Since my last blog post, I have had a thorough look into the App Market and not many Apps are currently available for Visual Merchandising (VM), which initially gave me confidence of being able to develop this further as my campaign idea...
I looked into current retail and business related magazines and websites, such as Drapers, Retail Week and Mode...Information (a trend prediction company based in London). I noted that Drapers only have an App for the Jobs section of their site and A mini guide to mobile retail App, thus, a gap for a VM related App. However, after gathering other information and returning to researching more into the placement of an App in drapers, I came across an online magazine named Interiors and created by Retail Week (Drapers sister company). This magazine includes the latest VM information and case studies of stores and brands using innovative VM...basically, the information that I wanted to produce within an App. This made this idea no longer viable as Drapers are not going to create and fund an App which gives the same information to the retailer for free within the sister company.
Adding to this, I found some websites which were promoting some great products and computer programs which are currently revolutionising VM, such as iShopShape and MockShop. With such brilliant programs available, albeit likely to be expensive, why would a retailer want to use a cheap if not free App? only during the tough economic climate possibly...
By this point, I had also realised that I did not want to produce an App for my final campaign at University. I feel like I would be just producing something for convenience but had no passion about. If there is one thing, I need to find something I am passionate about, as although the next few weeks will go fast, they will not be enjoyable if I am creating something that I am not interested in!
One option which I had been contemplating for a couple of weeks was to create and promote Social Media Marketing for one of the clothing brands that my Father works with. But they already have strong promotional campaigns which are visually very good in targeting their audience. Therefore, I did not know whether i could use the current visuals they have or create my own, but then these would not match the visuals they already have, thus, creating a campaign which is not coherent throughout, looking unprofessional. A brand identity needs to be kept as one.
Another option was to promote my Father's own company. The business was founded 20 years ago but does not include any corporate promotion apart from brand related business cards and a simple, uniform letterhead. I felt this could be an opportunity for both myself and the company to create something beneficial together. But with a small budget (5% of the gross profit), I would have been very limited in my options for promotional methods and creativity. I created a budget to show my Lecturer and he outlined the pros and con's of this venture for me. Basically, I try to be very innovative and produce something very creative with a small budget and see the project as going further than just my final campaign and into the opportunity of staying on within my father's business post Graduation or I am limiting myself and this could be crucial in my marks and thus, my final degree classification, if I do not succeed in showing my skills and staying very safe and do not show much creativity.
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