A NEW FORM OF BRAND COMMUNICATION
Fatigued by traditional marketing messages, people are far more likely to get involved with a cause they connect with. So brands are increasingly investing in projects, not campaigns, to show what they stand for and encourage a more meaningful connection with audiences. Pepsi’s Refresh project and Levi’s regeneration of the town of Braddock are examples of this initiative. As part of this refocusing of consumer relationships, brands are also starting to provide services rather than simply products. The promotion of well-being and motivation of consumers to become healthier is high on the government’s agenda and part of many businesses’ long-term strategies. Self-measurement as a tool for improving our behaviour is becoming more and more popular, with ‘Self-Quantifiers’ such as Michael Galpert proclaiming ‘One cannot change or control that which one cannot measure’ (FT.com magazine,p16, June 2011)
BRIEF
Within this environment, Unilever wants to offer the wider consumer a wearable device focusing on turning the inactive user to the active user. This could be some kind of wrist-worn activity/inactivity band or another wearable device, that unobtrusively logs your activity and reports the data. Your brief is to research the market, consumer, product design and promotion of this device and present your findings to Unilever. You will also be required to write a team report.
This is a team-based assignment. A critical path is essential in deciding how you progress. Decide in week 1 which skills your team will need to successfully complete your assignment. It is important that you define your team roles. In order to closely represent industry, this project is multi-disciplinary and as such you will be working alongside BA (Hons) Product Design.
THIS PROJECT WILL ENABLE YOU TO:
· Research the future of brand communication and broader macro trends
· Gain further understanding of research methods and conduct creative primary research in order to create insightful results
· Hone your writing skills – team report, press release, effective copy
· Gain insight into digital forms of communication and data visualisation
· Learn the principles of website design
· Work alongside Product Design students in order to produce a functional and desirable wearable device
· Produce an effective marketing campaign and PR strategy in order to launch the product effectively
· The subsequent Christmas project (separate brief) will allow you to transfer your learning of this future of brand communication onto a Fashion Brand of your choice resulting in possible brief ideas for FCP level 3.
TEAMWORK
You will be working in teams of 5 people (the same team as your Self-Promotion project unless you are told otherwise). You will be assigned a Product Design team with which to share ideas and information. You should nominate a spokesperson from your team who will need to meet the spokesperson in the Product Design team on a weekly basis. All of your meetings, including those with Product Design, need to be minuted and contain information on attendance, matters discussed and actions. They should also state which team member is responsible for each action and state the related deadlines. Subsequent minutes should state whether these actions have been fulfilled.
As a team you need to set up a team research blog in order to share information. You should ensure that each post is signed so it is clear which team member has uploaded what. Remember the School Ethics Guidelines and do not share sensitive or confidential information on a public forum.
PRIMARY RESEARCH
It is your responsibility to ensure that all primary research is carried out in accordance with the School’s Ethics Guidelines. If you are unsure, please ask your module leader. You will be given specific guidance on conducting research in relation to this project. Your report should contain a methodology which should detail both your secondary and primary research.
DEADLINES:
Monday 14th November. 5 minute team interim research presentation covering market trends and consumer. This should be an overview of your findings to date and will be delivered to your Product Design team who will also present their findings to you.
Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th December 2011 – 10 minute team presentation (delivered via PowerPoint) to academic staff. This should be an overview of your research and implementation.
These presentations are assessed and up to five teams will be chosen to re-present on Thursday 8th December to Unilever.
Each team must produce an A2 portrait board of their key findings for the project. This should summarise the main points of your project and contain images. Consider the various levels of impact i.e. immediate and under close scrutiny. Consider hierarchy of text and overall readability. This work must be mounted on white foamboard and must be handed in when you present on either Monday 5th or Tuesday 6th December.
Thursday 8th December 2011. All teams to go to ARK006 by 10am to pin up their A2 Key findings board alongside their Product Design team. Each team must also display a packaged CD of its presentation. Exhibition of all work and presentations by chosen teams from both FCP and PD to Unilever in ARK006 from 13.00 at allotted times. Exhibition viewing for all students on FCP and PD between 16.30-17.30. Refreshments provided.
Teams chosen by Unilever from each course to present in Colworth w/c 9th January 2011
Friday 13th January 2011 – report. Each team will hand in a team report to Eleanor Clayton in Waverley 120 (FCP base room) between 10.00-11.00. Of this report, 2000 minimum words (/-10%) must be written by each team member, covering their area of research for the assignment e.g. for a five member team, the report will be 10,000 words (+/- 10%) in length. This document will be marked on a team basis.
It is important that the presentation of the report is highly considered and reflects the visual identity of your recommendations. Visuals should be used throughout the document in order to extend and underpin the writing. The report must be fully referenced.
In addition, your report must contain:
A contents and title page
The word count (overall and broken down per team member).
It must be clear which team member was responsible for which section of the report
It must be clear which team member was responsible for which section of the report
A methodology section.
The minutes of all team meetings (including those between your spokesperson and the spokesperson
from your Product Design team) and a critical path in the Appendix
from your Product Design team) and a critical path in the Appendix
You must also hand in a digital copy of your report on CD along with the printed version (as part of PDF Portfolio).
Friday 3rd February 2011: Portfolio deadline
Assessment
1)Hard Copy of Team report
2)Portfolio on CD:
PowerPoint Presentation
PowerPoint Presentation
A2 Key Findings
Poster digital copy
Link to team research blog
Poster digital copy
Link to team research blog