London, United Kingdom – Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE:PHG, AEX:PHI) will today unveil new and innovative design concepts based on the company’s “sense and simplicity” brand at the 2007 Philips Simplicity Event at London’s Earls Court 2 exhibition centre. At the three-day event, Philips will showcase to a select group of customers, business partners, healthcare professionals and public sector representatives its vision of how in five years the clever use of technology married with intuitive, personalized design can lead to unexpected approaches to caring for people’s well-being at home, in the hospital and on the move.
Philips approaches caring for people’s wellness from three perspectives – caring for guests, caring for families and caring for patients – a focus that reflects Philips drive and commitment to creating concepts and products that are designed around people. Andrea Ragnetti, Chief Marketing Officer of Philips explains: “The heart of our Simplicity Event here in London is showing our stakeholders what the Philips brand of ‘sense and simplicity’ means for our customers when it comes to our vision for tomorrow’s products. And that means designing concepts and products around consumers’ needs. Today’s event is a way to stimulate creative thinking in design, as well as spark a dialogue with our stakeholders on how to address a growing desire for products catering to wellness. And we draw on this feedback when coming up with solutions that are not only easy, but also enjoyable to use.”
The theme at the 2007 Simplicity Event of “caring for people’s well-being” builds on ongoing societal trends that Philips has been tracking closely: populations are getting older, healthcare is increasingly consumer-driven and business travel is now more extensive and hectic. In light of these trends, Philips employed the creativity and expertise of anthropologists, sociologists, designers, engineers and business leaders to come up with design concepts that address these converging trends. The result: Philips will present concepts that take a holistic approach to healthcare, in which health and wellbeing touch on all aspects of a person’s daily life. Focusing on relaxing, healing and providing enjoyment, design concepts at the show explore the role of simplicity in Philips three core businesses – healthcare, lighting and consumer lifestyle.
Design concepts will be demonstrated in ‘real-life’ scenarios, with follow-up discussions allowing viewers the opportunity to provide feedback and give their view on the future of care. One trend Philips will explore is the growing prevalence for couples to start families later in life. For example, according to Eurostat, between 1980 and 2004, the average age for women in the United Kingdom to have their first child jumped from 25 to roughly 30 years of age. Older parents tend to have greater disposable income and means to invest in experiencing and enjoying their pregnancy. In the ‘Celebrating Pregnancy’ design concept, Philips will showcase how through advanced technology and a creative approach to design, prospective parents can experience the wonder of a view inside the womb. Other scenarios include ‘Ambient Healing Space’, offering patients the ability to make their hospital stay more comfortable while allowing hospital staff a method of involving patients in their own care and ‘Daylight’, a hotel scenario suggesting that travel to different time zones can be refreshing rather than exhausting.
Note to Editors:
In addition to the ‘concepts’ presented, Philips also “showcased” an array of consumer lifestyle, lighting and healthcare products in its High Street area. These included products launched in the second half of 2007 and previews of products planned for introduction in 2008.
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