In an increasingly visually oriented culture, transmitting brand meaning and positioning
through design is critical. “In a crowded marketplace,” writes Virginia Postrel in The Substance of
Style, “aesthetics is often the only way to make a product stand out.”23 The GM design team for the
new plug-in electric 2011 Chevy Volt wanted to make sure the car looked better than other electric
car models.As the Volt design director said,“Most electric cars are like automotive Brussels sprouts.
They’re good for you, but you don’t want to eat them.”