Week4 - The Danish Design -- Ralph Imatong

This reading is unique in a sense that it takes national branding in a new perspective -- furniture. In Korea, their national aesthetic was their culture; in Japan, their economic might and/or their successes from their grand strategies; in France, their refinement of fashion; and in Denmark, their furniture. While I was reading this article, I was also thinking of the things that could be branded for the Philippines and the branding strategies that succeeded and failed. Indeed, there are a lot of things that we can change, observe, and critique in the country that we chose. What I noticed in this article that is different from the previous reading is the involvement of the government for the support of Danish furniture. The government did supported the Danish furniture industry, but it seems minimal and not as strong as the narratives of national aesthetics from the previous readings. I think the lack of support of the government together with the failure of the industry to evolve and compete were the caused of the rapid decline of Danish furniture. In the United States today, Danish furniture is not that popular anymore because it has been far outplayed by Sweden's Ikea furniture. In this article, I also realized that a strong cooperation between industries is detrimental to the success of branding. In the rise of Danish design, there were the cooperation between the architects and the cabinetmakers. This cooperation proved to be effective as it resulted to an international attention and marketing of Danish furniture. However, this cooperation, if not effective, can cause the decline of branding.

Questions: What caused Denmark to re-brand through furniture? Why was there minimal support from the Danish government in times of crisis? What is the future of the Danish Design?

This video shows the impact of Danish Design in the present day. This film also offers a glimpse to the future of Danish Design. 

References:

"3 Images of Danish Furniture." YouTube. YouTube. Web. 23 Jan. 2016.

Hansen, Per H. "Networks, Narratives, and New Markets: The Rise and Decline of Danish Modern Furniture Design, 1930–1970." Business History Review Bus. Hist. Rev. 80.03 (2006): 449-83. Web.