JKR

Dyson

This week sees the launch of jkr and Marketing magazine's new collaboration on Champions of Design. These weekly articles will look at how leading brands have elevated design, using it to drive their success. Each week we will be using the Gazette to share our personal views on these great brands with you...

The first case study we explore is Dyson, a British innovation full of entrepreneurial zeal. The first Dyson vacuum cleaner launched in 1993 and by 1995, it was already the best selling vacuum cleaner in the UK. Since then, the brand has launched a washing machine, the Airblade dryer and Air Multipler Bladeless fan, showing its continued commitment to innovation and technological advancement. And with worldwide sales reaching £35.5m for the vacuum alone, their success looks set to continue.

And here's the brand lesson which we drew, outlined by Andy Knowles…

After overcoming tough technical, commercial and funding obstacles to launch his first bagless cleaner, Sir James Dyson went on to take market leadership within 3 years. Fortune follows the brave! It's only a domestic appliance but it’s an international success story, exported to 45 countries and with a 23% market share.

What better way can there be to kick off this year-long series than with a celebration of stylish products designed in Britain? We should laud pioneers like Dyson and reject the pessimistic view that our inherently high cost base prevents us from creating new consumer goods here.

The course of invention rarely runs true, but Dyson’s ability to learn from commercial setbacks like the Ballbarrow and Contra-rotator washing machine and bounce back with the Airblade hand dryer and Air Multiplier fan, are defining traits of a true entrepreneur. And before the nay-sayers point out that Dyson have exported much of their manufacturing to the Far East in order to remain competitive, let’s celebrate the fact that they still employ 350 engineers and scientists in Wiltshire and will double that number this year.

Over the coming months we hope to instill a recognition of our inherent creativity as a nation of inventors. While British brands may yet need to manufacture overseas to compete on price, why can’t we take a leaf from Apple's book and label a new generation of highly desirable and valued products 'Designed in Britain'?

For the full article, pick up this week's copy of Marketing.