Design Theory examines how the modern design landscape has shifted toward a sterile, homogeneous aesthetic driven by algorithmic influence rather than genuine human emotion. By analyzing cars, consumer technology, and urban planning, the exploration reveals how this trend impacts our connection to products and the future, challenging the necessity of sacrificing soul for efficiency.
YouTube really wants me to watch this video but I find it too ironic that it has a thumbnail with Ferrari EV that the internet hated but ended up selling above expectations.
Watch the video, and you see he argues that being a commercial success does not mean it is cool. Quite the opposite: it means that the companies are only creating products that are “safe” and follow a formula that has been proven to work.
I wouldn’t go that far even if I believe that large companies are usually data driven to a fault. My guess is that Ferrari as a business cares only about taste of people who can afford their products. These people are disconnected from reality enough not to care about what Reddit thinks of their sports car.
The people who can afford and actually buying the Luce are not doing because the car is sexy or a unquestionable example of “cool”. They are buying it to signal status. They don’t care about “taste”.
Status symbols not having a common appeal is something upper class uses to distinguish themselves. Eventually those tastes trickle down to those who want to LARP being rich and then to the rest of society.
You really should watch the video instead of arguing past the point. The main thing about the car is not that is lacks a “common appeal”, but exactly the opposite. It takes no risks, it ends up lacking any distinguishing feature and becomes a regular consumer product. “Common appeal” is all it has.
My point is that I’m not really convinced about the premise when the thumbnail fits internet outrage more than actual sales. Ferrari does things primarily to sell cars, because it’s a company, a for-profit organisation. According to data they seem to be doing fine in that regard. Why would they care about opinions of people who won’t buy their cars? Why should anyone care if the answer is seemingly an uninspired “stop liking things I don’t like”?
Toyota sells more cars than Ferrari. Do you think that if Ferrari should starts building more cars like Toyota it will be good for them long-term?
Are you familiar with the doorman fallacy?
So is McDonald’s.
The argument is not that things stopped being popular. It’s that they are becoming uniformly similar in a bland way.
If you actually watch the video, perhaps you can understand why. But it seems you are more interested in sticking to your preconceived notions than listening to someone with opinions of their own.
Ferrari is a boutique car maker. You’re comparing a grocery store box of eggs to a Faberge egg. Volumes are way lower and profit margins are way higher on those Faberge eggs. Focusing on a high-end market segment is a viable business strategy.
No, I’m not watching 100th video on why that new Ferrari is ugly according to internet outrage farms.
500 units is sales above expectation? Given the legendary Ferrari transparency, I’m guessing any numbers sold would’ve been called ‘above expectation’ and you wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.