Appliance Colors for the Americas
In the competitive appliance and personal electronics market, Color, Material, Finish, and Pattern (CMFP) can make or break a product offering. Yet, especially in the context of a new product or modification of an existing product for a new regional market, choosing CMFP tends to be more art than science, with few rules or formulas for success. Our client, a global appliance and electronics manufacturer, came to THE MEME to help them determine CMFP for a lineup of products (washer/dryer, refrigerator, vacuum cleaner, and TV) to be released in the US, Mexico, and Brazil.
I was the lead visual designer on the project, responsible for all visual research, moodboards, and creation of final design themes.
In order to identify successful CMFP combinations for each product, we began by mapping the CMFP distribution of current product offerings in each regional market over the past three years, identifying consistent consumer preferences as well as emerging dynamics.
We also explored completely new CMFP possibilities in each product category, working with local experts to understand the taboos and emotional associations of various CMFP palettes, and sampling from a broad scope of visual culture, including art, architecture, interior design, furniture, fashion, automotive, and popular entertainment.
Based on our findings and design insights we developed a CMFP hypothesis for each product category, produced high quality material prototypes for each, and tested these samples directly with consumers in each region. This process provided accurate information on specific target segments’ preferences that allowed us to refine our ideas and adjust the final CMFP strategy
