The speeches may have been more elegant in their phrasing, but the message was the same at Arizona Designs ‘09 Seminar and Trade Expo Feb. 18 at the Tucson Convention Center.
“It is what it is, and we’re all in the same boat,” said keynote speaker Lloyd Princeton of Design Management Company, Los Angeles. “We’re going to have a thinning of the shrubbery in this recessionary period, resulting in fewer people in the design industry — but the ones that stay will be the real players in the future. I foresee that those who invest today in 2009 marketing efforts, as our economy changes, they will be the triumphant ones who persevered in tough times and will get the lion’s share of future business.”
 Lloyd Princeton |
“When it became evident that this was a full-fledged recession, my recommendation was to begin cross-marketing — get out of your regular industry comfort zone and start meeting with people in other industries who might need your products or services,” Princeton said.
The second annual event brings together designers and industry partner vendors.
“We have approximately 300 members and industry partners in our 28-year-old chapter,” said residential designer Diana Patterson, who is president of the Southern Arizona chapter of American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). “We’re an international organization with 40,000 members worldwide, and as the leading professional design society in the world, we help set trends and give a yardstick by which most design professionals are measured.”
While acknowledging that her industry, based on discretionary disposable income, has been impacted by the current recession, work is still being contracted and design services are still in demand, with a shift from new construction to contract design for remodeling.
Speaking on that subject recently in a Las Vegas panel discussion, Princeton noted: “Things are admittedly slow and there’s a bit of a pity party going on when business is down.” At that meeting, he remained optimistic, however, reading from John Steinbeck’s “East of Eden” about the cycle of crops saying “the rain is coming, I promise you, it’s on its way,” adding “technological innovation and a global economy, combined with the extensive reach of mass media and marketing, are increasing affluence and fueling new levels and modes of consumption.”
Brighter colors
At the Tucson event last week, continuing education seminars were also held to keep members on top of industry changes.
“Colors will change this year,” according to Laurie Clark of Sherwin-Williams Paints in Phoenix. “If you look back on the color forecast for 2002, after the 9/11 attacks, colors became more calming and serene because that made people feel more comfortable. The further away we got from the attack, colors got brighter again and now things are changing reflecting a mood of hope and change. The popularity of colors has a lot to do with the economy and the political makeup of the world at large, and based on where the economy is going, we should see a return to basic comfort hues.”
Tucson industry partner Sam Samaniego of Dunn Edwards Paints agreed. “Color touches our lives in many ways with effects from soothing to exciting. Color reflects a subliminal response to the mood of the country, and we expect softer, more comfortable, trends this year.”
Former national ASID president Terri Maurer of Ohio addressed the subject of “Branding — It’s Not Just For Cattle Anymore,” advising that being noticed and respected was important in any economy, especially this one. “It’s absolutely crucial,” she said. “If you don’t have a brand that can differentiate you from the crowd, you’ll get lost in it. This is a challenging time and no matter what business you’re in — design or making widgets — its critical that you stand out in your profession. Like Ziggy the cartoon character says, ‘Even the little guy can cast a BIG shadow once he’s found his place in the sun’.
ASID also used the expo to announce its Designer Odds and Ends sale, a benefit for Habitat for Humanity that will be March 28, and the “Where Designers Dwell” tour of designers own homes Sept. 12.
Lee Allen is a Tucson-base freelance writer.
Comments
Patricia A. Wendell Workroom wrote on Feb 28, 2009 10:55 AM:
Spread good karma. This week I visited an 83 yr old. widower who wanted green sheer draperies to replace broken cell shades in a bedroom. The price blew him away. He politely said he would think about it and get back to me. I just wanted to help him out, so I spent 20 minutes repairing some loose bracket clips--successfully. He insisted on paying me and I said, "No, I'm here anyway, no big deal." He persisted. I said,"No. I am a firm believer in the adage what goes around comes around". He said, "It's coming around now!" and handed me a $100 bill. I laughed and accepted it. Who knows if he'll call me back for the order someday. I wanted to share that story because it reaffirms my belief that people are genuinely good and want to help each other.
It's all about helping each other--especially in this economy. Create good feng shui in your heart. "