LOCAL ANYWHERE
Embedding Points Of Sales within what exists. Steps: • stratigically select locations • make connections with the local people and resources • embed products within services using existing infrastructure • repeat the process in other locations and achieve new outcomes
Institute of Relevant Studies Agata Jaworska - Giovanni Innella June, 12th 2009
BECOMING LOCAL. DOES DROOG NEED A STORE TO HAVE LOCAL RETAIL PRESENCE? Droog has a global presence. Within a niche, it is known worldwide, it has stores in three major cities and has an online store with worldwide reach. Entering new local contexts can not only expand the audience but also enrich Droog’s content. Doing more with what exists can be a stragegy for expanding retail presence while minimizing investment and fixed costs such as real estate, staff and technology. We propose four new POS formats, which can introduce Droog into different contexts, as alternatives to the physical store and in addition to the online store. The POS proposals merge distribution with exhibition and promotion, which to some extent already is Droog’s strategy. Our proposals acknowledge Droog as a producer of conceptual experiences by embedding products within services.
PRODUCTS SERVICES EXPERIENCE
EXHIBITION
LOCAL ANYWHERE
DISTRIBUTION
PROMOTION
1. OPEN KITCHEN IS A DISTRIBUTED RESTAURANT CONCEPT THAT CAN EXIST IN ONE OR MORE CITIES. IT IS OPERATED BY SELECT LOCALS, BUT SYSTEMIZED BY DROOG. Steps: • Select home owners that can cook, • Superimpose Droog products within the existing interiors and make them available for purchase, • Create an online platform for booking by host, location and menu, hosted by the Droog website, • Consider sponsorship of ingredients. Open Kitchen embeds POS within ordinary homes, which become the backdrop of an authentic restaurant experience. Ordinary (or extraordinary) locals, such as a retiree, a renowned connoisseur or a student become chefs for guests from town or visitors. Guests, whether budget backpackers, global expats, or locals themselves, can make reservations online by selecting the host of their choice, organized by location, specialty and price, and can offer an online rating and review after their meal. The interiors are augmented with select, and possibly new Droog products which are mixed within the existing domestic context, and are available for sale.
2. HOTEL ANYWHERE IS A GLOBAL HOTEL CONCEPT THAT EXISTS WITHIN ESTABLISHED HOTELS.
Steps: • Partner with various strategically located bland hotels, • Superimpose Droog products within the existing interiors of one or more rooms and make them available for purchase, • Keep the rooms open for browsing until booked for overnight stay, • Create an online platform for browsing and booking the rooms, hosted by the Droog website. Hotel Anywhere considers standard hotels as a possible platform for promoting and selling Droog products in various cities. Droog can have one room in various hotels in different cities. Local designers belonging to Droog’s network can select the products and arrange them into the existing interior. One can book the room directly from Droog’s website and guests of the hotel can buy the products directly inside the hotel.
http://www.droog. com/products/furniture/bronto-childs-chair/
3. AUGMENTED STORE EXPANDS THE REACH OF DROOG STORES, EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS BY BRINGING THE EXPERIENCE INTO THE VIRTUAL REALM
Steps: • Shoot a video of a Droog store or event. • Add links to product pages on Droog’s online store to the video. • Upload it on YouTube. • embed it on blogs, in emails, in Droog newsletters and on other sites. Augmented Store is a series of walk-through videos of Droog stores and events. Interactive links allow viewers to link directly to web pages where the specific items can be purchased. This technology is simple, free and existing within the YouTube platform. Video uploaded on YouTube can be searched by users interested in Droog, but they can also be embedded within websites, blogs, and emails targeting a specific audience. The Augmented Store increases the potential customer base and the volume of (virtual) store visitors.
4. INTANGIBLE STORE INCORPORATES REAL LIFE SHOPPING GESTURES WHILE PRESENTING VIRTUAL PRODUCTS. Steps: • Create interactive projections of Droog products as if they were displayed. • Find vacant inexpensive spaces in cities with relevant special events. • Project them horizontally and vertically onto tables, floors and walls within the space. • Create a transaction station for payment. Intangible store projects Droog products in full scale within an empty space, creating an experience of shopping without bearing the costs and risks associated with shipping the actual products. Visitors would tour the store and interact with the products in a naturalistic way, dragging the desired purchases into a virtual shopping cart. Purchase transactions would be made at a check out point in the store. While the items in the store become virtual, the gestures of shopping remain familiar.
from Flickr user Jaako
5. DOWNLOADABLE DESIGN IS A NEW DISTRIBUTION FORMAT BASED ON CONTEMPORARY WAYS OF PRODUCING, CONSUMING AND SHARING. CONSUMERS PURCHASE INTANGIBLE DESIGNS, WHICH REQUIRE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION FOR THEIR COMPLETION. Steps • Select designers to design products that can be made using flat panels and CNC/laser/ water-jet cutting technology. • Create a design website where people can purchase and download the files of the products. • Make partnerships with strategically located manufacturers around the world.
In the 90’s the concept of flat pack arose to minimize transport costs. Contemporary flat pack is a file that one can download anywhere and produce on demand at the local manufacturer using readily available flat panels. Download Design is a concept for distribution merged with local production, inspired by the downloadable music phenomena. Users can download a file by a designer of choice from the Droog website and go to the recommended manufacturer in their region. Official downloads are followed up with a physical mark of authenticity that is mailed to the customer’s home to complete the object.
GIOVANNI INNELLA AND AGATA JAWORSKA GRADUATED FROM IM MASTERS OF THE DESIGN ACADEMY EINDHOVEN. THEY COLLABORATE WITH COMPANIES AND INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS INTERACTION DESIGN LAB, DROOG, NABA AND DESIGN ACADEMY EINDHOVEN AMONGST OTHERS. THEIR PROJECTS HAVE BEEN EXHIBITED AT MOMA NEW YORK, NAI MAASTRICHT AND FUORISALONE IN MILAN.
RELEVANT.STUDIES@GMAIL.COM
0906_local_anywhere© Agata Jaworska and Giovanni Innella, 2009
INSTITUTE OF RELEVANT STUDIES IS A DESIGN PRACTICE FOCUSED ON DOING MORE WITH WHAT EXISTS. MINIMIZING ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND FIXED COSTS, THE IoRS RE-ADAPTS EXISTING RESOURCES AND SYSTEMS OF EXCHANGE TO CREATE AND DISSEMINATE PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL GOODS, SERVICES AND EXPERIENCES. IoRS SEES BUSINESS MODELS AS A FORM OF DESIGN AND EXPRESSION.