One of the interesting things about working on a publication like Surface & Panel is the underlying themes that come out during production. In this issue, innovation kept presenting in terms of how goods actually come to market. There seems to be a trend of making things comprehensibly smaller and more personal in order to get them into the hands of the end user.

On a very fundamental level, this is what retail is about. Yann Weymouth’s Dali Museum design (page 8) managed to encompass the work of a master who will forever impact art into a building where it can be appreciated. Going deeper, the design team created a retail space that further made the conceptual obtainable, using the tools of clean and simple design.

The folks at Mono (page 24) provide some very interesting insights regarding marketing communications. Their theoretical approach to unify, simplify and amplify messaging is a powerful means of condensing complicated information. Mono emphasizes the importance of engaging with the audience, of a singular message and a multi-faceted approach.

Another interesting exploration of how goods come to market is the CIDA section of this issue (page 35). Distribution Matters offers up a comprehensive look at how important distribution is to bridge suppliers and end users. Again we see multi-faceted approaches that are specifically customized to geographic market. Distribution is the link in the value chain that literally brings goods to market.

In that sense, Blu Dot, a contemporary American furniture company, has found a successful business model not in manufacturing but in innovative design and distribution. Blu Dot's approach, which is very different from the traditional manufacturing-centric model of the American furniture industry, allows it to shift its product offering to match design trends at very little cost. This maximizes Blu Dot's cultural relevance. In a way the company functions as a distributor for value-added components, bringing them from the manufacturer to the market. Its emphasis on branding/design and marketing/retail closely matches the Smile Curve (page 20), an economic model identified by Stan Shih, the Taiwanese CEO of Acer.

And then of course there are the trade shows. So far in 2011, the big industry shows are all reporting increases in the numbers of both exhibitors and attendees. Perhaps this is an indicator of the consumer’s desire to literally go to market and engage.

Whatever it is you sell – and everybody sells something – it has never been more important to have a clear niche, a simple message and a creative approach to engaging your audience. If there is any validity to the Smile Curve, this will become more important than actual production, possibly leveling the global manufacturing playing field.

What are some of the ways you interact with your market? Let us know on Surface & Panel’s Facebook page. I dare you.