentation skills; and provide a forum for participants to give back to their community.

The Industrial Design Outreach institute is an educational enrichment program that introduces students to a number of educational opportunities in areas of industrial and graphic design, computer software tools, and traditional and modern manufacturing systems. The mission of iDo is to promote the field of industrial design and use its methodologies to enhance education. iDo provides high school participants with a no-cost introduction to design. Participants and San Francisco State University (SF State) students majoring in design collaborate on developing and delivering hands-on interdisciplinary design projects. These experiences foster curiosity in youth participants, promote creativity, build self-confidence, and allow participants to develop valuable vocational and college skills. In turn, college students learn to build and deliver curriculum, which enhances their communication, organization, presentation, team building, and design skills.

University students involved in this project visit high schools and teach design basics such as tools and materials and design process such as research, ideation, and prototyping. In most cases, they work together with high school students and create tangible products such as pencil boxes, clocks, and even kites.

DML_Martin Linder