Hur kan svensk design bli mera konkurrenskraftig internationellt?

Verkar som om mitt blogginlägg försvunnit i etern, om den kväll som arrangerades i Svensk Forms lokaler i onsdags av IAA - Inspring Excellence in Communicaitons Worldwide. Ett  internationellt nätverk av bl a kommunikationsbyråer och företag som träffas kring olika ämnen och mingel. Kvällens tema handlade om Svensk designs internationella konkurrenskraft, och Electrolux designchef Henrik Otto, tillsammans med mig hade inbjudits som talare och sedan en fortsatt diskussion med publiken och inbjuda presentatörer som Susanna Barrett tidigare BVD och Oscar Magnuson, designer. Foton från kvällen ligger redan uppe på www.iaasweden.com

You have to be more proud of your high genera quality of design in everyday life, the functional basis and the historical heritage, was the conclusion made by Susanna Barrett, former creative director at BVD, graphic designer born in Canada and having lived in Sweden many years, ENJOY IT, BE PROUD OF IT. JUST LEARN TO PACKAGE IT AND TO COMMUNICATE IT BETTER. She considered our humble "jante" attitude both as a drawback and as an asset. So true, so true. Design as a driver and modern competetive weapon, was the theme of the friendly and lively evening, organized by International Advertising Association Sweden  at Svensk Form Wednesday night March 23. Henrik Otto and I gave each a presentation on our view, very similar, on the strength of our historical heritage, at the same time the need to look forward. I was asked to talk for 25 minutes, but felt it would not work under this informal circumstances. Better with open discussion. More photos can be found directly on the IAA webb A really nice meeting, perfect format for discussion and get-together.

Henrik Otto, Senior VP Global Design at Electrolux

Anna Blomdahl, project manager Design S, 17 Swedish Designer and also now Ung

Designer Oscar Magnuson and the organizer of the evening Robin.. share the same view and glasses, design Oscar Magnuson of course

Electrolux product award jury 2010

Jurymöte i snöstormen för Electrolux Product Award 2010. Lika lärorikt och inspirerande varje gång. Kan tyvärr inte berätta mera om finalister och vinnare eftersom resultatet ännu inte är officiellt. Men det handlar om att välja ut en vinnare i två kategorier, en för färdiga produkter ute på marknaden och en för koncept som kan komma att lanseras. Vi väljer utifrån kriterier som innovation, design, teknisk utveckling, produktutveckling, marknadsframgång eller potential osv. Electrolux har ju lokala utvecklingskontor i många länder och det är fantastiskt att se hur olika samma produkt kan utvecklas beroende på kundernas behov på olika platser och kundsegment. Ett kylskåp t ex ser helt olika ut i Sverige, Italien, Brasilien och USA. Man blir också glad av att se hur en enkel liten detalj, som kan synas självklar, plötsligt kan revolutionera och föändra gamla sanningar. När design fungerar som bäst, och verkar helt självklar.

I am lucky to be in the jury of the Electrolux Product Award, which is handed out every year to best product and best concept developed world wide within Electrolux. It is so inspiring and I learn so much every time. The result is still secret, so I cannot tell you yet, but they are all winners, since we get to choose between the finalists, already selected as the best. It is really amazing to see how the same product can be developed completely different based on consumer insight in the different parts of the world. Electrolux has developing teams based in many parts of the world, and this is how they can be right on with the cultural differences and costumer needs. For example, a fridge in the US, Brazil, Italy and Sweden has to be equipped with very different features. And each time it makes me so happy when I see new innovations and designs that thanks to a small detail can revolutionize the performance of an old product. Here we are talking good design. Function and attraction hand in hand.

Jury Electrolux Product Award fr left Margareta Norell-Bergendahl of KTH, new CEO and President of Electrolux Keith McLoughlin, Richard Sells and Jan Brockmann of Electrolux and Mats Ekblad, efficient coordinator of the Product Award each year. Danish Torben Ballegaard-Sörensen, also a member of the jury, formerly Bang Olufsen, had already taken off to Copenhagen when this picture was taken.

To thank the jury, we are each year given an Electrolux product - until now a baking machine, a ultrasilence vacuum cleaner, and today we received a great silent mixer to make our smoothies in:

When leaving -the snow storm had already started