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Visual Strategy Guide
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Visual Strategy Guide
Introduction This Visual Strategy Guide is the story of a dying brand—AOL (also known as America Online). Additionally, it will show what the brand is going to stand for in the future.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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BACKGROUND Who We Were
Timeline P.12 Our Old Vision
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P.10
P.14
NEW IDEA Who We Are
P.18
Timeline P.20 Our New Vision
P.22
New Audience
P.24
Competitors P.30
01 BACKGROUND
Who We Were Timeline Our Old Vision
Visual Strategy Guide
Background
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WHO WE WERE AOL is pretty much the oldest Internet startup in town. Founded in 1985 as Quantum Computer Services, by 1997, AOL was providing Internet access to half of America’s homes. Then came the disastrous merger with Time Warner in 2000 and, combined with the rise of Google and networks such as Facebook and YouTube, AOL fell behind and started to fall off marketers’ shopping lists AOL was one of the early pioneers of the Internet in the mid-1990s, and the most recognized brand on the web in the U.S. It originally provided a dialup service to millions of Americans, as well as providing a web portal, e-mail, instant messaging and later a web browser following its purchase of Netscape. At the height of its popularity, it purchased the media conglomerate Time Warner in the largest merger in U.S. history. AOL rapidly declined
Visual Strategy Guide
Background
after that, partly due to the decline of dial-up to broadband. AOL, meanwhile, faces the world shifting toward high-speed Internet connections like those it could get from Time Warner’s cable systems. AOL was eventually spun off from Time Warner in 2009, with Tim Armstrong appointed the new CEO. Under his leadership, the company invested in media brands and advertising technologies. On June 23, 2015, AOL was acquired by Verizon Communications for $4.4 billion, which turned it into a subsidiary. In the following months, AOL also made a deal with Microsoft and acquired several tech properties, including Millennial Media and Kanvas to bolster their mobile ad-tech capabilities.
YOU’VE GOT MAIL 12
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TIMELINE
1983
AOL began was a short-lived venture called Control Video Corporation, founded by Billvon Meister.
1985
Quantum Computer Services, an online services company, was founded and launched a dedicated online service.
Visual Strategy Guide
Background
1989
Quantum changed the service’s name to America Online
1993
AOL added USENET access to its features.
1996
AOL charged its users an hourly fee, and AOL was quickly running out of room in for its network. AOL reaches five million members and introduces flat-rate pricing, the Buddy List and Running Man.
1999
2010
2000
2006
A deal for Map Quest provides the millions of AOL users with Webbased maps
America Online and Time Warner merge.
Buying technology reporting site TechCrunch
America Online formally changes its name and begins offering services for free.
2013
AOL buys video ad company Adapt.tv. This was due to AOL’s online advertising revenue increasing above the rate of falling Internet subscriptions.
2015
Combining culture and code means AOL got clever – time to put them back on your shopping list.
2011
AOL buys The Huffington Post.
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OUR OLD VISION Old//Slow
Visual Strategy Guide
Background
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02 NEW IDEA
Who We Are Our New Vision New Audience Competitors
Visual Strategy Guide
New Idea
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WHO WE ARE Why do we need to change? AOL was the first provider to get an instant connection in the 1990s, but the weaknesses of dialup were too slow and unstable. The most important reason caused failure was that AOL did not improve themselves a lot. Thus, our consumers stop using AOL, and we are forgotten. What is the new AOL about? We keep our goal that helps our consumer create a maintain personal connection and create a new visual system to engage our consumers. Based on the purpose of AOL, our new brand is not online making a connection through the Internet but also going to bring connections into their real life.
Visual Strategy Guide
New Idea
A PLACE TO GO FOR THE BEST CONNECTIONS
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TIMELINE
2016
2017
AOL starts a new mission, creating and then maintain personal connections.
AOL extends itself from search engine to a non profit organization.
2018
AOL Volunteer Center sets up.
Visual Strategy Guide
New Idea
2020
AOL has first restaurant that help their consumers make connections with their friends.
2022
AOL creates outdoor movies to invite families, neighbors, and partners to come and increase their relationship.
2025
AOL wants to help their consumers connect themselves through products.
2030
AOL makes virtual connections through technology.
2026
AOL creates education programs.
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OUR NEW VISION Warm/modern
Visual Strategy Guide
New Idea
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NEW AUDIENCE Major target audience _who would like to keep in touch with their fiends and families _Who wants to make new friends.
Visual Strategy Guide
New Idea
Potential target audience _who wants to have a virtual connection with themselves.
College Student
“Making friendship is the most important thing to be successful in my student life.�
Name: Steve Martin Income: 12,000/year Location: San Francisco Relationship: single Age:21 Gender: Male
Steve is a senior student at University. He is going to move back his hometown, Canada, after his graduation day. Steve wants to collect memories from his student life Steve likes talking with friends, so he goes to lounge bar every Friday night. However, Steve still feels lonely because he needs a relationship with someone rather than talking to strangers. Steve is crazy about horrible movies, but he does not have many friends who are a horrible movie fan. So, he wants to find companions and watch movies together. Steve is a very outgoing person, so he has lots of friends. He is good at talking with new friends, but he wants to know how to keep their friendship for many years.
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Couple in Love “Communication is a key point to succeed in the relationship.”
Name: Olivia Lewis Location: Santa Clara Gender: Female Income:45,000/year Age:28 Relationship: plural
Olivia and her boyfriend have a relationship for five years. They are looking for interesting activities that they can make new memories. Olivia feels awkward when she meets with her boyfriend’s parents because she does not know how to communicate with them. Olivia loves traveling with her partner, but they both are busy and no time to plan their schedule. Olivia wants help that gives her wonderful traveling schedule plans for couples. Olivia is enjoyed in dinner dating with her partner. She always looks for a restaurant that is quiet so that they can have nice talking during the dating.
Visual Strategy Guide
New Idea
Senior “I want to keep the best moment in my life.�
Name: Mary Brown Gender: Female Location: Marin Income:0/year Age:70 Relationship: widow
Mary feels lonely because her grandchildren and children do not live with her. She wants someone who can talk with. Mary is missing her husband. Even though she can not talk with him anymore, she still looks pictures that they took every day. Mary and her children live in different places, so they use Skype to talk frequently. However, Mary is not good at using technology. Mary needs help with connecting with her children in an easy way. Mary is getting old and feels upset because she is afraid that no one will remember her after she passes away. Mary wants to keep something that her children will not forget their happy memories.
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Active Dad “Children is growing so fast and never come back. I won’t miss any moment.”
Name: David Miller Location: Los Angeles Gender: Male Income:50,000/year Age:36 Relationship: Married
David is a delivery driver. Driving is a big part of his job, so he is tired to drive a car after working. He still wants to take his children to somewhere, but he does not have to drive by himself. David has to take care of his kids on the weekend. However, he does not want to stay at home for the whole weekend. He is looking for a place that his family can go together. David is nervous when his children’s birthday is Coming. The reason is that they have different ideas when they prepare the birthday party. David likes to take photos or shoot videos to record his children’s life and shared with others.
Visual Strategy Guide
New Idea
Single Mom “I try to be the best friends with my child, but I also want to go out with my buddies.�
Name: Sophia Smith Location: San Mateo Gender: Female Income:35,000/year Age:38 Relationship: Divorce
Sophia wants to educate her child to understand how to protect the environment, so she brings her to the park, zoo, or lake frequently. Sophia works at home because she needs to take care of her child. Sometimes, she wants to hang out with her friends, but she is a single mom and can not leave her child for a long time. Sophia has two children, 5 and 8 years old. She wants to be the best friend of her kids, so her children can share everything with her. Sophia likes her children to join a summer camp that brings them close nature environment. Moreover, she also has a little break that she can meet her friends.
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COMPETITORS AOL’s current competitors are companies that provide Internet service, such as AT&T. And some companies provide access to communicate with people on-line. AOL’s products are as same as those companies’ product.
It is an instant message which is as same as Aim that AOL provides.
AT&T is an ISP (Internet service provider) that is doing the same service with AOL.
Bing is one of search engines. Consumer can find news, videos, and image. AOL is doing the same service.
Xfinity is also ISP company that is doing the same service as AOL.
Visual Strategy Guide
New Idea
AOL’s future competitors are companies that is about helping people connect environment and other peoples.
Community gives a space for neighbor in order to connect with others. This is what AOL wants to do in the future.
The Camp Kit is a retail store for camping. This is AOL’s future competitor because AOL is going to encourage their consumers connecting with nature.
This is a day care center that parents can take a day off to having a date with their buddies. So, parents have a chance to connect their friends.
Techshop is AOL’s future competitor because AOL wants audience who is unfamiliar technology. They want to learn technology in order to connect with their grandchild.
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Visual Strategy Guide
Background
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Student Project Website_maintainpersonalconnection.com Design tool_Adobe Creative Cloud Typography_Roboto & Industry Resources _Michele Catalano. “Elsewhere: a story of AOL, catfishing and Sarah McLachlan.” _Ken Auletta. The New York Time. “YOU’VE GOT NEWS.” _Chris Matyszczyk. CNET. “More than 2 million people still pay for AOL dial-up.” _Spencer Grover. “What We Can Learn From a AOL’s 1995 Commercial.” _Harry McCracken. “A History of AOL, as Told in Its Own Old Press Releases”