When Design is Ubiquitous

Getalogo.com will make you a logo for $249. Adobe Elements is $79. Pixlr.com is free. What happens when design tools and designers are so inexpensive and abundant that good design becomes common?

You end up with a shelf of $2 energy drinks that looks like this:

Good design used to be purview of the few, and was therefore a competitive advantage. In some categories, that’s still true (e.g., Method detergent). But once good design is ubiquitous, what happens to design-oriented companies? Will Oxo and Alessi and Method and Target need to develop new points of difference?