Sydney Jones here again,

At Honeycomb Creative Solutions, we've always believed that companies, that look good, perform better, and now there is proof on the positive effects of good design on financial performance. A ground-breaking study commissioned by the UK Design Council that shows, in dollar terms, the power of design in generating business results.

The study, which examines UK-listed companies over a ten-year period between 1994 and 2003, found that a group of 63 companies identified to be effective users of design outperformed the FTSE 100 index over the full period by 200%, and also surpassed their peers in the recent bull and bear markets.

You can download the research report: The Impact of Design on Stock Market Performance from Honeycomb Creative. If you're interested in the background information, visit the UK Design Council web site.

David Kester, Chief Executive of the Design Council, which funded the study, said: 'There have been many studies focusing on the application of effective design but no project as inclusive and comprehensive as this new study. The research establishes, for the first time, that a commitment to design - throughout an organisation - delivers benefits to a company and its shareholders in terms of long-term financial performance.'

While it doesn't answer every question that can be raised about the impact of design, it provides the crucial "CEO level" perspective on the value of design as a fundamental business tool to improve company performance, share price and ultimately, shareholder returns.

At Honeycomb Creative Solutions we work with clients on all their design projects. From ads to annual reports, brochures to web sites, Honeycomb Creative designs and creates marketing materials that provide value to the organization.

Sydney