CĂŚsura
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Brand Development and Experience Strategy assignment problem
insights
Develop a brand identity and retail experience for a specialty mattress store that will provide high quality, luxury products at competitive prices.
The mattress and bedding category is crowded with businesses that compete for consumer attention based on price and product. What most of these competitors have missed is a shift in consumer preferences and the demand for an experience that reflects their values, respects their intelligence, and excites their imagination.
Every bedroom, while unique, has a specific theme which is personal to our target and has an emotional appeal. While sleep is extremely important, we observed that their relationship with the bed goes beyond sleep. They are also aware that a good bed leads to good sleep and good sleep leads to a better quality life. However there is a difference in their perception of a bed and a mattress. The
mattress is merely a physical product whereas the bed is a key part of this emotional attachment to the bedroom.
While each of these segments are at different life stages, one thing that they all desire is simplicity. Something that reminds them to slow down in this fast paced world. Another example that speaks to that point is the increasing yoga trend and how it has become part of daily exercise. We need to keep this in mind when coming up with our brand platform.
Brand Name and Identity A caesura is defined as a rhythmic break or pause in the flow of sound which is commonly introduced in about the middle of a line of verse, but may be varied for different effects.
Time in bed is a rhythmic break in the flow of your daily life, a break from the constant conversation. That leads into our name and logo for the brand. Besides the fitting definition, we felt as though the double hash mark that is the symbol of a caesura resembled two people laying in bed
CĂŚsura Positioning Statement Inviting Bedding for Personal Serenity
We decided on a color palette for our brand identity and an example of what the client’s business card would look like which can be seen to the right
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Brand Manifesto Maybe you were up all night. Maybe you had a terrible day. Maybe it’s pouring rain. The thing you lust is serenity. The embrace of your bed. The security of your comforter. The unwavering support of your pillow. The inner peace that these bring. Your bed is your home within your house. It is the place where one finds the most sincere version of themselves; a place where one can take a moment to let their mind wander, a place where one finds a cæsura. Cæsura is the moment when one's mind and body come together to create a somber, quiet rhythm. The soundtrack of your day plays a bit slower here. Close your eyes. Take a break. Embrace the moment. Cæsura believes that leading a better life means knowing when, how and where to slow down. The Cæsura bedroom is where one comes to create their most imaginative, personal and private compositions-- read the book, write in the journal, make love, breathe.
Employee Culture
Aural Branding
Cæsura specialists follow seven mantras to ensure that they not only feel relaxed and comfortable wile on the job, but exude this personality to customers, inviting them to experience serenity. From the casual, lightweight employee apparel to the time to take a break, employees feel a daily, calm rhythm.
A set of noise-canceling headphones is placed within the headboard of each of our display beds. We recommend our own mix tape based on 3 moods Release, Rest and Rise. They give customers a reason to lie down, pick a rhythm and test out the mattress for a longer period.
Setting the Mood We serve our guests lavender tea and spring water to promote a calm, relaxed, refreshing atmosphere planning
reservation
entry
Public store experience walking out
walking in
exit
follow up
Individual store experience
Product Display To allow customers to truly experience the bed as they would in their own bedrooms, our products are arranged in a way that is inviting, personal, and tactile. They can lie down on any bed for as long as they want. The different sections and cozy nooks give a cozy, homey feel.
Online Our website allows customers to explore our entire catalogue, listen to the recommended playlists based on the 3 moods and get a vibe of the Cæsura experience. Customers can also opt to make a reservation to meet a Cæsura specialist.
Launch Plan We start with direct mail. We would send out invitations to the store opening to a purchased list of people targeted by zip code and income level in a thirty mile radius.
We will do regional print advertising in magazines such as Virginia Living and Real Simple along with local radio spots. As well we wanted to get advertising in the Playbills of the Richmond Ballet and Symphony. For PR we send our catalogue to local designers along with an invitation to the opening. In addition, sponsor events and donor cocktails for arts organizations like the Richmond Ballet and Richmond Symphony. Those who attend the store opening will be acknowledged with a gift bag.
Financial Planning - 3 year Cash Flow Forecast Based on the client’s plan of launching 5 stores in the first year followed by a store every two months in year 2 and 3, and their expected revenue per store, we prepared a 3 year monthly cash flow forecast to project the investment and cash requirements.
Beginning Cash Investment
$500,000
Year 1 Ending Cash
$79,000
Year 2 Beg. Cash Investment
$71,000
Year 2 Ending Cash
$433,000
Year 3 Ending Cash
$1,717,000
Year 2 Revenue
$7,140,000
Year 3 Revenue
$12,180,000
Based on our projections, the overall cash investment was $571,000. The business becomes self sustainable in its second year thereby providing capital for future store openings without any outside investment.
*Based off of the data provided to us by the client