HomeSense Promotional Strategy Document

'A Sense of Home' #ASenseOfHome #ASOH Promotional Strategy HomeSense Development Plan Georgina Akeroyd

Contents Page The Outlook Executive Summary - 5 Brand Ethos - 6 Narrative and Voice - 6

Current Marketing Strategy Product Line - 7 Market Positioning - 7 Visual Merchandising - 8 Website Design and Function - 8 Current Social Media - 9-11 Target Market Dissemination - 12

Promotional Strategy Outline - 15-16 Intended Aims - 17 Considerations - 18 LDF relevance - 18 7P’s Marketing Analysis - 19-20 Media Coverage - 21-22 Press Pack - 23-24

Social Media Strategy Social Media Strategy Outline - 27-28 Questions - 28 Social Media Content Examples - 29-30

Website launch Wireframes 31- 42

The Time Lines Pre Event - 44- 46 During Event 47-48 Post Event 49-50

Executive Summary This strategy launches the re-brand of HomeSense, utilising a new website, a trend publication and an installation event to disseminate the brand name around the UK, whilst awakening it's reputation and revived aesthetic. The strategy is tailored to maximise reach to HomeSense UK's current and future consumers.

This proposed Promotional Strategy document works in conjunction with the Creative Strategy document to provide insight into the details of the redevelopment plan for brand HomeSense.

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Brand Ethos HomeSense pride themselves on giving back to the community. As a grounded and personable brand, they are passionate about being a responsible retailer and follow a four stage commitment plan: "We have four commitments: to the communities where we live and work; to our current and future associates; to our vendors and business partners in our supply chain; and to the environment, which we have a responsibility to preserve and protect for future generations."- HomeSense responsibilities Their whole business strategy focus' on their consumers, in order to provide their audience with discounted, on trend, high quality produce. Their stock ranges from designer to multicultural treasures, providing an extensive range of products that are ever evolving.

An exclusive shopping experience is offered as a direct result of limited stock availability. HomeSense retain this exclusivity by only providing the opportunity to make purchases in-store. This eliminates direct orders from being placed, fitting with the concept based around buying once in a lifetime products.

They have utilised their current brand status to promote charitable causes like Sports Relief and The Princes Trust to name a few. This development process, plans to reintroduce HomeSense as a brand, widening their attainable audience, gaining market share, increasing footfall and sales. Delivering this enhanced level of brand development is new to HomeSense and has not been attempted since the establishment of the brand. The result will impact positively on their future charitable campaigns, reaching out to a much wider audience.

Narrative and Voice One of the elements that remains unaffected during the re-branding of HomeSense, is their tone of voice when communicating with their customers. The relaxed tone provides an 'up to date' initial impression. The refreshed aesthetic is designed to express this. This project aims to highlight this relaxed tone as a constant throughout all created media's, building the brand understanding, associations and reputation along the way.

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Current Marketing Strategy Product Line HomeSense currently sell discounted branded homewares. Differentiating between large furniture pieces through to accessories such as photo frames, books, toiletries and gifts. Their stock is appealing to the mainstream market, who shop on the high-street but desire exclusiveness.

Implementing this redevelopment plan will provide HomeSense with the opportunity to maintain their current market audience and begin to reach out to a new one.

(Figure 1 and 2 HomeSense Facebook images)

Market Positioning As explained in the Creative Strategy research pages 13 and 14, the interior homewares market is growing rapidly. This rapid growth opens up a route for HomeSense to gain a market share at a prime time for the interior industry.

HomeSense have a uniqueness within the nature of their business and benefit from not having any direct competitors, see Creative Strategy, pages 17 and 18 for more detail.

There are a limited number of companies, whose concepts solely promote homewares, that are reminiscent of the HomeSense brand. This lack of competition means there is a gap in the market that HomeSense should aim to capture.

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The Current Visual Merchandising The store is the only physical place the customers can interact fully with the HomeSense brand. HomeSense have strategically applied a simplistic theme throughout the in-store structure, allowing the products to speak for the themselves.

This demonstrates the faith that HomeSense have in their stock to represent the brand.

Internal perimeter walls retain a fresh, clean look, represented with a cream base, an element of HomeSense Green and the occasional feature wall cladded with wood.

The internal open-plan space is maintained, to create an adaptable area to best showcase the rotating stock. The purpose of this simple visual merchandising method allows the products to be the prominent focal point, in contrast to the low key structures they are displayed upon.

(Figure 3 and 4 HomeSense Facebook images) (Figure 3 and 4 HomeSense Facebook images)

Website Functionality The current website is not fully maintained and provides an abundance of opportunity for improvements to be made. Currently there is a limited selection of information and the website is not utilised to its full advantage. Moving forward it is essential that the support is in position to fulfil the needs of the planned expansion of provision. As HomeSense are entering more intense collaboration with Social Media platforms, the need for this maintenance is imperative to deliver the smooth launch as expected.

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Current Social Media

In recent years HomeSense have made a conscious effort to invest in their marketing strategy. The objective to secure a increased awareness of the brand name and concept of the company.

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Their most prominent platforms remain as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. These are still in the formative stages and need to be utilised more effectively to reap the rewards within their sales. Detailed below is an in-depth Social Media matrix for HomeSense.

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Social Media Matrix Analysis Although a clear attempt has been made to begin to create interaction and conversation online, the delivery of this isn’t as successful as it could be, as highlighted on the Matrix table. It is clear HomeSense need to focus on their own brand awareness, and increase their audience reach as a priority to advance the business. This development project will take a pro-active step towards this.

Facebook is their most established Social Media platform. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter dominate the mass of mainstream consumers, who choose to socialise online. Creating a promotional plan, which focuses on these platforms, will initially begin to establish a connection with the consumers HomeSense needs, in order to pro-actively increase its awareness. The result of this strategy will provide HomeSense with a deeper understanding of their consumers and their online habits. Once understood this newly gained knowledge can be applied effectively to alternative social media platforms.

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Target Market Dissemination Plan The project will reach out to a wider audience. It will aim to connect with the most influential people in the design industry and will benefit from being able to capture them all in one place. HomeSense should leave a lasting positive impression that will have a valuable impact on their progression and market share. The diagram detailed below symbolises the increased reach that this project will have and how this will disseminate to both the current and potential market.

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Outline This project is focused on the re-branding of HomeSense. All planned promotions will disseminate a clarified concept, applying a new look within each outlet. The promotional aspects of this re-brand are crucial for the success of the brand and require meticulous delivery to be beneficial and establish the desired effect for the business. Please refer to Project Details section in the Creative Strategy for the outline details. (Pages 27-48) #ASenseOfHome is the campaign for the revival of interior brand HomeSense. It will exhibit Homesense's new aesthetic and pro-actively promote their exciting interactive consumer focused brand.

Utilising this major change in the company at a pivotal time, delivers the first steps to expansion. All promotional elements of the project will support the launch of the re-brand, increase awareness and encourage online traffic directly towards the new website. The new and old consumer relationships will be nurtured throughout the process. The staff that consumers interact with at the event and in-store will be reintroduced as Sense Associates. They will deliver a high level of customer service and provide a physical interaction with the consumer as the face of the brand.

Below is a break down of the promotional elements of the development plan.

Installation

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• The installation will launch the new look of the Re-brand.

• The location of the installation has been selected in order to reach a new target audience of elite creative curators (see page 10 of Creative Strategy document) who will to disseminate awareness through their active social media platforms, reaching out to new consumers.

• The installation event will instigate desired attention and create a talking point to initiate conversation online and offline between the general public and the most influential industry professionals.

• The use of the event is to generate online conversations and maximise awareness within the mass market of their current competitors.

• The event is an opportunity to build a relationship between the brand and its consumer, gaining contact details of industry professionals and consumers for use post event.

• Promote social media following.

• An Installation Event Guide will be provided on entrance to the event, this will inform the attendee of the key features of the experience and how they can gain maximum benefit from the visit.

• The installation will be staffed by Sense Associates, who will be provided with uniform aprons to be easily recognisable by prospective and current consumers.

The aprons will be colour coded relative to each trend, to display the staff members choice of their ‘sense of home’ room and trend. This will provide a connection and talking point for consumers.

Website • Supports and displays the launch of the re-brand.

• Allows intensified interaction with the brand through the inspiration portal.

• Launches the live Snapchat stream - encouraging people to download Snapchat and visit the website to discover the promoted hype.

• Increase understanding of clarified concept.

• Inspire people to shop at HomeSense, increasing footfall and sales.

• Promotion of Social Media platforms.

• All platforms will be utilised pre, during and post event. The three most utilised platforms will outperform any of the others featured. Please see Social Media Matrix Table for more details (pages 9 and 10)

Trend Publication • The Trend Publication will support the launch of the re-brand in its visual aesthetic.

• Increase interaction with the brand offline and offer intelligence as a reward for supporting the brand.

• Available to order online for home delivery, free of charge. This method of despatch is appropriate for ensuring the publications are strategically controlled in their distribution. This will also provide exclusivity through this direct interaction.

• Prompt a reactive response with people to keep in touch with HomeSense.

• Inspire to be creative and shop the HomeSense way to achieve the individuality craved.

• Building a relationship between consumer and brand, clarifying the concept of HomeSense embracing individuality.

Competition Outline A competition will be generated through the use of the Snapchat videos created in response to the snapchat questions, submitted to the Live Story by the HomeSense 'A Sense Of Home' visitors. Three videos from each day of the event, will be shortlisted and revealed on the 27th September, in order for the brand to maintain post event interaction with both the new and existing consumers online. The snappers will be in with a chance of winning £500 worth of gift vouchers and £50 for the 4 runners up. One lucky voter will also receive a £50 gift voucher as an incentive for people to interact with the brand.

The attendees must be following HomeSense on Social Media so they are able to track them down and award the prize.

Measuring Success • The key elements of this project are applied to increase awareness of HomeSense.

The objective is to maximise reach of their current target markets and explore new ones.

• Success will be ultimately measured through an increase in post project sales and footfall in-stores.

• HomeSense's Social Media and online awareness should be measure through heightened online conversation, interactions with the brand platforms and their Social Media following.

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Intended Aims To increase awareness of the brand to its current and wider audience • • • • •

Establish a clear connection with the use of Social Media strategies.

Encouraging industry professionals to embrace the concept.

Reinvention of the logo.

Launch of the new website.

Clarifying the concept.

To clearly communicate the brand concept including; Ethos, Voice, Intentions and Reputation • Keep a consistent voice throughout all media.

• Clarify the concept in a succinct fashion through all outputs.

• Ensure all interaction with consumers is fuelled by the brand ethos, whether the communication be online or through the Sense Associates available in-store or at the event.

To increase Social Media following and positive online conversation

• Encourage support though media.

• Encourage following on Social Media at the event for successful functionality of the event.

• Ensure consumers are aware of the importance of interacting with the social media platforms in order to take advantage of the savings and inspirational content.

• Demonstrate how the brand currently fits into their lives and how it can be of benefit to them.

To inspire consumers to utilise the website for inspiration.

• Encourage traffic towards the Homepage using Social Media's and events.

• Present the Website Homepage as the base for HomeSense, replacing the use of the current Facebook page.

• Post teasers of the content onto Social Media.

• Remind the consumer to complete the registration process featured on the webpage, in order to receive a copy of the Trend Publication.

To increase sales by 5% before 2018

• Through promoted media's and increased awareness, sales and footfall in-stores will increase.

• Competitions in-store will promote footfall.

• Inspire consumers through the influential content and trends.

• Push exclusivity and desirability of stock to consumers.

To increase their market share by 8% before 2018

• By promoting the exclusivity element by only offering the shopping experience in-store.

• The unique approach provides a refreshing change to the usual shopping experience.

• Through a combined increase in awareness and sales.

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Considerations It is essential that the key considerations within the promotional strategy are adhered to in order to achieve optimal success of the event. • Retain the HomeSense voice throughout all media and interactions with consumers, using the most proactive and effective language. • Keep the current consumer needs at the forefront to ensure they are not neglected in the process of expanding and maximising reach. • Aim to inform consumers of how HomeSense already fits into their lives and inspire them to be individual.

London Design Festival Campaign Relevance

The promotional pack featured in the Creative Strategy (Page 43) is a benefit package for choosing to become a partner of London Design Festival. This includes essential promotion of the event, that will be incorporated within the Tent and SuperBrand event at no extra cost. The extra Social Media promotion will allow HomeSense to advertise the event and competition in order to attract the necessary crowds of industry professionals, press and ideal consumers of elite creative curators. This will give the visitors an idea of what to expect at the event and ensure that people don't overlook it.

All visitors will be made aware for our destination and existence at the event through the feature in the London Design Festival Guide and online via their website.

Aim: to attract the most appropriate visitors and press to the event, to expand awareness and maximise use of the event.

LDF is renowned for forward thinking brands and the most innovative 'creatives' to be united together and celebrated in one place. To allow HomeSense to be considered as a serious contender in the market, this event will provide the opportunity for HomeSense to exhibit their professionalism and refreshing shopping experience in conjunction with the biggest design festival in the UK. Aim: to reach out to a new more creative audience, who can capture the trend of exclusivity and essentially help the growth of the HomeSense concept.

(Figure 5and 2 London Design Festival)

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7P's Promotional Marketing Analysis Product

• The product is aimed at HomeSense's current customers. It is also being publicised towards the new industry elites that it has so far failed to reach.

• Customers will benefit from a greater understanding of the brand concept.

• Increasing awareness of the unique ' Get it before its gone' selling point, making an intense connection with consumers.

Price

• The Trend Publication will be initially introduced free of charge to customers of HomeSense.

• The project is based on a 'loss leader' strategy where HomeSense will benefit from the investment by means of increased footfall into their stores, ultimately rewarding HomeSense with a sales driven increased turnover.

Promote

• The project uses establishments such as the London Design Festival, where our event is featured.

• Features within industry relevant magazines and blogs for the consumer. These articles will be targeted invites to encourage attendance at the event and in-store.

The aim to attend and experience the refreshing new aspect that the brand has to offer.

• HomeSense will venture into unknown territory using Snapchat as a promotional technique at the event using a Geo-filter to maximise reach to people in the surrounding area of the location. This will be in addition to the usual Social Media platforms.

Place

• The event installation will feature some of HomeSense's products in context to the trend published as part of Spring Summer 2017 inspirations. Five of each item will be available to purchase throughout the event. Once these items are sold there will be no further replenishment at the event.

• POS in store will be designed to include the new branding elements. These will be displayed in-store, heightening the consumer experience.

• The Trend publication will have accessible portals to 'sign up' on the website, instore and at the event, covering both online and offline options. The publication will be mailed to the customers home address for convenience.

• Products will remain displayed as normal in-store.

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People

• All HomeSense staff have a very approachable and willing demeanour. This is a requirement throughout all aspects of HomeSense, and is an essential characteristic for employees to hold.

• The staff are to encompass brand knowledge, interpersonal skills and have an aptitude to deliver a quality service.

• The event will establish the role of the Sense Associate and how important their role will play in contributing to the success of the re-brand and reputation of HomeSense.

Processes

• Snapchat the Social Media platform will record the customer experience at the event.

• The website of HomeSense will be reinvented with a new outlook but will remain operating on the existing server. The current provision is user friendly and has an acceptable speed but is visually unappealing.

• Trend publication will deliver an offline inspirational element for customers.

• There is a clear brand concept in all outputs.

• The combination of the Installation and Trend Publication provide the event attendees with exclusive intelligence and insight into forthcoming trends of 2017.

Physical Evidence

• HomeSense stock only quality products. The re-branding will reflect this quality approach.

• Adapting the look during the re-brand will include changing the logo to match the updated concept.

• Trend publication creates an established reputation.

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Media Coverage Although LDF will provide some coverage of press and trade from the industry. In order to ensure HomeSense have gained maximum reward from this event they will directly invite specific media and press by means of a press pack delivered via email or post.

The press pack will contain: A Press Release, background of the brand, contact details and an Installation Event Guide. This Media coverage will expose the brand and gather honest opinion about HomeSense's re-branded concept, stock and production of the event. Below is a collection the of bloggers that will be invited to the event for coverage within their blogs.

Pressision Creative Print and Finishing, industry printers will make posts in their blog, during the run up and event, informing their extensive clientele of their involvement.

Interior Bloggers Confessions of a design Geek This award winning blog was established in 2010 by Katie Treggiden Mad about the House This effective blog is run and maintained by Kate Watson-Smyth, Interior Stylist.

Love Chic Living This interior and Accessory focused blog is run and maintained

by Jen Stanbrook in her role as author.

Abigail Ahern Recognised amongst design aficionados and devotees, Abigail Ahern’s blog is still one of the most influential interior design blogs out there.

Home Shopping Spy Michela Colling, Ideal Homes Style Editor, promotes this blog.

Design Hunter Helen Powell launched this luxury focused blog in 2009 to promote the company’s discounted branded stock.

Detailed examples of the range of blogs to be invited are displayed above.

The guest list is not limited to these. In way of thanks to the blogger, HomeSense will be willing to maintain these established relationships and work with the bloggers after the event, for example: providing them stock when necessary for shoots or their jobs.

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Printed Media’s Magazines will produce coverage of the event to industry insiders and their established following, who are HomeSense’s target market.

Elle Decor

House and Garden

Ideal Home

House to Home

Good-housekeeping

Home and Design

Dezeen

Living etc

Wallpaper* The guest-list is not limited to these.

Figure 6 and 7: Google Images

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Press Pack: The effectiveness of the press pack will be measured through the responses HomeSense receives, requesting more images and coverage detail for the event.

The effectiveness of the directly invited guests will be measured through the amount of conversation generated.

These will impact on people attending the event and shopping at HomeSense post launch.

The press pack will include: • Press Release • Brief background on HomeSense • An Event Guide to provide the details of the event.

• Event guide visual providing an insight (see Event Guide for more details) • An invitation to the event.

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All visuals created by Georgina Akeroyd

Press Release

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Social Media Strategy The Social Media element of the strategy plays a key role in the delivery of the Promotional Strategy. All posts and interaction with the consumers should present themselves as effortless, even though they are meticulously planned. The strategy will develop a community feel amongst the followers of HomeSense.

Aims

• Increase equal interaction and following for Homesense across it's three main platforms.

• Attract and retain the younger consumers through utilising the platform with a pro-active approach.

• Embed the #ASenseOfHome hash-tag within all media pre, during and post event.

Regular content will be posted as normal but will increase reach by consideration being given to the timing of the planned postings. Using the peak usage times as a guide of when to post the content. As the strategy solely focuses on HomeSense UK, there is no necessity to consider time zones in this process.

According to Zephoria Digital Marketing '18 to 24 year old log onto facebook first thing on a morning' and '24-35 year olds have the highest traffic between 1-3pm on an afternoon’. Also Social Media see an increased usage on a Thursday and Friday.

(Zephoria Digital Marketing. 2016) What this means for HomeSense • HomeSense should post a minimum of once during the morning between 7-8 am maximising reach to their younger audience.

• HomeSense should increase the number of posts during 1 and 3 pm maximising reach to their current mass market audience.

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

This project will strategically build on utilising Social Media as an impactive platform to effectively interact with consumers. Improving their following will in turn, translate into inspired awareness and sales.

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The primary basis of a Social Media concept needs to be effective and functional before a brand can pro-actively branch out onto other platforms. As displayed on pages 9 and 10 HomeSense have a nearly seven times as many followers on Facebook, than on their second most used platform Instagram. It is essential to ensure that all Facebook followers disseminate information additionally via Twitter and Instagram.

This will be achieved through cross connecting the content of the three platforms, each one promoting the other two platforms. In order to successfully maximise their current audience and capture the new one as planned, reaching out through Instagram and Twitter, will begin to engage a heightened interaction with the brand and their current consumers. This interaction should develop and encourage a community feel for the followers of the brand. This will be created via the process of reposting items within the user groups.

Snapchat One of the key focus' of the promotional strategy is to increase awareness of their three primary platforms detailed previously. Alongside this, Snapchat will be utilised as a main platform. As detailed in the Creative Strategy (page 39), Snapchat are leading the video Social Media platform. The collaboration provides a functional element to the installation that also increases HomeSense's following on the platform. This will provide a base following for HomeSense supported by the people who attend the event. The video coverage can also be utilised across other platforms.

A live Hash-tag of #ASenseOfHome will take over all HomeSense's Social Media platforms and translate the project into a measurable campaign.

Measuring Success The success of this promotional strategy will be analysed through the use of Google Analytic. Searching for the hash-tag, key words will provide HomeSense with an idea of how much conversation has been generated and the topics that are being discussed.

The quality of the Snapchat usage and response of interaction will provide a strong gauge for HomeSense.

In addition to an increased following on Social Media, consumers opinion and reactions to the brand in tweets, images and status's would provide an honest response.

Questions For The Exhibition Questions will be presented for consumers to answer, as an opportunity for interaction with the brand during the installation. Below is an example of the types of questions that will be selected and prompted on the day, in order to gauge the best responses from the consumers.

Offline at the event ..

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What was your favourite part?

Which was your favourite pattern?

What is your ‘most desired’ item from each room?

Which room is your ‘a sense of home’?

Online ..

• What is your sense of home?

• What does ‘home’ mean to you?

• How will the customer get to interact with the questions?

Aim:

• To initiate interactions and conversation during the event and online.

• To ensure consumers follow the Social Media brand and will still be reached post event.

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Social Media Content Examples Snapchat Prior to the event the ‘A Sense Of Home’ Live Story will feature: • Setting up the event.

• Sneak peaks video and imagery that can be utilised across all platforms.

• Deliveries to the location.

The Snapchat style videos will create an intriguing insight into the event but will also retain enough mystery to still encourage the consumers to come and visit. They will provide a deeper consumer connection to the event as they can visualise the build and feel more involved in the experience.

Enticing content will be posted on all three platforms in order to generate excitement for the re-brand launch, attendance at the event and intrigue into the Trend Publications. It is important not to give too much away to the consumers. Below are some examples of posts and visuals, that will coincide along with the usual HomeSense posts.

We've got something special planned

A Countdown

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We’re having a makeover!

Spring Summer 2017

Patterns and images of sneak peaks, including GIF’s and films for website.

Competition Promotion

All visuals created by Georgina Akeroyd

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New Website Wire Plan

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This is the new website Wireframe outlining the structure. It details the functions and navigation. Please see Interactive PDF for visual example.

All visuals created by Georgina Akeroyd

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Pre-Launch Time Line From July London Design Festival (LDF) announce partnership on website as part of their contract.

HomeSense Announce via Social Media platforms ‘We’ve got something special planned’ at LDF and post this on the News section of the website. Advising to continue checking the website for updates.

The Press and Media/Bloggers will be directly informed of the re-brand and launch event through the professionally packaged press pack via email or post.

London Design Festival and Tent and SuperBrand feature HomeSense’s event on their website.

From August - 6 weeks to go #ASenseOfHome hash-tag is launched across all Social Media platforms.

The event is featured in LDF Itinerary and Guide.

In-store advertisements of flyers placed into bags when purchasing from 4 weeks before the event.

Snapchat download encouraged and collaboration revealed with 4 weeks to go.

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Count down of weeks begins at ‘4 Weeks to go’ . #HomeSense #ASenseOfHome All interaction featuring HomeSense from LDF will be reposted onto all HomeSense platforms.

We’ve got something special planned posts begin weekly. #ASenseOfHome

September - 2 weeks to go All Social Media will become dominated by teasers of trends, countdowns and sneak previews of event/re-branding Pressision will post on their blog about their involvement.

HomeSense will promote the post on Social Media.

HomeSense promote following all platforms, so they don’t miss anything. Including promotion to download Snapchat.

Encouraging ticket sales of London Design Festival (LDF) to ensure attendance at the installation.

The competition details are revealed on the website and Social Media’s

Sneak Previews of set up posted to all media’s

HomeSense will be replying and engaging with people discussing the #Homesense and #LDF conversations

One day to go - Snapchat launch the live story and Geo-Filter posting content containing the event set up and sneak previews.

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During Launch Time Line 22nd-25th September 2016 Day One HomeSense announce via Social Media platforms ‘The day is finally here’ Launch of re-brand and event dominates Social Media.

POS in-store is adapted to read ‘We’ve had a makeover’ tell us what you think via Social Media.

Advertisement of the launch event details are presented on all platforms, encouraging physical interaction with the brand.

All conversation including the #ASenseOfHome is responded to on each platform by means of reposts and replies.

Posts advising consumers to Check out our Snapchat live story ‘A Sense of Home’ launched on Social Media.

Trend Publications will be available to order via the website and promoted on Social Media.

Promotion of limited potential purchases from the installation are delivered by the Sense Associates (staff).

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Snapchat entries are short-listed to three by the HomeSense team for the competition.

Website goes live and an E-newsletter post is sent informing current consumers of the re-brand , detailing a preview of the website and link.

Link to website is posted across all platforms every hour throughout the day. Post encourages people to visit the website to preview both the brand and live steaming of the event.

Reminders of the competition will be posted every hour throughout the day.

The videos created though the Snapchat App will be selected and posted as content on all platforms.

Questions as described on page!!!! will be posted on Facebook and Twitter to initiate conversation online with consumers who are not present at the event.

Promotion of Trend Publication orders at the event are delivered by the Sense Associates. The publications are featured in each room to increase understanding and provide intelligence of the trends.

The days ‘best bits’ will be posted on all platforms to heighten awareness of the remaining days.

Day Two and Three All of the promotional elements are repeated as presented in the Day One time-line, except for the following changes.

The Trend Publication is advertised via the E-Newsletter and a link to the website to sign up is attached.

The Trend Publication is advertised 5 times throughout the day. As the re-brand launch day is complete, this will provide alternative content to continue engagement.

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Post Launch Considerations E Newsletter

A personalised thank you for attending E-newsletter will be sent out on the 26th September, the day after the event finishes. The audience reach of these emails will be more effective due to the increase in consumer email addresses obtained

by HomeSense at the event from people who ‘signed up’ and provided their email address in order to receive a Trend Publication.

The email will include an invitation to vote in the competition for their favourite shortlisted video via the website. It will also provide encouragement to visit the store and experience the new seasonal trends first hand.

The Trend Publication

The publication will now become the focal point for offline interaction with the brand, that is in addition to shopping in-store. This will continue to be promoted via the means of: • A weekly E-newsletter with sign up website link attached for the following two months.

• Enticing visual posts exhibiting the publication via Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

• Reposting of consumer opinions, status' and images online to show the target market what they are missing out on.

• The Trend Publication will be included in the three week long pop up that opens on the website.

• In-store will be ‘sign up’ advertisements with the link to the website for physical customers to be able to experience the brand too.

Competition

Although the event and launch is complete, the competition will provide continued interaction with the brand, building up the desired rapport.

The competition will be launched on Tuesday 27th September at 3pm revealing the short-listed videos onto the website voting page. Each video will also be posted on all the primary Social Media platforms, with a link to the voting page, driving traffic onto the new website.

The competition provides an opportunity for both attendees of the event and HomeSense consumers to engage with the brand and experience its new aesthetic.

This competition will lengthen the event promotions and continue to build on the newly formed relationships.

HomeSense’s Snapchat account will now post features of the behind the scenes of events, store launches, new products and more, keeping the connection with their new younger audience and elite creative curators.

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Sales and Customer Care The Trend Publications and all completed sales at the event will be sent out to the consumer as agreed with the external delivery service.

Future Development • The continuation of trend publications will be dependant on the success of this event. A charge will be considered if HomeSense do not generate enough engagement with the publication.

• HomeSense have a potential opportunity to upgrade their visual merchandising in-store to something tailored to them. It will still need to be adaptable although could encompass more style to match the modernised look.

• Expansion of the brand into home accessory themed city centre stores, will increase their consumer engagement and in turn will allow them to gain more of the market share. This opportunity should be considered dependant on the success of the rebrand and the reaction Homesense have had.

• HomeSense should aim for a minimum annual 4% increase in sales in order to continue their growth.

• There is great potential to continue to expand HomeSense’s Social Media platforms by investing in more campaigns that focus on alternatives like Pinterest and YouTube to enhance online presence.

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Images References Figure 1 and 2 - HomeSense Facebook images - https://www.facebook.com/myhomesense/photos Figure 3 and 4 - HomeSense Facebook images - https://www.facebook.com/myhomesense/photos Figure 5 - London Design Festival - http://www.londondesignfestival.com Figure 6 and 7 Google Images - https://www.google.co.uk/ Text References Zephoria Digital Marketing (2016) https://zephoria.com/top-15-valuable-facebook-statisticssearch

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A Sense Of Home