Investigating How the FMCG Industry Employs Design-Driven Approaches: The Dichotomy Between Literature and Practice.

In recent years there has been a growing discourse regarding the emergence of a new role for design - one that involves design thinking and design-driven innovation. This new role affirms design integration into the all the organisational activities required for strategic deployment. However, there has been little research looking at how such approaches are employed and can influence the transformation of culture within a specific industry situation. According to the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry status quo, organisations demand fuel to ignite the transformation of brand development.

Therefore, this paper discusses the features of design-driven approaches identified within contemporary literature via content analysis and provides a framework for how FMCG corporations employ design-driven approaches when developing brands. The research was conducted in three phases: Firstly, through content analysis, design-driven features at different levels – cultural, strategic, and tactical/operational – are identified. Secondly, based on the identified features, a survey (conducted with corporations and consultancies) explicated how design-driven approaches are employed in FMCG industry. Thirdly, a comparative analysis of theoretical and empirical findings supports the development of a framework for employing design-driven approaches in FMCG industry. The findings demonstrate a distinct gap between the theoretical and applied use of design within FMCG brand development. The main argument of this paper involves diagnosing current phenomena as comparing the literature and practice. Then, a framework from the comparative analysis explains how an organisation can embrace design-driven approaches in its brand development system.