Less is more by Yiming

“LESS IS MORE” MUJI’s design principle and strategy as one of the most influential brands leading sustainable design

YIMING QI

01 “NO-Brand“ Brand pp. 9-12 Logo pp. 13-16 Strategy

02 Product Design pp. 19-24 No Color

Faculty of Art & Design School of Visual Arts

BA (Hons) Visual

Title: Investigative Study Ref: VCO651 Level: 6 Credit Points: 20

Communication

Weogjtomg: 1.0

Study Time: 200 hrs

03 Product Design pp. 25-28 Design for People

04 Visual Communication pp. 31-42 Complexity Arises from Simplicity pp. 43-44 Western Simplicity

Unit leader: Sarah James

Date: 01.2014

All written by: Yiming Qi 2

INTRODUCTION

“Less is More” A New Lifestyle “Less is More” is the motto of Ludwig van der Rohe, a proponent of minimalism in architecture. Today under this increasingly competitive commercialized world, a growing number of people are coming to the conclusion that what we achieved is more materially abundant but, paradoxically, less and less happiness. People are more concerned on their inner world. The brand concept and culture gradually came to the public notice. Having a less-is-more lifestyle become important that most people longing for. In other words, it is to have more time; more enjoyment; more fulfillment; and more of what enriches individuals themselves. Thus a concept of “no brand” has arrived silently. In 1980, the world had a depressed economy while Japan experienced a serious energy crisis. Since then, consumers have been looking for products with good quality as well as a reasonable price. In this situation, MUJI was born in Japan with the concept of “no brand”. They produced the very first retail products without a logo which were wrapped in cellophane, plain brown paper labels and red writing. These products were designed with simple packaging which reduced the cost and marked using the slogan “lower priced for a reason”. MUJI’s philosophy is founded on recycling, minimal production waste and advertising, and a simpler lifestyle. They bring consumers fitness for their purpose in a healthy and joyful way, thus more and more people can feel MUJI as well as a new trend of consumption. The father of branding AI Ries wrote about 22 immutable laws of marketing (2011, p.68), and one of them is “don’t try to be all things to all people; companies that overextend themselves consistently lose market share.” However, MUJI sells more than 7,000 products and range spans from stationery to electronics; fashion to food; furniture to architecture which almost covers everything in our life. MUJI does not 5

lose market share, instead, MUJI achieved great success with its own unique strategy. According to the Japan’s Best Global Brands report in 2013 by Interbrand which is the world’s leading brand consultancy, the aggressive global expansion of MUJI efforts centered on Asia. MUJI as a retail company entered “Japan’s Best Domestic Brands 2013” Top 30 (Beltzer, 2013). The essay will research MUJI’s background and an introduction of their core principles and strategy. The essence of the brand lies in its no frills and their storefronts which always mirror the aesthetics of simplicity. MUJI pursues adequate products but also imbued with craftsmanship. So the next part will research MUJI’s product design in terms of Minimalism; functionalism; and ecologism through the perspective of chromatics, and its idea of using material. Their environmentally conscious mission is evident through their dedication to sustainability and fair trade. Also, MUJI was the first who offered green packaging from recycled materials. Finally, the essay will look into MUJI’s advertisements which take MUJI’s “Horizon” series posters as the example to further explain its simplicity and emptiness. Moreover, how MUJI influences other brand’s adverts. Although the brand has a generally Japanese aesthetic, MUJI translates worldwide because of its ethos and adaptable style that transcends cultures and continents.

“NO-BRAND” BRAND

Fig.1 MUJI logo 9

LOGO “Great music has the faintest notes as will as great form that is beyond shape.” — Lao Tzu

MUJI is born into the Japanese market as a conceptual commodity brand which was founded by Tadamitsu Matsui and Msaaki Kanai. In 2001, they invited the famous graphic designer Kenya Hara as their art director. So-called MUJI is derived from “Mujirushi Ryōhin”. Mujirushi means “no-brand” ie. not even the label which aims a back to basics lifestyle, while Ryōhin means “quality goods” which manifests the interior quality of the mode of life. The values are all about simplification, elimination, greenism and humanism. However, in this mass culture, “no brand” and “quality goods” seem to be almost contradiction. Yet not MUJI. Their aspiration is to produce the extraordinary high quality goods by modesty and simple design in the pursuit of pure essence. The MUJI concept is to point out the basics and universality of everyday life. Kenya Hara discusses about “Nothingness” (2008, p.318) which is coined by the famous Chinese philosopher Chuang Tzu. No doubt, this concept of “no-brand” has drawn lessons from Chinese classical aesthetics thoughts. Either Lao Tzu or Chuang Tzu came up with this idea 2000 years ago. What Lao Tzu wrote in

Tao Te Ching in the 6th century BC, “All things come from the way, and comes from nothing” (2012). Nothing is infinite, eternal and indestructible. It does not move, and it does not have to. It is already everywhere. People usually tend to see the value of things based on what they see and touch. When we see a pot, our attention is often drawn to the shape, the material, but not its emptiness. Like Lao tzu says, “We mold clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that makes the vessel useful.” (Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913) From this point of view, the emptiness, nevertheless, also cannot exist without the tangible. Therein lies an extremely significant and upending values; it comprises a vision that seems useless at first glance is actually abundant. In Kenya’s description “A vessel that’s empty has the possibility, precisely because it is empty to hold things inside”(2008, p.241). MUJI recognises and highlights the superfical of those design objects that prioritise brand and outward symbolism. On the contrary, MUJI eliminates excess decoration with only function for people to appreciate the beauty of the original texture. This enables the customers not only to think about the beautiful appearance when they buy products, thereby a wider spiritual level. MUJI uses this philosophy into its design which made all no-brand quality goods possible and abundant. MUJI has always been dedicated to bring simply better lives to people; to the pursuit of adequacy and rationalisation; and to empower their designs to meet and solve today’s global context. In other words, this is to design a new way of dealing with manufacturing, resources and the environment.

STRATEGY “Doesn’t affluence lie within understatement?” (Hara, 2008, p.228) This question is what MUJI asks the world. Japan has “built an aesthetic that is infinitely attractive to human rationality, not within luxury and extravagance, but simplicity.” (ibid.) There was an exhibition of MUJI’s design “Product fitness 80”, it explains the purpose of their designs is to get rid of all the unnecessaries to a minimalist approach and make the easiest way of use for people. Meanwhile, MUJI does not only pursue just adequate, but also instill craftsmanship into their products. Like MUJI’s initial slogan, “Lower Priced for a Reason,” which was the work of Kazuko Koike. MUJI’s products are easy to assemble and reasonably priced. However, this does not mean MUJI’s products are just simple and cheap, but

are having a rational price and crafted production. Furthermore, MUJI has always produced minimal, unobtrusive and relaxed products. Some customers buy MUJI products because of the price and simple design while some of them may be attracted by the ecological sensitivity of the company. All in all, this strategy affects people with different sensibilities either the old or the young; male or female; experts or homemaker. Japan has been practicing a conscientious as well as open aesthitical design to adapt the limited resources

and space. Dating back to the industrial revolution occurred in the Europe, the design goals of early industrialists were very specific, only restricted to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;practical, profitable, efficient, and linearâ&#x20AC;? (Braungart & McDonough, 2009, p.24). In other words, the market and production want to make products as efficiently as possible and made from valuable materials. The purpose is to get the greatest volume of goods to the largest number of customers. So industrialists were less concerned about the

“LOWER PRICE FOR A REASON”

materials which were actually

about this ideology when

biodegradable. Such objects

students design for rebranding. It

like food and paper could decompose and return to the soil. Thus it can be seen that recycle is not always going to be good, yet “upcycling”, which according to Braungart and McDonough (2009, p.53), is one of the solutions. MUJI recognizes the potential for

is not to against comercial design because there is nothing wrong with teaching designers to design a special logo which is easy to be remembered and be fond of. But is to contrast what MUJI does is vise versa. According to Sally Hope, who is the course leader of

packaging to be more frequently and extensively re-used and successed in reducing the materials and packaging in a proper way.

Arts University Bournemouth, MUJI is “branding from a Japanese culture perspective”. It is a living brand. “When someone carries its notebook and pen, MUJI will stand out on its own.” They do not need a logo; they do not put lots of money on advertising; but somehow they infuse the design industry with “no brand” strategy in a unique and creative way. Beyond that, It has no affect on MUJI’s sales but occupies an unshakable position in the global design market.

Nowadays, most modern art and design are under the influence of commercialization everywhere. Designers drive for results by emphasizing the cognition of brand. The better logo is designed, the higher brand awareness will be earned from people. In terms of education, some of the design institutions may teach students 15

A famous professor in MIT’s

Media Lab and also a world-

importantly love and feel worthy

renowned graphic designer

to have them for the designs

John Maeda who explores the knowledge of using simplicity in design. At the very beginning of his book, he wrote that simplicity is another form of “sanity”. In his words, “Technology has fully filled up our lives, yet the meanwhile, we have become uncomfortably

can make their lives simpler. Thus, Maeda put forward the idea of “simplicity is bound to be a growth industry.”(2007, p.iv) MUJI now has sold more than 7,000 kinds of commodity brands ranging from stationery, fashion to household goods, food, cars

‘full’. ” (2006, p.1) The purpose of consuming is not focus on the products itself, but the one can make their life simplyer. On the other hand, simplicity is the “key strategic tool for businesses.” (2006, p.4)

and also electronics since 1980 when it was still a small-scale grocery store had only about 40 products. MUJI insists on designing products by seeing it from customers’ perspective, so many customers support and recognize MUJI even without a logo.

Indeed, complicated technologies are ubiquitously filling our lives and this would not be changed in the foreseeable future. The key is how to design these complicated modern technologies as simple as possible for people to use. People not only buy the products, but more 16

MUJI’S PRODUCT DESIGN

Fig.2 MUJI Products

NO COLOR Is white a color? This question sounds like asking “Is zero a number?” People all had different perspective on this question. Some of them think white should occupy the main parts within the design while some people may think white is too plain and cold to use. However, MUJI uses white as a key color. Their attention do not only see white as a color, instead, it is for people to sense white in a philosophical way. When customers walked into MUJI’s physical store, it is obvious to notice that they don’t have any vivid color at all except the red “MUJI” logo. MUJI’s products have a limited color range which centers on white, black, gray, navy, beige, brown and transparent color. Their clothes are all bland, mostly white or beige. “We only use modest colors,” says Hiroyoshi Azami (SFGate, 2012), president of Muji USA, describes the brand’s chromatics. “We keep our color palette within bounds of simplicity.” On the other hand, Kenya Hara described white in his book as a design concept. “White is a color from which color

has escaped, but its diversity is boundless” (2008, p.213). For MUJI, white is not only a simple aspect of color, but a spirit; an “emptiness” concept. Drawing from Lao tzu’s Taoist theory, “Who knows how white attracts, yet always keeps himself within black’s shade.” (n.d. p.36) Here, “black” and “white” are not color. It implies that things should be simplified and back to basis. Take Kenya’s cover designs for the magazine “A Book” as an example of using black and white. As can be seen from the image (Fig.3), there are only three colors in the design, black, light grey and white. From the left cover, it seems to be a dented place on the white surface as if it has been scraped with a spoon or something. And the cover on the right might be a scratch by animals. The black types coupled with the white of the paper. It is white that filling in all the space. Kenya regards white as an original form of information and life; and is “like a color” but “not a color” which is “a special message ment just for the roots and trunk of human sensibility” (2008, p.214). A human being is a bundle of senses working hard to perceive the world(ibid.). Hence color is not only for visual, but also related to people’s perception.

Fig3. Cover designs for the magazine “A Book”. 20

There is a very interesting image (Fig.4) which has been circulated on the

life is ROE (Return on Emotion)” (ibid.). So, white along with this perspective,

internet that is said can help to control appetite in order to lose weight when take five minutes to just look at it.

offers people an inner cleansing and purifying of thoughts, emotions and spirits; also refreshing and strengthening the entire energy system. On the other hand, white is a symbol of new beginnings. According to Kenya, “white is the original of life”(2008, p221). He took the example of milk which drips from the nipple is white and most eggs are laid in white no matter what color birds lay(ibid.). So MUJI put “white” concept in their consciousness to show that white is the color of a living creature in order to impress people the original form of life with white designs. This color scheme that MUJI insisted on make their style unique. Their products always look plain and simple and

The effects, according to dieters, are all different. The scientific basis for this weight-losing method is not clear, but it is definitly related to people’s feeling. From the aspect of the color psychology, blue, Wasabi yellow, purple and green may lead to reduce appetie and even cloying. So color would change emotion. John Maeda explained ten laws of simplicity, one of which is “More emotions are better than less”(2006, p64). Considering emotional intelligence is also important because “the fulfillment from living a meaningful 21

Fig.4 The image causes the brain to receive lower levels of appetite and control weight gain.

impress people pure and natural sense. Color and form are at the apex. People dazzled when products were designed with a stiking shape or made of extraordinary materials. This captivates customers at first glance but design is not only concerned with color and form. More importantly, it is how people can sense color and form. Nevertheless, there will always be some modernists who dislike white or else clear simple surfaces. Indeed, white is very easy to get dirty and may give people an untouchable sense, but according to Kenya (Hohle, 2005), he said:

fear of spoiling or breaking it. At that moment of hesitation, we perceive the object a little more sensitively and delicately than usual. So that MUJI paid attention to the communication between products and consumers through the use of materials; useful function; as well as environmental health.

When a fragile beauty is hidden inside, we hesitate to touch, for 24

“WE THINK WITH THE OBJECTS WE LOVE;

DESIGN FOR PEOPLE

Every tiny object could affect us in everyday life. When people buy things, it is familiar to consider whether this object is usful, asethetic or necessary; but less concerned about the power of objects in their lives for “objects bring together thought and feeling” (Turkle, 2011, p.9). Sherry Turkle, who is professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technologu at MIT, wrote about evocative objects which explores how everyday objects become

has a solid proposal: design for people. In every case of MUJI products, the object brings together intellect and emotion as a companion in life experience.

part of our inner life. For her, “We think with the objects we love; we love the objects we think”(2011, p.5). There is inseparability of thoughts and feelings in our relationship to things. “Material culture carries emotion and ideas of startling intensity”(2011, p.6). Each object designed by MUJI

director of centre of Global Brand Management Cloumbia Business School distinguished five different types of experiences (SEMs) which are:

MUJI wants to produce everyday objects that enrich people’s lives which are functional and sensually please consumers at one and the same time. Thus, design is about communicating quality of life. As Schmitt (1999) who is the

sensory experiences (SENSE); affective experiences (FEEL);

creative cognitive experiences (THINK);

simplification of packaging. In terms of raw materials, MUJI’s

physical experiences,

designers travelled all over the

behaviours and lifestyles (ACT); and social-identity

world to learn and find healthy green resources to produce

experiences that result from

their products with creativity

relating to a reference group or culture (RELATE).

and sustainability. However, a sustainable consumption does not

These experiences are implemented through

mean consuming less. Instead, it is a different and “smarter” way, as

so-called experience providers (ExPros) such

explained by Charter et al (2002 cited in Fisher & Shipton, 2010,

as communications,

p.7). The packaging industries

visual and verbal identity, product presence,

and government should find out solutions to manage waste to the

electronic media, etc.

minimum and get people realise the problem. MUJI has produced

MUJI focuses on function-oriented products and equitable price. This is to shape “sensory experience” and “recognition of thinking” based on everyday life in order to catch the attention of customers and create a memorable and pleasurable experience for them. MUJI’s core principles revolve around three main themes: selection of materials, streamlining of process, and

eco-friendly products like organic cotton bags as well as recycled paper notebooks. Their items that seem simple have actually been redesigned for optimal use. Thinking from the perspective of MUJI’s design of fashion goods, the style of their clothing line, like all the other products, focuses on practicality, wearability and an escape from excessive decoration. Their clothes are

WE LOVE THE OBJECTS WE THINK.” 24

not ephemeral but designed to be comfortable and be worn for a long life. This allows MUJI to choose gentle and natural

of over-packaging; the use of materials; weight and size of the products. The image below (Fig.5) is one of their works,

fibers for the sake of the wearer. Most clothes are made of cotton which is organically grown in pesticide-free farmland.

which shows MUJI reduced the length of cotton buds as many people may think it is no need. Nevertheless, it is precisely calculated because of these little attentive measurements make MUJI different and successful. The packagings that people encounter every day are normally made of a range of materials like paper, plastics, metal and glass. MUJI’s products are fresh and pure as well as simple packaging and the use of unbleached paper.

After the Japanese earthquake and tsunani in 2011, MUJI addressed the question at the “Products Fitness 80” exhibition “What would happen if we used 20% less materials and energy in the actual process of making products?” (MUJI, 2012). They re-examined their product creations in terms of the way people use energy and also questioned themselves 25

Thinking from the perspective

Fig.5 Cotton buds fitness 80

of MUJI’s ecological design, they also use recycled polyester created from salvaged plastic bottle caps in all zippers and buttons. As Braungart and McDonough has discussed the four R’s which are reduce, reuse, recycle an regulate (2009, p.53). They pointed out that most recycling is actually downcycling. People do not know where that

substances. They ascertain the fact that “Air, water, and soil do not safely absorb our waste unless the waste themselves are completely healthy and biodegradable” (2009, p.55). MUJI is concerned about reducing the materials because sometimes only a small measure could make a huge difference when adopted by society as a whole.

recycled waste goes, some is used weaker and less useful products which may contain harmful 26

MUJI’S VISUAL COMMUNICATION

COMPLEXITY ARISES FROM SIMPLICITY

One of the most marvelous discoveries is simplicity because it is at the heart of the complex. From William Morris’s article (n.d.), who was one of the leaders of English Arts and

that “Art made by the people and for the people, a joy to the maker and the user” (ibid.). The power of design influences our lives no matter products design or graphic design, for better and for worse. When the design is deployed wisely, it brings people all good things of pleasure, strength, beauty, comfort, sensitivity and compassion. Or vice versa. Simplicity has always been based on a complex context. And so MUJI does. MUJI’s advertisements are trying to present a kind of unwritten spirituality to the world in a culture of “Japanese simplicity”.

Crafts Movement, he pointed out 30

From MUJI’s product design to Graphics application, it can be easily seen that the principle of simplicity and emptiness. Hara describes MUJI’s advertising as “not dispatching information from one entity or person to another, but facilitating the mutual exchange of information” (2008, p.241). MUJI’s advertisements function as a vessel that allows people to fill with their own ideas. Here is a perfect example of how MUJI integrates emptiness and simplicity into design. This series of MUJI advertising posters in 2003 (fig.6) which used photographs of the horizon as an empty vessel of

between heaven and earth which communicates the receptivity of equanimity and emptiness. This was the photographer Tamotsu Fujiii’s idea to use an extremely simple image in order to extract the essence of an object. The horizon line split perfectly between heaven and earth, represents nothing in particular; on the contrary, it can also accommodates everything in the world. There are no coincidental horizon. MUJI’s team travelled to search a perfect line to shoot. Finally, they selected two locations: one is the salt lake at Uyuni in Bolivia where is approximate to the largest salt lake

epic proportions. The horizon splits

in the world, and another is the 10,580

Fig.6 MUJI advertisement “Horizon” Poster , 2003

square kilometers prairies located in Mongolia. From the poster of salt lake, there is a person in the image standing like a dot on the horizon. This is the composition of earth and human beings which again reflect MUJI’s philosophy “Nothing, yet everything”(2008, p.228). Communication is at the heart of designers’ work. Looking into the modernist mass media, using photographic images is commonplace. It brings people a more real and stronger feeling. “The process of photography was ideally suited to the marriage of mass communication of social ideas and the march towards

a utopian industrialised future” (Crouch,1999, p.95). MUJI’s horizon advertising does not present any distinct message, but these powerful scenes of large-scale landscape that would accommodate people’s perception of MUJI. A vessel that allows people to fill up with their own thoughts and ideas. On the other hand, as written by Jonathan Bignell (1997, p.38), “Ads endow products with a certain social significance so that they can function in our real social world”. In other words, advertisments not only focused on products, but also make the products meaningful. Research has been then 32

carried out inton this area by Ferdinand de Saussure who is the father of “Semiotics”, “Language is made up of signs which communicate meanings.” (Bignell, 1997, p.5) He proposed that our perception and understanding of reality is constructed by the words and other signs which we use in a social context … signs shape our perceptions, rather than reflecting a reality which was already out there. From this point of view, words are the second sign to our perception because reality has already existed before 33

language gives words to it. There are two different levels of understanding signs based on Barthes’s development of Saussure’s ideas. One of them is “denotation”, which is attempts to understand “ ‘when the answers to the question’, ‘what is that’, or ‘what is that a picture of’ ” (Barnard, 2001, p.149). Another is “connotation”, which is associated with people’s thoughts and feelings. Saussure aggred that the sign is made up of a “signifer”, which is thought of as physical meanings and a “signified”, which is thought of as the individual’s mental thoughts ( Barnard, 2001, pp.147-148).

Fig.7 MUJI to GO Poster, 2013

This horizon poster series was promoted in 2003 which was ten years ago from today. By contrast, today’s MUJI advertisement is still less promoted. The difference is the promotion today is more various and really bringing the benefit to people. In the middle of 2013, MUJI launched a global campaign for its collection of travel goods which called “MUJI to GO”. It means “Good Travels with Good Products”. The content of this campaign was that MUJI offered two prizes, one is a free trip to anywhere for one lucky family. Before they depart the land, they will be 3D scanned and receive their 3D figures at the destination. Another is that ten families have a chance to win their 3D figures when they purchase more than 20 pounds in any shops. They finally produced a three minutes film of this trip. Comparing to the past, “MUJI on Go” advertisment got people involved to experience the products as well as the journey with family camping. What they offered is tangible and concrete which makes their advertisements meaningful and interesting. MUJI’s advertisments has always been focused on the process which showing the lifestyle they wants to bring to people. 36

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Think Differentâ&#x20AC;? Apple advertisement poster, 1997

WESTERN SIMPLICITY In the Eastern context, the idea of emptiness is one of emergence. As human beings, we all emerge from emptiness. Its power lives in the potential of beginning. By contrast, emptiness in a Western context is perceived as lonely, alienated and despairing. Indeed in the Western culture, MUJI’s design principle may not be as popular as in the East because most western designs are commercially considered to point directly to the result: getting people purchased on their products.

in the corner, with no any other words to describe their products. ‘‘ ‘Think Different’ celebrates the soul of the Apple brand—that creative people with passion can change the world for the better,’’ Jobs told the Wall Street Journal Europe in April 1998.

While Apple was a very good example of using simplicity in its advertisement. (Fig.8) Apple had a slogan: “Think Different” launched in 1997 which created by the Los Angles office of advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\ Day. There was a series of print ads that focused on images rather than using a specific product. They used the portraits of historic famous individuals such as Dr. Jane Goodall (Fig. 8) who is a British primatologist, ethologist, and UN Messenger of Peace, with a small Apple logo and the slogan “Think Different”

worked in the area of original seimotics as Saussure gave us another definition of sign which is divided into three meanings: “icon”, “index” and “symbol” (Barnard, 2001, pp.147-148) Following Peirce’s definition, An iconic sign means to resemble the sign. An indexical sign is a direct connection to the signified whereas a symbolic sign is an arbitrary sign that links to its signified objects. (Crow, 2003, p.31) These ways of thinking all help the approach to understand the advertisements within visual culture.

Both MUJI and Apple’s advertisements use photographs which are concerned with non-linguistic signs which carry meanings for audience. This works on the level of denotation. Charles Sanders Peirce who also

CONCLUSION

Japanese design has benefited from Zen Buddhism, which impacts on the styple of minimalism, frugality and modesty. Similar to some European countries such as Finland and Switzerland, Japanese design also pursues a bold and simple gesture. If Nordic design, which is concise and powerful; classical and elegant, is described as pragmatically modernism, then Japanese design emphasized the Eastern buddhist mood. It has far-reaching significance with Japanese aesthetics orientation: purity concerns; detail oriented; and aspire after the ultimately exquisite design. Each piece of design provokes deeper reflection. MUJIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design principle carries forward this aesthetics orientation of simplicity. To sum up, the first section of this essay introduced the background, the ideology behind MUJI and what kind of strategy makes MUJI such a success. The conventional economy focuses on function-oriented products, good looks and price advantages. On the contray, MUJI dictates the look, regulates the price and ensures the reliability of each and every product within the MUJI range. The value of the MUJI products is in its essence, which is why they are never visibly branded. Kenya raises the question of what is good design in the final chapter of his book: Design is not the act of amazing an audience with the novelty of forms or materials; it is the originality that repeatedly extracts astounding ideas from the crevices of the very commonness of everyday life. (2008, P.435)

MUJI conveys the value of the brand and the attitude towards life to consumers through their products which enable people to experience different lifestyles and cultures. The second section presented the 41

features of MUJIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products in the perspective of color scheme, the use of materials, simplicity and philosophy. Consumers who go to MUJI are not only looking for one product but for a simpler and more natural lifestyle. MUJI promotes environmental protection, simplifies the packaging for a minimalist and smaller living. Finally, the essay analysed the advertisement of MUJI and looked into Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ads. From MUJI, we see endless possibilities for design. There is always a better way. Design nowadays based on Western perspectives because of the Industrial Recolution occurred in the UK. It is noteworthy to start to rethink about what good design really is for today and the future as a visual communication designer. The significance of a designer is more importantly to create solutions for people to solve their everyday problems. Designers should start to think about reduce the waste to the minimum; the way to help people become more fit and healthy; and to create a sustainable path for the greater benefit of the earth and all individuals. less is more.

BiBlography

Bignell, J. (1997). Media Semiotics. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Crouch, C. (1999) Modernism in art, design & architecture. London: Macmillan Press Ltd. Crow, D.(ed.) (2010). Visible Signs: An Introduction to Semiotics in the Visual Arts. (2nd). Switzerland: AVA Publishing SA. D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus. (trans.) (1913). Tao Te Ching. [online]. Available from: http://www.egreenway.com/taoism/ttclz11.htm [Accessed n.d.] Dr. Sharma, R. and Dr. Sharma, V. (2011). International Journal of Management and Strategy. [pdf] Available from: http://www.facultyjournal.com/webmaster/ upload/__Paper_(Dr._Rachna_ Sharma_and_Dr._Vishal_Sharma).pdf [Accessed n.d.] Fisher, T. and Shipton, J. (2010). Designing for Re-use: The Life of Consumer Packaging. London: Earthscan. Hara, K. (2008). Designing design. Baden: Lars Müller Publishers. Hope,S. (2014), AUB Visual Communication Studio. Interview with course leader. 17 January Interbrand. (2013). Interbrand Announces the 5th Annual “Japan’s Best Global Brands” Report. [online]. Available from: http://www.interbrand.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2013-07-16-f3806e4.aspx [Accessed 16 July 2013] Maeda, J. (2006). The Laws of Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life. Cambridge: The MIT Press.

McDonough, W. and Braungart, M. (2002). Cardle to Cardle: Remaking the Way we Make Things. New York: North Point Press. Morris, W. (1882). Hopes and fears for art. [online]. Available from: http://www. marxists.org/archive/morris/works/1882/hopes/chapters/chapter3.htm [Accessed n.d.] MUJI. (2012). Product fitness 80 | MUJI Laboratory for Living. [online]. Available from: http://www.muji.net/lab/fitness80/en/ [Accessed 9 March 2010] Pellegrin, B. (2012). Muji keeps it simple with new S.F. store. [online]. Available from: http://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/Muji-keeps-it-simple-with-new-S-Fstore-4097937.php [Accessed 11 December 2012] Ries, AI. and Trout, J. (2011). The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing. India: Profile Books. Schmitt, B. (1999). Journal of Marketing Management. [pdf] Available from: http:// jungkirbalik.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/experiential-marketing.pdf [Accessed June, 2008] Tao Te Ching & Lao tzu. (2012). Motion and use. [online]. Available from: http:// www.taoteching.cn/index.php/chapter-40-motion-use/ [Accessed 22 June 2012] Theme. (2005). Muji Creative Director, Kenya Hara. [online]. Available from: http:// www.thememagazine.com/stories/muji-kenya-hara/ [Accessed n.d. 2012] Turkle, S. (ed.) (2011). Evocative Objects: Things We Think With. Cambridge: The MIT Press. Wikipedia. (2013). MUJI. [online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muji [Accessed 3 December 2013]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figures 1. MUJI logo Wikipedia. MUJI. (2013). [online image]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Muji [Accessed 3 December 2013] 2. MUJI Products Anon. Muji giveaway. (2012). [online image]. Available from: http:// tenderloveandaseedywink.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/muji-giveaway.html [Accessed 3 February 2012] 3. Cover designs for the magazine “A Book” Hara, K. (2008). Designing design. Baden: Lars Müller Publishers. pp224-225 4. The image causes the brain to receive lower levels of appetite and control weight gain. CNNB. (2010). [online image]. Available from: http://travel.cnnb.com.cn/ system/2010/11/15/006744978.shtml [Accessed 15 November 2010] 5. Cotton buds fitness 80 MUJI. Product fitness 80 | MUJI Laboratory for Living. (2012). [online image]. Available from: http://www.muji.net/lab/fitness80/en/ [Accessed 9 March 2010] 6. MUJI advertisement “Horizon” Poster, 2003 Hara, K. (2008). Designing design. Baden: Lars Müller Publishers. pp226-227, pp246251, pp244-245, pp252-253 7. MUJI to GO Poster, 2013 Adverblog. MUJI to go. (2013). [online image]. Available from: http://www. adverblog.com/2013/07/12/muji-to-go/ [Accessed 12 July 2010] 8. “Think Different” Apple advertisement poster, 1997 Janssen,S. Apple: Think different. (2011) ). [online image]. Available from: http:// creativecriminals.com/print/apple-think-different/ [Accessed 6 Octomber 2010]