Research and Innovation Document

Contents Introduction

5

Overview

9

Place

10

People

16

Product

21

Light Shows

26

Process

28

Promotion

32

Physical Evidence

38

Price

40

Conclusion

41

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This Research and Innovation document details the development of an innovative concept for Covent Garden, that promotes part of the area to increase awareness and attract an identified ‘new’ market. The concept will be justified through the use of the 7 P’s and selected research of Covent Garden, market context and case studies.

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Fig. 1

The focus is on Seven Dials.

Located north of the Piazza, the hidden village is situated in London’s West End, sandwiched between the districts of Soho, Leicester Square and Holborn. ‘Seven Dials, Covent Garden’s only village, brings you seven streets of independent boutiques, heritage brands, quality British labels and indulgent beauty and grooming salons, all carefully selected for modern shoppers with discerning taste.’ (Seven Dials Consumer Guide, 2013: 3). While the current target audience is mature consumers, I believe that Seven Dials has the potential to cater for a younger market due to the mix of retailers, the location of the hidden village and the British quaint atmosphere of the area.

The aim of the innovative concept is to promote the Seven Dials area to increase awareness and to attract a ‘new’ market, which in this case is a younger market, aged 16-25, through an interactive light up fashion event called Light Up Seven Dials.

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Place

Fig. 2

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Seven Dials was the chosen location for the event due to empirical research conducted in the summer, 2013. ‘At the heart of Covent Garden is the market with its quirky craft stalls, boutiques and restaurants. The central piazza has a thriving café culture and is buzzing with outlandish street entertainers and fun events all day, every day.’ (Visit London, 2013). With the bustling atmosphere and high footfall at the piazza, there is a drastic change from Long Acre and down into Neal Street. For a hot summers day in August, the fashion destination was quiet and dull.

Light Up Seven Dials will be held at the Seven Dials and it will run from Friday 24th to Monday 27th October 2014.

The main focuses of the event are the light installations and projections therefore it needs to be dark enough to be able to see the full effect. This is why this time in October has been preferred as the sun begins to set around 5pm. On the 24th October 2013, the sunset was at approximately 5:48pm.

(Time and Date, 2013). The event will conclude at 11pm for consideration of the residents nearby. The seven interactive installations are dotted around the Seven Dials area to drive traffic throughout the narrow cobbled streets, situated between Shaftesbury Avenue, Neal Street, Shelton Street and Tower Street. Light Up Seven Dials can take advantage of this space by spreading the installations out and guiding consumers around the whole area without overcrowding. Seven Dials is located between Holborn, Tottenham Court Road, Covent Garden and Leicester Square station. With three London underground lines available, and walking distance from Charing Cross station, it makes the area easy to travel to, especially during peak hours, which is when the event starts.

While St Martin’s Courtyard and Seven Dials currently share the same potential target market of the ‘modern discerning consumer’ (i-am Beyond, 2010), the event targets a ‘new’ younger market.

This is why St Martin’s Courtyard has not been included in the event because the target audience do not tend to shop in the retailers available in that area such as L.K Bennett, The White Company, Jaegar London and Cos, to name a few.

‘Neale aimed to establish Seven Dials as the most fashionable address in London, following in the footsteps of the successful Covent Garden Piazza development earlier that century.’

(History, 2013). Today Seven Dials has a wide mix of retailers for men and women from high street names such as Urban Outfitters, Superdry and American Apparel, to the best of British with Cro’Jack and Foxhall London. There are also independent boutiques and stores such as The Loft and Vintage Showroom that gives Seven Dials a unique edge. Shoes and accessories vary from Office, Sole and Destiny to The Cambridge Satchel Company, Cath Kidston and Orla Kiely while beauty and grooming range from

Benefit, Kiehl’s and Shu Uemura to Nickel Spa for men, Sassoon Salon and Murdock London. Seven Dials is also the home to a variety of bars, restaurants, hotels and theatres; from pizzas to Indian and Thai, to coffee at Monmouth Coffee Company and a cocktail at Foundation Bar. With the wide mix of retailers Seven Dials is able to compete with Oxford Street and the Piazza in Covent Garden. While a 1625 year old may not usually shop in all the retailers in the area, there are key brands that appeal to the 16-25 year old market such as Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, the Cambridge Satchel Company and Office to name a few. During the event, a few brands are featuring an installation, which highlights where they are in Seven Dials and attracts the consumers to the store, thus making a sale and increasing profit.

The event will run for four evenings. A short four-day event means lower costs to run compared to a two-week event as considerations such as security, pedestrianising the area and extra employees in retailers for the late night shopping, are a few examples that can affect costs. A shorter event will also potentially see a sharp increase in footfall as consumers only have four opportunities to see the event. The idea is to guide new consumers around the

area to show what Seven Dials have to offer in the hope that consumers will return in the future. Moreover, the event also allows an opportunity for more sign ups to the Seven Dials Privilege Card, which is an exclusive scheme that ‘entitles holders to 10% off full price merchandise, menus or services at participating stores, beauty & grooming salons, cafés, restaurants and bars in Seven Dials, Covent Garden.’ (Privilege Card, 2013). This is in addition to gathering more email addresses for future offers and events from Seven Dials and even increasing social media followers and likers.

These increases will allow Seven Dials to contact more consumers in the future to get them returning to the quaint fashion destination.

Seven Dials is full of history and ‘despite some demolition and redevelopment in the 19th and 20th centuries, many of the original buildings still remain and retain original features.’ (History, 2013).

Light Up Seven Dials does not want to hide the history or deface any buildings in the area so through light installations and projections, the event can modernize Seven Dials for four nights without taking away any of its heritage.

By adding advance technology to an area with such history, creates surprise and confounds new and even existing consumers.

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Strengths Increases footfall to the area.

Increases footfall and profits to retailers.

Increases awareness to the small, usually unnoticed, area.

Attracts tourists as well as locals and everyday commuters.

Weaknesses Small quaint area means small event.

Only four days for the event, which can affect those who cannot attend on the specific weekend.

Occasional heavy flow of traffic can pose danger to the audience.

Opportunities Threats Expansion to neighbouring districts if Overcrowding the event is well received, which could Vandalism to the area. mean bigger installations.

Regular visitors to the area post event.

The SWOT analysis details the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of holding the event at the Seven Dials.

From the SWOT analysis there can be solutions to solve the weaknesses and threats to ensure the event runs smoothly and successfully in Seven Dials.

Solutions can include security patrolling the area during the event to control crowds and behaviour. Another could be pedestrianising the area while the event is running to ensure the audiences’ safety, which Seven Dials did before for Shopping Night in May 2013 and the Christmas Shopping Night 2012 and 2013. One shopper said ‘by pedestrianising the area shoppers can wander round a bit more freely then go from store to store’ (7DialsWC2, 2013).

‘Proposals to create a pedestrianised or pedestrian priority area provide a unique opportunity to improve the safety, comfort and enjoyment of everyone using the area. The aim is

generally to allow greater freedom of pedestrian movement and at the same time reduce or prohibit vehicle movements. However, access for all must be achieved.’ (Access Code, 2013).

The proposed road closures for vehicles would be Monmouth Street, Earlham Street, Shorts Gardens, Mercer Street and Shelton Street from 5pm to 11pm on the 24th October to 27th October 2014. ‘Taxis and other vehicles use Monmouth Street, Earlham Street and Shorts Gardens as a short cut to avoid traffic queues on Shaftesbury Avenue.

Therefore these streets are often busy with traffic which makes the area less pleasant for residents and businesses.’

(We Are Camden, 2012). As Seven Dials is typically used as a short cut, this means that this isn’t the only route for drivers. The roads would only be

closed during the event which means retailers can still use the roads to receive deliveries in the morning. The closest point for pick up or dropping off passengers, especially for those with mobility problems, would be Tower Street, Upper St Martin’s Lane or Long Acre. These roads will run as usual which means some consumers can still arrive by car or taxi.

To propose the road closures, firstly the event plans will need to be sent to Camden council or the Events Team will need to be contacted, in great advance, to ensure that Light Up Seven Dials has all the licenses and permissions needed. (Camden Council, 2010) In addition, the police and fire brigade will also be informed to ensure the health and safety of the public and employees at Seven Dials.

Light Up Seven Dials is fully adaptable and flexible which means if the event does well, there are opportunities in the future for a longer placement and even spread to neighbouring districts for a bigger event. The event could even become an annual event at Seven Dials similar to Vivid Sydney in Australia or Festival of Light in Berlin. Light Up Seven Dials focuses on fashion with a highlight on fashion and beauty retailers in Seven Dials but in the future, the topic can widen to include the theatres or more mens grooming. In addition, the whole event can even be edited to cater for another area outside of London to fit the mix of retailers in the area and to attract a specific audience.

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Fig 3. Seven Dials’ Christmas Shopping Night 2013 saw a traffic free night. Specific roads were closed with barriers decorated with balloons. A first aid was on standby on Tower Street which demonstrates safety.

Fig. 4

A couple of weeks prior to the event, every store in the Seven Dials area will feature a Light Up Seven Dials window vinyl, not only to promote the upcoming event, but to unify the area; this means that every retailer is involved in the event even if they don’t have an installation dedicated to them.

In addition to the window vinyls, there will also be a banner outside hung between Urban Outfitters and Diesel, which Seven Dials typically do with events. This means that Light Up Seven Dials is keeping in brand with the area yet at the same time attracting a new market. Furthermore, posters will be displayed in the lifts at Covent Garden station to persuade the audience to turn left as they exit and head to the Seven Dials. ‘Covent Garden station has a yearly flow of 16.9million users’ (In and Around Covent Garden, 2013), which means that the station is a key place for promotional tactics. The posters, window vinyls and other graphics will be very similar to create consistency and keep with the branding.

Fig. 5

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People

Fig. 6

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‘‘i-am’ Beyond conducted a branding exercise to define the essence of the Seven Dials area culminating in a rebrand and re-alignment of the Seven Dials shopping area in Covent Garden, for the modern discerning consumer.’ (i-ambeyond, 2010) It is also evident from the current promotional video and guide for Seven Dials, that the area is targeting an older and more mature audience. The style and tone of the two promotional pieces are classic and sophisticated with some key images being leather goods, men’s grooming and alcohol, things that appeal to the older audience. But as mentioned previously, Seven Dials has the potential to cater for a younger market.

Light Up Seven Dials targets 16-25 year old male and females who have an interest in fashion. The event targets a mixed gender because of the variety of retailers; there is something for men and something for women.

The interactive event, with late night shopping, targets the 16-25 year olds who are tech savvy, ‘avid followers of style trends’ (Mintel, December 2011), who shop for clothes both online and in stores and who continue to shop for fashion despite the financial pressures.

This market is most likely to be interested in Light Up Seven Dials due to the exclusive discount, the interactive installations such as the virtual styling competition and holographic catwalk, and the social media interactions and competitions.

Mintel (Issues and Insights, October 2013) says that, ‘young people aged 16-24 are feeling the most financial pressures due to high youth unemployment and rising university fees.’ This could mean that young people aged 16-24 are more likely to look for discounts and sale items to keep costs down or even shop less altogether.

Despite their financial pressures, young consumers are still spending, whether that be online or in store. ‘This year’s research shows that under-25s are now more likely to have bought more clothes online than in-store, with three in ten doing this compared with one fifth who bought clothes online,

but purchased more in-store.’ (Mintel, August 2013). However, ‘Young people aged 16-24 tend to browse online but buy in-store as they still see shopping for clothes as a day out with friends.’

(Mintel, Executive Summary, October 2013). In 2011, Mintel said ‘over a third (36%) of under-25s view shopping for clothes as an enjoyable social activity to share with friends, rising to four in ten (41%) females and almost half (47%) of teens.’ (December 2011).

These reports can suggest that young consumers are using a mixture of both online and in store shopping.

Shopping with friends is still an enjoyable social activity to the young consumers therefore a shopping event with exclusive discounts may appeal to them. The same December 2011 Mintel report stated, ‘The majority of youths (56%), approximating to 4.6 million under-25s, mainly seek out clothes that are on sale or special offer, forcing fashion retailers into heavy discounting to drive footfall on the fiercely competitive high street. Under25s are also well versed at shopping around and comparing prices in their quest to seek out the ultimate bargains (38%), with the internet providing a tool for comparison prior to purchasing instore for a fifth of under-25s.’ Therefore if Light Up Seven Dials offered an exclusive discount, that is only available in retailers in Seven Dials during those four days, it would attract the young

consumers as they wouldn’t be able to receive the same discount anywhere else. This gives the event exclusivity and a unique selling point.

‘16-24s are key target demographic for technology companies’ says Mintel (March 2011). ‘Typically more tech savvy and image conscious than the population overall, 16-24s are generally keen to pursue the latest gadgets. This is reflected in Mintel’s Youth Technology – UK – October 2010 report which shows that 42% of young adults own a smartphone, compared to just 28% of the population overall.’ (Mintel, March 2011) ‘As of January 2013, some 83% of consumers aged between 16 and 24 owned a smartphone, compared to only 45% of those aged 55-64 and 57% of those aged 45-54.’ (Mintel, July 2013).

This can demonstrate that 16-24s have a real interest in advanced technology.

This is the generation that grew up with technology, who saw it constantly changing and evolving, so now new technology is natural for them. This is why the use of advance technology for light installations and projections can be an interest to 16-24s, especially when technology merges with retail in Style with Kinect for example. Moreover, as smartphones are common amongst 1624s, the app for the event may become useful, as it is easy to download and use during the event.

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A questionnaire was conducted in Seven Dials and around the area too.

Of the 50 visitors questioned, 29 of them that said they only visit Seven Dials once every six months or once a year or less were aged 16-24. This doesn’t necessarily mean that all 1624 year olds only visit Seven Dials less than once every six months but it can begin to indicate how very few 16-24 consumers do currently go the area.

It was surprising to see this statistic because Seven Dials is a shopping destination that can cater for a younger audience yet they aren’t visiting the area often.

Moreover, majority of the reasons for visiting Seven Dials was either just passing by or other reasons such as work or they don’t go to the area at all.

While there were some visitors who did visit Seven Dials to shop and eat, the majority can suggest that Seven Dials isn’t well known as a shopping destination, rather just an area they happen to pass through. Light Up Seven Dials could change this as it’ll show 16-24 year olds what Seven Dials have to offer which could increase future footfall.

A focus group was also conducted at a local secondary school in South East London with 10 students aged 16-18.

These students would be a fraction of Light Up Seven Dials’ target audience.

The idea is to show them Seven Dials in the hope that they continue to return to the area in the future to shop, to socialize and to dine, whilst they are still the ‘young consumers’ that the retailers target. It was surprising to find out that even though they visit London and Covent Garden regularly, none of the 10 students have been to Seven Dials. In addition, they do shop at the stores that are currently in the area so there is something in Seven Dials for them.

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Fig. 7

Fig. 8

Katy Age: 19 Martial Status: Single Education: First year of university studying Fashion Journalism at London College of Communication.

Location: Originally from Southampton and currently lives in student halls in Islington.

Job: Katy falls under the E Grade of the demographic classifications, as she is a student. Her income comes from student loans and her part time job as a bartender.

Social Media: Katy is an avid social media follower but her top three social media platforms are Twitter, Instagram then Facebook.

Shopping Habits: Tends to browse online with the occasional purchase from ASOS. But prefers to shop instore to feel fabrics and see the fit.

Katy regularly shops at Urban Outfitters, ASOS, Topshop and vintage stores.

Little bit about Katy: Since starting university, Katy is getting used to student life in London. She enjoys visiting unique vintage stores to find one-of-a-kinds and mixing them with the current trends from high street. Her hobbies include writing her own blog and photography. She is upto-date with the latest technology; she has an iPhone and a macbook pro. Katy has passed through Seven Dials before and knows where it is but hasn’t found the opportunity to fully explore the area yet.

Ben Age: 24 Martial Status: Single Education: Graduate in Ba (Hons) Business Studies.

Location: Lives with family in South London.

Job: Ben falls under the C2 Grade of the demographic classifications, as he is a Paid Media Executive.

Social Media: Ben doesn’t use social media often. He’ll check his Facebook and Twitter once or twice a day. He’s an avid Youtube subscriber and enjoys Instagramming his meals and fashion purchases.

Shopping Habits: Prefers to shop in-store than online.

Ben shops frequently in stores such as Topman, Burtons, Diesel, Superdry and Ted Baker. He is on trend and usually makes impulsive purchases.

Little bit about Ben: Ben is a film fanatic and enjoys discovering new cuisines around London. He doesn’t have to pay rent yet therefore he shops quite frequently. He is up-to-date with technology and is always intrigued with the latest updates. Ben has been to Seven Dials before, with friends, for dinner and a quick shopping trip. He enjoys shopping at Seven Dials and visiting the area.

Fig. 9 and 10

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Fig. 11

Product

Light Up Seven Dials is a four-day event in October, situated in Seven Dials, that features light installations, projections and interactions. The innovative installations bring awareness to the area, creating excitement and buzz. The use of advance technology, the exclusive discount and the marketing strategies will target a younger audience thus drawing them into the area.

Seven Dials has already held shopping events in the past such as Shopping Night on 30th May 2013 and Christmas Shopping Night on 29th November 2012. Both were traffic free and offered an exclusive 20% discount with participating retailers in addition to fun competitions, goodie bags, complimentary gifts and a black cab photo booth. During the festive shopping evening, ‘7,498 shopping vouchers were used throughout the evening, with an average spend of £46.65 – a 100% uplift in like for like sales’ (Threepipe, 2013). Also, ‘Over 12,000 people registered and downloaded a shopping voucher for the evening and we were able to capture 6,582 new email addresses.’

(Threepipe, 2013). This increase helps Seven Dials reach more consumers in the future for upcoming events and discounts to generate more footfall and profits.

Light Up Seven Dials is different from past events due to the innovative light installations, projections and interactions. There are features to the event that have been done before but it is the main light features that make Light Up Seven Dials distinctive and memorable. The event features seven different installations, dotted around the area which means consumers walk around the whole area, not only to find the installation to see but to discover what is around Seven Dials. The results from the primary research helped with the process of selecting which stores should have an installation. Not only was it based on most favourable store, but also to highlight those that were unnoticed but do target the 16-25 year olds.

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Fig. 12

Fig. 13

The first installation is a light up runway that highlights the shoe brands in Seven Dials, which is why this installation is situated on Neal Street outside collection of shoe stores such as Office, Sole and Havaianas.

Technology today can recognise face, fingerprints and even shoes according to a team from the Hasso Plattner Institute in Germany. (Gizmag, 2012).

This uses cameras to recognise the shoes worn, which doesn’t work with this event because instant and natural reactions from consumers will generate instant emotions. If consumers have to wait for their shoes to be recognised in order to see the reaction of the installation on the runway, there will be a slight delay and less of a surprise when they step onto the runway. So instead the runway has panels that will recognise the surface area on the bottom of the shoe which will make the runway change colours accordingly.

The next installation is the light up Cambridge Satchel located directly opposite the Cambridge Satchel Company store on Shorts Gardens.

The large Satchel has a piece of technology that recognises the pulses in the finger and will flash to the beat of the pulse. This has been inspired

by Ming-Zher Poh’s medical mirror; a mirror that can measure and display several health indicators such as the pulse and blood pressure of a person standing in front of it. (PSFK, 2010).

This installation becomes personal to the specific consumer, as they have made it light up the way that it has.

The Cambridge Satchel Company is ‘loved by bloggers and fashionistas worldwide’ (camsatchelco.com) but the store didn’t get as many votes in the conducted questionnaire as expected. Bloggers and fashionistas are apart of Light Up Seven Dials target too so with an installation, it can highlight exactly where The Cambridge Satchel Company store is in Seven Dials. Moreover, it brings the classic British brand up to date through the use of modern technology. The store is traditional and classic so by having an installation, it modernizes the brand just for four days.

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Fig. 14

Fig. 15

The third installation is a holographic catwalk featuring winter outfits by Urban Outfitters. It is hosted by Urban Outfitters because it received the most votes in the questionnaire conducted, which can suggest that Urban Outfitters is popular amongst 16-25 year olds.

Moreover, with both menswear and womenswear, Urban Outfitters caters to both genders attending the event.

The holographic catwalk means it can be played a couple of times during the event without the need of having real models and re-touching make up all night. The hologram will be played on Earlham Street, near the Urban Outfitters store, to entice consumers to browse in the store afterwards but also because the street is very wide so there is less chance of overcrowding.

The idea of the hologram was heavily inspired by the hologram of Tupac at Coachella (See Appendix 1) and Ralph Lauren’s 4D Experience (See Appendix 2). The 4D Experience featured a catwalk show which began to demonstrate how realistic a catwalk can look even though the models aren’t really there. Moreover, holograms are being used more and more with Music Hall of Fame planning to feature music artists in hologram form in a new museum. (See Appendix 3). As the hologram isn’t a simple case of one projector, there will be someone to do the set up of the projector and screens before each showing. (AV Concepts).

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Fig. 16

The fourth installation is a virtual styling competition using Kinect. Consumers can choose between American Apparel, Superdry or Carhartt or even all three, to style an outfit using Kinect in the store windows. Virtual fitting rooms have already been used before with examples from Topshop in Moscow and Puma in Harajuku, both in 2011. (See Appendix 4) Both examples allowed consumers to browse through products then see it on themselves.

By combining the virtual fitting room with a competition, it gives consumers an outcome; it’s more than just seeing garments on their own body, it’s about styling a great outfit and sharing it with friends and family. Kinect allows the brands to control which garments are available and consumers can see the garments on themselves without having to take any clothes off. Once completed, the magic mirror will take a photo of the consumer with the styled outfit on and it will immediately go on the Light Up Seven Dials webpage where visitors can vote for the best dressed to win the entire outfit. Consumers can share the link on social media which drives more audiences to the event’s website thus driving them to the actual event. The three choices of brands means there is a choice of style for both genders.

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Tamara Sender, Senior Clothing Analyst said, ‘Shopping for clothes is a truly cross-channel experience and while people are increasingly purchasing clothes online, they also use the internet to just browse, and will still go on to visit bricks and mortar stores. Online and in-store therefore reinforce and complement each other.

This means that the growth in fashion online will not lead to the death of the high street, but that retailers need to focus more on creating a fluid shopping experience where consumers can begin the journey online and terminate it in-store or vice versa.’

Bringing online into stores can also mean bringing online consumers into stores. Style with Kinect will allow consumers to browse a variety of stockeven those that are online exclusives which are products they wouldn’t usually get to see on themselves- and share their outfit ideas with social media. This enables more shares on social media, more hits on the event’s webpage and more consumers involved and in the know.

The next installation is with Cath Kidston and consumers can choose their favourite Cath Kidston print and see it projected all over the store front.

Similar to the light up Cambridge Satchel, it’s about personalisation and giving the consumers the control.

This installation was inspired by the projection on the Sydney Opera House sails every year at Vivid Sydney; an annual event that transforms the city of Sydney into a ‘spectacular canvas of light, music and ideas’ (About Vivid Sydney, 2013). Whilst this installation in Sydney was not interactive, it was important that the Cath Kidston one was, because interacting with an installation is very different to simply looking and adoring an installation. By having the interaction option available, it gives the consumer choice and power and the installation becomes their work; it is no longer something they just look at; it’s something they control and watch what they make happen.

Fig. 17

Fig. 18

The sixth installation is a photo booth located on Monmouth Street in one of the empty stores. This gives the consumers a piece of memorabilia when the photo is printed with the event’s branding, for which they can share on social media, but also the photos will be displayed in the store window for everyone else to see.

Photo booths have been used before in previous Seven Dials shopping events but also in Covent Garden events such as, ‘Chanel’s Beauty Boutique’ and Shake Shack’s launch. This is a fun approach to get consumers involved and give them something to remember the event. Light Up Seven Dials can stand out because the photos will be displayed- something that the other events have not done before.

Consumers are featured on the store windows as a way of expressing to passer bys how they feel about the event. Moreover, it is as if consumers suddenly become mannequins and representatives of the event.

Fig. 19. Alfie the Black Cab Photobooth was parked on traffic free Monmouth Street on Christmas Shopping Night 2013.

Fig. 20. The Social Media Wall

The last installation is the Social Media Wall tucked away in Tower Court, just off Earlham Street. Consumers can tweet or write a Facebook post and by using the specified hash tag, #lightup7dials their post will scroll across the wall.

This is a very personal and interactive installation where consumers can show messages to one another but also tell other visitors, who are at the event, what they think. This installation was inspired by the Christmas Spirit Tree, in Canada, which was a 30ft tree powered by Christmas Spirit. By sharing a Christmas message online via Facebook, Twitter or any other online platform, the tree would light up a different way. (Christmas Spirit Tree 2012). It was a way of gathering a community together, to work together and to share the Christmas Spirit. The Social Media Wall is an installation that is easy to interact with, it’s fun to see the personal message appear on

the wall and it’s a great way to share the emotion and the experience with others around you in the same area.

The hashtag will be monitored before messages appear to ensure messages are appropriate for the public.

As the event runs for four days, some installations cannot be left outside overnight such as the Cambridge Satchel installation and the Light Up Runway, so these will need to be packed away each night and stored nearby. The Satchel will have wheels for easy manoeuvre and the Light Up Runway is four easy-lift panels.

Projectors for Cath Kidston and Urban Outfitters can be kept in the stores for safe keeping, as well as the Style with Kinect Mirrors. These will not be kept in the windows over night, but on wheels, they are easy to move. The only risk is the Social Media Wall as this will be switched off and left attached.

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Light Shows

Fig. 21

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There have been similar events around the globe such as Vivid Sydney in Australia and The Light Festival in Berlin, which shows how adaptable this event can be. Light installations and projections can be modified to adapt to a different interest or location to cater for a different audience.

‘Colouring the city with creativity and inspiration, Vivid Sydney highlights include the hugely popular immersive light installations and projections; performances from local and international musicians at Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House and the Vivid Ideas Exchange featuring public talks and debates from leading global creative thinkers.’ (About Vivid Sydney, 2013). Moreover, this year’s Vivid Sydney included more interactions; allowing the audience to take control of the installations. Whether that be dancing in front of the Custom House to see the projection move or playing a piano to see it light up. From empirical research, it was evident that these interactions brought the community together, to dance together and to enjoy the annual event together. The atmosphere was jolly and excited.

‘NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade & Investment Andrew Stoner today announced Vivid Sydney 2013 an unprecedented success, with preliminary estimates showing record attendance of more than 800,000 people across the 18-day event.’

(Vivid Sydney Draws Record, 2013) Moreover, from the same press release, ‘“Vivid has huge appeal and has been successful in attracting visitors not only from this State and across Australia where domestic travel packages were

up 8% - but also internationally, with over 11,000 travel packages sold, including 7,200 from China. “’ said Mr Stoner. This suggests just how big this annual event has become, attracting audiences from around the globe.

Over in Berlin, ‘each year in October, Berlin becomes a city full of light art.

Artistic staging of the Berlin landmarks, monuments, buildings and public places – the Festival Of Lights is one of the large illumination festivals in the world.’ (Festival Of Lights, 2013). And ‘With two million festival visitors, over 600,000 additional overnight stays and 1.6 billion media contacts, it now belongs to the largest illumination festivals in the world – alongside those in Lyon, Sydney and Moscow.’ Berlin is another example of a successful light up event. These facts and figures demonstrate how well received these events are. They light up the area to show audiences beautiful architecture and spaces they may not have noticed before and more importantly, draw in audiences to share an experience together. This is what Light Up Seven Dials aims to recreate.

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Process

Fig. 22

‘Light’s importance in daily life cannot be overstated. As a tool it has the ability to do everything from creating the perfect ambience in an interior space to telling engaging stories that draw audiences in.’ (Future of Light by PSFK, 2013). Light can alter a space without leaving a permanent mark, it can create safety by lighting up dark pathways, it can be used as a medium for artists and it can even generate positive energy that affects our health.

Seven Dials’s Christmas Shopping Night 2013, was lit beautifully with Christmas decorations. Something as simple as twinkling Christmas lights was able to create a festive mood and happy spirits around the area. This shopping event saw the area busy with Christmas shoppers, live music and free snacks and goodie bags from some stores. The area, in my opinion, was the busiest and liveliest I’ve seen compared to other weekdays and even Friday nights. This can suggest that an event, like a traffic free shopping event, can bring visitors to the area to create a fun and exciting atmosphere.

Barry Richards, Principal and Studio Leader of Rockwell Group, says 26

‘”Light’s a joy. People respond to light.

It makes places lively and engaging.’”

(PSFK). ‘Designers are leveraging advanced sensors to develop connected products and environments that respond to a person’s proximity or touch with novel lighting experiences.

These technology-enabled solutions help create an intuitive, and highly personalized link between people and world around them.’ (PSFK). It is surprising how something as simple as light can affect an emotion. Through the use of light, it can be said that Light Up Seven Dials will create a positive and uplifting atmosphere at Seven Dials.

The interactive light installations are designed to emit a positive reaction, creating happiness and thus changing the perception the consumer has of Seven Dials and the objects around them. This can begin to create happy memories for the consumer.

Light is also a tool that helps with the health. For example the Photon Shower ‘is a light chamber that explores how light can be used to realign a traveler’s biological clock after long flights across time zones.’ (PSFK).

The Philips Healwell supports patients with recovery through the combination

of ‘the biological effects of natural daylight with a pleasant atmosphere in the patient room. This has a positive effect on the patient’s sleep patterns which is important for their health and well-being.’ (PSFK). Another example is The Nature Trail that uses light in a playful and distracting way. ‘The Nature Trail is an illuminated wall designed to soothe and engage kids on their way to the operating room. Created by Jason Bruges Studio, the Nature Trail covers a 50-meter stretch of corridor leading to the anesthesia room of London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital.’ (PSFK). This use of light gives children something else to concentrate on to forget about their surroundings.

PSFK has demonstrated the possibilities, the positives and the ability of light. With technology developing, the uses and adaptations of light are changing too. Light is a positive and important tool with great benefits, detailed by PSFK and evidenced by the smiling audience at Vivid Sydney, therefore it could be argued that Light Up Seven Dials can generate these benefits and positive outcomes in Seven Dials.

Fig. 23. A Friday night at Seven Dials.

Light Up Seven Dials will launch on a Friday night and conclude on a Monday night.

The overflowing pubs on a Friday night have been taken into consideration during the planning of the installations.

The only installation nearby a pub is the Cath Kidston projection, but with the road closure and sufficient space outside the Crown and Anchor, the crowds shouldn’t clash. Pedestrianising the area will certainly help the issue of overcrowding as it increases space on the streets for drinkers and watchers.

Fig. 24

To find each installation, consumers can download the Light Up Seven Dials app and be guided round the event using the interactive map. On the other hand, consumers can also grab a printed map from the Thomas Neal’s Centre. Installations are spread out in the area to entice consumers to walk around and discover the area of Seven Dials and see what it has to offer. In addition the late night shopping means consumers can shop and browse, as they walk round and see the installations, which increases footfall in retailers thus increasing profit.

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Fig. 25

Whilst at Vivid Sydney I found the atmosphere to be warm, exciting and friendly. Everyone was at the event for the same reason; it was a gathering of communities to celebrate light, music and ideas. Another spectacle that does this well would be Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Parade in New York; a tradition that taps into consumer emotions, gathers families together and creates memories. Former producer, Jean McFaddin, said, ‘But that’s what a spectacle is. It lifts you up and it takes you into vastness; it makes you feel expansive, like you are greater than you are.’ (Rockwell, Mau, 2006:50)

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The annual family event was also able to help locals in restaurants and the locals at The Rocks Market. The hustle and bustle in the area was electric and the positive energy was truly memorable.

I wanted to bring this atmosphere to London; to bring like-minded people and communities together. Seven Dials was the perfect location because the event can bring awareness to the historical area, bring footfall to local businesses and it was a place that could have a great balance of local Londoners and tourists.

Light Up Seven Dials aims to give audiences an event to remember with positive memories. The lights, projections and virtual interactions wants to generate happy emotions and to alter the perception consumers have of Seven Dials. It is a fashion destination for a relaxed and positive shopping experience.

Fig. 26. The atmosphere of Light Up Seven Dials is captured in this illustration by Jessica Ure.

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Promotion The promotional mix for the event is online and offline, with majority of the promotion being online to uniquely target the tech savvy 16-25 year olds.

The online promotion will begin a month prior to the event with the launch of the event page, on the Seven Dials website. A teaser video will launch on Youtube three weeks prior the event.

This teaser will briefly show what Light Up Seven Dials is about, similar to the short video for Clothes Show Live 2011.

(See Appendix 5). The promotional video will launch on 25th October 2014, as this video will feature interview with visitors and footage from launch night to capture the real atmosphere of the event. A similar example to this would be the video for Charlotte Tilbury’s Make-up House of Rock ‘n’ Kohl at Selfridges 2013. (See Appendix 6).

This video captured the setting up of the event, interview with Charlotte Tilbury and details on what the event entails.

Fig. 27. Print Ad for Light Up Seven Dials.

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There will be the banner and window stickers in the Seven Dials area, three weeks prior to the event, to communicate to existing visitors and passer bys of the upcoming event. In addition there will be a print ad in the Covent Garden Station lift, on launch day, to persuade consumers to turn left when they exit the station to head towards Seven Dials. A slightly different print ad, with more information, will run in newspapers and magazines two weeks prior to the event. In addition, Light Up Seven Dials will be featured in London Underground stations along the Central line, Northern line and Piccadilly line as these underground lines are the closest to the Seven Dials area. The digital ad will be featured along the escalators to link the London event to London transport. This promotional tactic will be able to target the vast amount of daily commuters, locals and tourists using the London tube. The digital ad will be very similar to the print ad, for brand consistency, and will be able to virtually flash and glow to attract attention.

Social media will have to be very careful prior to the event to ensure there is a balance of useful information for the event and new images from the pre-production stages. Social media should not simply tweet link to the event’s page everyday for example.

Fig. 28. How consumers at Seven Dials ranked their Social Media, 2013.

Light Up Seven Dials will not have it’s own Facebook or Twitter as increasing likes and followers on Seven Dials’ Facebook and Twitter will be more beneficial for contact with consumers in the future. ‘Facebook takes the top spot in social networking in the UK, in terms of both total unique visitors and average time spent on the website.

Mintel’s research shows that 73% of internet users have used Facebook, and 57% are regular users who visit Facebook at least once a week.’

(Mintel, May 2011). Moreover, from the conducted research, half of the visitor ranked Facebook as their most used social media platform, with Twitter and Instagram following behind. ‘Young people aged 16-24 are inclined to have used Facebook to look up discounts or information on clothing sales. Young fashion retailers such as Topshop/ Topman are increasingly using Facebook for limited time promotions that require users to enter a code to access the offer.’ (Executive Summary, October 2013). From this research, Light Up Seven Dials will use Facebook and Twitter to communicate information on the event as well as competitions and discounts to target the 16-24 year olds.

‘With the rising adoption of smartphones and mobile internet, more consumers will be accessing social networking services via their mobile devices. This will lead to the growth of location-based services and very specific mobile marketing that targets consumers based on their location and intent. For example, if a consumer has “checkedin” to a location and announced his status as hungry, a restaurant in his vicinity would be able to advertise against these circumstances to attract new customers.’ (Mintel, May 2011).

While Light Up Seven Dials cannot market like this due of the variety of stores, restaurant and bars in the area, instead, there will be a check-in competition. When consumers ‘like’ Seven Dials’ Facebook page and check in to the event on the night, they will be added into a draw to win prizes whether that be store vouchers or gifts.

Each night will have it’s own draw.

‘Social media was increasingly present at the recent London Fashion Week held in September 2013. Fashion designers used social media to promote their shows and retailers and brands used it to encourage support for the event.’

(Execuive Summary, October 2013).

This can suggest that social media isn’t abnormal within the fashion industry.

In addition to Light Up Seven Dials promoting the event through Seven Dials’ Facebook and Twitter, retailers, bars and restaurants can also show their support for the event and try and entice consumers to head to them.

Instagram can be used to preview the setting up of the event to begin creating excitement and buzz. In addition, it can be used during the event to capture photos of competition winners, interactions with the installations and to launch competitions. One competition on Instagram will be to capture your favourite light up moment and use the hashtag #lightup7moment. This gives Light Up Seven Dials a unique hashtag on Instagram and is another way of showing consumers, who haven’t attended the event yet, what the event has to offer. A winner will be chosen at random when Light Up Seven Dials concludes.

Instagram will be quite an important platform because the event is very photogenic.

The events page will detail more about what the event is, what it features and details on opening times and dates. It will also feature a gallery of images from the Style with Kinect competition where visitors can ‘like’ their favourite outfits.

The event page will give audience important information about the new event with plenty of time to plan travel. By having an individual page on the Seven Dials website, it drives consumers to the main website first, which means consumers will see the Privilege Card and other events that may be happening in the upcoming months.

On the event page, consumers can also register for their free event ticket to receive their exclusive 20% discount with participating retailers, bars and restaurants. The discount can also be retrieved by downloading the Light Up Seven Dials app or signing up to Seven Dials’ mailing list on the iPads, at Thomas Neal’s Centre when the event commences.

This is a great way of collecting contact details for future events at Seven Dials.

Fig. 29. Webpage for Light Up Seven Dials.

Fig. 30. Visitors of Light Up Seven Dials can pick up their free limited tote bag. This becomes a moving ad as visitors walk through London, others will be able to see the logo and where and when the event is.

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Fig. 31. Ellie Goulding

Fig. 32. Tanya Burr in action on Youtube.

The launch night will commence on the 24th October 2014 at 5pm with special guests, complimentary food and drinks by Kopapa and Covent Garden Hotel, live music and free goodies in exclusive Light Up Seven Dials tote bags to kick start Light Up Seven Dials.

The evening will begin with a special performance from British singer Ellie Goulding before she switches on the installations. Born in Herefordshire, Ellie Goulding performed at the 2011 Royal wedding, she’s been spotted wearing high street such as Urban Outfitters and Topshop and she recently won ‘Ultimate Music Star’ at the ‘Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women Awards’ 2013. (Cosmopolitan, 2013) Her British roots and cool, laidback style made Goulding the perfect special guest to switch on the event. Not all audiences may enjoy Ellie Goulding’s music but 16-25 year olds are apart of her target market, therefore it is likely that visitors who attend the event will also be fans of Ellie Goulding and vice versa.

Launch night will also feature Youtube British beauty guru, Tanya Burr, giving a live tutorial at Bare Minerals at 7pm.

‘Tanya Burr is also a freelance make up artist who has trained and assisted some of the UK’s top make up artists, she’s been on the judging panel for the ELLE Beauty Awards and her printed press credits include Look Magazine, Grazia, Mail Online and Hello!’

(About Tanya, 2013) As well as having 1,522,814 Youtube subscribers, Tanya Burr can offer the best makeup techniques, tips and tricks due to her experience.

Those who are first in line at Bare Minerals will be able to grab one of the limited number of seats in store. When the store reaches maximum capacity, the rest of the audience can watch the tutorial online as it streams live to Youtube, which can be seen on the big screen in Bare Mineral’s store window.

Consumers at home will also be able to watch the video and be informed of the current event at Seven Dials.

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Other British fashion and beauty vloggers from Youtube will also be invited to attend launch night in the hope that they vlog their experience, thoughts and opinions of the night without giving too much away. The video of their night should be uploaded on the same night to tell their subscribers, which means their subscribers have the following three nights to attend. In addition to the Youtube vloggers, fashion and beauty bloggers will also be invited, especially London fashion bloggers. Featuring British Youtubers and bloggers coincides with the London event and reflects the British heritage in the area.

Moreover, some British Youtubers despite not being beauty and fashion gurus, will also be invited to vlog as this London event is something they may attend for the technological features or

a London night out. There have been a couple of Youtubers who have been featured in fashion videos or magazines despite not being fashion or beauty gurus at all. For example Alfie Deyes is featured on Company Magazine’s January 2014 cover alongside fashion and beauty Youtubers, even though he isn’t one himself. Then Very.co.uk has featured Jim Chapman on their Youtube and he isn’t a fashion or beauty guru either. This demonstrates that Youtubers do not specifically have to be fashion and beauty gurus, but have a similar target market or be appealing to the target market and have a substantial amount of subscribers. Additionally, these special guests can tweet and instagram the event too which means communicating to more potential visitors and spreading the word.

Database of Youtubers and Bloggers that will be invited to Light Up Seven Dials. Content of channel/ blog, no of subscribers and tone/ voice/ personality, were considered.

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Media angles can include the event and what it features, the launch night, the new app or the technology side of the event. The event can be featured in The London Evening Standard and The Metro. From the August 2013 ABC circulation report, The London Evening Standard had an average circulation of 686,858 and The London Metro had 756,658. (Media News, 2013) Daily commuters read these free London newspapers almost everyday; some of which are target audience for the event. The event can also be featured in the Covent Garden Journal and In and Around Covent Garden, as this is also free and has a monthly circulation of at least 50,000. (coventgarden.uk.com). This is handed out at Covent Garden station rather than the London Metro. Other press can include Stylist and Shortlist as they have sponsored and supported Seven Dials’ past shopping events, and with a combination of fashion and technology in the event, this suits these magazines and thus their target audience.

As well as bloggers, the event can be featured on LoveCamden.org. ‘Love Camden gets around 25,000 hits each month’ (Camden Council, 2010) and is a good platform to communicate to locals about an event that is happening in the area. Timeout.com/London is also another platform because Time Out features the must-see things to do in London.

The feature can also be in the print magazine in addition to the print ad.

Each night of the event will also feature special ‘Glowers’. Dressed in theatrical illuminating costumes, Glowers will walk around the outside of the Seven Dials area, especially around the Piazza to attract attention and to inform tourists and locals of the event at Seven Dials.

The costumes will be similar to those in Marie Antoinette (2006). They are elaborate, theatrical and has an English style to them. Using LED lights, parts of the costume can glow to attract attention in the dark.

Fig 33. The style of costumes that Glowers will have is inspired by Marie Antoinette.

Promotion Diary Plan for October 2014.

Dates Launch and Release 22nd- 28th Septem- Event webpage ber 29th Sept- 5th Oc- Banner Window vinyls Teaser Video Released tober 6th-12th October Ads released 13th- 19th October Features in newspapers, magazines and online are published.

20-26th October Launch Night Youtube Vloggers Covent Garden station Full promotional videos released ad released video released 27th-31 October Features in newspapers, magazines and online on what happened at the event, who was there and how it was received.

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To measure the success of the aim of increasing awareness, footfall numbers can be analysed to see how many attended the event. Footfall numbers can also be analysed after the event and compared to last year’s numbers to see if the event affected returning consumers. Moreover profit numbers can also be compared to last year’s figures, during the event and after the event, to see if it had an effect on retailers’ profits, especially if the retailer had a dedicated installation too.

The number of interactions with each installation can also be counted, for example the number of photos taken from the photobooth and number of entries for the Style with Kinect competition. In addition, the number of press clippings and website hits can also be analysed to measure the success of increasing awareness of the Seven Dials area.

To measure the success of attracting a new market, social media will be analysed in terms of tweets and post content but also number of followers and likers. As it stands Seven Dials has 10,576 Facebook likers and 5,836 Twitter followers. Currently, the most popular age group on the Seven Dials Facebook page is 25-34, so if the event is successful, the age group should change to 16-24. Moreover, after the event, social media will be monitored to see how much talk there is even when the event is finished. On Instagram, @7DialsLondon has 181 followers.

Through the Instagram competition, the number of followers on Instagram should rise by significantly.

Moreover, a survey can be conducted after the event to see if there is a rise in 16-25 year olds visiting the area and what the reason is for their visit.

Fig. 34. Dashboard to measure the success of Light Up Seven Dials.

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Additionally, press clippings and social media interactions can also be measured to analyse the success, excitement and news the event brought, which all brings awareness to Seven Dials.

This weekend will see exclusive 20% discount tutorial at Bare Minerals. the brightest event in in participating stores, Viewers can also watch London. bars and restaurants. this streamed live on Light Up Seven Visitors also have the Youtube.

Dials is an event that chance to win prizes combines fashion throughout the night Be sure to grab your and technology. It with flash competitions free limited Light Up features seven different in addition to the social Seven Dials tote bag filled with goodies too! interactive installations, media competitions. at Seven Dials, from a holographic catwalk Light Up Seven Dials Light Up Seven Dials

by Urban Outfitters launches on the 24th is free for all visitors and Virtual Styling October 2014, with a and runs from 24- 27th October 2014 from Competition with Kinect, special launch party. to a Light Up Runway Award winning British 5-11pm. and projected prints singer Ellie Goulding onto the Cath Kidston will be switching on the Download the Light Up event with a special Seven Dials app now or store. performance. Beauty register at sevendials.

On top of this, Seven youtuber, Tanya Burr, co.uk/lightupsevendials Dials will be open for late will also be at the for the discount and night shopping with an launch, giving a live more information.

Fig 35, 36, 37

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Price The cost of entry to Light Up Seven Dials is free, but it costs consumers in terms of time, engagement and emotion.

The free event has majority of its promotion online via social media so consumers that find out through social media feel exclusive; that they are in the know first, whether they directly looked for it or stumbled upon the tweet unintentionally.

The event brings benefits to consumers, the Seven Dials area and the retailers.

By raising awareness especially to a younger market, consumers now know about the fashion destination of Seven

Budget Pie Chart

Fig. 38.

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Dials and will possibly return to shop in the area in the future. Furthermore, the tech savvy young market may tweet, share and instagram more about the area, which spreads the word like word of mouth. Returning consumers means rising footfall thus rising profits for retailers in the area.

Sponsors for the event can include past sponsors such as Stylist, Shortlist or The London Evening Standard as Light Up Seven Dials is a London event that features fashion and technologyinterests of their readers. Additionally, Philips Lighting can sponsor the installations as this innovative concept for Seven Dials corresponds with

Philips’ mission of ‘Improving people’s lives through meaningful innovation.’

(Philips’ Vision and Strategy, 2013).

By sponsoring this event, it promotes these brands to the young market; it’s an opportunity to promote their brand image and products.

Conclusion What role does Innovation play in a competitive yet volatile market?

Innovation isn’t just about new objects and new technology, it can also be new perspectives and Light Up Seven Dials does this. It gives a younger market a new perspective of Seven Dials; it shows what the area has to offer and demonstrates a new side to the area whilst still keeping the tradition and heritage of the area.

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Appendix Coachella's 'astonishing' Tupac Shakur hologram: How they did it

09/12/2013 12:32

Appendix 1

http://theweek.com/article/index/226859/coachellas-astonishing-tupac-shakur-hologram-howthey-did-it INSTANT GUIDE

Coachella's 'astonishing' Tupac Shakur hologram: How they did it

A jaw-dropping virtual performance by the late rapper stuns California festival-goers — and could lead to a wave of concerts from digitally reanimated stars PUBLISHED APRIL 17, 2012, AT 12:10 PM

Tupac Shakur was the star performer at the first weekend of this year's Coachella music festival in California — despite the fact that the hip-hop legend died more than 15 years ago. The late rapper surprised, delighted, and creeped out the crowd by appearing through a convincing, though slightly unsettling, hologram alongside the real-life Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. (Watch the video below.) What did the 100,000-plus festivalgoers make of this "astonishing" illusion, and how was it pulled off? Here, a brief guide: What exactly happened?

A holographic image of the rapper, who died in 1996 after being shot four times in Las Vegas, joined Snoop Dogg to perform the hits "Hail Mary" and "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted." The "resurrection of 'Pac" even addressed the crowd and bantered with Snoop, capping off his stunning entrance by asking, "What the fuck is up, Coachella?" The surprise was "effective enough to both stun and freak out thousands of festival-goers of varied states of sobriety," says Leah Collins and Rebecca Tucker at Canada's National Post. A video clip of Tupac's performance went viral almost instantly.

The Coachella hologram of Tupac Shakur was created by digitally piecing together physical characteristics and movements from the late rapper's previous performances. Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

How are fans reacting?

It was "shocking and unsettling, but also imaginative and, well, awesome," says Tim Molloy at The Wrap. The stunt isn't just the highlight of this year's Coachella festival, but will likely be the concert moment of 2012 — "and perhaps all-time," says Collins and Tucker. Still, "the whole thing seems downright creepy," says David Haglund at Slate. Especially when Snoop Dogg interacted with the hologram as if it were a real person.

Who made the hologram?

The visual effects factory Digital Domain Media Group, which also produced the Oscar-winning virtual versions of Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The Tupac image was created on a computer, piecing together physical characteristics and movements from the performances recorded before the rapper's death. Advances in computer graphics and audio trickery were used to create fresh movements and new dialogue. No detail was glossed over, with the late rapper's signature tattoos, jewelry, and body movements all incorporated into the hologram. "This is not found footage. This is not archival footage. This is an illusion," says Digital Domain's Ed Ulbrich.

How was the image projected?

San Diego-based AV Concepts staged the hologram's performance using a variation of an old effect called Pepper's Ghost. The technique was first used in an 1862 dramatization of Charles Dickens' The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain, employing an angled piece of glass to reflect a "ghostly" image of an offstage actor. In Tupac's case, the computer generated image was projected onto a highly reflective piece of Mylar stretched on a clear frame. AV Concepts has used similar visual magic before, for Madonna, the Gorillaz, Celine Dion, and the Black Eyed Peas. The company has also used the technology to resurrect dead CEOs for corporate events.

Whose idea was this?

It was the brainchild of Dr. Dre, who contacted AV Concepts four months ago with the idea.

Originally, recently-deceased rapper Nate Dogg was supposed to appear via hologram as well, but the idea was scrapped at the last minute. The company won't reveal the illusion's exact price tag, but says that it was in the $100,000 to $400,000 range, and perhaps more.

What's next?

Tupac will make at least one more appearance at the festival next weekend. And according to The Wall Street Journal, a virtual Tupac tour may also be in the cards, with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg reportedly in talks to go on the road with the hologram. "Dr. Dre has a massive vision for this," says Ulbrich. Perhaps we should prepare for a trend of reanimating dead celebrities for live performances, says Raju Mudhar at The Toronto Star. That would be a real "windfall for the estates of deceased performers." This technology could even be used for reunion tours for bands in which a member is dead. Could a Michael Jackson resurrection tour be in our future?

Check out virtual Tupac: theweek.com/article/index/226859/coachellas-astonishing-tupac-shakur-hologram-how-they-did-it#

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Gone

Page 1 of 2

Appendix 2

Ralph Lauren 4D Experience. New York and London 2010

In honor of the tenth anniversary of its US e-commerce site and to toast the recent launch of its UK version, Ralph Lauren is staging one-of-a-kind public 4D fashion spectacles tonight (November 10) at its new Madison Avenue location in New York and its Bond Street flagship in London.

The sensory experience, scheduled to last for ten minutes, will involve ambient sound and even a mist of Ralph Lauren fragrance as the facade of its two flagships light up with projected images of giant models and polo players towering over the crowds at four stories tall. The public art shows will illuminate the evening sky and give audiences the impression that the virtual models are gliding towards them.

Those who are unable to attend the events live will be able to experience them a day later (November 11) via Ralph Lauren’s website.

David Lauren, son of the company founder, told the International Herald Tribune that he considers the mindboggling shows as the ultimate collusion of fashion, art and technology. ‘It’s game changing - it blows my mind - it changes the way we look at architecture; it will change retail, movies, advertising, everything.’ The spectacles were created by superimposing optical effects created by tiny pixels of light over projected 3D replicas of the buildings.

Ralph Lauren’s latest technological feat is a testament to the brand’s digital prowess. Last month, the brand ranked second (tied with Louis Vuitton) in the Digital IQ Index of Luxury Brands, developed by Scott Galloway, a professor at the Stern School of Business at New York University and the founder of the New York-based marketing analysis firm Luxury Lab. The study quantified the digital competence of 72 global luxury brands by accessing brand websites, digital marketing strategies, social media initiatives and mobile applications.

Ralph Lauren earned accolades for its saavy mobile phone applications, burgeoning e-commerce site (the US operation garners an estimated $200 million per year), RLTV, as well as other innovative interactive shopping features. Most recently, Ralph Lauren expanded its e-commerce operation by launching a dedicated UK site.

http://vimeo.com/16723278 http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/ralph-lauren-ready-to-wowcrowds-with-its-4d-sound-and-light-shows-2130266.html

The 4D Experience by Ralph Lauren is such a great blend of technology and fashion. The play with the human senses takes advertising to a whole new level; bluring the lines between virtual and reality.

This is such a good piece of research to look at because of the combination of tech and fashion but moreover, it’s an art installation that shows a catwalk and this really relates to my holographic catwalk idea.

In addition, watching this video made me realise that it’s very similar to the projection on the Custom House in Sydney. Both projections played with the movement of the architecture and I think it gives the wow factor because it’s something unimaginable happening right in front of your eyes.

I did think about playing the sense of smell but I think it complicates things so I’m just going to focus on the light up feature and the interaction.

At the end of the piece, the installation features the website with the tagline “Celebrating 10 Years of Digital Innovations”. I thought this was a great way to summarise what the installation was for and why they did it, which made me think about applying this to my concept- Why am I doing this and what do I want to achieve? I wouldn’t want the audience to question “why is this here?”, I don’t want them to have to ask that question when they come to the event.

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Appendix 3

London Evening Standard Monday 14 October 2013, Page 3.

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Appendix 4

Topshop and Kinect by Ar Door May 2011.

A special kiosk for the fitting room was installed at the flagman Topshop store in Moscow at the shopping centre European, 5-8 May 2011.

The virtual fitting room is built on the most sophisticated technologies: augmented reality and Microsoft Kinect. Augmented reality allows the customers to select a garment off the rack without having to try it on physically. As a customer, you see yourself onscreen with a 3D copy of a dress.

Kinect allows the user to control the program by simple gestures pushing virtual buttons right in the air.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_cYKFdP1_0

Puma’s Interactive Mirror in Harajuku 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwpmUT1VUGk

To activate the program you don’t need special markers: the built-in camera tracks a person’s body and superimposes over it a 3D model of the dress.

A unique feature that allows the customers to watch both the front and the back parts of the dress was deployed in the Topshop fitting room for the first time in the world practice.

We would like to thank Topshop for that great opportunity to demonstrate the prototype of the fitting room in their store to the real customers and to get feedback from the latter.

If you are interested in virtual fitting room technology, please, contact Fitting Reality company at info@fittingreality.com

http://ar-door.com/2011/05/virtualnaya-primerochnaya-dlya-topshop/?lang=en

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Appendix 5

Clothes Show Live 2011 Promo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1449sI2Am3I

Appendix 6

Charlotte Tilbury’s House of Rock ‘n’ Kohl Promo Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwhb1PUsens 44

List of Illustrations Figure 1. Photograph by Si Pui Tuong. Page 8.

Figure 2. Photograph by Si Pui Tuong. Page 10.

Figure 3. Photograph by Si Pui Tuong. Page 13.

Figure 4. Window Vinyl by Si Pui Tuong. Page 14.

Figure 5. Covent Garden Station Ad by Si Pui Tuong. Page 14.

Figure 6. Image from www.sevendials.co.uk/guide. Page 16.

Figure 7. Infographic by Si Pui Tuong. Page 18.

Figure 8. Infographic by Si Pui Tuong. Page 18.

Figure 9. Photograph by Thomas Wightwick. Page 19 Figure 10. Photograph by Thomas Wightwick. Page 19 Figure 11. Photograph by Si Pui Tuong. Page 20.

Figure 12. Screenshot from teaser video by Si Pui Tuong, Nathan Hussein and Thomas Wightwick. Page 22.

Figure 13. Screenshot from teaser video by Si Pui Tuong, Nathan Hussein and Thomas Wightwick. Page 22.

Figure 14. Infographic by Si Pui Tuong. Page 23.

Figure 15. Screenshot from teaser video by Si Pui Tuong, Nathan Hussein and Thomas Wightwick. Page 23.

Figure 16. Screenshot from teaser video by Si Pui Tuong, Nathan Hussein and Thomas Wightwick. Page 24.

Figure 17. Screenshot from teaser video by Si Pui Tuong, Nathan Hussein and Thomas Wightwick. Page 24.

Figure 18. Screenshot from teaser video by Si Pui Tuong, Nathan Hussein and Thomas Wightwick. Page 24.

Figure 19. Photograph by Si Pui Tuong. Page 25.

Figure 20. Screenshot from teaser video by Si Pui Tuong, Nathan Hussein and Thomas Wightwick. Page 25.

Figure 21. Photograph by Si Pui Tuong. Page 26.

Figure 22. Photograph by Si Pui Tuong. Page 28.

Figure 23. Photograph by Si Pui Tuong. Page 29.

Figure 24. App Designs by Si Pui Tuong. iPhone 5 image from http://cdn.macrumors.com/articlenew/2013/06/ios721.jpg . Page 29.

Figure 25. Photography by Si Pui Tuong. Page 30.

Figure 26. Illustration by Jessica Ure. Page 31.

Figure 27. Print Ad for Light Up Seven Dials by Si Pui Tuong. Model shot by Thomas Wightwick. Page 32.

Figure 28. Infographic by Si Pui Tuong. Page 33.

Figure 29. Webpage image from sevendials.co.uk. Edited by Si Pui Tuong. Page 34.

Figure 30. Tote Bag Design by Si Pui Tuong. Black Tote Bag image from http://www.wbc.co.uk/c01-bk_zoom50-oz-cotton-bag-black.jpg. Page 34.

Figure 31. Image of Ellie Goulding from http://elliegoulding.com/photos/?category=press-images. Page 35.

Figure 32. Screenshot of Tanya Burr from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJMsU77qS5w. Page 35.

Figure 33. Marie Antoinette Image from http://blog.exclusifchaussures.fr/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/hdm2. jpg. Page 37.

Figure 34. Dashboard by Si Pui Tuong. Images used are from http://behance.vo.llnwd.net/profiles/72038/projects/1087799/cbe16be2f2de63a8aae0d4a95dc49588.png https://cdn1.iconfinder.com/data/icons/meBaze-Freebies/512/dashboard.png http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/sites/digitalstrategy/files/DASHBOARD.png http://www.faberacoustical.com/fileadmin/images/FEaT/MeterBridgeSoundflower16.png. Page 38.

Figure 35. Image made by Si Pui Tuong. Page 39.

Figure 36. Edited Grazia image by Si Pui Tuong. Grazia Image from http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/fashion/ community/blogger-tanya-burr-reveals-her-diary-in-pictures-1. Page 39.

Figure 37. Edited Image by Si Pui Tuong. Image from http://www.coventgarden.uk.com/magazine/coventgarden-picks-december. Page 39.

Figure 38. Infographi by Si Pui Tuong. Page 40.

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