Comments on: Marketing Monday #4: Custom-I-zed http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/02/marketing-monday-4-custom-i-zed.htm Designers' point of view Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:40:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Studio469 » Blog Archive » Marketing Monday #9: The path to customization http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/02/marketing-monday-4-custom-i-zed.htm#comment-7129 Studio469 » Blog Archive » Marketing Monday #9: The path to customization Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:16:42 +0000 http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/02/marketing-monday-4-custom-i-zed.htm#comment-7129 [...] hate it or love it… I’ve been discussing this topic before (Marketing Monday #4: Custom-I-zed). But that column left some dust in the air. Marketing Monday #4 described if customization was [...] [...] hate it or love it… I’ve been discussing this topic before (Marketing Monday #4: Custom-I-zed). But that column left some dust in the air. Marketing Monday #4 described if customization was [...]

]]> By: Martijn http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/02/marketing-monday-4-custom-i-zed.htm#comment-1685 Martijn Sun, 25 Feb 2007 20:30:36 +0000 http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/02/marketing-monday-4-custom-i-zed.htm#comment-1685 I think all of you got some point here. And although I could all give you a customized reply I would like to bring up one little example, of what I think, illustrates customization and it's potential. tattoo's: there are three groups here: 1) the ones that design there own tattoo's and ask tattoo-bob to tattoo it on their skin 2) the ones that enter tattoo-bob's shop and order a nice chinese dragon that presents there courage 3) the ones that don't even think about getting a tattoo I think all of you got some point here. And although I could all give you a customized reply I would like to bring up one little example, of what I think, illustrates customization and it’s potential.

tattoo’s:
there are three groups here:
1) the ones that design there own tattoo’s and ask tattoo-bob to tattoo it on their skin
2) the ones that enter tattoo-bob’s shop and order a nice chinese dragon that presents there courage
3) the ones that don’t even think about getting a tattoo

]]> By: Guus http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/02/marketing-monday-4-custom-i-zed.htm#comment-1643 Guus Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:59:37 +0000 http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/02/marketing-monday-4-custom-i-zed.htm#comment-1643 The thing about customization that scares me is risk. Every one of us has had a bad subway day, where the mix of meat, vegetables and sauce just didn't match at all. That's not a big problem. But when you're buying a car, and the interior colour just doesn't match the exterior paint, than you have a problem. What's your vision on that? The thing about customization that scares me is risk. Every one of us has had a bad subway day, where the mix of meat, vegetables and sauce just didn’t match at all. That’s not a big problem. But when you’re buying a car, and the interior colour just doesn’t match the exterior paint, than you have a problem. What’s your vision on that?

]]> By: Jan http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/02/marketing-monday-4-custom-i-zed.htm#comment-1133 Jan Wed, 21 Feb 2007 01:36:06 +0000 http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/02/marketing-monday-4-custom-i-zed.htm#comment-1133 hmm, i'm gonna throw some food for discussion on the table here before i hurdle myself into full-commenting-mode; i don't really see customization as having a choice in options. customizations refers to more than just the options presented to you. "to customize" means "to modify or build according to individual or personal specifications or preference". in a sense this is what you do when you select the color for your car, but you're still not really "customizing". i believe that customization deals with creating one-of things; adapting them to your own style. to use the example of the car again; truly customizing it would mean creating your own color-scheme and visuals [i'll safe the 22" rims and crocodile leather interior for later]. customization is a very important part of today's world. no one wants to have the same looking product as everybody else. the market jumps into to this by creating those custom options for you. especially with visually-oriented products people like to be different. and i feel that we need to give the customer more control over certain product's features that have room for tweaking. the discussion wetter choosing from what is offered or creating it yourself is customization is a bit subjective. however, i truly think that we need to stretch some customization borders. look at that custom car business; i can't figure a better example of customization. reflecting on the thing written above i wonder if it really is a distribution of 5 to 95 in favor of the non-customizers. i agree that the bigger majority of people out there are ignorant unknowing idiots, mindlessly following that whichever gets thrown into their hands [or car]. there will always be a need for standard products, ready to be sold. with a lot of things we just don't wanna think too much on details. but to open up the possibility for customizations there should also be a customization-option for almost every product [unless you create one-of products that to your all-knowing design-eye need only one version]. customization broadens the market to more people. but customization can also be expensive. to pump out an entire line of red chairs is easy and cheap. but if customers suddenly want weird patterns you're gonna need to customize some machinery, which will cost some money. i myself am a big fan of custom stuff. i try to be something else. losing status is something i never considered, if someone else doesn't like my shoes or car it's not gonna be my problem, is it? taking risks is more my deal, why show everybody [including me] yet another copy of something? to finish things off i am a bit confused by your final question. how can someone take the risk of customization? do we need the entire public to commit to customization? [i mean, i don't wanna spend more than 1 minute finding a role of tape, no need to spend time on the width, pattern, color, stickyness, dimension, or any other modality for that matter]. can't we just offer both versions and see what happens? no need to force something upon the public. that'll be all for now... hmm, i’m gonna throw some food for discussion on the table here before i hurdle myself into full-commenting-mode;

i don’t really see customization as having a choice in options. customizations refers to more than just the options presented to you. “to customize” means “to modify or build according to individual or personal specifications or preference”. in a sense this is what you do when you select the color for your car, but you’re still not really “customizing”.
i believe that customization deals with creating one-of things; adapting them to your own style. to use the example of the car again; truly customizing it would mean creating your own color-scheme and visuals [i'll safe the 22" rims and crocodile leather interior for later].

customization is a very important part of today’s world. no one wants to have the same looking product as everybody else. the market jumps into to this by creating those custom options for you. especially with visually-oriented products people like to be different. and i feel that we need to give the customer more control over certain product’s features that have room for tweaking.

the discussion wetter choosing from what is offered or creating it yourself is customization is a bit subjective. however, i truly think that we need to stretch some customization borders. look at that custom car business; i can’t figure a better example of customization.

reflecting on the thing written above i wonder if it really is a distribution of 5 to 95 in favor of the non-customizers. i agree that the bigger majority of people out there are ignorant unknowing idiots, mindlessly following that whichever gets thrown into their hands [or car]. there will always be a need for standard products, ready to be sold. with a lot of things we just don’t wanna think too much on details.
but to open up the possibility for customizations there should also be a customization-option for almost every product [unless you create one-of products that to your all-knowing design-eye need only one version].

customization broadens the market to more people. but customization can also be expensive. to pump out an entire line of red chairs is easy and cheap. but if customers suddenly want weird patterns you’re gonna need to customize some machinery, which will cost some money.

i myself am a big fan of custom stuff. i try to be something else. losing status is something i never considered, if someone else doesn’t like my shoes or car it’s not gonna be my problem, is it? taking risks is more my deal, why show everybody [including me] yet another copy of something?

to finish things off i am a bit confused by your final question. how can someone take the risk of customization? do we need the entire public to commit to customization? [i mean, i don't wanna spend more than 1 minute finding a role of tape, no need to spend time on the width, pattern, color, stickyness, dimension, or any other modality for that matter]. can’t we just offer both versions and see what happens? no need to force something upon the public.

that’ll be all for now…

]]> By: Brian http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/02/marketing-monday-4-custom-i-zed.htm#comment-1129 Brian Tue, 20 Feb 2007 22:27:43 +0000 http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/02/marketing-monday-4-custom-i-zed.htm#comment-1129 Personally I truly believe in customization, I'm sure it's going to be the next big thing. However the question is how to go about customization. Everyone customizes, don't you pick own clothes everyday, decide what to eat and where to go. This is customization of your life, how you want to shape it, by making choices. Customization is all about making choices, having options. The more options, the higher the amount of customization, and complexity or the product. Companies will play around with customization and their production process in the future, the will present it to the customer as if they really make a unique product while they are not. However where is this fine line between a custom product and a you picking 1 product from a catalogue with over 1000 products to choose from. I believe that putting your own text on a M&M's is customization, I think customizing your own pair of Nike's is customization too, but buying a car and picking a colour and fabric is customization too isn't it, it's just about the level of customization and the way it's presented to you. To sum it up: "Customization is just having the choice to choose between a number of options, the more options you can choose from the more customization you get, presenting this process of choosing options in a pleasurable way is up to the designers, marketers and visionairs of the 21st century" Personally I truly believe in customization, I’m sure it’s going to be the next big thing. However the question is how to go about customization. Everyone customizes, don’t you pick own clothes everyday, decide what to eat and where to go. This is customization of your life, how you want to shape it, by making choices. Customization is all about making choices, having options. The more options, the higher the amount of customization, and complexity or the product. Companies will play around with customization and their production process in the future, the will present it to the customer as if they really make a unique product while they are not. However where is this fine line between a custom product and a you picking 1 product from a catalogue with over 1000 products to choose from. I believe that putting your own text on a M&M’s is customization, I think customizing your own pair of Nike’s is customization too, but buying a car and picking a colour and fabric is customization too isn’t it, it’s just about the level of customization and the way it’s presented to you. To sum it up:

“Customization is just having the choice to choose between a number of options, the more options you can choose from the more customization you get, presenting this process of choosing options in a pleasurable way is up to the designers, marketers and visionairs of the 21st century”

]]>