Haeckels 12-Month Strategy by Arushi Carlra

12 MONTH STRATEGY REPORT ARUSHI CARLRA

Executive Summary This is a 12-month PR strategy report for the British skin-care, candles and fragrances brand, Haeckels.The brand is currently trying to position itself as a luxury brand, whilst having the current consumer that is generally more creative and conscious in their shopping habits.The main aim suggested is to build awareness surrounding the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lifestyle, in order to keep the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s values in place and trying to pick up new consumers. Five tactics have been outlined within this document that have been put in place to help Haeckels reach the main aim.

CONTENTS Executive Summary

PART ONE About Haeckels

8-9

Key Messages & Values

10-11

The Products 12-13 Flagship Store & London Stockists

14-15

Website & Social Media Analsyis

16-17

Past Press Coverage

18-19

Initiatives

20-21

Consumer Analysis 22-23 Key Competitor Case Study: Aesop

24-25

Main Trends 26-27 Key Findings

28-29

Issues & Opportunities

30-31

Aims and Objectives 32-33 Overall Strategy

PART TWO Tactic 1: The Haeckels Spa 38-49 Tactic 2: TANK Conference 50-65 Tactic 3: Re-Design of Website 66-71 Tactic 4: Launch of Monthly Newsletter

72-79

Tactic 5: Haeckels X MyCoocoon Collaboration

80-91

Time Plan 92-93 Budget

Measuring Success 95 96-109 Appendicies

PART ONE 7

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The seaweed backs up in the harbour and makes quite a smell. Everyone moans about it and I just figured it would be interesting to turn a negative into a positive.â&#x20AC;? Dom Bridges (to FT.com) Founder of Haeckels

About Haeckels Haeckels is an upcoming luxury skin-care brand that was founded in 2012 by volunteer beach warden and self-proclaimed coastal enthusiast, Dom Bridges (Garratt, 2015). Bridges started the brand in order to help the Margate community with the pungent smell of seaweed that extends over the local beaches. The brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name is a nod to the famous German botanist and artist, Ernst Haeckels, whose intricate drawings of seaweed have always been of interest to Bridges. The botanist is also the first person to ever document all varieties of seaweed (Pursley, 2015). Not only has Haeckels grown immensely over its four years of being active, Bridges and his compact team of nine have been able to bring a lot of attention back to Haeckelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; birthplace, the coastal town of Margate. The brand has been able to generate a buzz around the town, and through the Sea Bathing Machine kickstarter-funded project, has been able to create jobs for the local community as well (Brinston, 2016).

Key Messages & Values Haeckels, as a young brand, does not waiver in terms of what they stand for. The brand has very strong ideals about conservation of the ocean, with Bridges being heavily involved with regular beach clean-ups that happen in Margate. The brand also strives to expose Margate as a buzzing and youthful, creative seaside town. Bridges likes to think of Haeckels as a nod to all the beautiful things that the ocean can provide us, as well as â&#x20AC;&#x153;celebration of the English coastâ&#x20AC;? (Hunter, 2015). There is very much a use-what-you-have mind-set that Haeckels stays within the borders of, as all of their ingredients are found and locally-sourced where possible (Garratt, 2015).

â&#x20AC;&#x153;How inappropriate to call this planet Earth, when it is clearly Ocean.â&#x20AC;? - Arthur C. Clarke

â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are currently seven pieces of non-recyclable plastic in those pumps and as an ocean-wise brand I refuse to use them in the hope that people slow down and see that their own decisions create the impact on the planetâ&#x20AC;? - Dom Bridges (to AnOther Magazine) Founder of Haeckels

The Products Haeckels offers a range of products from skin-care to candles for

consumers to buy into. These products, until recently, were made by Bridges himself in a workshop at the back of the stand-alone store in Margate (Brinston, 2016).

It seems that the brand is putting more emphasis on their

collection of candles and fragrances than their skin-care. This

can be deducted through looking at the recent press coverage as well as collaborations that Haeckels has been involved with. One

reason for creating the focal point on one type of product could be because, as Alex Verier, the brand director of Haeckels, stated, it

takes time for consumers to trust brands with more personal items like skin-care products (see appx. 1). People actually need to

understand the properties of seaweed, and build a relationship with Haeckels, before they feel comfortable enough to spend

money on intimate products, such as facial exfoliants and night creams.

This being said, consumers that do indulge in Haeckelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; skin-care products praise their properties and how great their skin feels

afterwards (Facebook.com, 2016). Therefore, Haeckels does have the potential to heighten the sales of their skin-care products.

Flagship Store & London Concessions Haeckels currently has one stand-alone store in Margate and 14 stockists in London. The Margate flagship store really encompasses everything that Haeckels believes in and depicts a raw, antique, slightly masculine aesthetic through its interior design, taking inspiration from the Natural History Museum in London (Carr, 2015). The quaint atmosphere around the store, allows for customers to have more interaction with the products. The shop manager is also available to ask questions to, although he usually steps back and allows the consumer to explore on their own. There are some stockists where the Haeckels products are received better than the rest. The big departmental stores like Selfridges and Liberty, although giving the brand an outlet to show off their products to the masses, they do not actually have any knowledge of the brand to sell the product to potential consumers. Other smaller stores, like GoodHood and Hostem, seem to have a better relationship with Haeckels and can relay the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s key messages to consumers (see appx. 2)

“The shop had to be where it is to prove a point that it doesn’t matter where you are in the universe, as long as what you’re doing is good”

- Dom Bridges (In ‘Made of Margate’ Documentary) Founder of Haeckels

“We’re big fans of Instagram – because it’s so visually-based we’re able to really indulge in taking beautiful photos of our products and the coastline that surrounds us”

Alex Verier (to Spindle Magazine) Brand Director of Haeckels

Website & Social Media Analysis For Haeckels, their website and social media platforms play a big role in informing current and potential consumers happenings around the brand. The website aesthetically supports Haeckels very well. It is simple, yet effective in relaying all kinds of information about the brand back to their consumers. Each tab at the top of the page provides access into various elements of the brand, which enables viewers to learn more whilst browsing. But, some key information, such as the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s philosophy, gets lost within other tabs. Also, certain sections, like Journal, do not get updated for months at a time, which might disengage consumers (Haeckels.co.uk, 2016) Haeckelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; most successful social media platform is by far Instagram. The visual platform really allows the brand to stand out amongst other skin-care brands, and helps the brand stand up next to its competitors like Aesop, who also use the platform religiously (Instagram.co.uk, 2016). Facebook and Twitter offer Haeckels ways to showcase the various projects that they are involved in, although some of the articles outlined on these platforms are not directed to Instagram, where they have the most following (see appx. 3).

Past Press Coverage In the past four years, Haeckels has received a lot of press coverage. Niche magazines such as Wallpaper*, UK national press such as The Telegraph, bloggers such as Olivia Purvis, and lifestyle magazines such as GQ, have all written about the brand in different ways. Usually, Haeckels is involved in articles such as interviews, product/brand reviews, and articles about what to do in Margate. Interviews are definitely Haeckelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; biggest asset in terms of coverage recieved, because Bridges and Verier can showcase the personality of Haeckels to the readers. On the next page are examples of the types of press Haeckels has received.

Initiatives Since 2014, Haeckels has been involved with some interesting concepts that showcased the authenticity and the creativity that the brand possesses. The initiatives that the brand has undertaken over the past three years can be categorised into four groups:

1. Community Projects

2. Design-Led Initiatives

3. Creative Initiatives

4. Building Awareness around Products & Brand Values

Most of these tactics fall under the “Design-Led Initiatives” or “Creative Initiatives” which depicts that f the brand’s main focus is to stand out as an innovative establishment, however this means that as more people are becoming interested in the brand, consumers are lacking knowledge about the actual product that they sell. Having said that, Haeckels has been developing more product-based initiatives, having opened treatment rooms in their Margate store, as well as at a residency at a men’s skin-care store in London (Sevendials.co.uk, 2017). Haeckels has a portfolio of very unique projects that they have worked on – which cannot be said about every brand. From providing aromas to cocktails at the Savoy, to building a Sea Bathing Sauna Machine on the shores of Margate, and making candles for Oliver Spencer, the brand does not hold back when it comes to taking up a challenge. With Haeckels aiming to enter the luxury skin-care market, the brand needs to now start developing a sense of what that consumer will want, but conceptualise it in a way that stays true to who Haeckels has been for the past few years.

Consumer Profile According to Verier, the ideal consumer of Haeckels would be a male or female, who had a passion for sustainability, just like the brand does, and possibly a candle enthusiast – as one would not buy a £50 candle if they were not (see appx. 1)

Through the consumer moodboard, it can be noticed that the consumers portray elements of what is known as the modern hipster who is alternative in their ways, they want to live authentic lives, and steer away from meaningless consumption (Pfeiffer, 2015).

A survey on Instagram was conducted to try and understand more about the Haeckels consumer (see appx 7). Only seven Instagrammers replied, therefore the sample size was very small and not conclusive of the entirety of Haeckels’ followers, however it is interesting to note that at least two out of the seven praised Haeckels without having ever tried their products. This suggests that the lifestyle and the aesthetic that are portrayed by Haeckels is enough to draw people in.

“They’re urban bohemians who help each other out, who have this desire to produce and consume in alternative ways” Lisa Attia (to BBC One - Inside Out London) Commercial Director at Le Bon Marche 23

Key Competitor Case Study: Aesop One of Haeckelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; biggest competitors visually, aesthetically, and somewhat product-wise, is Aesop. Aesop is an Australian organic skin-care brand that was founded 29-years ago by a man named Dennis Paphitis. After analysing various platforms, it can be noticed that Haeckels and Aesop tend to showcase similar visual aesthetics through the images they upload across their respective social media channels, as well as the organic, yet stylish lifestyle that they portray. As a unisex brand as well, Aesop is able to engage with both their female and male consumers without favouring one gender. They are able to stay neutral, not only through their colour palette, but through the campaigns they launch towards their consumers every year. This is something that Haeckels seems to struggle with, as a lot of their campaigns and collaborations are unintentionally geared towards the male consumer. One point of difference for the two brands, is that Haeckels is a product-led brand, that has a lifestyle surrounding the production of all the commodities that Haeckels creates. Aesop on the other hand, is a lifestyle-led brand, where consumers strive to live a certain way and therefore buy into Aesop.

“I take inspiration from all of our competitors, but our ethos is so different” Dom Bridges (to CIVILIAN Global) Founder of Haeckels

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anything that touches your skin or hair contains seaweed we harvest by hand in Margate because of its potent healing and rejuvenating properties.â&#x20AC;? Alex Verier (to Spindle Magazine) Brand Director of Haeckels

Main Trends

There are many current trends that seem to have something to do with Haeckels. There is an over-arching theme of wellness and sustainability that is surrounding the world, where people are becoming more aware of the food they eat, and where their clothes come from, amongst many other things. Sustainable Beauty is now making an appearance – consumers are more conscious of what ingredients are in the products they are using and how those ingredients affect their skin. There is also a rise in cosmetic and skin-care companies that are implementing recycling schemes in their stores, where customers can bring their used make-up bottles or pots back for a discount or a free re-fill (Yee, 2016). There has also been a difference in the attitude towards a fastpaced lifestyle. Many individuals working in high-stress jobs in the city, will make it a point to put their phones away and relax over the weekend – this has caused a Rise of Wellness Tourism. Seemingly business retreats and wellbeing camps are becoming more popular with treatments taking on what WGSN calls “eco-luxury” (Bell, 2016), where spas create experiences that revolve around natural ingredients or being surrounded by nature. Again, with Haeckels being from Margate, they already have this vibe which is very different to the city. The coastal flare that Haeckels embodies is one of the aspects that makes it stand out against its competitors.

Key Findings

The body-care industry saw a rise of 2.2% at the end of 2016 (Mintel, 2016), which showcases that people are becoming more interested in taking care of themselves and taking time to make sure that their bodies feel good. 92% Britons recycle sometimes (Mintel, 2014) – people said they would recycle more if they could see the benefits of it or if the brands they bought into had platforms to recycle. 43% of consumers within the UK said that they would purchase something if it benefitted the community (Mintel, 2015). Many consumers are becoming more involved with buying products that have been locally-sourced or locally-made in order to give back to local businesses (Mintel, 2016) Thanet Council, Medway Swale Estuary Partnership, Natural England, Kent County Council and Kent Wildlife Trust have initiated a project with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, called Guardians of the Deep which aims to “rais[e] awareness of marine habitats and promoting active and ongoing guardianship role to protect Kent’s coastal and marine wildlife for the future” within its local communities (Thanetcoast.org.uk, 2017).

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.â&#x20AC;?

- Isaac Newton

Issues

Through analysing their initiatives, Haeckels seems to focused more on promoting their fragrances and candles, rather than their skin-care products. Haeckels can sometimes be more male-oriented, for example opening treatment rooms at a men’s department store. As a unisex brand, Haeckels should be mindful of pleasing all consumers. The aesthetic is quite similar to Aesop’s in terms of imagery and layout of the website. The two brands have a lot of differences and Haeckels needs to highlight those rather than continue to be similar to their competitor. The website can be confusing to manoeuver – some of the webpages get lost within other pages. Also the section called ‘Journal’ which is supposed to inform viewers about Haeckels initiatives and topics of interest within the brand and their values, does not have enough in-depth content that will keep viewers engaged. People might not know what the benefits of seaweed are and therefore might be sceptical to buy into the brand. Internal communications to the brand’s consumers and followers are poor. The brand does not have regular email updates or newsletters to subscribers, which could allow people to forget that Haeckels exists. With the brand shifting into the luxury market, they need to be aware that they do not lose the authenticity and rawness that brought them to the forefront in the beginning.

Opportunities

Haeckels should develop aspects of the brand that can be enjoyed by all consumers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; male and female.

The brand should create reasons to take followers of the brand back to their website, as a space that consumers can learn about what it means to be a Haeckels consumer, not just to buy product. This essentially means that Haeckels needs to nurture their brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lifestyle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; through this, consumers will become more interested in purchasing all aspects of their brand, from skin-care to fragrances.

Haeckels can create experiential spaces for consumers to get a feel for the products and how to use them properly. Experiences can also be created in terms of wellbeing, and making consumers feel closer to nature.

Aims To build awareness around the Haeckels lifestyle within the UK market

Objectives Create a lifestyle around Haeckels skin-care that can keep their core consumer, as well as reach out to consumers outside of their usual range. Celebrate the benefits of seaweed Come together with other ocean-sustainable brands and highlight issues around saving the ocean Increase Haeckels press coverage by 25% from 2016, where the brand is the main topic of the article

Overall Strategy Create experiential spaces for potential and current Haeckels consumers to immerse themselves into

Collaborate with relevant creatives to build on the idea of a Haeckels lifestyle through sectors other than beauty and educate consumers about saving the oceans

Build on the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s online content to make it more interesting to viewers, a place where they feel comfortable to engage with the brand and learn more about the products that are produced and the lifestyle that comes with it.

Create engaging stories throughout the year, based around the Haeckels lifestyle for press to stay interested

PART TWO 37

Tactic #1: The Haeckels Spa at The Curtain, Shoreditch Overall Tactic: Haeckels will partner with new hotel and members club, The Curtain in Shoreditch to supply the product for their treatment rooms and introduce guests to natural, yet luxurious treatments that leave them refreshed. In terms of the main objectives for the 12-months, this initiative provides Haeckels with a solid base to develop the lifestyle that surrounds the brand. The tactic also allows all consumers to understand the benefits of seaweed by actually using the products for various treatments offered at the spa. Lastly, being linked to The Curtain provides Haeckels with multiple opportunities to liaise with press and build interesting stories about their brand.

Why: Since Haeckels is a brand that is still finding its momentum, they have seemingly put aside their skin-care products and focused on promoting their candles and fragrances. In September 2016, Haeckels opened their first treatment room in the back of their flagship store in Margate, which gained a lot of interest from locals, but was also out of reach to other consumers living in the capital; therefore they opened treatment rooms in London at BEAST, a luxury menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skin-care departmental store. As much as BEAST fit into Haeckels aesthetic and brand values, Haeckels being a unisex brand seemed to neglect the female consumer with this initiative. With the initiative at The Curtain, the aim is to attract both female and male consumers to feel the benefits of Haeckelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; treatments in a neighbourhood that the brand has always been welcomed into and appreciated by local stores and consumers. It also strengthens the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique position amongst its competitors as a natural and luxurious brand. When: As the launch of the hotel is on May 15th, this event would happen slightly afterwards, on May 26th, which will help keep the buzz of the new hotel going as well as make people interested in Haeckels treatments..

Overview of The Curtain

The Curtain Hotel and Members Club is a venture by New York hotelier and CEO of the Gansevoort Group, Michael Achenbaum. Residing in the heart of Shoreditch, The Curtain aims to develop a luxurious space within an upcoming neighbourhood filled with creativity and youth culture. Achenbaum has made sure to give Shoreditch House a run for their money, hosting criticallyacclaimed New York restaurant, Red Rooster at the high-end property. On top of that, The Curtain has many other dining options, 120 rooms including six suites, a rooftop pool, a screening room, as well as treatment rooms and a hammam (Conroy, 2017). As Haeckels is slowly entering the world of luxury skin-care, The Curtain is the perfect balance of where the brand aims to be in the market. By hosting their treatment rooms here, Haeckels has the benefit of being in a neighbourhood that appreciates naturally-made and ethically-sourced products, whilst also indulging themselves in the more affluent environment. 40

Press Launch In order to receive press coverage on the launch of the spa, Haeckels and The Curtain will host a press launch at the hotel, where 10-15 key press and their plus ones will be invited to stay at the hotel for one-night, which will include dining at some of the many restaurants as well as spending time at the spa and having one of Haeckels’ unique treatments. A full itinerary is presented on the next page – below is what the press will receive attached to their confirmation email.

You have been invited by us at Haeckels to engage in an invigorating experience at our brand new Haeckels Spa at The Curtain Hotel and Members Club. Below is an itinerary for you and your partner’s stay with us. We hope you enjoy your divine multi-sensory adventure. DAY #1: MAY 26TH 2017 1130 Check-in at hotel 1200 – 1400 Lunch at Cotton’s (Hosted by Dom & Alex) 1430 – 1830 Spa Treatments Enjoy other spa facilities in-between treatments (Hammam, Sauna, Pool, etc) Refreshments will be provided 1930 Dinner at Red Rooster Drinks at Rooster Taqueria DAY #2: MAY 27TH 2017 1000 -1300 Brunch by the pool at LIDO Guests are free to look around the rest of the hotel and try out the various facilities – a movie at the screening room, a work out at the fitness centre, or maybe a work session at the collaborative working spaces. 1400 Check-out

Press Launch After the guests check-in to their rooms, they will make their way down to lunch at Cottonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Bridges and Verier will be hosting the lunch. They will say a few words thanking everyone for attending the press launch and hoping that they enjoy their time. After that, the guests will indulge in a light lunch before heading to the spa for 2:30pm. It is unlikely that everyone will be able to receive their spa treatments at the same time, therefore they will have the opportunity to enjoy other aspects of the spa such as the Hammam, the sauna or just lounging around the spa or the pool before their turn,. Refreshments will be available. At 7:30pm, guests will be expected to make their way to Red Rooster, where they will be greeted by the head chef. They will be able to enjoy a hearty meal and drink margaritas after a relaxing day at the spa. This can go on for the rest of the evening. The next morning, the guests will have brunch at 10am at the pool-side restaurant, LIDO. With an open atmosphere, everyone will be able to eat and relax in the pool for as long as the want before check-out at 2pm.

Before the guests leave, they will be given a press pack each. The press pack for this event consists of:

A thank you card

Three skin-care product samples

A press release

This press pack is very simple, adding a neat touch with the thank you card. Sample bottles of different Haeckels facial products will be put in these press packs because the tactic revolves around skin-care and it added to the idea that the press could take a piece of the spa home with them. It should be noted that all meals will be provided under a preplanned set menu and all spa treatments will be pre-booked by the press members â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they will be able to select treatments upto 60 minutes, anything additional will be chargeable.

Press Launch Invitees As this is a collaborative effort, it is essential that the publications that are invited to the hotel also fit in with The Curtain’s aesthetic. The people that have been invited include: Olivia Singer – Fashion & Beauty Features Director AnOther Magazine Inge Theron – Spa Junkie Columnist How To Spend It (FT) Alessandra Steinherr – Beauty Director Glamour Magazine Jessica Punter – Style & Grooming Editor GQ Magazine Teo van der Broeke – Style Director Esquire Magazine Atip Wananuruks – Fashion Director HighSnobiety India Dowley – Travel Editor SUITCASE Magazine Suzanne Duckett – Spa Guide Editor TATLER Laura Fowler – Online Editor (Writes for Spa Guide) Condé Nast Traveller Leo Bear – Freelance Wellness Journalist Telegraph Luxury Lisa Niven – Beauty Editor Vogue Online Megan Gibson – Associate Editor Monocle Katie Service – Beauty Editor ES Magazine Lucy Halfhead – Assistant Editor/Travel Editor Harpers Bazaar

Chris Sayer – Freelance journalist and editor; writes about grooming Shortlist

These journalists have written about spas and wellness in the past and are the kinds of publications that potential Haeckels consumers would be reading. The list has a mix of high-end, luxury publications such as TATLER to more casual options like HighSnobiety â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this is because Haeckels has a wide consumer base and is currently trying to shift away from its current ideal consumer to a more luxurious one.

Press Releases There are two press releases that will be produced for the initial stages of the launch of the Haeckels Spa. The first press release will be before the launch, and will be sent out to a all publications to create hype around the launch. The second press release will only be given to the press that attend the press launch which will more in-depth about the launch itself with details about the treatments as well as information about the hotel and restaurants.

On the next page is an example of the first press release for this tactic:

Haeckels to supply skin-care products to The Curtain Hotel & Members Club in Shoreditch LONDON, March 15th, 2017 – British luxury skin-care and fragrances brand, Haeckels, have announced an on-going partnership with Michael Achenbaum’s The Curtain Hotel & Members Club. The Margate-based brand will be the sole supplier of products and treatments at hotel’s spa, which will be launching in May this year. The treatments will be based around thalassotherapy, which involve using ingredients from the sea to conduct a variety of massages, facials, and other treatments. The skin-care brand hope to build on their menu in the coming months in order to offer more treatments to many guests of The Curtain. “As a British brand, we are very excited to have the opportunity to host our treatments at such a prestigious hotel and members club. If it wasn’t for the beautiful coasts of Thanet, our products wouldn’t exist, and I am happy to finally have a long-term home for the coast in the capital” thrives Dom Bridges, Founder of Haeckels. “The lifestyle that Haeckels exudes seemed perfect for The Curtain. It was important for us at The Curtain to really capture the essence of Shoreditch in the property, and Haeckels portrays that suave and luxurious, yet organic lifestyle with ease,” says Michael Achenbaum, CEO of The Curtain Hotel & Members Club. The Haeckels Spa will be opening at the launch of The Curtain Hotel & Members Club at 45 Curtain Road, EC2 4PJ on May 16th, 2017.

Notes for Editor • Haeckels is a skin-care and fragrances brand from Margate, Kent which specialises in seaweed-based skin-care products • The Curtain is a hotel & members club founded by New York hotelier, Michael Achenbaum of the Gansevoort Group. The hotel is set to launch in May 2017 and is based at 45 Curtain Road, Shoreditch EC2 4PJ. Press Contact: Arushi Carlra Haeckels PR Manager +44 (0)7 923 255 795 arushi@aipr.co.uk

Ends.

Social Media Mock-up

For the launch of The Haeckels Spa, the brand will communicate this to their consumers via their social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Because this is for the launch, the same message will be distributed across all platforms so that there is no confusion about the initiative. After this first post, future announcements can be different across all platforms.

Tactic #2: TANK Conference with Parley and Dazed Media

Overall Tactic: Haeckels, Parley for the Oceans and Dazed Media will together host the first TANK conference where the main topic of conversation is ocean sustainability and protecting marine habitats. The conference will be held in Margate this year, as a gesture of Haeckels giving back to their community by creating awareness about ocean protection on the coastline.

Why: A huge part of being sustainable for Haeckels, is making sure that they are protecting their local surroundings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Thanet coasts. Coming together with other companies that share the same values as Haeckels and bringing all of that knowledge and enthusiasm about ocean protection to Margate is just what the town needs to boost its overall sustainability as a coastal town. The Thanet Council is also initiating a two-year project which revolves around educating residents about the marine habitats that exist on the coast, so that locals can take conscious effort to protect those areas and live with the wildlife rather than against it (Thanetcoast.org.uk, 2017) Bringing this conference to Margate might start a hype around the idea of ocean sustainability and helping the coasts, which would essentially help the council to raise awareness. This tactic enables Haeckels to develop the lifestyle they want to portray, as a brand that cares for the ocean and is pro-active in relaying their message across. It also relates to the main objective of assembling with other ocean-sustainable brands to highlight issues around ocean preservation.

When: TANK will coincide with the week of World Oceanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day (June 8th) and Global Wellness Day (June 10th) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the conference will be held from Friday, June 9th to Sunday, June 11th.

Overview of Parley for the Oceans

Founded by Cyrill Gutsch, Parley for the Oceans focuses on finding ways to combat plastic pollution of the oceans using

innovative design. Over the past few years they have worked with

the likes of Adidas and G-Star Raw, creating fashion with recycled plastic incorporated into different wearable items.

The company has also been involved with setting up Parley Talks, where they invite experts in the fields of marine protection to

discuss topics around sustainability and preserving the Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s waters.

Haeckels and Parley both have very similar objectives with the

first thing on their minds being to find ways to reduce the amount

of plastic in the ocean. By partnering with them for TANK, pioneers in ocean sustainability, such as Paul Watson and Sylvia Earle, are more likely to make an appearance because they have worked with Parley for the Oceans before.

Overview of Dazed Media

Dazed Media is a publication agency which was founded by Jefferson Hack and it handles the titles AnOther Magazine, AnOther Man, Dazed, and Hunger. The magazines published by the agency target the creative youth through their content, providing bold and edgy imagery â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a similarity throughout all four publications. Other than that, Hack is an avid advocate for marine protection and has hosted and spoken at some of the events with Cyrill Gutsch and Parley for the Oceans. Although the media agency seems to have a younger target audience than Haeckelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ideal consumer, the similarities between the brand and Jefferson Hack were too dense to ignore. Apart from the fact that he is an active participant in supporting marine preservation, Hack also grew up in Ramsgate, which is located only a few miles away from Margate, where Bridges currently lives and where Haeckels is from. Having an understanding of the area, Hack will be able to help Haeckels gear the conversation in the right direction with the same passion.

Invitees & Speakers

There are 21 individuals to be invited to the conference for various reasons. Below, they have been separated into three groups that depict the main reason that they have been invited.

Experts in Marine Protection & Sustainability: The majority of this group of people has spoken at past Parley events. These individuals are seasoned experts in their specific fields and know a lot about how to make moves to protecting the waters.

1. David de Rothschild – Adventurer & Environmentalist; Head of Sculpt the Future Foundations 2. Sylvie Guillem – Ballet Dancer & Marine Environment Activist 3. Paul Watson – Marine Wildlife Conservation Activist; Founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society 4. Sylvia Earle – Marine Biologist & Activist; Founder of Mission Blue 5. Eric Liedtke – Adidas Group Executive Board Member 6. Faizette Khan – Founder of Green Seas

Local Thanet Business Owners: This group of people owns a business on the Thanet coast. Some of them are more involved in sustainable acts than others, but the one thing that they all have in common is their love for where they live – these are the people that need to implement sustainable strategies into their brand’s ethos, so that they can push their customers in the right direction. 7. Zoe Murphy – Sustainable Textiles Artist 8. Steve McPherson – Sustainable Artist 9. Simon Morriss – Head Chef & Owner of Buoy & Oyster 10. Wade Taylor – Founder of The Grain Grocer 11. Robert Payden – Works at Cliffs Margate 12. Melanie Mountfield – Owner of Roost Coffee 13. Orson Warr & Minnie-Mae Scott – Owners of Urchin Wines 14. Max Henderson & Nick Higgins – Founders of Hot Pod Yoga 15. Cat Crowther & Emrys Plant – Founders of Crowther & Plant, sustainable clothing

Miscellaneous Sustainable/Ocean Protection Individuals: This group of people are a random assortment of individuals who are all advocates for the environment in their own ways. They have all been successful in creating awareness around sustainable living and wellbeing of the environment and are important to have present at the conference to help the public understand how to be sustainable in day-to-day life.

16. India Hamilton – Sustainable & Conceptual Chef 17. Douglas McMaster – Owner of SILO, sustatainable restaurant 18. Daniel Carrington – Head of Environment, The Guardian 19. Jack Johnson – Singer & Marine Environmentalist 20. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall – Chef & Journalist of Ethically produced and sourced food 21. Hugo Tagholm – CEO of Surfers Against Sewage

Detailed Itinerary

On Friday, guests will begin to arrive in Margate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for International guests, there will be a mini-bus to bring them from Gatwick Airport to Margate. The only event is dinner, which will be hosted at the Smiths Court Hotel by Dom and Cyrill. It will be a relaxed evening with the hosts opening the dinner with a warm welcome and guests being able to mingle with one another and get to know the people they have not met before. After breakfast the next day at 10am, conference attendees will make their way to partake in a beach clean-up activity. Everyone will be separated into groups of 4-5 people that will disperse across the length of the beach and collect any rubbish that they see. Although this is not a very intellectual event, it showcases the authenticity of the conference and that everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main objective at the end of the day is to protect the oceans. After an hour of scouring the beach for rubbish, the guests will make their way to the Margate Arts Club for the first set of TANK Talks with the topic: The Ocean. This will be the first formal interaction that the guests have with Margate residents, as the event is ticketed for the public if they want to attend. Just before 1pm, the talks will come to an end and the conference attendees will make their way to the Grain Grocer for lunch. Again, the lunch will be casual; guests will be able to mingle within themselves and eat healthy, wholesome food.

After lunch, the guests will make their way to Cliffs, where they will engage in another activity amongst themselves called, Round Table Discussions. For this, they will again be separated into groups to talk about topics that come out of a hat. This way, experts from various fields will be able to discuss topics away from what they know where they might learn a thing or two from someone else. This activity will be followed by tea at Cliffs as well. At 5:30pm, everyone will be able to head back to the hotel and freshen up before dinner. The dinner starts at 7pm at Urchin Wines and will be catered by India Hamilton, who is a conceptual and sustainable chef. She will co-host the event with Jefferson Hack. Once the dinner ends at 8:30, the public will be let into the gallery, and TANK talks will continue, this time the topic being Sustainability & Design/Food. On the final day of the conference, after breakfast the attendees will again spend their morning on the beach, this time engaging in an energising yoga session. Instead of yoga, participants can opt into a walk up one of Thanetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coastal paths. This activity will span across the entire morning. At 1pm, everyone will head over to Buoy & Oyster, a seafood restaurant, to have lunch and continue the relaxed vibe. After an hour, guests will go back to Margate Arts Club for the final stretch of the conference. The topic of the talks for the last event is Sustainability & Wellness. At 4pm, when the talks end, Dazed Media will host a small farewell gathering before the conference ends at 5:30pm. There will be a coach service for guests that need to get to Gatwick Airport.

Overview of Venues

The venues that were chosen to host the events at TANK are spaces that are quite central to the local community â&#x20AC;&#x201C; each venue is run by a Margate resident, which strengthens the conferenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to interconnect expertise with local living.

1. Smiths Court Hotel: This will be the hotel that all guests will be residing in. Guests will have either a Double Room or an Executive Room for themselves. It is in a central location, therefore guests will be able to walk from the hotel to different venues.

2. Margate Arts Club: Margate Arts Club considers itself a social space for the Thanet community. They host events that engage in art, music, literature and science. This will be the venue where guests will spend most of their time.

3. Cliffs Margate: Cliffs is a multi-purpose space that sells records, coffee and hosts yoga. This is another venue where guests will be spending a lot of their time.

4. The Grain Grocer: A healthy cafĂŠ based in Margate, guests will be eating lunch here on the second day

5. Urchin Wines: An art gallery/winery, Urchin exemplifies the creativity that exists in Margate by showcasing local talent and hosting wine-tasting evenings to drink wine and admire art.

6. Buoy and Oyster: A seafood restaurant that overlooks Margate beach. All their ingredients are locally and ethically sourced. Guests will be having lunch here on the last day.

Press

In terms of publicising TANK, UK national press will be contacted with the press release. Local Margate news sources will also be informed so that they can promote and more people will want to buy tickets and come to the talks. Considering that Dazed Media is the conference’s media partner, any design-angled or creative discussions about the event will be published with their titles AnOther and AnOther Man and AnOther online. Here is a list of national/local press that will be sent the press release: Aurelie Boinay – News Desk Assistant Evening Standard Lucy Siegle – Ethical/Environmental Writer Daniel Carrington – Head of Environment Guardian Sarah Knapton – Science Editor Telegraph Siobhan Norton – Assistant Editor i-News Jonathan Leake – Science & Environment Editor The Sunday Times Kathy Bailes – News Desk Assistant KentLive

Press Releases For this tactic only one press release will be sent out before the event introduce the initiative to various UK national press and local Margate news.

Haeckels, Parley for the Oceans, and Dazed Media to initiate TANK Conference – the first conference revolving around the Ocean LONDON, June 9th, 2017 – Haeckels, a Margate-based luxury skin-care and fragrances brand is teaming up with ocean organistation, Parley for the Oceans and publishers, Dazed Media to launch the first annual TANK. TANK is a conference that gathers experts in the fields of marine activism and sustainability fto discuss maintaining marine habitats and reducing plastic pollution. This year the event is happening in Margate in order to educate residents in the coastal town on how to be more active when it comes to reducing plastic consumption and keeping theit beaches clean. “TANK had to start off in Margate, with a wide range of coasts spanning across the Isle of Thanet and a bustling little seaside hub that we have created, it only made sense that we give back to our community first, after everything that they have done for us” thrives Dom Bridges, Founder of Haeckels. “It is quite surreal being back so close to where I grew up, but I really hope that this conference can make a difference and create a more active community to keep out oceans beautiful,” says Jefferson Hack, CEO of Dazed Media. “Plastic really is the worst material in the world, and if this conference does anything, it should be able to show people how essetial the ocean is to our world, and that if we don’t stop littering our oceans, we’re going to be in big trouble” claims Cyrill Gutsch, Founder of Parley for the Oceans.

Notes for Editor • TANK will run from June 9th to June 11th . Tickets are available for the public to buy on www. haeckels.co.uk/tickets • Haeckels is a skin-care and fragrances brand from Margate, Kent which specialises in seaweed-based skin-care products and has a strong CSR element embedded into their ethos • Parley for the Oceans is a New York-based ocean organisation that tries to find design solutions to conquer plastic pollution. They have recently been involved in a collaboration with Adidas. • Dazed Media is a publishing company that handles the titles AnOther Magazine, AnOther Man, Hunger and Dazed. Press Contact: Arushi Carlra Haeckels PR Manager +44 (0)7 923 255 795 arushi@haeckels.com

Ends. 63

Social Media Mock-up In order to sell as many tickets as possible, Haeckels will need to promote TANK on every platform possible. There will be a number of social media posts being distributed, as well as promotion on their website (see appx. 4).

Tactic #3: Haeckels Website Re-Design Overall Tactic: Haeckels will re-design their website over four weeks in order to make it and more aesthetically-aligned with their current brand image and to make it website that consumers want to engage more with. This tactic is linked to developing the lifestyle that Haeckels wants to portray to their consumers and strengthening how it is communicated.

Why: Even though there is nothing particularly wrong with Haeckels’ current website, the landing page is a copy of Aesop’s, just with different content and a slightly different colour scheme. This contradicts Haeckels’ notion of being seen as a brand with a keen eye for design and aesthetic. As Haeckels is growing, they have developed an identity that is bolder and more minimalistic than Aesop’s and therefore this needs to be translated into one of the main points of communication between potential consumers and the brand – their website. Also, there were a few issues in terms of pages getting lost amongst other pages – the new design will make sure that each page on the website can be located on a drop-down menu, as well as through exploring the website so that consumers with different preferences can do what they please.

When: The website will have to go down for up to four weeks in order for the re-design to take place. This will happen around June 20th, for the website to be back up mid-July.

Website Mock-up Explanation With the re-design of the website, it was important to highlight how Haeckels wants to be seen as a brand. Many journalists and industry specialists have recognised Haeckels as an innovative, design-aware brand (Chapman, 2016). Their old website had a very basic design, which seems to have been taken exactly from their main competitor, Aesop. Therefore, the new design tries to emulate Haeckels has many see them â&#x20AC;&#x201C; innovative, bold, and quite minimal. As noted in the communications audit (page 17), there were many pages that got lost within other pages, and viewers may not be able to find what they need as easily as they might want to. Therefore, the drop-down menus have been made more detailed, where every page on the website can be navigated to through the drop-down menu, as well as through other pages (see appx. 5).

SHOP

ABOUT

THE JOURNAL

CONTACT

TREATMENTS

Examples of the Five Main Pages Shop: The shop section on the old website did not have a filter bar, for consumers to filter products into various categories, which has now been added on the left. Another aspect that has been altered is that the products are now organised according to their product category when the generic shop tab has been clicked. Earlier, the shop section had incense on page 3 and page 5, with skin-care products in between, rather than one after the other. About: The main aspect about the about tab that changed is the drop-down menu, which only listed stockists as an extra page. Previously, this section had a few page links that had not been mentioned in the drop-down menu hidden into it about the brand’s philosophy and the Margate lab, which a viewer might want to go to directly and may not even see it

SHOP

ABOUT

THE JOURNAL

CONTACT

TREATMENTS

Filter by Product Skin Care e Body Care e Hair Care e Candles s Fragrances Diffusers s Di s Incense Filter by Ingredients Filter by Collection Price Range

Seaweed Facial Cleanser £34

Seaweed / Seabuckthorn Facial Cleanser £25

Seaweed / Walnut Facial Exfoliant £27

Seaweed / Carrot Seed Facial Serum £65

SHOP

ABOUT

THE JOURNAL

CONTACT

TREATMENTS

JOURNAL THE

The Journal: The Journal has been completely re-vamped. This page is now one of the more important pages that exists on the website. It is a space for Haeckels to write intellectual content about a variety of topics from science to technology to art and creativity that sits with Haeckelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; values as a brand. This page will be directly linked to the monthly newsletter, where receivers of the newsletter will be linked to various articles available on that page, if they want to read them in full. Contact: Like the about section, the main aspect that has been changed about the contact tab is that the drop-down menu is more detailed than it was on the previous website. Treatments: Since Haeckels has now launched residency treatment rooms in BEAST London, as well as having treatments in their Margate store, the treatments tab is dedicated to providing information about the different treatments available for consumers. This page includes a link to a treatment card, so that consumers can read about each massage and facial in detail before clicking on another link to book at their preferred location. The previous website had a thalassotherapy tab, which then linked to bookings and had a description of the treatment on the page. Again, it seems like elements seem to get lost on different pages.

Social Media Mock-up

Throughout the process of the re-design â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from taking the website down to launching the new design, it is important for Haeckels to communicate these changes with their consumers and followers. One social media post will be posted when the current website is taken down and another one will be sent out when the re-design is complete and the website is live again. By communicating that they are changing their look, they will create a sense of interest amongst followers and that continuous development of interest will keep Haeckels constantly relevant. Again these posts will be delivered across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, in order to keep the message that is going out to followers the same.

Tactic #4: Launch of Haeckels Monthly Newsletter Overall Tactic: Haeckels will launch a monthly newsletter with the redesign of the website. This is to strengthen communications between the brand and their consumers. This tactic relates to the objective of developing and communicating the Haeckels lifestyle to consumers as well as the objective of celebrating the benefits of seaweed and coming together with other ocean sustainable brands and highlighting issues around protecting the coast.

Why: Even though Haeckels updates their social media channels regularly, the content is not enough to keep a consumer engaged for a long time. With Haeckels being portrayed as quite a slow and conscious brand, social media channels do not provide Haeckels with the platform to be just that because social media is extremely fast-paced. Therefore, having a newsletter will essentially help Haeckels to share their thoughts about the Haeckels lifestyle with subscribers and create a long-lasting bond with each individual. On the current website there is a section called ‘Journal”, which essentially tries to create interesting content for consumers and fans of the brand, but the process needs to be refined and the information needs to be more in-depth – the newsletter can incorporate all these factors into one piece of work. When: The first monthly newsletter will go out at the same month that the re-design is made public. It will be sent to all the people in the database – social media will be used to entice more consumers and followers of Haeckels to subscribe and recieve monthly updates on the brand.

Guest Writers In order to appeal to consumers, the newsletters need to have something exclusive, a section that cannot be obtained elsewhere â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that is where the guest writer gets involved. Every month the newsletter will host a different guest writer who will be able to curate the content on the newsletter to what they want to discuss keeping Haeckels at the core of it. All guests will have to write an introduction piece that summarises the topic and sets the tone for the newsletter. Everyone that will be approached to be a guest writer, will be people who work at Haeckels or people that encapsulate who Haeckels is like past collaborators, stockists or interesting people that Haeckels has encountered along the way.

Potential guest writers for the newsletter are: July: Dom Bridges As the founder of Haeckels, it is only right if the founder starts of the guest writer segment. This way he can introduce some of the essential topics that are interesting to Haeckels as a brand. August: Sylvie Guillem After meeting at TANK, Guillem could be a good option for a guest writer. Not only is she marine activist, she is also a dancer and this could show subscribers of the newsletter a more feminine side to Haeckels that has not been explored that much yet, without taking it too far from the core. September: MyCoocoon Duo (Valerie and Dominique) With the LDF collaboration on the way, the duo could come on board for the September newsletter. Rather than talk about the collaboration, they can talk about their expertise in wellness and colour and possibly how that ties in with nature and water. October: Crowther/Plant Duo (Catherine and Emrys) The Margate-based duo could use the platform to discuss sustainability in fashion and how they use their surroundings to inspire their clothing, just like Haeckels uses it for their products. November: Douglas McMaster Another individual from TANK, McMaster could talk about wellness, food and sustainability. As a chef and founder of his own restaurant in Brighton, he understands coastal regions and he can advise readers on how to improve their sustainability within the kitchen. December: Sebastian Pole Founder of Pukka Tea, Pole understands how to wellness looks in a cup. Being Christmas season, he could discuss his favourite Christmas flavours in tea and how to make your own tea to give as a handmade gift. January: GoodHood Duo (Kyle and Jo) This duo accentuates what is cool and with their great eye for design, they could discuss bringing wellness into the household for the new year. 75

Newsletter Breakdown

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER BY HAECKELS N O T E S B Y: D O M Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam. read more

FEATURE ARTICLE: WHY SHOULD WE PROTECT OUR OCEANS? Looking back at the most important ideas from TANK, the conference that we hosted in June with Parley for the Oceans and Monocle Magazine and what is next for us, Margate and our coast. read more.

ARTIST FOCUS: STEVE MCPHERSON In this interview, Steve speaks about his art and why he believes Margate is the best place to be right now. read more.

18 CLIFF TERRACE CT9 1RU MARGATE

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: SEAWEED / SEA BUCKTHORN BODY CLEANSER Why the Seaweed / Sea Buckthorn Cleanser is one of our favourite products. read more.

The title of the newsletter corresponds with ‘The Journal’ section on the website.

The first article present is an introduction letter written by the guest, therefore it changes every month. There will be a read more tab where the subscriber can read a full letter – these letters will not be available to read on the website, which creates exclusive content for readers.

On the left of the introduction will be a portrait of the writer – this could be a photograph or an illustration depending on what the guest wanted; it would be in black and white though.

This would be a feature article that sticks to the main theme of the newsletter, which would have been introduced by the guest writer.

The three articles at the bottom would refer to anything interesting that the team would want to share. Some suggestions are: ‘Artist Focus’, ‘Product Spotlight’ and highlighting important upcoming events in the calendar.

At the bottom of the newsletter would be the address of the shop, a link to the website and social media links. There would also be a note of what issue newsletter it is and the month that it is being sent out.

Social Media Mock-up

In order to gain subscribers to the newsletter, there needs to be some promotion via Haeckelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; social media platforms. Just before the launch, a post will go out on social media encouraging followers to subscribe on their website. The landing page for when the website is down also will promote subscription (see appx.5). After the launch of the newsletter, sneak peeks a week before the latest letter is published will be uploaded across all channels. This may help entice followers to see what Haeckelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; newsletters have to offer.

Tactic #5: London Design Fesitval 2017 Collaboration Overall Tactic: Haeckels will collaborate with MyCoocoon to create a multi-sensory experience at the Barbican Conservatory for London Design Festival (LDF) 2017. This year, instead of creating a physical product, Haeckels will provide one-off aromas to be matched with different colour treatments so that when visitors immerse themselves in the space, they will feel both brandsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; contributions to the project. With this tactic, the objectives to develop and communicate the Haeckels lifestyle to consumers and help to increase Haeckelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; press coverage from last year.

Why: Haeckels has been present at LDF since 2015 working with various design-based companies to incorporate their trademark Haeckels scents into the project. By collaborating with brands in such a unique way helps Haeckels be seen by various publications and the public as unique in its sector. These initiatives have always been a strong point for Haeckels and therefore it would be impractical to not incorporate it into this 12 month strategy.

When: The collaboration will launch at the Barbican Conservatory on the first day of London Design Festival 2017, which is September 16th. It will stay open past LDF, till October 1st, so that more visitors at the Barbican can experience it and more awareness is created around Haeckels and what they can do.

Overview of MyCoocoon

The duo behind MyCoocoon, Valerie and Dominique, are both experts in chromotherapy. They have travelled across the world to understand the impact of colour on an individual and how to depict what energies they are in need of. Working with a number of other experts, they have created various ways â&#x20AC;&#x201C; physical and spatial, for people to immerse themselves in 20 minutes of colour therapy that re-energises their bodies and minds (Mycoocoon, 2017).

Haeckels and MyCoocoon share similar interests in terms of multi-sensory experiences and using the idea of senses to create therapeutic spaces.

Overview of The Barbican Conservatory The Barbican Conservatory is located on the third floor of the Barbican Centre. This space is filled with a variety of plants and trees to create a literal concrete jungle in the middle of the cultural hub. With people from the city wanting to get back in touch with nature (Bell, 2016), the Barbican Conservatory seems like the perfect place to host Haeckels and MyCoocoonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s re-energising pods. People will be able to immerse themselves completely into the space with quaint surroundings, natural aromas and calming colours.

Mock Up of Initiative

Essentially, the Barbican Conservatory will have Haeckels X MyCoocoon pods scattered throughout the space for visitors to find and experience on their own time. The beauty about this collaboration is that it is meant to create a theraputic space filled with nature, colour and different aromas waiting for someone to find it and revitalise their bodies.

Open Day for Press

An open day allows press to come in and out of the event as and when they please, which makes it easier for more journalists or editors to pop-in between viewings and stay for as long as they want. As this installation is for relaxing and revitalising, it only makes sense that journalists could come and see it whenever they feel they should. Both members of the Haeckels and MyCoocoon team will be present all day, greeting any publications who had been invited and talking them through the collaboration process.

Press Although the installation is open to everyone, key publications will be sent email invitations (see appx. 6) in order for them to pencil in viewing the installation during their LDF runs. A list of press that will be invited has been outlined on the next page.

By inviting editors to the event, Haeckels is establishing a relationship with the publication at a higher level. The editors have final say over the outcome of a publication and can therefore push certain topics if they are interesting enough. A lot of the publications invited, such as Wallpaper*, Hole & Corner, and Civilian already have strong relationships with Haeckels, therefore inviting them for a one-to-one appointment on an open day helps rekindle that closeness between the brand and the publication.

Andrew Tuck – Editor Monocle Magazine Rosa Bertoli – Design Editor Wallpaper* Magazine Anna Winston – Deputy Editor Dezeen Mark Hooper – Editor Hole & Corner Susannah Frankel – Editor-in-chief AnOther Magazine Rauridh Nicoll – Editor The Observer Hattie Brett – Deputy Lifestyle Director Telegraph Magazine Stuart Brumfitt – Features Editor Amuse Jo Lo Dico – Londoner’s Diary Editor Evening Standard Katie Berrington – Digital Arts & Lifestyle Editor Vogue.co.uk Tom Banham – Deputy Editor Jocks & Nerds Alex Doak – Contributing Editor Civilian Global Ray Murphy – Editor (Digital & Print) PORT Magazine Gert Jonkers – Associate Editor The Gentlewoman

Press Releases Two press releases will be issued for this tactic. The first one will be before the launch which will announce the collaboration and the second one will be released when the collaboration launches and will be sent out in mass to design-industry and beauty, wellness and fashion press contacts. For publications that are receiving invites, the first press release will be attached to the email invite. The second press release will mainly be aimed at the publications that viewed the installation; names will be written down of who attended, and press releases will be sent out to those people. Here is an example of the first press release that will be sent out.

Haeckels to collaborate with MyCoocoon for London Design Festival 2017 LONDON, September 16th, 2017 – British, luxury skin-care and fragrances brand, Haeckels will be participating in London Design Festival for a third year in a row. This year they will be collaborating with chromotherapy and wellness design company, MyCoocoon. The collaboration will see Haeckels create a variety of natural aromas to complement the different colours which creates a multi sensory space for visitors to emmerse themselves in to. This installation will be located in the Barbican Conservatory and will be free to visit. “This collaboration has been a lot of fun – we spent a lot of time analysing which colours and scents would work the best to relax and re-energise anyone that uses our pods. I hope that everyone enjoys their experience.” thrives Dom Bridges, Founder of Haeckels. “Dom and Alex are very innovative and it was a pleasure to work with them to create these amazing multi-sensory spaces for people to really indulge in,” says Valerie Corcias, co-founder of MyCoocoon.

Notes for Editor • Haeckels X MyCoocoon will run from September 16th to October 1st at the Barbican Conservatory • Haeckels is a luxury skin-care and fragrances brand from Margate, Kent, all their products are made from natural and locally sourced ingredients from around their coast • MyCoocoon is a company that focuses on creating mutli-sensory experiences through invigorating ones sight, smell and sound. Press Contact: Arushi Carlra Haeckels PR Manager +44 (0)7 923 255 795 arushi@haeckels.com

Ends.

Social Media Mock-Up

There will be two social media announcements about this collaboration which will be dispersed across all three channels. One will announce the collaboration and the next will announce its launch.

Timeline Due to this being a 12-month strategy, the timeline below depicts when in the year each tactic will occur. The dynamic of the plan is such that the tactics are well spread out so that the press and the public are constantly interacting with the brand. Through the spaces where there are no scheduled initiatives, it is expected that the press coverage for previous events will be published, and therefore Haeckels will still be in the public eye sharing their brand values and lifestyle with everyone. *A more detailed timeline can be found in appendix 8

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

What is not depicted here is the pre-planning for each event and media coverage, which is also an essential part for the time plan.

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

JAN

Tactic #1: Haeckels Spa Tactic #2: Conference TANK Tactic #3: Website Re-design Tactic #4: Monthly Newsletter Tactic #5: LDF Collaboration

Budget

Tactic #1 total = £16,174 Tactic #2 total = £2,030 Tactic #3 total = £1,000 Tactic #4 total = £141.82 Tactic #5 total = £21,359 The overall budget for Haeckels over the year will be: £56,879. Considering Haeckels is a small brand that does not have an abundance of money to spend, this budget is quite balanced. Some tactics are more expensive than others, however rates are subject to change depending on a number of factors such as having contacts at a venue who can give you friendly rates or when in the year the spaces are booked.

*A detailed version of the Budget can be found in Appendix 10

How to Measure Success

Tactic #1: To measure the success of this tactic, the first thing to do would be to calculate the amount of press coverage received and how much it would have cost if paid for. The next thing to do would be to calculate the amount of footfall into the spa â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this can be done by counting the number of appointments made and seeing if the figures increase, decrease or stay static. There could also be a feedback form available for guests to fill out at their leisure; they will sit at the reception desk and will be given to each guest as they pay for their bill. Tactic #2: Because this is a conference, there are less immediate, measurable factors to be considered. One of the first aspects would be to calculate the press coverage received in terms of paid media. The success of this tactic lies in the number of public tickets that are sold for the talk events and how the local community responds to the notion of becoming more aware of the marine habitation that lives around them. Tactic #3 & Tactic #4: These two initiatives evidently work together to make customers more interested in the content that Haeckels creates. The first sign of success would be if the number of subscribers to the newsletter increase, and then analysing how many people actually view the emails that Haeckels send out. Another way to measure these initiativesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; success is to monitor the amount of website traffic to see if it increases after the re-design and the launch of the newsletter. Tactic #5: This tactic can be measured by the amount of footfall that the Conservatory receives during the two weeks that the installation is available. The amount of press coverage received in terms of paid media could also be calculated.

96 31

APPENDICIES 97

Appendix 1: Interview with Alex Verier Questions asked: 1. When I went to Margate to visit the store, I spoke with Gaspar [The Shop Manager] and he mentioned that there were various elements that were changing in the next six months, like the packaging, etc. Could you expand on this – how are you planning to change things? 2. How are you planning to reach those international consumers though? Are there any plans for stand alone stores? 3. So you would say that brands like Aesop and Le Labo are your direct competition? 4. From everything that I have seen about the brand – collaborations to press coverage, it seems to me that although Haeckels is a unisex brand, there are a lot more male elements to the brand. Is this intentional? 5. Who would you say is Haeckels’ ideal consumer? 6. Seaweed is obviously a large aspect about Haeckels, was this just because seaweed was available or did Dom want to work with seaweed? 7. In terms of your social media channels, I noticed that Haeckels followed quite a few fashion personnel and random influencers and brands that I wouldn’t really see the brand placing themselves next to – Is there a reason for this? 8. Is all your PR done in-house?

I met Alex Verier on November 16th, 2016 at the Bulldog Coffee Shop located at the Ace Hotel, Shoreditch. During this interview, I asked Verier about aspects of the brand that I wanted to know more about or that I could not quite grasp. He answered every question that I asked him and engaged in conversations with me about future projects that the brand is delving into and where he sees the brand going. Through analsysing his answers, it seems evident that they brand wants to make an impact through sustainability, which is currently a prominent trend which is circulating around the world. Their mainly male orientation has occurred by accident, but they are looking at more ways to engage with female consumers, therefore this is a big weakness for the brand to work on, and a solid focus for this term. When questioned about the ideal Haeckels consumer, he responded with someone who lives sustainably and possibly a candle enthusiast. Although this is a very short answer for a very specific question, it makes sense that the brand does not want to isolate their consumer to one type of person and with sustainability being a huge area of growth for the future of the brand, it is understandable that if the consumer is not sustainable in their ways, they will not appreciate the brand fully. Overall the interview was very insightful and provided me with a lot of information that I can put forth towards my aims and objectives for the brand.

Appendix 2: Flagship Store & Concession Visits For further research into the brand, I conducted visits to eight of Haeckels’ London stockists that were listed on their website. They were: 1. Selfridges 2. Liberty 3. Fortnum & Mason 4. Anthropologie 5. GoodHood Store 6. Hostem 7. Harvey Nichols 8. Oliver Spencer Through these visits, I noticed that in the bigger department stores, like Selfridges, the staff were not familiar with the Haeckels products. This means that consumers that could potentially buy into Haeckels and enjoy the products, are not being led or told about the brand’s existence. In smaller stores like GoodHood, Hostem, and Oliver Spencer, the products are very well recieved by the shop and the consumers. I also visited Haeckels’ flagship store in Margate. This allowed me to see the brand thrive in its original environment. This was definitely a sight to see, I feel like a space like this really creates a visual and aromatic journey for any consumer, but obviously it is not the most accessible store, since not everyone has the time to go to Margate. But from liasing with the shop manager, I came to understand that not many consumers understand the properties of seaweed and therefore they do not buy into the skin-care range, as much as they might buy into the candles, fragrances, incenses offered. This provides me with a specific range to focus on in my aims and objectives.

Appendix 3: Social Media Analysis To have a solid understanding of how Haeckels communicates with its current and potential consumers, I conducted in-depth analyses of their various social media platforms. The main three social media platforms that Haeckels utilises are Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Number of followers on each platform: Facebook: 3,632 Twitter: 2,797 Instagram: 6,335 Through these numbers, it can be deducted that Instagram is the brand’s most popular platform. The imagery that is uploaded on Haeckels’ Instagram account is quite appealing and eye-catching to Instagram browsers, which could explain their number of followers. On every platform, Haeckels uploads images of the surrounding beaches, seas, and forests of Margate with quotes refering to the ocean from famous poets or environmentalists.. There are also product shots, and information about new ventures that the brand becomes involved in. The platform with the most interaction from consumers is the Haeckels Facebook page. This platform allows users of the brand to provide ratings out of five for the services that they have used, as well as comment and like posts that the brand uploads. With the addition of the Thalassotherapy room in Haeckels’ flagship store, the brand has been receiving a lot more ratings and interaction overall. The platform that seems to have the most information going out of it, is Haeckels’ Twitter page. There are articles about ventures that I did not know about through the other platforms that were mentioned here. The only problem with this is that Haeckels does not tweet enough and there is no consistency to when and how many times the brand is tweeting. It also has the least followers, so the information is not going out to as many people.

Appendix 4: TANK Social Media Posts

100

Appendix 5: Re-Designed Website Pages + Drop Down Menus 5.1 Extra pages from Website Design SHOP

SHOP

ABOUT

THE JOURNAL

CONTACT

ABOUT

THE JOURNAL

CONTACT

ABOUT

THE JOURNAL

CONTACT

TREATMENTS

101

5.2 Drop-down menu details

ABOUT

SHOP

THE JOURNAL

CONTACT

BOOKINGS

History Philosophy The Margate Lab Sustainability Thalassotherapy The Sea Bathing Sauna Machine Project Stockists

SHOP

ABOUT

THE JOURNAL

CONTACT

THE JOURNAL

CONTACT

TREATMENTS

Skin Care Body Care Hair Care Interior Fragrances Candles Incense Diffusers Perfumes Accessories Shop by Collection: The GPS Collection

SHOP

ABOUT

102

TREATMENTS

SHOP

ABOUT

THE JOURNAL

CONTACT

TREATMENTS

Bookings: Treatment Room, Margate The Haeckels Spa, London

5.3 Landing Page when website is disabled

Sorry, We are renovating our website! We will be up and running shortly – until then, why don’t you sign up to our monthly newsletter to stay tuned to what we have coming up!

103

Appendix 6: Tactic 5 Extras 6.1 Email Invite for Open Day

WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO ATTEND OUR OPEN DAY FOR THE LAUNCH OF

HAECKELS X MYCOOCOON RE-ENGERGISING PODS AT THE BARBICAN CONSERVATORY FOR LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL 2017 WHEN: 16TH SEPT 2017 *IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE INDIVIDUAL APPOINTEMENTS, PLEASE EMAIL ARUSHI@HAECKELS.CO.UK

6.2 Barbican online promo

104

Appendix 7: Consumer Survey Table

105

Appendix 8: Detailed Timeline

February

March

Tactic #1: Haeckels Spa Finalise products for spa Send out press release about launch Send invites out for press launch The Curtain opens to customers Press launch occurs

April

May

MID-‐APRIL APRIL 12TH -‐ MAY 5TH MAY 16TH MAY 20TH -‐ JUNE 15TH End May: GQ Review End May: VOGUE Review

Press Coverage (Online)

HighSnobiety Review AnOther Review How To Spend It (FT) review

Press Coverage (Print) Tactic #2: Think Tank Approach Parley as a collaborator Send invites out Approach hotel and other sponsors Finalise number of guests Finalise hotel Send out itinerary to RSVP'd guests Think Tank Event Send out press release about event

June

MARCH 15TH

After RSVP's are in MAY 25TH JUNE 9TH-‐11TH JUNE 12TH

Press Coverage (Online) Press Coverage (Print) Social Media Posts Tactic #3: Website Re-‐launch Begin re-‐design of website Landing page to customers Website re-‐launch

Before Conference JUNE 20TH JUNE 20TH

Social Media Posts Tactic #4: Monthly Newsletter Create template for monthly newsletter Approach guest writers Monthly Newsletter (2nd week)

B JUNE 20TH ongoing process (first 3 months at least)

Social Media Posts Tactic #5: Interactive Space @ LDF Approach MyCoocoon Contact the Barbican Begin creating collaboration Send out press release about launch Send email invites out LDF 2017 Length of installation Open Day for collaboration Press Coverage (Online)

Press Coverage (Print) Social Media Posts

106

Build up on SM

After confirming collab

July

August

September

October

November

December

January

Will continue throught the year SUITCASEMag.com 'Wake Up Here' segment Glamour Magazine 'natural beauty -‐ sustainable' edit

AnOther article about protecting the oceans and TANK

Wallpaper* Digital "Wellness" issue + Christmas Gift Guide Telegraph Luxury INTERVIEW

TATLER Print Article ES Mag Travel Issue

The Guardian Article National Marine Week

JULY 15TH

Build up posts on all SM

JULY 15TH Provide link to sign up for newsletter on SM

Guide followers to view new website on all SM

AUGUST 7TH

SEPTEMBER 11TH

OCTOBER 9TH

NOVEMBER 13TH

DECEMBER 11TH

JANUARY 8TH

SEPTEMBER 1ST SEPTEMBER 16TH-‐25TH SEPTEMBER 16TH -‐ OCTOBER 1ST SEPTEMBER 16TH Wallpaper* Best of LDF Dezeen LDF Round up

Run up to LDF

HighSnobiety Amuse

WEEK OF LDF: Evening Hole & Corner Magazine Standard Londoner's Interview Diary Reminder to visit

Telegraph Magazine

107

Appendix 9: Full Media List Publication/Company

Readership (F / M)

SUITCASE Mag

69 / 31

TATLER

80 / 20

Monocle

25 / 72

Glamour Mag

97 / 3

The Gentleman's Journal Amuse PORT Magazine GQ

16 / 84

Conde Nast Traveller

50 / 50

How To Spend It (FT)

31 / 69

Vogue.co.uk

89 / 11

HighSnobiety Telegraph Luxury

33 / 67

The Observer Magazine Esquire

50 / 50

Harpers Bazaar

89 / 11

AnOther Wallpaper*

48 / 52

Dezeen

60 / 60

Jocks & Nerds Hole & Corner The Gentlewoman

85 / 15

Civilian ES Magazine ShortList The Evening Standard The Guardian

108

The Daily Telegraph i-‐news (The Independent) The Sunday Times KentLive

50 / 50

Name India Dowley Tona Stell Emily Ames Suzanne Duckett Andrew Tuck Megan Gibson Dominique Temple Alessandra Steinherr Henry Tobias Jones Patrick Tillard Stuart Brumfitt Samira Larouci Ray Murphy Jessica Punter

Title Travel Editor Fashion Director Brand Director Spa Guide Editor Editor Associate Editor Beauty Editor Beauty Director Features Editor Editor Features Editor Associate Editor Editor (Digital and Print) Style & Grooming Editor Online Editor; writes for Spa Guide Laura Fowler sometimes David Annand Man on a Mission Editor Inge Theron Spa Junkine Columnist Gillian de Bono Editor Katie Berrington Digital Arts & Lifestyle Editor Lisa Niven Digital Beauty Editor Atip Wananuruks Fashion Director Alex Harris Columnist Leo Bear Freelance Wellness Journalist Stephen Doig Men's Style & Assistant Luxury Editor Ruaridh Nicoll Editor Teo van den Broeke Style Director Sian Ranscombe Beauty Editor Lucy Halfhead Assistant Editor/ Travel Editor Olivia Singer Fashion & Beauty Features Director Tony Chambers Editor-‐In-‐Chief Emma Moore Beauty & Lifestyle Director Rosa Bertoli Design Editor Anna Winston Deputy Editor Tom Banham Deputy Editor Edward Moore Editorial Assistant Mark Hooper Editor Henrietta Thompson Contributing Writer Gert Jonkers Associate Editor Karen Krizanovich Editor-‐At-‐Large Alex Doak Contributing Editor Lily Worcester Lifestyle Assistant Frankie McCoy Features Editor Suzan Antonowicz Head of Beauty, Luxury, and International Freelance journalist & editor; Chris Sayer writes about grooming Aurelie Boinay Newdesk Assistant Lucy Siegle Ethical/Environmental writer Daniel Carrington Head of Environment Sarah Knapton Science Editor Siobhan Norton Assistant Editor Jonathan Leake Science & Environment Editor Kathy Bailes Newsdesk Assistant

Appendix 9: Detailed Budget

Tactic #1 Breakdown

Quantity

Product for Spa

Price

Notes

Total cost for Haeckels

12,394.00

This involves 15 bottles of each product; Monthly cost £1,549.35 Some oils are exclusively for treatments, so I took the price of the bath oils as the base price

12,934

16.25

Press Launch Printed Invites

16.25

including envelopes

Rooms

4050

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

30 30 30

990

Work with PR of hotel and make sure the hotel & restaurants recieves coverage and can add their press releases to the press pack. The Hotel logo will be incorporated onto the invite and press release as well

Spa treatments

1500

Sample bottles screw top Sample bottles pippette Sample regeant jar Sample products facial cream Sample products facial masque Sample products facial cleanser Printed thank you Press pack boxes Press release print TOTAL

30 30 30 10 10 10 30 30 15

19.5 26.7 179.7 158.4 112.2 100.3 16.15 105.8 15 19,684.00

Prices are based around 60 min treatments Each 60 minute treatment is £50 One bottle is £0.65 One bottle is £0.89 One bottle is £5.99 20 ml /sample bottle 30 ml /sample bottle 25ml /sample bottle One box is £2.95 -‐ can only buy in packs of 12 *End Note = This is the price of the initiative over the year

990 1500 19.5 26.7 179.7 158.4 112.2 100.3 16.15 105.8 15 16,174

Tactic #2 Breakdown Hotel Rooms + Breakfast

2,100

Rental for Margate Arts Club venue

2 hours

150

Rental for Cliffs venue Rental for Urchin Wines venue Dining at The Grain Grocer

3.5 hours 3 hours 25

52.5 75 250

Dining at Buoy & Oyster

475

Coffee from Coffee and Sea

125

Catering from India Hamilton

625

Minibus to and from Gatwick airport for international attendees Printed information booklet Wristbands Drawstring canvas bag TOTAL

275 25 25 25

Tactic #3 Breakdown Web designer TOTAL

39 125 15.9 4,307

Full price for 2 night stay is £2310 Smiths Court hotel offers group organisers 1 free stay (-‐ £210), so full fee is £3150 Haeckels and Parley will share the cost 50/50 Cost per day varies between £20-‐£350 depending on what is required (bouncers, bar, etc) The price depicted includes a bouncer and chairs for attendees Since Dom knows the owners, he could receive a better price £15 per hour £25 an hour Considers a lunch bowl and a drink Considers a starter OR dessert, a main dish, a side and a drink £39 per head Average price for coffee = £2.50 per cup Looking at prices of past events she has been part of £25 per head, set menu 3 courses +1 drink One way = £137.5 £5 per wristband £0.63 per bag *End Note = Ticket Sales will help ease prices

900 900

1,050

150

250

125

275 39 125 15.9 2,030

1,000 1,000

Tactic #4 Breakdown Host for newsletter (Mailchimp)

141.82

TOTAL

141.82

Based on having up to 2,000 subscribers £20.26 per month – unlimited emails

141.82 141.82

Tactic #5 Breakdown

Barbican Venue

14 days

Cost of production

Cost of MyCoocoon Pods

42,000

358.82

31,350

TOTAL

73,709

TOTAL (Over 12 Months)

98,742.04

£3,000 per day Cost will be split between Haeckels and MyCoocoon The price could be reduced since this is an LDF event and The Barbican is a partner – also the space will be open to public, the installation is not private like weddings Price of making 1 essential oil £8.25 x14 (to match each colour) = £115.5 Price of digital aroma nebuliser small = £17.38 x 14 (1 for each scent) = £243.25 £6,270 per pod MyCoocoon will cost for this element of the collaboration

21,000

358.82

21,359 56,879

109

110