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.

Social Media Promotion

I had a lot of fun creating the social media promotion of the Stylist Edit app, although it was difficult to think of different adverts for each different platform. The Facebook page will be the main source of promotion as they have the most outreach visually via this method. In addition, they have the most followers on Facebook hence a bigger reach to different audiences. I drew out all aspects of the Facebook and Twitter Page but simply used a pre made vector for the Instagram feed and added my images into them. I took inspiration for all the posts and captions from Company's current feeds to maintain their style of writing and keeping continuity. 

Customer Profile Board Inspiration

(All Images from Pinterest)

The following images are of customer profile board ideas. I wanted to keep the customer profile board in keeping with the rest of my dissertation layout to maintain continuity so some of the more busier and collage like designs are not as applicable to the sleeker dissertation layout I have gone for, however I do still really like the designs of them. I love the more linear moodboards and use of squares and rectangles over-lapping. What makes the majority of these moodboards striking is the colour palette used within them, as all the pictures derive from a certain colour. Finding relevant customer profile images that are all within one colour scheme may be difficult, however this is what makes the boards look really good. I really like the idea of taking a picture of a picture, e.g. taking pictures of all the customer profile information and then taking a picture of that all together like the 7th image above. However, I don't know if I will have the time to produce that now. I think the style I like most is the 10th image whereby there are coloured lines to break things up; this could work well in terms of keeping a colour scheme, plus I like how the images are laid out randomly not made into a box shape.

Dissertation Printing & Binding

After having a look on Bob's Books and Blurb websites, I have decided to get my dissertation printed at the library. Firstly, I am worried about my time management and not being able to have my creative copy ready in term and I don't want to rush it, plus both of these websites focus more on photobooks rather than actual written copies, therefore I feel they won't be able to create my dissertation to its fullest potential. I don't think a 'book' type binding really fits with my brand as it's quite a formal look, therefore I am going to opt for 'perfect binding' done at the library which looks more like a magazine as this is the look I am going for. This also gives me the opportunity for some more time to really perfect my dissertation layout.

Campaign & Media Plan

The Campaign & Media plan can be found above. The first two images are the Campaign plan listing everything that will be done in order to produce not only the app but also the entire promotional campaign behind it.

The Media plan outlines the cost for my promotion. Most of the promotional techniques are free of charge. This is because the app costs so much to make that it leaves little expenditure left for a large media promotion campaign. Luckily, most of the promotion required is free anyway. However, once the app makes a profit, Company can look into more expensive promotional methods however this isn't really what the company does already, so may not even be something done by the brand. The media costs were found on the following websites

• Emails- http://mailchimp.com/
• Flyers- http://www.vistaprint.co.uk/flyers

Dissertation Layout- Final Decision

After speaking with Paz today I've made my final decision on the layout of my dissertation. Admittedly, it shouldn't of taken me as long as it has to decide upon this as ultimately there are more important things to be getting on with. Paz agreed that I should take on elements of Company magazine to show I have an understanding of my brand, however he doesn't feel it's good for me to totally copy it as I've done this before and should try something different. 

Therefore, I've decided I'm going to integrate the H&M magazine layout with elements of Company's artwork that have become synonymous with the brand e.g. the fonts, use of brush strokes, colours. I'm going to create an assets page of Company's branding for the purpose of my promotion so I have a reference of their style, which will also be a good guideline when I begin producing the creative format for my dissertation.

Social Media Marketing

I got some books from the library about social media marketing in order to help me with my promotion text in my dissertation. The following is some of the key information I sourced from the books.

The Social Media Marketing Book- Dan Zarrella

• Retweets are the most powerful mechanisms for marketers on Twitter
• Between 11am and 6pm is the most popular time for retweeting
• Retweets with links get retweeted more
• Becoming a 'trending topic' will generate more buzz and awareness
• Applications on Facebook are proving popular to attract audiences, whether its an app game or something to enhance the promotional message. It may be something to consider creating an app to promote the service, Rimmel have done this before when they launched a new lipgloss.
• 'Currently, Facebook is the dominant social networking site and it has the most features useful to the social media marketer. It began in universities, so Facebook boasts a commanding percentage of college students as members. Recently, however, it's fastest growing segment has been users older than 35, and recent data suggests that the 35-54 age group has become bigger than the 18-24 age group. For these older users, Facebook presents a middle ground between the stuffiness of Linkedin and the adolescent playground of Myspace, and is a fun but easily navigable place where they can reconnect with old friends.'

Social Media Marketing A Strategic Approach- Melissa Barker, Donald Barker, Nicholas Bormann & Krista Neher

• YouTube reports that their user base is broad in age range, 18-55, evenly divided between males and females and spanning all geographies.
• People over 65 are adopting Facebook quicker than any other accounts
• 48% of people over 55 have Facebook accounts
• Facebook is more popular with younger people but has significant penetration in all age groups. According to Morpace research, 84% of those 18-34 have Facebook pages compared to 61% of those 35-54 and 48% of people over 55.
• Brands that are successful on social media are 'participatory'. They interact with the community, answer questions and thank those who respond.
• Having a personality is key on social media. Sharing personality helps build common ground and trust. A bureaucratic or forced tone is not a very appealing call to interact. Instead building a feeling of trust and common interest makes it more likely that people will find the social media campaign to be engaging and worth participating in.
• Video is a very popular medium because it can create a stronger connection with consumers. For many people, video stimuli are more appealing than dry text or listening to a podcast. Also the more senses that are involved in gathering information, the more engaging the process becomes.
• Marketing with social networks has several advantages for firms, allowing them to find talent, build brand awareness, find new customers and help conduct brand intelligence and market research.
• Social networks allow a brand to engage its target audience in ongoing conversation, which can both draw in new business and increase customer loyalty.
• Twitter users retweet content they enjoy or can vouch for so it is a signal of approval when a retweet occurs.
• Social media measurement is the determination of the volume of the content and the sentiment toward a brand or topic on the social web. The volume of content is a 'quantitative measurement', while judging sentiment is a 'qualitative measurement'. The number of posts, comments, tweets, retweets, likes, and follows are instances of quantitative metrics, while mentions, comments, conversations and feedback about a brand are examples of qualitative metrics.  

Feedback #4

There was a short feedback session today discussing our overall progress so far. At the moment I feel I am up to date with my work and as this week will be spent concentrating on creating the visuals I will be ahead with promotional work by the start of next week.

One of the areas that was bothering me was regarding the literature review as I've not found many key texts but rather little snippets from a selection of articles. I was told that I don't actually have to reference specific texts, but if Mintel as a whole was beneficial for example, I can simply state that Mintel was helpful. This made me feel more confident about writing my literature review.

In addition, I was also concerned about the layout of my dissertation as I've laid out several previous pieces of work out in the style of Company magazine so I don't particularly want to adopt the same style for my dissertation piece. Nevertheless, Louise pointed out that it may seem like I don't understand Company as a brand if I designed my dissertation to reflect a more serious looking style, as Company's layouts are fun, relaxed and exciting. It is the perfect way to design the dissertation given that my app is for Company magazine. She did suggest that instead of copying it out again I could take elements I like and merge them with the more sophisticated layouts I've found so I'm still incorporating their graphics and artwork without totally copying again. This is something I am definitely considering and am going to speak to my personal tutor to get the final verdict.

Dissertation Layout Ideas #4

The images above are all from H&M's free magazine. Out of all the magazine layouts I've looked at this one is definitely my favourite. The white space is perfect and makes everything look crisp and sophisticated. Everything is so simple and laid out really well. Again, everything is very linear and grid like, but I think combined with the fonts it works well and gives a really professional vibe. The text over images looks aesthetically pleasing also, however I don't know if I would be able to do this over my own images as it could distract from the promotional picture. I also like how the text boxes and images overlap each other to give that relaxed edge in such a formal structure. This is definitely a layout I am considering using, although I am worried it may clash with the general ethos of my app which is fun and friendly, whereas this looks more serious and formal.

Stylist Edit Promotion

So far this is a list of the promotional activity that will take place to promote the Stylist Edit app. Company mainly concentrates on below-the-line campaigns, however I have tried to incorporate some above-the-line promotion as this is a new service hence it can be promoted in a new way.

• Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
• Youtube videos
• Celebrity endorsements (Focusing on vlogger Zoe Suggs/Zoella)
• Magazine adverts
• Editorials and advertorials
• Online banners (their own websites, other websites)
• iPad stations at their forum events, blogger awards, Graduate Fashion Week, whereby consumers can play on the app (pre-loaded with clothing just so users can get a feel of the app)
• Adverts on tubes and in tube stations (people can have long journeys and get bored on the trains)
• Sponsorship with Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model
• Leaflets to be given in goody bags (at blogger awards, forum events, Graduate Fashion Week), maybe even as a flyer in other magazines
• Emails
• Google + Hangouts

Dissertation Layout Ideas #3

The above images are from River Island's magazine. This style of layout is a lot more sleeker and sophisticated than the previous two magazines. The clean cut text also appeals to me as it's very simple and doesn't detract too much attention away from the content of the page.  The use of white space is utilised well and I think the boxes of texts over images are a really nice touch. Whether we can have text over images is something I will have to discuss with my tutor. Again, linear is a popular layout design and I do think grids and squares do look more sophisticated.  My favourite layout so far is the collection of images with the small rectangle of text to the right of it, this would be a good way to display promotion and have space to talk about it. 

This is definitely another layout I am considering as it's more practical than previous ones I've looked at.

Dissertation Layout Ideas #2

The following magazine is Office's free publication. It was actually designed by the Company magazine team so there are some similarities between the two magazines. Therefore this may be a good layout avenue to go down given that it's similar to Company but not the same. 

I like the use of pastel colours and range of fonts, however this could get a bit messy looking if not executed correctly. I think the coloured backgrounds look great too, but I think everything would look much better on a white background for my dissertation, especially when adding my images to the layout. I like the grid layout above which could be a nice way to display images and small parts of text if required. Similar to Company (and previously seen at Cosmopolitan), there are a lot of illustrations which seems to be a popular theme within magazines now making me consider them for my own layout.