The ClearRX pharmacy bottle introduced at Target has won rave reviews from both consumers and pharmacists for its ease of use. Through color-coded rings on the bottles and easy-to-read labels with a logical hierarchy of information, weighted visually by importance, consumers know which bottle in the medicine cabinet is theirs, and how much medication to take and when.

What makes the design work? Minda Gralnek, Vice President and Creative Director at Target, says, “A culture of
innovation within the company, the belief in the importance of design for everyday products, and keeping an open mind and an open door.” The design grew out of a college thesis by Deborah Adler, now a designer at Milton Glaser.

Gralnek adds, “Inspired design needs collaboration.”

Coca-Cola manager:Establish 'communities of creation'

American consumers are moving from an economy of reason to an emotional economy. So says Moira Cullen, Design Director at Coca-Cola North America, adding that consumers today make 70% of their purchase decisions based on emotion and 30% on rational thinking.

Marketers and designers have to work together more seamlessly and establish “communities of creation” if they hope to capture consumers who buy based primarily on emotional factors,” Cullen believes.

“Managers are so preoccupied with operating efficiency that they don’t even think about value in terms of the consumer’s experience,” she says.