Erik Roscam Abbing (Seattle, US, 1969) is a consultant and teacher in design management, with a strong focus on bringing together the disciplines of branding, innovation and design.

Erik is the founder of Zilver brand driven innovation in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, where he consults for a variety of international clients in the product and service industries, using the thoughts, methods, and tools described in this book.

Erik is also a part time teacher at the school of Industrial Design at the Technological Universtity of Delft, the Netherlands where he develops and teaches classes related to strategic product design and branding on bachelor and master level.

Next to that he is a guest teacher in the Eurib Master of Brand Management programme in Rotterdam and at the design management programme of Hochschule Lucerne, Switzerland, and a module coordinator of the Eurib Master of Design Management programme.

Erik studied Industrial Design Engineering at the Technological University of Delft and Design Management at Inholland/Nijenrode, both in the Netherlands. Erik has worked as a practicing product designer for 10 years before embarking on his design management consultancy.

Branding is not merely advertising. On the contrary, in Brand Driven Innovation, branding is considered to provide a driving vision for sustainable growth for organisations. Nor is innovation seen as merely technological and ground-breaking; instead, it’s considered to be any value that is brought to the market and that helps users to fulfil a purpose.

This book explains how branding can be a driving force for product and service innovations, infusing them with the vision that they need to become relevant, authentic and original. It explores how innovation can help brands fulfil their promise through meaningful manifestations, interactions and experiences, leading to a more durable relationship between organisations and their customers. Crucially, Brand Driven Innovation demonstrates the role that design management can play in connecting the disciplines of branding and innovation, providing the reader with tools, processes and methods to facilitate this relationship.

The first part of Brand Driven Innovation explores existing theoretical ideas in branding, innovation and design management in order to provide you with a solid foundation of knowledge about the subject. In the second, practical half of the book, a four step method is demonstrated that will help you to apply BDI in your own academic or business context.

The book employs practical examples, case studies and interviews from leading individuals and companies throughout, to provide a practical field guide for both students and practitioners alike.