Chloe Davie IBM 2020 MED704
Creative Direction
Introduction to Depop Introduction to Depop+ Example User Depop+ Vision The purpose of Depop+ The relevance of Depop+ Competitor Analysis: 21 Buttons Competitor Analysis: ASOS Research Insights: Methodology findings Research Insights: What festival fashion means to participants Harriet’s Problem Harriet’s as is Scenario Harriet’s Solution Harriet’s to be Solution Watson Visual Recognition Technology Depop + App Design Depop + Campaign Depop + Magazine Feature Depop + Instagram story Depop+ Influencers Depop+ Summary
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CONTENTS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15-17 18-21 22-27 28-31 32 33-39 40
Introduction to Depop Depop was founded in 2011 and has over ten million users worldwide. Depop is an app where you can create your very own second hand storefront, selling any items you wish. Although, you don’t have to sell, you can just buy from other sellers storefront. Depop is mainly focused on fashion from wholesale items to unique vintage pieces. The seller will post a photo and a description of their items where buyers can browse. You’re also allowed to communicate with sellers, asking for more information on products and can also negotiate a cheaper price. 90% of their active users are under the age of 26 and one-third of all 16-24 year olds are registered on Depop. The reason for the popularity behind Depop is down to it being quick and easy to use, instead of the likes of EBay. Another reason, is the app is extremely similar to Instagram, with sellers styling their clothing items and also hiring models to promote their store. Therefore, this Instagram thrift store has allowed teens to make money from their bedroom with users collectively following and messaging one another eighty-five million times each month! 1.
Introduction to Depop+ Depop+ will be a feature of the Depop app. This feature will help the user find items quickly and easily, with the app stocking millions of items. Although this is a positive, having vast amounts of choice, it can also be overwhelming for some. Depop+ will find items for the user. The buyer simply needs to upload an image or take a photo of the item they wish to find. They then upload the image and the same or similar items will appear. #lovethelookcreatethelook
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Meet Harriet “As I am a student, Depop is perfect to use as I can get good quality second hand items cheap. However, I do find it overwhelming, there is so much stock to go through. It would be good if Depop could somehow filter it down”
Background - 20 year old Student at Bournemouth Arts studying Art Production. - Works part time in Topshop as a retailer assistant on the weekend. - Loves being on her phone, with a screen time of five hours a day. She enjoys Instagram the most and her favourite influencer is Mika Francis. - Loves online shopping on ASOS and mainly uses Depop to sell her unwanted fast fashion items that she has only worn once.
Needs and Goals - Wants to find amazing festival/rave outfits easily and quickly. - Wants to look unique at events and feel good about herself. - Eventually wants to be a successful fashion blogger on Instagram.
Behaviour - Spends her evenings scrolling through Depop searching for items. - Will go on Instagram to see which of her favourite influencers are on Depop so she can purchase their clothing items.
Pain points - Feels like she wastes so much time scrolling through Depop trying to find items. - Sees images of influencers on Instagram and gets frustrated because she doesn’t know how to get the same or similar outfits as them. - Feeling stressed as she wants to look unique at festival season and doesn’t want to wear anything mainstream.
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Depop+ Vision.
Our main aim at Depop+ is for the user to be their true authentic self this summer through being able to recreate their favourite looks at an affordable price. At Depop+ we also want to excite our audience for festival season. We want our audience to make amazing memories with their friends whilst feeling confident.
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The Purpose of Depop+ Depop’s main aim is supporting sustainable fashion through encouraging the world to shop second hand. However, fast fashion is still one of the greatest leaders of climate change. Britain’s will spend £2.7 billion this summer on 50 million outfits that will only be worn once. With results also showing 51% of participants stating they enjoy the excitement of buying new clothes for an event or holiday. With summer being the prime time for one outfit wonders we need to encourage shoppers to ditch buying first hand but instead, buy second to save money while also helping reduce climate change! Therefore, Depop+ will be marketed in the summer and target one hit wonder outfit buyers. This feature will be very quick and easy to recreate outfits; meaning it would be a no brainer for shoppers to buy through Depop. The end goal is to have an even higher amount of users downloading Depop and to also increase the amount of purchases and sales being made. 5.
The Relevance of Depop+ The current pandemic of COVID-19 has resulted in a rise in second hand shopping.The Business of Fashion report states this pandemic could create a spark of sustainable fashion awakening. COVID-19 has shocked many of us with the amount of everyday consumption and greed we once took for granted. As the economy is suffering, many of us are unable to have the same funds to go back to our old consumption ways of living. This has created a rise in second hand shopping and DIY. We can even see fast fashion brands e.g. Boohoo creating IGTV of how to die dye your clothes from home. This encourages individuals to be more practical and sustainable with the current situation we are facing. This is an advantage for Depop as individuals might start DIY and rejuvenating old clothes and then start to sell them on. With some of us having more spare time, we can start decluttering our wardrobes and actually using Depop to make some money. This new way of making money is actually contributing towards helping the climate change crisis. In hope, this pandemic creates a rise in second hand shopping. With these new second hand shoppers, the Depop + feature couldn’t be more relevant to ensure these shoppers can find quick and easy outfits for a bargain price. 6.
21 Buttons
Competitor Analysis 21 Buttons app is where the subject uploads a photo of themselves and tags where each item is from. Once it’s uploaded the subject’s followers can click on each item and get an instant link to those items and if they’re not available; similar recommendations will appear. The outcome of 21 Buttons is similar to the desired outcome for Depop+. The app has become popular through it being quick and easy to recreate outfits, without the delay of trying to find the items yourself. Depop+ outcome will be similar to 21 buttons. We want our customers to be able to get instant results. Although the only difference between us and 21 buttons is that we are promoting sustainable fashion. Buying second hand amazing quality items instead of buying straight into fast fashion. Therefore, the quick and easy purchasing of second hand items will be our USP at Depop+.
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ASOS
Competitor Analysis ASOS as a whole aren’t our competitor however I am going to be analysing a feature on their app. ASOS launched a similar idea back in 2017. The concept was also very basic, making it quick and easy. You would upload an image of a look you wish to recreate and ASOS will find the same or similar items for you. The technology behind this feature is visual analysis. Although this is a competitor doing a very similar concept, I believe Depop+ will be more successful. This is because ASOS didn’t rely on marketing, with there not being any campaigns to promote the feature; this is because ASOS is the top online shop in the UK, meaning they don’t require as much advertising. However, with Depop+, there will be a lot of marketing and advertising with campaigns in magazines, posters and billboard signs. This would overall help target customers who are new to Depop while also encouraging current Depop users to try the feature. 8.
Research Insights For the primary methodology we interviewed ten participants where five of them were avid Depop users and the other five don’t use Depop. The point of doing this was to establish whether current Depop users would use the app and even if non Depop users would start using the app with this new feature. I gained five key insights: 1. When asking participants to rate how stressful they find shopping on Depop on a scale of 1 (not stressful) to 10 (very stressful), the average score was 7. Depop+ will make these results transform to under 5 through shoppers being able to find exact items quickly and easily. 2. Shoppers like how you can refine your searches on Depop, such as sizing, so you can find suitable items quickly. Depop+ will refine these searches even more by finding colour, style and material matches. 3. Depop is linked to Instagram when promoting the users shop. Meaning Depop+ will also rely on Depop influencers on Instagram when promoting the new feature. Depop+ will also promote the feature over their own Instagram channel. 4. Depop+ aims to increase the number of users on Depop. With individuals who don’t use Depop already saying they find it overhwhelming. This means Depop+ will ease these anxieties through finding quick suitable second hand items for users. 5.The main reason participants use Depop is because of how quick, easy and simple the app is. Therefore, how quick and basic using the Depop+ feature is, will satisfy the pre established users whilst also encouraging new users to download the 9. app.
What does Festival Fashion mean to you? - “I feel liberated as you can express yourself however you want and everyone accepts you.” - “You can be whoever you want for the weekend” - “There is nothing more fun than dressing up and having fun with your friends” - “It’s a time I can wear what I want without being judged. I feel like the best version of myself” 10.
Harriet’s Problem ANXIOUS | INSECURE | BORING | SAD Harriet uses social media a lot, specifically Instagram, with her screen time being five hours a day. She loves looking at her favourite influencer, Mika Francis, profile for inspiration with her outfits and styling. However, she is always unsure on how to recreate these outfits because sometimes Mika doesn’t tag where her items are from. As Mika is based in Bali, when she does tag, the brands are often hard to buy from or they’re too expensive for Harriet’s small budget. Therefore, she resorts to buying from fast fashion brands as its easy and quick. Harriet feels anxious and sad because she wants to look as good as Mika Francis at festivals. Harriet believes it’s a time you can express yourself and wear the craziest outfits. Harriet always ends up wearing mainstream brands such as Boohoo, which everyone else is also wearing, making her feel boring and insecure. 11.
Harriet’s As Is Scenario Steps
Doing
Thinking
Feeling
Attends Boomtown Festival with her friends.
Harriet and her friends buy a last min ticket to Boomtown
Can’t find or purchase the desired outfits in time.
Having to online shop quickly using next day delivery.
Using the rest of her student loan to purchase a ticket.
Looking at fashion influencers for inspiration and saving images into her Instagram folder.
Can’t find unique outfits her favourite influencers wears so she goes on MissGuided and buys lots of outfits using Klana try before you buy as she hasn’t got much money.
She starts to try them on and style them with pieces she already has as well. She tries to plan an outfit for everyday she is there.
Turns up to the festival with her friends and they start setting up their tent and get in their outfits for the evening then attends the main stage.
Sometimes they don’t tag the items so is thinking of all brands the items could be from.
How she is going to afford all these outfits when the bill comes because there were no deals on the website so she spent £200! If anything is even going to look good!
How bad quality some of the items are and aren’t true to size. Thinking how she is going to style them and will have to resort to items she has worn beforehand.
How she has already seen 3 people wearing the same outfit as her and wondering how many more peole she will see wearing the same.
Feeling anxious because she doesn’t have a back up plan if nothing fits. Also feeling sad as she doesn’t think she is going to look good.
Insecure because none of her outfits look that great. Also feeling worried because she spent a lot on items she doesn’t really like. Also feeling sad because she wanted to feel good for the weekend and get good photos with her friends.
Feeling insecure as she doesn’t look like the influencers online at festivals she looks up to. Also feeling sad because she doesn’t feel confident and everyone else around her looks amazing. Although she is grateful to be with all her best friends.
What camping equipment they might need to buy. What outfits she is going to wear. Excited to spend the weekend with her friends and see her favourite DJ’s. Nervous she won’t look good as she has no new festival clothes
Feeling stressed because she doesn’t have time for the unique brands to not do next day delivery.
Her next day delivery outfits come.
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Harriet’s Solution HAPPY | CONFIDENT | EXCITED | UNIQUE Harriet has Boomtown festival coming up so she has started to browse on Instagram, specifically looking at her favourite blogger Mika Francis’s festival outfits. Harriet starts to screenshot her favourite outfits of hers and creates a folder of inspiration on her phone. As Harriet is a student, with a limited budget, she goes onto Depop and uses the new Depop+ feature to find her festival outfits. She uploads the images of Mika Francis and is able to find the same or similar items to her. She purchases the items and attends Boomtown festival wearing her new outfit. Harriet is feeling confident as she gets lots of compliments on her outfits and is looking unique compared to her friends wearing items from Boohoo. 13.
Harriet’s To Be Scenario Steps
Doing
Thinking
Feeling
Harriet and her friends buy a last min ticket to Boomtown
Looks at influencers outfits on Instagram
Using the rest of her student loan to purchase a ticket.
Saving images on Instagram of the influencers look she wishes to recreate.
What camping equipment they might need to buy. What outfits she is going to wear. Excited to spend the weekend with her friends and see her favourite DJ’s. Confident in her outfits because she can use Depop+ for quick cheap outfits.
Thinking if the items would come in time if she finds them but knowing she can always ask for next day delivery! Feeling happy because she is going to feel confident in all these outfits she just hopes Depop+ has the same items, if not something similar!
Uploading the images onto Depop+
Her outfits from Depop come
Attends Boomtown Festival with her friends
As she messaged the sellers and asked for next day they come the following day. As she sellers had good ratings she is confident the outfits will be good quality.
Turns up to the festival with her friends and they start setting up their tent and get in their outfits for the evening then attends the main stage.
She needs to message the sellers; asking if they can send next day and she will pay a bit more for delivery. Also has time to plan her makeup and hair as finding the outfits was so easy!
How great quality the second hand items are and how amazing they look! Also thinking how much money she is saving buying second hand instead of buying first.
How no one else is wearing her outfit and how everyone is complimenting her asking where her outfit is from as it’s so unique.
Feeling excited because she managed to find the exact Dolls Kill outfit she wanted for half price! Feeling confident she is going to look good.
Confident and knows she looks good so is excited to take photos at Boomtown with her friends. Also feeling confident with money, she still has a lot of money to spend on drinks and food at the festival the clothes she brought were a lot cheaper!
Feeling amazing because her outfit is great, the weather is sunny and she is having the best time with her friends. Also feeling positive she doesn’t have to worry about money as she saved a lot buying second hand.
Gets the photos from her screenshot folder and uploads them onto Depop+ where the same or similar items come up.
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Watson Visual Recognition Technology To ensure users can get a quick, easy and reliable match to the image they upload; we will be using Watson Visual Recognition for this new feature. The way this feature works will be through machine learning. Meaning, to start with results may not be so accurate, but through trial and error, results will become more reliable. The way Watson Technology works is through giving a % of accuracy; the next slide will give a photographic example. But say if someone uploads a photo of a purple crop top with a flower on, to recreate, Watson Technology will detect key points. For example, the colour of the top, the length of the top and the icon on the top. Then it will go on to search Depop to find similar items through trying to a gain the highest percentage from 0-1%.
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Watson Technology Example With Watson Recognition Technology the reliability of results lies on the amount of training the device has had. As this is machine learning, we would need to train the technology so it gives the most accurate results to our Depop consumers. Say the subject would like to search for a check black white and pink tennis skirt. We would need to ensure the same or similar results appear. The next step would be to train the technology for positive and negative results of the skirt. The negative results include black bodycon skirts, maxi skirts, grey tennis skirts, check dresses and pink tops etc. The positive include similar style tennis skirts style, pattern and colour. 16.
Watson Technology Example Once the technology has been trained we can start testing its accuracy. Below, it was tested on a similar skirt with different colouring and came back positive with a 0.92% accuracy. This is the ideal result we would want when consumers use the feature on the app. The accuracy will measure between 0-1, with 1 being the most accurate. The technology will be designed to pick up on the clothing instead of the background and irrelevant objects in the shot. For example, it will be measuring the colour of images, the clothing item, the clothing style and the clothing material. The one thing the technology will be unable to do is analyse the sizing of the item. This means, the user would have to refine their searches and add their size automatically instead of being manual. However, this is already a feature on Depop, so consumers would be used to refining this search.
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Depop+ App Design.
The subject clicks on the Depop app and the homepage will appear. On the tool bar, the subject clicks on the camera icon and two options will come up. You can either click the upload icon, which will take you to uploading a product to sell. However, the subject will select the eye symbol to search for an item.
Once the subject has selected the eye search symbol. The camera screen will appear; this is where you can take a photo of an item you wish to search. However, the subject clicks on the upload symbol on the right hand side to upload a photo from her camera roll. 18.
Depop+ App Design.
Once the subject has selected the upload icon their camera roll will appear where they can selected an image. The subject has seleted an image of a girl in a baby blue flower who piece. Once she has selected the image the subject clicks the arrow on the top right hand corner to move forward.
If Watson technology cannot detect any clothing items, a warning sign will appear. It will tell you to upload another image. This is because the image might be bad quality or the image is too busy. 19.
Depop+ App Design.
However, if the image is good quality you will be moved onto the next step. Watson technology will detect the items it can see and will outline them. As you can see, it has detected the skirt and top. You will have an outfit checklist at the bottom of the screen.
You will select the items you wish to search. The subject selects the skirt and top and both items will turn red and will appear on your outfit checklist. Once you have finished, you then click confirm to search; or you can click cancel to go back to the start. 20.
Depop+ App Design.
Watson Technology will then find the same or similar items to what you are after. It will show you all the options in the same style as if you were to search using the search bar on Depop. 21.
Depop+ Campagin
In regards to marketing, Depop use a lot of visual media and promotes them on billboards and posters. Just by looking at the images and colour scheme you can instantly tell it’s Depop. The next following slides will show you adverts made for Depop+ which will also be promoted on billboards, bus stops and posters around cities. The hashtag ‘love the look create the look’ is a vital part to the advert as consumers can research this hashtag and instantly find out about the new campaign. However, some of the adverts created are similar to pre established Depop campaigns where there are images with the Depop logo. This is because the eye catching bright images and funky styling will hopefully attract to want to download the app to recreate similar looks. 22.
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Magazine Feature
Depop+ feature article will be published in three different magazines, both print and web. We have chosen to be published in DAZED magazine with their target audience being ‘those who appreciate all aspects of art including fashion, film and music’. Meaning the readers of DAZED might already know about Depop; with them already publishing three articles about the app. Therefore, encouraging these current users to try out the new feature. The second magazine we have chosen to be published in, is I-D. Firstly, I-D already have a section of their website dedicated to Depop articles. With them speaking about how the app works, interviews with sellers and new range launches. Therefore, ID would work well in promoting this feature as they could interview Depop users giving their take on the feature; almost like a review, to again encourage readers to download the app or if they have already, try the new feature. The last magazine feature would be in Cosmopolitan who has the broadest target audience range from 18 to 34. As they cover all areas, not just fashion; this would hopefully bring a new audience to Depop. The purpose of also targeting an older audience is that they might hopefully tell younger family members about this feature. The following slide will show an example of the feature in Cosmopolitan magazine. 28.
+ extremely expensive or we just can’t get our hands on them due to them not being available in our country or shipping being ridiculously expensive. So how can you recreate these killer looks on a budget this festival season?!
style their unique pieces. Although this makes me insanely envious on how stunning they look, it also inspires me on how I can recreate these looks for the festivals I’ll be attending. But my number one question is where the heck do they find these outfits?! Although we are thrown into a world of fast fashion with mainstream brands, such as Miss Guided, Boohoo and PLT creating festival outfits. Personally, there is nothing unique and fun about wearing something you know everyone is going to be wearing. Every festival season I am always looking on Instagram and in the news about the hottest Coachella and Burning Man outfits. Always seeking inspiration from influencers online and how they
So how can we recreate these festival looks?! Well occasionally the influencer will inform us on their secrets, but half the time they want to keep it a hush-hush… which I guess is fair enough... but sucks for us. When they do inform us, the items are always
If you haven’t heard of the online marketplace Depop…then where have you been. Depop is a social marketplace where you can sell your wardrobe to the world. All you have to do is upload images of the items you wish to sell, select a price and wait for the buyers to roll in! It’s basically a virtual thrift store, which can actually be overwhelming for some. When speaking to people who use Depop the major problem with the app is that it can be hard to find items. For example, if you want to recreate a festival look and type in ‘Pretty Little Thing pink glittery skirt’ thousands and thousands of items will appear. Sometimes, even items which aren’t related will appear simply because of people hash tagging brands to appear in more searches…which sucks for us! However, we have the answer to all these problems. Depop has come out with a new feature, rebranding and being called now Depop+. This feature is set to launch summer 2021 and will help you recreate the hottest festival looks very quick and easy. All you have to do is take a photo or upload a photo of the outfit you wish to recreate. Watson technology will analyse the image, detecting all the items in the image. You’ll then select which item you wish to find and the same or similar items will
will appear. It has never been so easy to recreate the hottest festival looks on a budget! We spoke to Social Media Influencer, Mika Francis, on her thoughts on this app. “I use Depop all the time, it’s the best way to make quick and easy money! I always get envious of people at Burning Man and Coachella with their unique outfits. Obviously because it’s based in America all their outfits are unique American brands, for example Dolls Kill. Meaning for me in the UK, it is hard to get a hold of these items because shipping and custom chargers are
expensive. However, there is so much Dolls Kill stock and even more American brands on Depop! Meaning we don’t have to spend a lot and can recreate amazing looks. This new feature is going to be so handy to get instant results when trying to find a certain item. It’s also amazing for students who can still look fab even on a budget. Lastly, also buying second hand is helping the environment which makes your outfit even more hotter.” So whaty ou waitng for? Download Depop on the app store now!
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Instagram Story
When promoting the new feature an Instagram story on Depop’s highlights would be an essential tool for current and new Depop users to understand how to use the new feature. The story highlight will be quick and simple, to emphasis how efficient the app is. It will explain how to use the feature step by step. This step by step formula is already present on Depop’s highlight explaining how to buy and sell items. Therefore, having a highlight on Depop’s Instagram would benefit the user greatly.
https://vimeo.com/404566417 32.
With there being a strong link between Instagram and Depop. Using influencers with a strong following on both Depop and Instagram would be ideal when promoting this new feature. Influencers must: - Speak about the new feature and explain how quick and easy it is to use. - Show great festival/ summer styling to target our one-time outfit buyers. Must not: - Promoting the clothing brand they’re wearing. The caption and tagging should be primarily Depop and speaking about the new feature.
Depop+ Influencers 33.
@ttigerlilly
Tiger is a festival fashion blogger and also a fashion designer, being owner of the brand Easy Tiger. She is known for her adventurous festival looks and attending over five festivals a year. She has a strong Depop following with reselling her outfits after. Lastly, Tiger’s brand is extremely sustainable and she is also a vegan, she prides herself on being conscious about her impact on the environment. 96K Instagram Followers 40K Depop Followers 5% Engagement Rate 4,000 Average Likes 60 Average Comments
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@bloodysire
Bloodysire is a fashion blogger on Instagram, but also popular on Depop. He has his own brand on Depop, selling vintage clothing and his old own outfits. He prides himself on being as sustainable as possible through styling second hand items. 50K Instagram Followers 80K Depop Followers 6% Engagement Rate 3,000 Average Likes 50 Average Comments 35.
COLLABS 36.
Join The Depop Team We’re recruiting the coolest festival gals and boys to help promote our new feature at Depop! and you’re top of the list. Depop+ is a feature launching this summer targeting event/ festival gals and boys. The feature allows you to recreate outfits quickly and easily. You simply upload an image of the look you wish to recreate on Depop and the same or similar items will appear.
1/2 MILLION FOLLOWERS
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Depop + REQUIREMENTS - 1 X Instagram Post + 1 X Instagram Story. - Instagram Story of Campaign video which will be sent to you. - Images must have a clear background either shot indoors or outside. - If shot indoors a background set up with a sheet or shot on a white background would be ideal. - Must be styling a festival/ summer outfit. - Full outfits have to be visible. - Bright good quality image. - The only brand to be tagged is @depop and #depop+ #lovethelookcreatethelook 38.
Example Post
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Summary The design of Depop+ provides Harriet with instant outfit results and allows her to recreate outfits easily and quickly. The end result is Harriet feeling confident and most importantly having the best time at events wearing a unique affordable outfit. The purpose behind using Watson Recognition Technology is that Harriet can upload any photo of an item of clothing and get instant results. This feature will hopefully encourage the target audience to avoid buying one wear outfits from fast fashion brands to hopefully prevent climate change. Lastly, Depop+ promotional strategies will hopefully encourage the target audience whom don’t use Depop, to download the app and to start buying and selling. #lovethelookcreatethelook
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