BENTON HARBOR, Mich.,
Dec. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The
world's leading manufacturer of major home appliances says the
changing landscape of global societal cultures is opening the door
to a new kind of home appliance design. Home appliances have
already advanced technologically, with connected appliances on the
floor in appliance showrooms. But at its core, design is
emotional and personal – as unique to a consumer as songs on their
favorite playlist. Today, as more consumers look for products that
provide purposeful technology to fit their daily lives and reflect
a sense of individuality, home appliance design demands both
passion and a unique perspective.
Whirlpool Corporation's (NYSE: WHR) Global Consumer Design
centers, operating in locations throughout the world have
cultivated a unique design process, studying the cultures,
behaviors and needs of diverse consumers in the passionate pursuit
of bringing those unique emotional and personal connections to life
through design. Designers examine not only how we connect with
appliances – but how we connect with each other. These connections
– how we entertain our friends and take care of our families –
combined with the socio-economic factors that impact our lives
every day lead to design with a purpose.
Usability labs create realistic settings, allowing consumers to
interact with newly designed home appliances, providing insight
into uses and individual preferences. The company's Global Consumer
Design team combines real world study with virtual technology for a
unique perspective, conducting in-home analyses to monitor patterns
of usage and cultural influences and through usability labs and
digital studios to create realistic settings.
"Exceptional design is the result of endless curiosity and
careful study," said Patrick
Schiavone, vice president, Global Consumer Design. "Our
Global Consumer Design team is passionate about creating intuitive
products that represent the lifestyle and the culture of our
consumers today. Our products are in eight of every 10 homes in the
U.S. and available in 130 countries. Each home has its own unique
sense of beauty. It's our job to capture that beauty in form and
function."
This year alone, Whirlpool Corporation has delighted the market
with several home appliance introductions that reflect a new trend
in home appliance design: individuality.
- As a result of Whirlpool Corporation's joint venture with
Proctor & Gamble, with the Swash ™ is a revolutionary new
product that speaks to an increase in rewear of clothing. The
Swash system refreshes, restores and dewrinkles clothes in just 10
minutes. Designers worked to create an appliance that suited how
consumers would use it, creating an aesthetic that goes beyond the
laundry room and fit for the bedroom, where it served consumers
best.
- The company's Jenn-Air brand introduced Obsidian refrigerator
interior design that takes a fresh look at color innovation – from
the inside out – with a black interior accentuated by LED
lighting.
- The company's iconic KitchenAid brand, continues to see fresh
new colors of its stand mixers on countless countertops and wedding
gift registries. This year the brand introduced specialty small
appliances, including a pour over coffee maker and multi-cooker,
designed to look right at home on countertops everywhere.
Whirlpool Corporation designs have resulted in a portfolio of
accolades, including close to a dozen awards by USAToday's
Reviewed.com this year alone, as well as Best Laundry Innovation
for the Swash system, Best Four-Door French Door Refrigerator for
KitchenAid brand and Best Smart Appliance Platform for
Whirlpool® 6th Sense Live ™ technology. The
company has also received recognition from the Consumer Electronics
Association and Whirlpool Corporation will feature new design
concepts and current, award winning designs at the Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas on
Jan. 6th.
About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation is
the world's leading global manufacturer and marketer of major home
appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion in 2013, 69,000 employees, and 59
manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The
company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana,
Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names. We
earn the trust of consumers in nearly every country by focusing on
what matters most. Additional information about the company can be
found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com
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SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation