How Brands Can Apply Design Thinking with Alain Sylvain
\u201cPeople tend to see strategy and design as two separate things.\u201d As the founder and CEO of Sylvain Labs, Alain Sylvain sits at the intersection of strategy and design. We discussed this including several examples of design thinking at work on this week\u2019s episode of the On Brand podcast.\nAbout Alain Sylvain\nAlain Sylvain is the founder and CEO of Sylvain Labs, a strategy and design consultancy that helps companies seize the reality and potential of their business, products and brands. Clients include, Google, American Express, Airbnb, Spotify, Blackrock, Samsung, Pepsico, AB InBev, Jet, IKEA, GM, Sonos, the NBA, and others. Founded in 2010, the company is headquartered in NYC, with offices in Amsterdam and Richmond, VA, and a Certified B-Corporation.\nIn addition to Sylvain Labs, Alain is a partner and investor in several ventures, including Master + Dynamic, a design-driven, premium audio brand, So Choice Softworks, a mobile gaming company, Lilo, an a\xe7ai bowl company, and PetMio, a smart pet food startup. In addition, he has served as executive producer on short documentaries, including Some Kind of Quest and Instafame.\nHe has been featured in various news outlets and is a current board member of Plus Pool and the VCU Brandcenter.\nEpisode Highlights\nThe trouble with strategy and design. \u201cPeople tend to see strategy and design as two separate things \u2014 maybe we\u2019re part of the problem because we list them together!\u201d Alain laughed. Design means many things. It can be \u201cat the Adobe level\u201d (graphic design) but it also means design thinking.\nWith a plethora of definitions, what does design thinking actually mean? \u201cIt\u2019s really more of a statement about what it\u2019s not. It\u2019s not graphic design. It\u2019s about channeling the end user as you think and design.\u201d We also talked about how business can corrupt words and phrases like design thinking and story.\nWhere does Alain see design thinking at work? "Look at any major category \u2014 in mattresses you have Casper, in eyewear you have Warby Parker, in insurance there\u2019s Oscar. Design is at the core of all of these.\u201d\nWhat brand has made Alain smile recently?\xa0\u201cThere\u2019s something magical going on at Spotify. It\u2019s a brand \u2014 despite their best attempts! But is has utility in my life.\u201d\nTo learn more, go to the Sylvain Labs website.\nAs We Wrap \u2026\nDid you hear something you liked on this episode or another?\xa0Do you have a question you\u2019d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show.\nOn Brand is sponsored by my new book\xa0Brand Now.\xa0Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world.\xa0Order now and get special digital extras.\xa0Learn more.\n\n\nSubscribe to the podcast\xa0\u2013 You can subscribe to the show via\xa0Apple Podcasts,\xa0Stitcher, Google Play,\xa0TuneIn, and\xa0RSS.\n\n\nRate and review the show\xa0\u2013 If you like what you\u2019re hearing, head over to\xa0Apple Podcasts\xa0and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast.\n\n\nOK. How do you rate and review a podcast?\xa0Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes?\xa0Check this out.\n\nUntil next week, I\u2019ll see you on the Internet!\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices