escapology the equation of
Emily Thompson FASH30002 Stage 2 Implementaton project
Looking at the rise of coffee culture in the UK and the relationship between coffee shops and the daily telecommuter, resulting in a new brand of chained coffee shop for the working consumer aiding their motivation and productivity.
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contents
4
Yesterday + Today
(8-9)
Home - Work
(10-15)
Coffee + Highstreet
(16-19)
You+ Them
(20-37)
Coffee + Work
(38-41)
Digital + Lifestyle
(42-51)
Work + Future
(52-55)
Sharing + Ideas
(56-59)
Mind + Body + Soul
(60-69)
An Idea + Solution
(70-71)
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“The future is here, it’s just not very well distributed.” William Gibson (see Raymond, 2010).
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+
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yesterday + today
80 BY 2020
8
Today, technological advances are making it easier for consumers to gain access to data wherever and whenever. This digital lifestyle has resulted in a shift in the workforce. Bellini, (2009) suggests that by 2020 approximately 80% of workers will not be tied into a nine to five or a fixed place daily routine. According to Meier (2013), ‘entrepreneur power’ is a current trend emerging from the power shift from investors to entrepreneurs. It is now cheaper and easier for entrepreneurs than ever before (Meier, 2013).
% OF WORKERS WILL NOT BE TIED TO A FIXED PLACE ROUTINE
In the 17th Century, Britain was introduced to coffee. Italian immigrants had wanted to bring their culture to the UK and coffee soon became ingrained into our everyday lives and kick started popular culture as we know it (Port Magazine, 2014). Coffee shops offered something new – coffee was cheaper than alcohol and came with a sociable, safe and sober environment where people were able to conduct business providing a neutral third place (Crookes, 2011). During the 80’s, the UK was the biggest market for coffee in the world; the bohemian hangout was hip and fashionable and became not as much about coffee but more about how you were perceived when drinking it. (Business Boomers: Coffee Shop Hot Shots, 2014). Now, for UK consumers, buying coffee outside of the home has become a well-established part of their lifestyle (Mintel, 2013). It has been apparent for centuries that coffee shops and working go hand in hand. In 1688, Edward Lloyd’s coffee shop was often used not only to socialise but also to trade by workers such as merchants or insurance brokers (Crookes, 2011). In this report, I will look at the relationship between coffee shops and the future of working to create a new space for the daily telecommuter. The research conducted in the first section of this report will be used to try determine ideas and strategies for the final outcome. This bond between coffee and work is seen in many cafes around the world, often from people now being able to work remotely, “the ‘coffice’, we are told, is the way of the future” (Baker, 2014).
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home work 10
A third place is seen as a place inbetween home and work. These places have the potential to enhance a community and help people get through their busy, daily lives. As well as providing a place for people in communities to connect – it often serves as an environment for exchanging ideas and news (Waxman, 2006). In his book, ‘The Great Good Place’, Oldenberg (1999) suggested many third spaces are disappearing and having an impact on people’s lives through the decrease of available
community gathering places. The identity of third places is often determined by the types of beverages that are served (Waxman, 2006), resulting in the majority of third places today being bars/pubs or coffee shops. Although this is determined by beverage, the coffee shop is about more than coffee; it is also about the place itself offering a place to ’be’ and caters for the demand for an ‘experience’ (Business Boomers: Coffee Shop Hot Shots, 2014).
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“Stores will become more theatrical, more immersive, and more of a life experience rather than simply a place to get something. As much as they are selling products they will be selling a good time, a lifestyle” Christopher Studach (see Berelowitz and Vaughn, 2013). 12
Within retail, JWT Intelligence (Berelowitz and Vaughn, 2013) predicts that bricks and mortar stores will continue to serve as a ‘third space’ with the environment, experience and service being much more important than the hard sell. In this digital age, it is vital for stores to deliver an offline experience to consumers giving them new reasons to spend time in these spaces.
the starbucks story
The Starbucks story began with Howard Schultz noticing the Italian culture of coffee shops and how they created hubs for communities. In 1887, after falling in love with the concept he took his own version to America with an aim to get the young generation into coffee instead of soft drinks. Schultz’s idea to create a third space offering a place for communities was a vital part of the Starbucks business plan, which has now been adopted by all today (Business Boomers: Coffee Shop Hot Shots, 2014).
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This idea of creating a lifestyle can be done through the redesign of spaces making them much more visually appealing and offering ideal services such as charging stations and free Wi-Fi for the digital consumer. Stores also have the potential to offer more personalised customer service such as special events or free classes similar to the success of Apple’s store business model (Berelowitz and Vaughn, 2013). This adoption of retail as a third space is becoming increasingly important for a new brand, with the idea of creating a reason for customers to stay in the store for longer.
retail as a third space
(Figure 1. Burberry Flagship Store, 2013)
(Figure 2. Apple Store Grand Arcade, 2013)
(Figure 3. Nike Training Club - Chicago, 2012)
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coffee + highstreet 16
40,000 20,000 empty shops
high risk of failure
In the UK, there are over 40,000 empty shops, with over 20,000 businesses on the high street at a high risk of failure. With the shopping experience in the past being exclusive to the high street, stores are now finding themselves having to compete with a multichannel world. It is thought that by embracing technology ‘networked high streets’ will be created bringing local people together, encouraging digital citizenship and nurturing innovation (Grimsey, 2013). This strategy of collaboration to nurture innovation could be successful when opening new stores on the high street with the idea of regeneration for local communities.
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In 2013, the estimated market size of coffee shops in the UK was ÂŁ1.4b. The specialist coffee shop market suffers from weak brand loyalty and is sometimes perceived as poor value for money. Although this may be the case, improvements in consumer confidence has seen a moderate growth in recent years; coffee shops have started to explore new strategies to reach new audiences in order to address potential saturation of the market (Mintel, 2013).
1.4 billion
(Figure 4. UK Coffee Shop Market - Mintel statistics, Own Image, 2014)
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(Figure 6. Starbucks Bottled Coffee Frappuccino, 2013)
Two leaders in the coffee shop market have already answered the problem of saturation in the market in their business models. Costa, the UK’s most popular coffee shop (Business Boomers: Coffee Shop Hot Shots, 2014) has a varied channel base across points of distribution; the coffee shop, the cart, in corporate foyers and selfservice coffee machines. Starbucks similarly offer alternative channels but in the form of ready to drink offers on worldwide supermarket shelves through their partnering with PepsiCo (Jones, 2013). For a potential brand entering this market, it would be an important issue to address the potential saturation and think about how the brand can be distributed across new channels to reach the consumer innovatively.
(Figure 5. Costa Express, 2013)
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you + them
With the concept of the ‘coffice’, competition arises from many different areas from the big time chain coffee shops, independent brew bars and coworking spaces/events. Competition in the coffee market is continuously growing with cheaper-non-specialist places like Greggs and McDonalds selling perfectly acceptable coffee (Mintel, 2013). Competitors in this wide market all have different operations as well as many different unique selling points and services.
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one
costa coffee Costa Coffee dominates the UK market with 1755 stores (Jones, 2013) - twice as many outlets as its biggest rival Starbucks (Mintel, 2013). Like others, Costa offers free Wi-Fi in areas where people come to work. This is welcomed and encouraged by Costa and there are no strict rules although, as Kevin Hydes, head of UK marketing (see Crookes, 2011) mentions, they do appreciate customers buying their products when using their facilities.
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accetate
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(Figure 8. Costa Coffee Club, 2010)
loyal
Approximate figures Costa - 1755 Starbucks - 750 Cafe Nero - 519 Pret a Manger - 280 Harris and Hoole - 33
(Figure 7. Visual ratio of the UK coffee shop market, Own Image, 2014)
dominant
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two
starbucks Starbucks also focuses on innovative strategies to keep up the momentum in the market (Jones, 2013). As well as Costa, the design of different stores is adapted to consumers needs; at Heathrow there are smaller tables with plug sockets for people travelling on their own, and the Conduit store in London was designed specifically for business meetings and interviews (Crookes, 2011) (see figure 9). After the loss of consumer trust in 2012/13 relating to UK corporation tax payments (Mintel, 2013), Starbucks have tried to become less corporate and much more local in their strategies. From listening to customers and doing the right thing, Starbucks have said they will pay £20 million in tax over the next two years resulting in the negative impact on the
company impact on the company being short lived. (Business Boomers: Coffee Shop Hot Shots, 2014). The Starbucks brand is seen as quite innovative and consumer focused - in 2012/13 they focused on the increase of transactions during off-peak times. To do this they introduced price promotions such as ‘make Mondays great’ (figure 9) and happy hours (Mintel, 2013). ‘My Starbucks Idea’ is a scheme that has been running for the past 6 years enhancing their consumers’ experiences by inviting them to share their ideas on an online platform (figure 9). This online community allows customers to share, vote and discuss ideas, which has helped Starbucks to develop new flavours of drinks and introduce smaller sized treats.
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accetate
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(Figure 9. Own moodboard of Starbucks, 2014)
make mondays great witty
conduit street
heathrow
my starbucks idea happy hour
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three
urban station Urban Station is a space designed for mobile workers in Mexico, Columbia, Argentina, Chile and Turkey. Originating in Buenos Aires in 2009, they offer desks to rent on an hourly rate with free coffee and snacks. The ethos of the brand is to simply ‘enjoy working differently’, with an aim to go global and offer a network of affordable and collaborative workspaces (figure 10) (Mhaoileoin, 2014).
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accetate
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inviting
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minimal
(Figure 10. Own moodboard of Urban Station, 2014)
modernised
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ziferblat Similar to Urban Station, Ziferblat (Clock face in Russian and German) is London’s first pay-per-minute cafÊ. Ziferblat is originally a Russian chain and concept where everything inside is free apart from the time spent there. In late 2013, Ivan Mitin (founder) brought Ziferblat to London. This was the first branch to be taken outside of Russia apart from one other in Ukraine (Khomami, 2014). Ivan found that Londoners were more prepared for this kind of concept and took to the idea instantly. The brand is very consumer focussed and embraces a hands on approach where supplies for food and drinks are available - but for the customers to make themselves. Guests vary from their twenties
to the middle aged and are described as micro tenants, related to the idea of sharing the same space. This collectivist hangout can be seen to provide a new model for the high street where businesses can reduce to only their essential needs (Khomami, 2014). Through primary observation of this Ziferblat store I found the store to be secluded and hard to find. The whole store had a low tech feel with paper decorations (figure 11), suggesting that for a new start-up model like this, there was not much money to be spent on the aesthetic aspect. Within the store, customers ranged from 20 to 30 and used the space to work alone or hold meetings (see appendix 5).
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accetate
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low-tech
tucked away
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(Figure 11. Own moodboard and images of Ziferblat, 2014)
authentic
It is apparent that established cities such as London have not been innovators in this field. These concepts such as Urban Station and Ziferblat have interestingly been created in emerging economies suggesting that these cities are more reliant on small-scale entrepreneurs than big western cities with a 9 to 5 workplace culture (Mhaoileoin, 2014). However, with the increase in telecommuting in the UK, the growing coffee shop market and the acceptance of the first pay-perminute cafe, there is opportunity for these innovative concepts to become mainstream.
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Coffee has been a staple drink in offices for years after Barcalounger were the first company to allow employees coffee breaks in 1902 (Crookes, 2011). The strong relationship that is held between coffee and work is not just the caffeine; a coffee shop has the potential to stimulate all five senses. Predominantly characterised by globalisation and the increased competition from brands, Marketing 3.0 enforces the importance for a brand to not only be seen by consumers but also smelt, heard or touched (Hughes, 2013). Research shows that working from a quiet office can sometimes be more distracting than working in a coffee shop. It is found that being interrupted by people kills productivity and therefore when working in a coffee shop, human interaction is on your own terms (Verhoeve, 2013). Research conducted at London Business School suggests that the average UK worker’s day is now interrupted every three minutes. Technology and gadgets play a large part, resulting in work taking twice as long to finish and with more errors than uninterrupted tasks (Garside, 2014).
the avergae uk worker is interupted every
3
minutes
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A change of scenery is another reason why people work in a coffee shop, as Cathy Hume mentions.
“There is some sense of feeling that you are on a public show, and that having made the trip out to the coffee shop in order to work, you are duty bound to focus�.
(see Crookes, 2011) 40
A changing environment can also break up an office routine and stimulate creativity and inspiration (Verhoeve, 2013).
Judy Heminsley who runs ‘Jelly’ co-working events and founder of ‘work from home wisdom’ explains that coffee shops are good places for working and holding meetings but only so long as the noise level is right. Tamsin Crook, manager of the Thames Ditton Jelly event when interviewed explained (see appendix 6) how the Jelly co-working events are successful but could be better if there was a more focused environment to use. With her event being held in a pub, she explained the environment can become
quite noisy and distracting. ‘Is noise always bad?’ is a journal that explores the effects of ambient noise on creative cognition (Mehta et al, 2013). The research conducted shows that a high level of noise hurts creativity although a moderate level of noise enhances creativity and also leads to increased adoption of innovative products. Therefore, creative individuals may benefit from taking themselves out of a comfort zone and into an environment with a moderate level of noise e.g. a coffee shop/café (Mehta et al, 2013).
Coffitivity Coffitivity, founded by Justin Kauszler is a brand that has taken this research of moderate noise increasing creativity to create an app that plays the sound of a coffee shop. Coffitivity can be downloaded on any smartphone, tablet or mac desktop bringing the benefits of the coffee shop to your desktop (Coffitivity, 2013).
(Figure 13. Coffitivity Screenshot, 2014)
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digital + lifestyle 42
“As more entrepreneurs and workers leave their desks and build careers on the move, they represent a growing trend in the digital nomadic lifestyle” (Schutte, 2014).
According to Mintel (2013) as consumers age and leave employment their usage of coffee shops considerably decreases proving the relationship between coffee shops and working. This demographic (over 55’s) tend to eat out less frequently than other generations and therefore when marketing to this demographic it should be based upon the experience (Mintel 2013). Younger demographics are often looking for value for money, for example 16-24 year olds will look for a low price where as 25-34 year olds will look for ways to budget such as loyalty cards. Other than a focus on price, the younger demographic (16-24) also look for something that isn’t available at home. So a focus on new drinks or guidance with menus is a good idea when marketing to this consumer. This consumer group are also likely to appreciate leisure elements in-store such as master classes, tasting sessions or other skilled sessions on a pop up basis relating to their sense of urgency and continuous changing interests (Mintel, 2013).
as consumers age and leave employment their usage of coffee shops considerably decreases.
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a digital nomad:
“someone who uses Internet to work rem the coffee shop, the even to collaborate r anywhere in the wo The nomadic lifestyle (sometimes known as telecommuters or freelancers) has been enabled by advances in technology - allowing a lifestyle change without compromising their career (Schutte, 2014). This way of life offers flexibility and a lot of choice based around where and when to work. Being able to change the working environment based on personal needs has been found to have a big impact on productivity (Wilson, 2012). For digital nomads, a perfect place to work is often a coffee shop proved through a survey primarily conducted, where 91% of respondents confirmed they had used a coffee shop to do their own work (see appendix 2).
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91%
of respondents have used a coffee shop to do their work
technology and the otely – from home, Internet café, or emotely with teams rld” (Parkinson, 2011).
There are some problems can occur when constantly changing environment, for example unstable internet connections, lack of office equipment, staying in touch with other people, managing clients in other time zones and most of all managing yourself (Fontelera, 2009)“Anybody who works for himself has a tyrant as a boss” – Paul Saddo (see Fontelera, 2009). Tamsin Crook (2014), when asked, agreed that a freelancer’s main problem is managing the workflow, as sometimes a freelancer may have not enough work or too much (see appendix 6). Understanding the needs of the freelance consumer is vital for a new coffee shop entering the market, taking into account sensory surroundings.
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the digital nomad:
millennial URGE TO EXPERIMENT
MOTIVATED BY PASSIONS
“I enjoy working in fairly busy environments such as coffee shops.. but with my earphones in! If i’m sat in a boring/really quiet place I get tired and bored.” (see appendix 2)
2.0 mENTALITY
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INTERESTED IN HEALTH AND EXERCISE
FREEDOM WILL CHANGE JOBS 5-8 TIMES DURING LIVES
MOST SPENDING POWER
MEANING OVER MONEY
GROWN UP DIGITAL AND EDUCATED
Figure 14: Digital Nomad – Millennial Moodboard - Own Image, 2014
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generationX the digital nomad:
think globally
DESIRE BALANCE IN THEIR LIVES
self reliant 48
work to live, not live to work
try to make the workplace fun
computer skills and technology inclined
“Ideally I’d work in co-working office environment part of the time (one with meeting rooms for confidential meetings) but also will always work from home some of the time as I work a lot in the evenings when kids are in bed.” (see appendix 2)
motivated by money
equality in the workplace Figure 15: Digital Nomad – Generation X Moodboard - Own Image, 2014
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the digital nomad:
baby boomer generally optimistic
health and wellness are priorities
personal growth is important post ww2 economic growth
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work-orientated
sense of security
high value on youth, personal gratification, health material and wealth
“I have also had meetings in coffee shops in department stores e.g. Selfridges and John Lewis in London. As a freelancer these places are invaluable if you want to meet clients in London.” (see appendix 2)
exploration and protest
Figure 16: Digital Nomad – Baby Boomer Moodboard - Own Image, 2014
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work + future 52
“The workplace will continue to change as business needs drive new solutions and emerging technologies enable them to become reality” (Savage, 2005).
A digital nomads’ workplace can be very personalised according to their own needs. Working from home often has disadvantages such as interruptions, distractions, lack of technology support, lack of suitable space and loneliness (Savage, 2005). On the other hand we need to feel in control and comfortable. When a person does not feel in control of what happens in a place they begin to feel stressed, discouraged and frustrated (Stringer, 2013). A building has the ability to positively affect motivation through psychological engagement and personal control (Stringer, 2013), and therefore a place to work should offer a customer options within the space that they are able to control themselves in order to feel comfortable.
DISTRA CTING LONELINESS
INTERRUPTIONS LACK OF TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT
LACKOF SUITABLE SPACE
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The ease of global travelling has increased the amount of global workers with a need to deal with business remotely. These travellers are looking for “curated services and experiences that give them an extra dose of culture or inspiration in the midst of their trip” (Ryan, 2014). With this in mind, hotels and public spaces need to design
(Figure 17. Dymitr Maclew’s Fixed Furniture, 2014)
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areas accommodating these needs. It is suggested that partitions and fixed furniture solutions are ideal in order to accommodate between work and play. Dymitr Maclew’s designs of modular furniture (see figure 17) can be joined together or separated depending on the needs of the consumer (Ryan, 2014).
Low cost communication has enabled the globalisation of work, and many trends in technology are now disrupting innovation. According to
mobile devices are now the most popular way for employees to access the internet. This has led to a Gartner (see Meier, 2013)
trend in analytics that are increasingly more personal, location aware and context relevant -delivering information to the consumer at the point of action in context (Meier, 2013). Therefore, marketing to these digital consumers that frequently use mobile phones through context relevant mobile messages could provide a relevant touch point to them.
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sharing + ideas 56
The sharing economy and nondedicated office spacing has filtered into everyday lives and with telecommuting and collaborative workspaces on the rise, downsizing in offices is likely to become even more popular (Vaz, 2013). From this need of flexible spaces, many companies have taken to zoning their offices based on employees needs and creating ‘activity based offices’. These spaces may include presenter room, socialising areas, solo pods and larger rooms for brainstorming (Garside, 2014). Nonspecific desk seating and zoned offices mean that different people are forced to meet in different spaces.
(Figure 18. Skype Activity Based Office, 2011)
(Figure 19. Sheffield Jelly Event, 2012)
Imposed interaction is a trend forecasted by Trend Hunter (2013) where “designers create workspaces that force collaboration and idea-sharing” (Trend Hunter, 2013). It is suggested that the more people put in a room together are forced to interact with each other the more innovative ideas are created. More and more brands are beginning to welcome this augmenting worker interaction and looking at is as collaboration rather than unproductive socialising (Trend Hunter, 2013). This concept of imposed interaction has been adopted in ‘Jelly’ casual working events, that bring individual workers together to increase idea sharing and decrease isolation (Crookes, 2011). When asked about the reasons why people seek these co-working spaces, Tamsin Crook (see appendix 6) explained how co-working spaces offer the opportunity to get out of the house, bounce of ideas from other people and can help people feel social and motivated with people achieving around them. 57
Collaboration is not only adopted in physical places but also virtually, online. Brand gathering is a website where brands can collaborate, with the ethos of achieving more together. Marketing collaboration is all about “community and brands working together for mutual benefit – ethos of the sharing economy, it is the savvy brands that will lead the way and become pioneers of the marketing collaboration evolution� (Christina, 2013).
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As well as idea sharing, there has also been a rise in space sharing. Not only in the workplace sector but also across retail. Bookshops such as Waterstones are now offering secondary workplaces with event rooms in some of their main UK stores (Crookes, 2013). Citroen has also used their retail space in their store along the Champs Elysees in Paris in order to merge promotion of their cars, an exhibition space and a social media hub (see figure 20 and 21).
(Figure 20. Citrroen By Fans, 2013)
For a potential brand entering the co-working market, it is important to use the idea of imposed interaction as a selling point to consumers for why the space would work for them. Collaboration through spaces will also reduce cost for start-up businesses and has the potential to increase awareness of the brand by using the other business.
59 (Figure 21. Citroen By Fans, 2013)
mind + body + soul 60
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With a fast paced and digitally connected society, we are seeing trends that counterbalance this with the needs of the self. Within society, as we move up Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (figure 22) we begin to want self-actualisation, which can also be seen as self-enrichment (Hughes, 2013). It is thought that people will think about themselves more and seek ways to enrich their lives through developing their creative talent, stimulating themselves mentally and learning new skills (Hughes, 2013). This rise in self-learning is suggested through the rise of young people taking Open University courses in 2010 (BBC, 2010).
Within Trends Active’s (2013) societal trends, they have looked at ‘Health to Happiness’ as a trend that converges health, wellness and happiness into total wellbeing. Within the westernised industrial world there is a growing need for quality of life and a healthy work balance resulting in people wanting to slow their fast paced lives down (Trends Active, 2013). This desire to balance hard work with leisure will mean that brands or services that are able to provide this through time saving or life enriching products will become very popular (Hughes, 2013).
2.
2 re
gu
(Fi nM
Ow p-
ku
oc
self actualisation
’s
low
as
M 4)
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physiological
01
safety
,2
social
ds
ee
fN
yo
rch
era
Hi
esteem
everyday utopias ‘Everyday Utopias’ has been identified by WGSN (2013) as a creative direction macro trend for A/W 15/16, “Everyday Utopias looks at the growing need to find
pockets of paradise in the everyday – from pauses in the work routine to short breaks for nature and craft in the evenings and longer experiences on the weekends” (WGSN, 2013). A utopian, perfect place is now becoming a reality through finding pleasure within small things, for example, escape and fellowship can be seen through art and music festivals around the world which are becoming more about a collective experience (WGSN, 2013). Escapism into alternate worlds and states of mind also comes from the pressures of modern day living and long working hours (Hughes, 2013). Within this trend, finding pleasure, self-refection and pause has also been seen through common objects, simple structures and computer screens. For example, mirrors in public spaces inviting people to gather and Jim Lambie’s artwork that uses colours and reflective shapes to create different perspectives (figues). Rosa Van Heusden has created an exhibition around the idea of the computer ‘loading’ wheel and looking at it as a tool for thinking harder and mediation (figures) (WGSN, 2013).
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accetate
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(Figure 23. WGSN Everyday Utopias Moodboard, 2014)
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selfridges ‘no noise’ In early 2013, Selfridges introduced their ‘no noise’ campaign by de-cluttering their stores and removing visual branding. They asked brands such as Levi’s, Crème De La Mer and Marmite to remove their logos in order to be placed in their Quiet Shop with other minimalist fashion designs (figure 24). As well as having a programme of classical music inspirational talks and tranquillity-induced art, Selfridges also set up 10-minute mediation pods and recreated the silence room (figure 24) that was first introduced in 1909 by Harry Gordon Selfridge (Stylus, 2013). Open to the public, the silence room encouraged a where visitors had to leave shoes and 21st Century distractions such as mobile phones and tablets at the door (Selfridges, 2013). This innovation in retail reflects the busy, bombarded lifestyle that we are now facing, offering a quiet, utopian dream with opportunity to find selfactualisation.
mental detox
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accetate
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69 (Figure 24. Selfridges ‘No Noise’ Campaign Moodboard, 2014)
an +idea solution 70
It has never been easier to start a business, but increased selection brings competition, and it is now more important than ever for businesses to attract and retain customers, “it is a battle of perception, focus and marketing” (Conner, 2013). In order to retain these customers, as Darwin first found, it is the most adaptable to change that will survive (see Meier, 2013), and therefore adapting the business to times of change in society will make businesses attractive. Tom LaForge, director of human and cultural insights at Coca-Cola (see Confino, 2013) suggested that brands that succeed in the future would focus on “improving the individual’s wellbeing but also that of others”. Taking the concept of the ‘coffice’, a potential new business will need to focus on the trends and research mentioned in the first part
of this report, making sure that the consumers needs are noticed and accommodated for. On the go living, a busy lifestyle and cluttered marketing means that all brands need to look at how they can help consumers and cut through the clutter. Through communication, Meier (2013) suggests that reputation and word of mouth is the best way to do this. One of Meier’s strategies for 2013 is to create something remarkable. As Seth Godin said (see Meier, 2013) “We live in an era of too much noise, too much clutter, too many choices, and too much spam. … The old ways of marketing simply don’t work anymore. The best way to sell anything these days is through word of mouth—and the only real way to get word of mouth is to create something remarkable.”
The best way to sell anything these days is through word of mouth - and the only real way to get word of mouth is to create something remarkable.” Seth Godin, (see Meier, 2013)
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