Stefan Sagmeister says, "Style = Fart". It's amazing the truth behind this statement. If your product, company or brand is built upon sand, it will ultimately sink.
The ultimate goal of design is to engage the consumer and make them a repeat customer. My design philosophy and approach is simple: connect to the user by building a relationship then never lose that trust. Every design choice should reiterate the brand and have the consumer in mind. A broken promise is a competitors new client.