Design tool for applying Islamic art in commercial brands

Abstract

In recent years, the importance of the Muslim market has increased; it is now estimated to consist of 1.8 billion people, and is widely viewed as the next central global opportunity. However, it remains ineffectively exploited, which might be because of designers’ lack of understanding of Muslim consumers’ culture and needs. In addition, the absence of any guidance to help designers understand the Islamic philosophy, values and hidden meanings is considered the main issue behind many commercial brands’ misinterpretation or misuse of Islamic art. As a result, this research investigated the current use of Islamic art in commercial brands and developed a tool to inspire and assist designers in applying Islamic art appropriately, as the misuse of Islamic art can significantly spoil brands’ reputations. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including case studies, focus group, user surveys, expert interviews and a creative workshop. The research results indicate that appropriate applications of Islamic art and cultural symbols can enhance brand communication, allowing it to be more pleasurable and memorable. In addition, 32 guideline cards were proposed and evaluated through a focus group. According to the evaluation outcome, the cards provide successful results when compared to existing Islamic art applications relating to products and brands. The cards tool is an effort to assist designers in unleashing hidden values in Islamic art and to guide them to its proper use in branding. The proposed guideline cards tool provides the basis for assisting designers and design teams in concept development and inspiration during the design process. It offers several benefits. First, it provides information on Islamic art, which includes Islamic art philosophy, hidden meanings and fundamental visual elements, with the aim to broaden the designer’s/design teams’ understanding. It also enhances designers’ creativity and confidence to experiment with uncommon Islamic art elements in commercial brands and products, with the aim to help produce more recognised Islamic art and cultural designs. Finally, it provides guidance in terms of what is appropriate and inappropriate in Islamic art and culture, thus preventing any misinterpretation or misuse.