[비즈한국] Design is more than a simple visual expression; it is a critical medium for conveying brand identity and building rapport with consumers. Designers must deeply understand the role their work plays within a brand, and those who manage brands must take an interest in how each design shapes the brand identity. While it is easy for us to judge brands by fragments like logos, products, or services, a brand is actually created through the harmony of all these elements.
The ‘BrandBiz Conference 2024’ will be held on Thursday, October 17, at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in Gwanghwamun. Now in its 8th year, this event is a significant venue where practitioners from the brand design and marketing industries gather to explore the latest trends and strategies in brand innovation. The theme of this year's conference is ‘Designing Brands with < >,’ which will provide insights into how various design elements form a brand and build corporate identity, exploring the process through which a brand connects more deeply with consumers.
Latest Branding Trends Through 7 Designers and 6 Design Disciplines
The conference will begin with a presentation by Song Bong-kyu, CEO of BKID. Speaking on the topic of ‘From Object to Brand, From Material to System, From Craft to Technology,’ Song will explain how a brand can expand from a simple product object into a brand identity. In particular, he plans to emphasize how brand differentiation is driven through the selection and combination of materials and design architecture, and how the transition from a craft-based approach to technological innovation can serve as a key element in forming brand identity. Through this, he intends to explain how brands can provide value beyond physical products and build deep connectivity through tangible experiences.
Next, Lee Sung-man, CEO of Cosmicray, will speak on the topic ‘More Than What We See and Hear: How Messages in Video Are Delivered,’ discussing how video content has established itself as a core vehicle for brand storytelling. Lee emphasizes that video goes beyond providing simple visual and auditory experiences, acting as a powerful tool for sharing emotional communion with consumers. Furthermore, he will present strategies on how clarity and consistency in video design strengthen brand credibility and how brands can use this to build a deeper bond with their audience.
Jang Ki-won, UX/UI Creative Director at Plus X, will present on ‘UI Design Strategies that Convey Brand Identity,’ focusing on how UI design can evoke empathy among diverse groups of people. It has long been established that UX/UI design serves as a crucial medium for conveying a brand's core values to users, moving beyond simple usability improvements. He will share strategies on how UI design, approached from a branding perspective, resonates with a broad range of users, and how the resulting brand trust and identity create a more compelling experience for the user.
Kim Sung-yoon, Creative Director at Heaz, will cover ‘Packaging, the Most Tangible Brand Experience,’ highlighting that packaging is both the first point of contact between a brand and a consumer and a vital experiential element. He presents the view that package design is a means to intuitively convey brand value to consumers, and that the storytelling and emotional connection contained within are essential for building customer loyalty. Kim is expected to provide strategic insights into how brands can leave a strong first impression on consumers through packaging and strengthen the connection between the brand and the product.
Jung Yeon-jin, CEO of Collective B, will speak on the topic ‘Spaces for People Who Have Usage Rights, Not Ownership,’ presenting on spaces that reflect user-centered design in a changing era. Jung plans to discuss strategies for using space not as a mere physical element, but as an experiential platform for a brand. In particular, she will examine how space, as an extension of the brand experience, forms an emotional bond with consumers and allows them to experience the value provided by the brand in real time.
Finally, Kwon Joon-ho and Kim Eo-jin, co-CEOs of Everyday Practice, will discuss how design can naturally connect with consumers in daily life under the theme of ‘Everyday, Practice, Studio.’ The two CEOs will explore the process by which graphic identity becomes a part of daily life rather than a simple visual decoration. They will discuss how each design element permeates the consumer’s life to provide natural experiences, and how the images and patterns encountered repeatedly in daily life become deeply imprinted on an individual’s senses. They also plan to explain the process of how graphic elements are practically utilized and materialized through design practice to create lasting visual connections.
A Meaningful Time By Designers, For Designers
The BrandBiz Conference has a tradition where one of the previous year's speakers takes on the role of organizing and overseeing the entire conference for the following year. This year, Shin Myung-sup, co-founder and advisor at Plus X, who drew attention for his presentation on AI design last year, took on the role.
Shin stated, "A brand is not limited to just a logo or a product; it builds its identity through various design elements. This is why designers must strive to understand branding, and those who manage brands must pay attention to design." Regarding the background for selecting this year's theme, he added, "There are countless brands imprinted on people's minds today, and they continue to flood the market. I wanted to hear stories about the design processes behind these brands, discuss them together, and explore better alternatives."
As this year’s BrandBiz Conference is expected to gather top-tier professional designers, more effort has been put into the conference design than ever before. The overall design identity was managed by the independent design consulting firm ‘Scheem,’ which meticulously interpreted this year's theme visually.
Hyun Da-jung, CEO of Scheem, said, "The essence of a conference generally lies in delivering a message to the audience through sound and visuals. We focused on the fact that each speaker has a different voice, and the forms of those sounds are also different." She added, "I wanted to emphasize that although all six design disciplines express brand identity in different ways, they ultimately share a common purpose, and we focused on translating this into visual elements."
This conference is a paid event, and early-bird benefits include a 25% discount for group registrations of four or more. Detailed information, including ticketing, can be found on the BrandBiz Conference website.
Kim Won-yang, CEO of Ilgan Sports (Ilyo News), noted, "The BrandBiz Conference is significant in that it raises topics from various perspectives every year, centering on branding, which is an essential business element. This year, we plan to cover brand design, which is the most intuitive and immediate way of reaching consumers, more in-depth than ever before, so we ask for your continued interest."
Prior to the main sessions of the BrandBiz Conference 2024, the ‘Object by Prize’ awards ceremony will be held again this year, following its success last year. The ceremony will award winning companies in various categories and, generating much anticipation, will announce the ‘Goods of the Year’ for the best merchandise of the year.