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Merchandising
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Four years ago, cyber-Wear designed the
Lifestyle Collection for Ford. How did this
come about?
Erika Tsubaki:
Whereas merchandising in the
USA runs via the licensing business, here in Eu-
rope there was a so-called Ford Boutique up until
2010, via which standard products such as cups,
ballpoints or bonbons could be purchased. How-
ever, there was no association to the brand or
Ford’s product range.
This is why at Ford Design we started to de-
velop the first products for aficionado vehicles
like the Focus RS and ST – to match the vehicle,
the colours, the materials and the target group.
Parallel to this, a concept for the Lifestyle Collec-
tion was drawn up. After we had received the
approval of the responsible parties, a European-
wide invitation for tender was issued; cyber-Wear
ultimately won the pitch.
That means the products have in the mean-
time become real brand messengers?
Steven Baumgärtner:
We take great care in
everything we do to make sure that the products
support the brand in a meaningful way and meet
their quality claim. Thus, the Lifestyle Collection
is part of the brand and the marketing mix. It is a
brand ambassador.
How does the collection differ from promo-
tional products?
Baumgärtner:
The quality and level of detail is
completely different. We need around six months
for the development of a collection – starting
from the design, to prototypes, through to the
finished product including the labelling and pack-
aging. For this project, a deeper understanding
for the brand is necessary and no compromises
can be made when it comes down to the quality.
The product has to be perfect from A to Z.
How important is it hereby that the strate-
gies and brand values of the automobile
world are interpreted in every single prod-
uct of the collection?
Tsubaki:
We strive to be pioneering in terms of
the design of each vehicle we bring onto the
market. We also apply this approach for the
products of our Lifestyle Collection. This includes
us integrating the four basic brand attributes –
quality, environmental-awareness, safety and
technology – into the product development.
All products of the Lifestyle Collection can
be purchased via a web shop, which is run
by cyber-Wear. How is it set up? Which tar-
get groups are addressed?
Uwe Gothow:
There are about 140 products in
our shop at the moment, including clothes, bags,
watches, model cars and accessories such as key
fobs, lanyards or cups. Corresponding product
lines are added for the market launch of new
models. For instance, we are presently develop-
ing products for the Mondeo, the EcoSport and
the new Mustang, which will also be available in
Europe next year.
We serve 50 countries and differentiate bet
ween four different target groups: They are the
various national subsidiaries of Ford, the approx.
6,500 Ford dealers, the Ford Joint Ventures in
Russia and Turkey and the end customers.
Baumgärtner:
In the past, the end customers
were addressed by the dealers. However, we
have also been addressing this target group di-
rectly for the past few years, via our shop, but
also at major events and trade fairs. In this way,
since the IAA 2010 in Hanover, the Lifestyle Col-
lection has formed an integral part of the Ford
trade fair presence at all major European auto-
mobile shows.
Tsubaki:
The majority of the collection is unique,
Ford Design. We only implement a few standard
products.
What criteria do you apply concerning the
design of the products?
Baumgärtner:
Of course, a cup is always going
to be a cup. Nevertheless, even such classic items
can be reinvented. The same cup model can be
completely redesigned in terms of its appearance
and haptic attributes to match different vehicles.
One model is smooth and shiny, the next has a
so-called velvety varnishing, which lends the por-
celain a soft and velvety surface. We regularly try
out new processing techniques and also combine
various customising options.
Tsubaki:
This quality claim especially applies for our
custom-made products. For example, we are pres-
ently developing a Mustang watch for a US Ameri-
can design team in Dearborn, for which countless
details have been predefined – from the weight
of the watch, which has to haptically match the
The espresso travel set for
the B-MAX unites quality,
functionality and mobility.