INDUSTRIAL DESIGNERS: the best product doesn't win, the best known one does

You can't just launch a great product and expect it to go viral. That golden age is over.

Platforms like Kickstarter are dominated by real companies with real marketing budgets. Chinese factories sell private label products at scale. And they win because they understand how to get attention.

Design still matters. But don’t underestimate the power of marketing. It doesn't mean you're unimportant. It means you're not the only piece of the puzzle.

The designers who succeed now understand this. They don't just design better. They partner smarter.

They speak the language of marketing, product strategy, and distribution. They're in the room when decisions get made, not waiting for the brief.

If you want your work to reach people, stop treating marketing like someone else's problem. Learn it. Use it. Make it part of how you design.

Marketing for Industrial Designers: Part 7 of 7 Follow along for more in the series - https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairhasty/