Industrial, Graphic and Communication Product Design is the new initiative of the Greek External Trade Organization (ΟΠΕ) entitled “Design Greece” within the framework of developing extroversion, improving competitiveness and modernizing Greek enterprising.
“This initiative promotes interaction between designers and businesses which is a process that underlines the need to adjust our products to international demands having the aim: The improvement of the Greek products and services, the incorporation of the design in contemporary enterprising, the elevation of the Greek creators-designers and the promotion of a potentially exportation service”,underlined in “In-On” magazine the Head of the Direction of Exhibitions and Promotion of the Greek External Trade Organization Mr. Menos Aggelakis.
Design- he mentioned- not only as a business choice but also as a practice, occupies the golden mean between the idea, the carrying out and the success. Therefore, a broader connection with the Greek production constitutes one of those elements that will drastically differentiate the placing of the Greek products in the international market since the same design comprises an organic part of every successful business activity.
Moreover, he clarified that «Interaction between businesses and design will promote the values that design will bring to enterprising and vice versa. Through discussion, new criteria and processes regarding product design will come to light. The five fundamental notions are the following:
-Local and Global: Greek design is local, it is born in Greece or it is created by Greeks all around the world, however, it is also global, a fact that often makes Greece the center of international attention.
-Innovation: Innovation and originality constitute the goal of every successful business design in the international markets. Design can create new brands, determine the customers’ experience, acknowledge their needs and eventually create new business practices.
-On Strategy: Each business idea turns into success when the original vision is supported by strategy and creative design. Design as a tool of modifying ideas into methodology and practice, is always asked to connect the product with the user.
-Growth: Product design and the strategy of communication constitute essential components for a viable business growth and a passport for a successful presence in the international market.
– Culture in Business: Business ethos is civilization. Corporate social responsibility, opening to productive complicity and viability, constitute the bases of business civilization and design. However, when the aim is progress, we ought to design our international future”.
The first pilot project of this initiative was presented in the Cyprus International State Fair in 2010, where more than 35 Greek designers from the fields of industrial and graphic & communication design participated. In the Greek market stall, specific work choices of the industrial and consuming field were presented. These choices corresponded to the aims of the initiative of the Greek External Trade Organization, entitled “Design Greece”.
Totally, the Greek market stall formed a “design item”, attracting comments of admiration and surprise by the visitors. There was special interest on behalf of students from the fields of Interior design, graphics and multimedia from the University of Technology of Cyprus (state University), along with the private Universities: University of Nicosia, Frederic University and European University of Cyprus to visit the Greek market stall.
Source of publication 10th edition In-On