BAT design chief stresses responsible design

Global tobacco giant British American Tobacco Group discussed its future design strategies during a design conference held in Seoul last week, highlighting the social and ethical responsibilities industrial designers must undertake when designing heating tobacco products, according to the company on Monday.

"The role of designers is changing, from simply designing products to assuming social and environmental responsibilities. This (new role) is not a choice for individual designers to make, but a common goal the industry and society must undertake together in order to move forward," Ken Kim, the head of design at BAT Group, was quoted as saying on Thursday.

Kim made the remarks during Design Korea 2023, the largest design conference in South Korea held from Wednesday to Sunday, under the theme "Designing for Better World."

Kim is the first Korean to head the product design processes for products sold by BAT. His portfolio includes heating tobacco products such as Vuse Epod 2, Glo Pro Slim and Glo Hyper X2.

During the conference, Kim gave a presentation that reviewed measures on how designs could address social issues such as carbon neutrality amid heightened regulations, emphasizing that designs could function as an important key to the industry's sustainable future. In addition to the social responsibilities industrial designers must take into consideration, he further highlighted the ethical responsibilities designers must assume.

"In particular, the heating tobacco products industry should carefully consider design factors that can affect the minors. We need a balanced design strategy that does not stimulate the curiosity of minors, through conducting analysis of design preferences by age groups," he said.

In line with the recent launch of Glo Hyper Air in September, BAT Rothmans, the Korean unit of BAT Group, said it ran a pop-up booth introducing the tobacco heater at Design Korea 2023. Designed by Kim, the new product boasts high portability, weighing 75 grams, with a slim design inspired by aircraft.

"Designs should not simply center on providing attractive appearance but encompass meaning, value and responsibility. I hope we all share that responsibility and pursue design for a better future," said Kim.