Jade Storey BA Honours Visual Merchandising and Promotional Design Honours Project Design Book
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project has been long and testing. I would not of been able to achieve the level of work that I have without the advice, guidance and support of the people around me - Thank you all. My tutors over the past three years; Colette Mawdsley, Angela O’Brien, Pete Clayton and Pete Taylor. My wonderful family: for being models, agony aunts, nurses, feeders and occasional punching bags. My lovely models: Kim Thompson (beautiful Mum!) Adam Brown (model/supportive boyfriend) Thomas Clarke (cutie Nephew) Imogen Webb (cutie Cousin) Molly Megan Carroll (my bride and actual bride-to-be) Croxteth Hall Little Red Vintage / Bold St Bridal Chaira Ferragni - fashion blogger Amy Faith - fashion photographer/blogger and finally, my supportive student friends.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 6 WHAT IS DEBENHAMS 10? 8 DEBENHAMS 10 BLOGGERS 10 LOCATION 32 THE WINDOWS 34 WINDOW ELEMENTS 36 INDIVIDUAL WINDOWS 38 OUTER SCREEN STEP BY STEP
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THE MERCHANDISER 42 MERCHANDISER ELEMENTS 44 MERCHANDISER STEP BY STEP
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PROMOTIONAL CARRIER BOX
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APP STEP BY STEP 50 GUERILLA MARKETING 1 54 GUERILLA MARKETING 2 56 GUERILLA MARKETING 3 58
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INTRODUCTION This concept is the outcome of copious hours spent scrolling through pages of beautifully styled, self confessed “fashionistas” - and finding myself completely engrossed in their world. My interest in the blogosphere first errupted when I was just 15 and studying artistic makeup. I was looking online for inspiration and came across the website “Tumblr”. I havn’t looked back since. I discovered the world of Fashion Blogging just as I started my Foundation Degree in Visual Merchandising and Promotional Design at the age of 20. The specific style of these blogs appealed to me and made my course relevant to me on a personal level. The blogs allowed me to understand the importance of product presentation and the kind of impact simple details can create. Bloggers are the future of fashion promotion.
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WHAT IS DEBENHAMS 10? The aim of this project is to bridge the gap between online fashion promotion and the ever deteriorating high-street. Debenhams’ target market is 35- to 55-yearolds of both sexes however, when you look at some of the brands Debenhams showcase as individual stores, the target audience doesn’t seem to fit. Older shoppers, hard hitting sales people and busy Blue Cross sales are not what the younger generation want to experience when they enter a store. Even Mary Portas who falls into the higher age category says; “You walk through the ground floor and it’s, ‘Could I just interest you in…?’, chasing and spraying you. I’d have to be dead to go into Debenhams.” This proves that even Debenhams’s current audience are beginning to lose interest in the brand.
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Luxury brands have been using fashion bloggers as a personable form of promoting their products since 2002. Their reasons behind using this advertising tactic is simple, using “real� people rather than models allows the consumer to relate and feel confident that they too, can wear those clothes. I, personally have been a part of the blogosphere since 2005 - when fashion blogging first came into its own. I have experienced first-hand, how these bloggers can influence brand identity and purchases.
I intend to revive Debenhams by utilising bloggers via a creative social platform. This will draw the younger, online target audience to the high street and in turn entice current Debenhams shoppers online.
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DEBENHAMS 10 BLOGGERS The Debenhams 10 bloggers are not only used for promotional images - they would review products, predict trends and give advice. The idea of the Debenhams 10 bloggers is that they would act as an insider on the world of fashion on the high street. There would be a new post from each blogger every week, this would keep the blogs up to date with current trends and constantly enticing. The bloggers would reflect Debenhams as a brand, so they would need to be a range of ranges, ages, sizes and genders. The people I chose as my bloggers are completely ddifferent from each other, fitting in perfectly with my concept. The following images were taken by myself in various locations throughout Liverpool.
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LOCATION Liverpool ONE offers a multitude of high profile stores with more than 160 famous high street shops, fresh fashion brands, cool independent boutiques, cafĂŠs and restaurants in the heart of the city centre. Debenhams Liverpool ONE has a brand new purpose built store occupying 185,000sq ft of space, with entrance points from North John St, the new Centre, the park and the 2000 space car park. Store Services; Alteration services Personal shopper Wedding gift service Carry to car Free bra fittings service Telephone ordering service Gold card locker room Store card
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THE WINDOWS Although my concpet is mainly digital based, I wanted to mix the old and new into the window displays. Obviously there is a strong digital element but the core aspects of the window are more traditional. I decided to use the five window spaces along the Church St side of Debenhams, Liverpool as this particular space feels detached from the rest of the Liverpool ONE complex. There are also a lot of people around here, more shops are opposite as well as a row of busy bus stops - meaning that these windows would get attention not only from passers-by but also from people using public transport. I feel the initial simplicity of these windows is intreuging and as you come closer, this is when you discover the interactive, modern edge.
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WINDOW ELEMENTS To make this concept a sustainable one, I have used both recyclable and hard waring materials in the window displays. This reduces cost, is eco friendly and this benefits the struggling high street. Rather than manequins, I decided to use cardboard cut-outs of my bloggers. This may seem unusual, but it means that they can be changed weekly in an affordable and “green� mannar. Allowing these windows to evolve along aside the bloggers. Th angled back wall is made from a hard waring chipboard. There is no iteraction with this element - this means it is a one off purchase. The 5 digital screens are where the money goes, but advanced technology allows these screens to be eco friendly without sacrificing the impact.
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INDIVIDUAL WINDOWS To mirror the individuality style and fashion bloggers posses and take pride in, each individual window is slightly different. Each has its own colour scheme to continue on from the online blog posts. These images show the windows, as individuals and closer up than the full panoramic images. Here you can clearly see the difference in colour schemes and also the height of the bloggers. Even though the cardboard cut-outs in the two childrens windows are significantly smaller than the others, I feel this gives a more childlike feel to their space. Bloggers are all about personalbility. The use of colour and continuing the window onto the outside (where it is interactive), just emphasises it.
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OUTER SCREEN STEP BY STEP Interactivity is a key aspect in every day life. It it embedded in our subconcious how to use a smart phone or tablet and I have taken advantage of this in my interactive screens. I wanted to really put emphasis on the online element of this concept, using these interactive screens was the perfect opportunity. Although this factor is important, I do not want to distract from the high street - so I found a comfortable medium. Limiting passers-by to only view a few blogger images and give a sample of that weeks blog post would give them enough interest to explore both online and in store.
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THE MERCHANDISER When it comes to bringing this concpet in store, I wanted to do it in a way that would make a memorable impact but still not take full attention away from the store. The inspiration for the design of the merchandiser again, comes from pixels. I decided to make it an off centre, square shape as an average flat square would not be exciting enough to draw attention. These merchandisers would be positioned in each entrance to Debenhams. This is so that not only shoppers entering the store would see it, but it would also act as a final reminder of the blogs to customers leaving the store. The interactive element is also embedded in this deisgn, but in a non obvious way.
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MERCHANDISER ELEMENTS There are many elements that could make this concept eco-friendly or “green”. In this case, as well as being “green” my merchandiser also needs to be durable and visually viable. I decided that the main material used in this structure would be TECCELL-FB. This is a fiber-reinforced, honeycomb material. It is strong, lightweight, impact-resistant and recyclable - everything needed and more. The outerframe, back board, solid bottom section and individual sliding squares would all be made of TECCELL-FB. The back board has the Debenhams 10 logo printed in squares, covering the surface. The purpose of this is for when a square on top is moved, it reveals the logo where ever it has moved from. The square panels are blank until a “decal” sticker image is attached
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MERCHANDISER STEP BY STEP This is where I explain how the public can interact with the merchandisers. I didnt want to bring digital screens in store as you almost expect that now from larger high street shops. Instead of brining technology to the aspect of my design proposal, I decided to allow the public to become more hands on. The merchandiser is based on a missing square puzzle game. The idea is to move the individual squares around to form a whole picture. In this instance, there are four squares that create a large image and the remaining squares display other images from the bloggers photoshoots. Behind each square, on the back wall is the Debenhams 10 logo - meaning that you would see the brand no mater where you moved each square. The Debenhams 10 logo is scannable through the Debenhams 1o app, that is where technology interaction comes into play.
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PROMOTIONAL CARRIER BOX The promotional intention of this carrier box is to create a talking point and also encourage consumers participation in the interactive cycle of this design concept. I felt it was important that shoppers who have investigated into the Debenhams 10 bloggers and have purchased a showcased item, should be rewarded. These carrier boxes are just that. Rather than recieving a common plasic carrier bag, these particular customers would be handed their new outfit in a Debenhams 10 carrier box - This give the instant feel of a gift. Inside the box also gives instrustions on how you can then interact with the online blog and post photos or reviews on various pages.
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APP STEP BY STEP A smart phone, Apple and tablet app was always going to be a necessity to this design proposal. It is the most obvious and well known way to merge the real world and the world wide web. The Debenhams 10 app would be a multifunctional tool. Not only could you shop online and find your nearest store (as you can with the majority of store apps) - you would also be able to connect, socilise and create. Owners of this free app would be able to create blog posts based around Debenhams, and post them to the social networking website of their choice. Using the correct hashtag links, these posts would then automatically connect with the Debenhams 10 blogs.
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Another essential to this app is gaining access to the Debenhams 10 blog itself. On selecting the “Browse Blogs� option, you would then be able to view the blog of your choice by selecting a blogger icon image. You would then be redirected straight to that particular blog where you could comment and share the post on the social media platform of your choice. The most attractive aspect of the app is the image editor and uploader. On selecting the camera icon, you would be able to take a photograph of how you would style an item that is currently being showcased by one of the Debenhams 10 bloggers. The next step comprises of editing the image in the style of the bloggers photoshoot images - this becomes reconisable and fun. The final step would be to upload the image to a selection of social media websites along with the Debenhams 10 blog that your outfit would coinside with.
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GUERILLA MARKETING When it came to figuring out how I would market this new concept, the idea was to create something on a large scale and eye-catching enough for people to investigate through their own initiative. This image shows how the Wall Street entrance to Liverpool ONE would be decorated and appear taken over by the Debenhams 10 brand. This is one of the main entranced to the open air shopping centre and you can clearly see Debenhams as you are walking through it. The large scale Debenhams 10 logo is situated within a display area of the Odeon Cinema. Because of how colourful this image is in contrast to the buildings of Liverpool ONE, you can see how much of an impact it would make. The other element I have added to this area, are the dispursing pixels lining the side of one building. These are vinyl transfers that would attach to the existing brickwork pattern of the building. This builds up the excitment towards the large logo and draws the eye upwards, towards it.
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GUERILLA MARKETING The customisation of the Wall Street entrance to Liverpool ONE acts as only a build up to the main advertsing element. The South John Street shopping area is lined with glass panels that would undergo a facelift. As this shopping centre is open air, there is an unlimited amount of natural light that reaches to most parts of the structure - I decided to use this to its full advantage. The glass panels of the first and second floors would be customised. To create something instantly intreguing and that makes a real memorable impact, I decided to bring some colour to this strip. The panels would have a pixel pattern transfer attached to them, so not only would they create interest on their own, when the light passes through these glass panels colourful reflections would cover the floor of the shopping walkway. This way, each level has a colourful element for shoppers to explore.
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GUERILLA MARKETING Although I have based this concept in the Liverpool ONE branch of Debenhams as an example, there is no reason why this concept couldnt cover other stores around the globe. In this final section of marketing, I looked at where else around the country it could be useful to advertise. Public transport is an obvious choice. Here I have colourised the London Underground with the Debenhams 10 logo along with a long strip of pixels, covering the wall patient travelers would be facing. The idea is that this would cause enough interest for once the commuters exited the station, they would go online and find out more about Debenhams 10.
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Thank you for reading my Honours Project book. To view online or download, please go to: www.issuu.com/jadestorey To keep up to date with my life, visit my personal blog: www.soul-cakes.tumblr.com