Abstract
Product aesthetics, encompassing objects, services, and systems, are shaped by the marketing mix of price, function, form, aesthetics, and brand. Aesthetics significantly influence consumer preferences at the point of purchase, promoting cultural dissemination, ecological awareness, and lasting value. The integration of design into society reflects its culture, needs, and contemporary practices. In India, despite its cultural richness, there is a lack of a comprehensive theory addressing contemporary consumer aesthetic needs, cultural experiences, and preferences. Integrating Indian aesthetics into product design requires a structured approach, to be collectively adopted in design practice. Additionally, media influence, social interactions, and lifestyle choices are also critical in shaping preferences for designed goods, and cultural environments. Our study analysed responses from 200 participants through surveys and interviews. Recognizing the need for interpretive knowledge to explain psychological dimensions of aesthetic judgments, we designed a questionnaire examining participants’ exposure to the arts, education, lifestyle, and other factors. This approach aimed to understand how global exposure, artistic knowledge, training, cultural awareness, and personal ideas shape individual aesthetic preferences. Using a mixed-method approach, we generated aesthetic scores based on participants’ exposure to the arts, cultural knowledge, creativity, and personal ideas. Interestingly, we found that creativity showed little correlation with overall exposure to art or training, while cultural knowledge often aligned with some form of artistic education. Furthermore, our research indicates that Indian consumers tend to prioritize price and functionality over aesthetics. This observation suggests that the responsibility for aesthetics may largely fall on the industry and its product brands.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Aesthetics In Design, Product Aesthetics, Cultural Dissemination, Design In Society
