VM & Display Show

On Tuesday I went to the VM & Display show in London that housed all things to do with display ranging from technology to stands. It was here that I found out about a camera system that takes an image of something (predominantly clothing) and takes the picture with different background options. It has been created to show clothing for mannequins so the background can be removed from the clothing. This technology would be perfect for my Stylist Edit app so that backgrounds can be removed immediately from around the clothing. It's just a shame the exhibition was after the dissertation. Their website is www.styleshoots.com.

Week 15

This week I will have my final board completely created and sent off to be printed, which is a daunting thought. I've spent the day sorting out the arrangement of the board and the contents that's going on it. Once that's done I can concentrate on creating the promotional magazine as I want that finished by the following Monday in order to get that printed. In addition, I also want to make changes to my flyers as I am not pleased with how they look. Both the flyers and the magazine will be going on my stand therefore I want them to look their best.

Board Arrangement

After showing Paz my initial board design (see above), he highlighted that A2 is a really large size and probably too big for my board. He made the point also that having all my app screens on the board may look overcrowded, plus if they were all in iPad frames it would look over saturated with hardware opposed to my software. He made the suggestion that instead I just have the main screens on the board with the middle screen in an iPad to highlight the app. I have taken this suggestion on board. In addition, he also pointed out that A2 would be too big for social media and it may look odd all crowded in one corner, here he said it would look neater and easier to read if everything was in lines, therefore I have changed my layout slightly. All my promotion now sits in lines and I have got rid of my adhsel as there wasn't enough room. I wasn't too keen on my adshel being on the board anyway.  I am pleased with the layout of my new board, I just need to go through and add titles and rasterize everything.

Week 14 Update

I have finished all the promotion needed for my final board which I am pleased about. There wasn't that much to do all in all, but everything is ready now to be placed. Some forms of promotion need to be added to a web page vector, however, these don't seem to be that easy to edit so I need my tutors help with that. Also, I want to ensure my layout design and the content for the board is correct before I get it ready for hand in on Thursday. This will be checked over with my tutor in the morning.

Magazine Advert #2

I've made a new magazine advert as I wasn't completely happy with the previous one. Although I based it around a similar advert in Company magazine it didn't look that appealing or eye catching, so I much prefer this new one. It was inspired by the adshel adverts as I think they look sleek and sophisticated plus offer a snippet of information about the app without bombarding the consumer. Now it's been placed in a magazine template it looks more realistic. This is the advert I am going to use on my final board, plus it's also one that would be used in other magazines such as Elle and Company.

Mail-Out

There will be two different types of mail out promotions available. Firstly, there will be the standard newsletter that's sent out twice a week featuring new things on their website and in the magazine and secondly there will be a postcard email simply advertising one thing. The mail out I am going to use on my final board will be the postcard email as that is just focused on the promotion of the app. The postcard email here simply gives a quick overview of the app and leads consumers to the web article explaining more should they click on the postcard. It's been designed to be simple and not have too much information on it so that consumers spend time reading the email.

In addition, I have drawn out the Outlook webpage to present the mail outs in to make them look more professional, plus to easily distinguish what they are. 

Adshel

I've made two different adshel designs although they are not too dissimilar, the only difference being that one has a QR code on. I prefer the non- code design however, I wanted the QR code present so that consumers could access the app straight away. These adhsels will be placed in train stations in major cities to catch the attention of busy commuters and savvy fashionistas. I didn't want there to be too much information about the app on the adverts as that would detract attention from it as it looks too busy, plus I wanted to gauge consumer interest and get people wondering about the app. The advert without a QR code will be put along the escalators in London undergrounds as here consumers don't have time to scan a QR code but it still makes people aware of the app. 

Final Stand Layout Ideas

In order to lay out my final stand, I needed to try out some different designs. All promotion has to be put onto different sized paper templates then the templates added to the stand design. Above I have tried out some different layouts with different paper sizes, but it's quite difficult to experiment with different looks as my app is the main part of the stand and needs to go at the top quite largely. I'm going to lay out my board using the first design as I think this lays everything out neatly and in order of important and main promotion. I feel the other designs look a bit more messy in terms of the app being presented. I need to consult with my tutor also that the layout is fine and that everything on my board is needed, plus make sure I don't miss anything out, then I can go ahead and add my promotion to the final stand.

Hard copy promotion such as the promotional magazine and flyers will be printed out and put on the table with the final board therefore they aren't necessary on the final stand.

Week 13 & 14 Timelog

WEEK 13

I spent the first week of the Easter holidays taking a well earned rest and relaxing. I did, however, make a to-do list comprising of everything that is yet to be finished.

WEEK 14

This week I aim to complete my the final forms of promotion, initially those that need to be put on my final board. These are my mail-out newsletter and adshels. I am also tempted to go over my leaflets and magazine adverts, as I don't know if I am completely happy with them. The promotional magazine I am creating doesn't need to be completed until the 15th May, so for this week I am going to concentrate on finishing the other forms of promotion, but also continually planning out the magazine. All promotion needs to be done on Illustrator etc and I don't have that on my laptop, so when I am not at the library I can be carrying on with magazine content.

Week 12

My dissertation is finished and currently in the process of being printed and bound. I have chosen a 'perfect bind' binding technique as this looks the most realistic to a magazine, plus I didn't feel the other options suited my brand or layout. The other options included spiral bound binding and book binding, neither of which were appropriate to me.

Regarding the design layout of my dissertation, I am not 100% happy with it. Originally I wanted to present my dissertation in the style of Company magazine as this naturally suits the brand and my entire campaign. However, I was steered away from this idea as I have used the Company layout for previous projects as it is something I like and find really fun to use in terms of layouts. Instead I was advised to think of a more professional and sophisticated approach but take elements from Company i.e. the fonts and colours. Therefore I based my design around the H&M magazine found here.  I adapted the layout with use of colours and fonts used by Company but overall I am not as pleased with it as I would of been if I had laid it out like a magazine, however, I understand that this is what I have done for previous projects therefore I should do something different.

I am incredibly pleased with the writing side of my report and feel I have explained every detail of the app accordingly. I am also proud of my promotional content, although there is more to be produced I am pleased with what's gone in the dissertation.

This week I am going to take a break and relax after a few stressful weeks. Towards the end of the week I am going to begin planning what needs to go on the final board as well as what other promotion needs completing for the portfolio.

Week 11 Update

On Thursday I proof read and completely finished the entirety of my dissertation writing, and this morning I completed all aspects of promotional content being featured within the dissertation print. I am feeling confident of my personal deadline as alls I need to do is simply draw up the layout for my design and add in the text and images. I know I will have enough time to keep checking through my work and my design to ensure it is perfect and up to a high standard before going off to print and after it has been printed, also leaving myself time to make amendments should there be mistakes.

Customer Profile Boards

These are my final customer profile boards that link up with the layout of my dissertation. They visually represent each customer, plus I have tried to colour code them to keep in with the design inspiration. I have included all the main information I used in the planning of my customer profiles here within the picture versions.

Company Website

As well as creating the Stylist Edit app's own website, I also created advertising content for the Company magazine website. Firstly, I added a tab across the top bar that now features 'Stylist Edit' redirecting consumers to the Stylist Edit website should they click on it. In the first two months of promotion there will be adverts and links on the homepage that either send consumers to the Stylist Edit website or to the article on the Company website promoting and explaining the app. I drew the website out myself retaining features from the website and using my Instagram feed I had created for social media.

Stylist Edit Website

The following images are of the completed Stylist Edit website. The website will be a separate website from the original Company website and will feature a series of tabs that offer different functions, mainly those of that the app provides.

The website tabs are thus:

• Home
• Style File
• Wardrobe
• Outfit Library
• Inspiration
• Wishlist 
• Chat

The Home tab explains the app in detail from how it works to how to get the best from it. The Style File is the user's profile where they can edit it and upload their profile picture. The Wardrobe and Outfit Library is synced with the app and has the same information on both, however consumers cannot upload to their wardrobes nor can they have outfit suggestions generated as that takes away the exclusivity of the app. The Inspiration tab acts as a Tumblr/Pinterest page whereby users can use freely just as they can on the app. In addition, the Wishlist tab can also be uploaded to. The Chat tab provides how to videos, a live messenger service and styling Q&A videos that are created once a month.

The website is laid out in a similar fashion to Company magazine but also a cross with fashion shop's layouts. The Company website is too busy and full for the information Stylist Edit website is providing and websites such as Topshop are more simple and easier to navigate. The website retains the same colour scheme and fonts of the app to retain continuity.

Magazine Adverts/Content

Magazine content is a big form of promotion regarding the advertising of the app. Here I have created the editor's letter page which currently has adverts on it promoting their Weekly Edit app, also within the editor's letter I have talked about the app. This page will go in the January issue of Company magazine so readers are aware of the app when they first start reading the magazine. I have also created an advert for the magazine based around their current Weekly Edit app advert that briefly explains the apps features. Moreover, an article page has been created that explains to readers the ins and outs of the app written in a Company style as well as persuading the consumers to go and download the app. All content has been drawn out.