Comments

Lafley's design lightbulb went off a long time ago, when he was on the team that designed the cap for Liquid Tide (that'd be 1984). That cap made the product a hit, and ever since, Lafley has been a design champion. More than anyone else, he is responsible for driving design thinking through P&G.

It's nice to see design get coverage in mainstream press, though there's too much focus on form and function, and not enough on complete experiences, or strategic impact outside of product design.

Posted by Jess McMullin at July 14, 2005 2:52 PM

Jess, I don't doubt your word in the least. But making design "a crusade" to keynote Sustainable Competitive Advantage is a new (and welcome, as you say) theme.

Posted by tom peters at July 14, 2005 4:59 PM

I am trying to find this article ("Lafley's Love Affair With Design." ) online... no luck. Help, please!

Posted by Ramla A. at July 15, 2005 3:15 AM

Your comment on GM is quite on target. While GM stuggles to find the right buying stimulus by giving us all employee discounts ( sure they are), they have failed miserably to infuse the design excitement they have created in Cadillac into their other tired Chevy, Pontiac and Buick Brands.

GM is a corporation in need of total rebranding and repositioning at both the coprporate and divisional level. Ask a 20-something year old what Buick, Chevy, or Pontiac means to them.

Posted by Tom at July 19, 2005 1:42 PM