Rather than letting fear control us, we need to look at how—by taking risks and embracing fear--we can develop our creativity and through design help brands successfully move into the future.

"Feel the fear and do it anyway." Is it pop psychology or a timely mantra when facing fearful times? There is no doubt that, in some shape or form, fear has taken hold of our lives. But rather than letting fear control us, we need to look at how--by taking risks and embracing fear--we can develop our creativity and through design help brands successfully move into the future.

A world driven by fear
The world today is full of fear and yet we feel the future is even scarier. A modern day paradox when you consider that these are the safest times in human history. Fear is not just evident in society all around us, but also in our working lives and in the corporations and companies we work for. As we move away from manufacturing industries to newer, financial, technological, brand driven and creative industries, all boundaries have been torn down and we are left with a future with the rules left to be written. As a result, we are seeing some brands paralyzed by fear about the future while, to be successful and future focused, they should be emulating those brands which have used fear and risk as driving forces for brand development.

Risk and retreat
So what are the societal themes that brands need to be tuning into? If we look to the consumer, we see that a fearful climate has engendered a risk and retreat motivation. We are not saying that this risk and retreat behavior is anything new, the human race is naturally contrary and contradictory, but this dichotomy is maybe more evident at the present time. On the one hand, we are seeing a move towards retreating with consumers enjoying, for example, spas and home-based activities such as knitting groups, film watching, etc. while on the flip side, we are seeing an indulgence in blind or speed dating, extreme sports, and a need for freedom and no restrictions. So, how do brands meet the modern consumers variety of coexisting needs and particularly our need for risk and retreat at different times and on different occasions?

In general, it still seems to be the smaller, one-off and brand entrepreneurs who are taking the biggest risks and bravely "daring to be different." For example, Moonshot Beer is a light-brewed, Pilsner-style brew with 45 milligrams of caffeine. This brew has been positioned to take advantage of two consumer goods segments: caffeinated beverages and beer. In essence, the makers of Moonshot have got it right; they are "fearlessly" attempting to meet the needs of a contradictory consumer. A cup of warm and comforting coffee or a "let's go have a beer" approach. Have both, whenever you want them. However, brands also need to be aware that as the predominant consumer need changes so our brands must keep developing to unlock this need and increase consumer desire.

The future for brands
We are not saying that brands should radically change their offer to meet this need for risk and retreat but that brand owners maybe need to change their mindset; be more prepared to take a risk and look at new and different ways to change the perception of their brand.

Brands have a strong future and are hugely desirable if created, and then subsequently sustained well. However as new and successful brands grow or get snapped up by bigger companies, brand inertia starts to kick in, because larger or megabrand corporations lack the entrepreneurialism and freedom that made them successful in the first place. People start to fear taking risks, making mistakes, ultimately becoming safe, and predictable in their thinking. Risk aversion kills ideas, innovation, and unmet needs and desires. Brands of all sizes need to watch who is rising up in the challenger entrepreneurial stakes--these are the people who are taking risks with their ideas and this is where brave and fearless thinking takes place, gets noticed, written about, and taken to the heart of people.

Both Dyson and Apple started small but both know a thing or two about fearlessness. These brands took a brave approach to designing products that bring and make sense of the future and form a personal connection with the consumer. And this is the key, brand owners do not necessarily need to change their brands through new product development and innovation but should maybe recognize the power of marketing and design as a way to build in new elements to both existing and developing brands. However, design is more physical and tangible medium and we believe that, in the present climate, fearless design is far more powerful and effective force than fearful marketing.

Embracing fearless design
Fear is good. The fear of doing the wrong thing can be turned into the right thing and a positive force for brands, through design. For example, we recently cited Target as a key U.S. lifestyle brand but, more than that, Target is a fearless brand; a brand prepared to take a risk and invest in design to make their products better for the consumer. Target has recently introduced their new-look prescription range that was originally proposed as a thesis by a student as the School of Visual Arts. The FDA does not currently have restrictions on prescription information and Target was one of many brands that focused on the drugstore's logo rather than the vital intake schedule information. However, the new design has moved them beyond a generic, standard look bottle and label with minimal design attention to a new D-shape container with a wider front and flat back which makes information easier to read and clear instructions supported by a cardboard insert card which clearly shows key intake times and dosage. Rumour has it that, following Target's example, the FDA may get pharmacies to better design their information.

Target, alongside other household names, such as Pixar, MTV, Philips Electronics, are all examples of fearless thinking brands which is evidenced in company culture, the design of their brands, their behavior and beliefs and the resulting huge consumer desire for their product.

In today's world of disruption, there is a plethora of brand choice for informed people to buy into. However what we all want these days in genuineness, authenticity, wit, enchantment, and delight through which we get opportunity to grow as people and design is the key medium with which to promote these attributes. To be successful in this climate, brands need to recognize and meet fear and risk head on and not be afraid to use creativity to their advantage. In doing so we create brands with character, brands that dare to be different, that take a stance and that stand out from the crowd. The brand and creative industry need to take the lead and not be afraid to do the wrong thing ... take risks, make mistakes, love your fear, be creative, create desire.

About the author
Jonathan Ford is designer and co-founder of Pearlfisher, a future-focused design consultancy in London and New York.

This article was originally published in the September 2006 issue of STEP inside design magazine.

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