Week 6 EOC: Rocky Ford: Restoring the Brand

Every brand project will have a history and it’s important that the designer understands a brand’s origin. It could be created from an acquisition, a merger, the result of a rebrand or a new addition to a family of brands. First Rocky Ford needs to know their origins, and from there, rebuild. They need to improve and update their systems so incidents such as poisonous break-outs do not occur again. Most people forget about subjects like these in the next week or so, but not the media because everything is reported, recorded, and documented. Rock Ford needs approach their customers with their deepest apologies. Sending out personal letters with special coupons or even a free fresh sample of their product would allow the customer to trust the brand once again. Have public relations post on social media and frequently read newsprints about how Rocky Ford has relocated to a new and improved factory with "state-of-the-art" equipment. Many businesses are happy to sell known products to people they already do business with, and there are examples of companies who have essentially done this for hundreds of years (some banks and brewers, for example). But sometimes the ‘low risk’ strategy hampers growth and innovation. Once people begin buying, now change things up. Rock Ford might want to grown honeydew melons near their cantaloupes and sell them. What the must realize is they can only do so much innovating because they are known only for their cantaloupes. if all else fails, they can rename themselves and start a new reputation in the farming industry.  “You can only grow so much within a known market”

Week 10 EOC: Dream Job

Manager, Visual Merchandising

POSITION SUMMARY:
Responsible for design and communication of collateral and visual merchandising planograms for North America
 
Position reports to Executive Director Graphics/Visual Merchandising and Executive Director Store Design/Visual Merchandising (matrix manager)


KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

·         Responsible for the development of impactful design solutions for assigned programs.
·         Manage planograms for NA doors and create or update communication document.
·         Streamline communication process and make recommendations to improve efficiencies.
·         Partner with cross functional teams to integrate visual merchandising, store design and collateral.
·         Maintain strong working knowledge of Origins brand, its heritage, customers, products and retail environments.
·         Utilize internal and external influences to concept ideas and innovations.
·         Produce technical drawings, renderings and models for internal and external usage
·         Leverage strong organizational and communication skills to manage multiple projects at one time.
·         Participate in weekly Creative department status meetings as needed and coordinate on a daily basis with other members of the Creative and Creative Operations teams as needed.
·         Travel as needed for retail site visits within North America.




·         5+ years of related experience with strong design background including concept development and production.
·         Ability to organize and manage multiple projects and to meet deadlines.
·         Ability to successfully communicate design direction and strategy to Marketing and Senior Management.
·         Proficiency in CS: InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator.

Tag Line

I am an art student seeking new opportunities in the fashion industry. Developing strong business relationships and a portfolio of creative professions is a long-term aspiration of mine. I am a designer, creative thinker, and hard worker with bigger dreams to accomplish in this industry. In return for your interest shown, my gratitude will demonstrate an excellent work ethic, knowledge that I posses, and will continue to acquire in my career.

“Behind the brand is careful business management controlling the way the brand expresses itself”

“Good branding is about pushing the creative boundaries within the context of the business of the brand. It is about understanding business. It is about creating stories”

“Brand structure and brand management have helped build businesses, market products and services, and manage reputation”

Davis, M., and Baldwin, J. (2006). More Than a Name: An Introduction to Branding. AVA Publishing                                                      

Emphasize Your Specialty and Five Key Talents

My sincerity and humility will allow me to affect my audience's emotions and develop trust. As I communicated effectively with sincere statements, I will convince my peers, employers, and investors that I am a brand that is here to stay. With my artistic abilities, I will create a memorable design that will always be recognized. My brand will be affiliated with the fashion industry but will branch off into other creative industries. I will lead my brand to the top and when I have establish more than one trustworthy business relationships, I just might merge and expand into an international brand.

A company entering a crowded market place with a new product may rely on their existing brand to help it succeed. However, some products and brands are often interlinked at launch. Kellogg’s is a good example of this. It has a range of breakfast cereals all under the Kellogg’s brand umbrella.

Branding helped to identify origin for the first time and attempted to affect buyer loyalty. Mass production of consumer goods went hand-in-hand with technological inventions and by the early 20th century people became defined by what they bought.

 

“Behind the brand is careful business management controlling the way the brand expresses itself” 
    Davis, M., and Baldwin, J. (2006). More Than a Name: An Introduction to Branding. AVA Publishing                                                   

Statement of Your Specialty

What I have to offer my audience is my sincerity. I may not be experienced in many things but one promise I can establish with my brand image is sincerity and humility. My audience will always expect my services, talents, core values, and passions to be honest and incorporated in every aspect of my brand strategy. There will be no subliminal advertisements, phony product descriptions, or exaggerations. I will surprise my audience and myself also, when I begin my journey toward the ultimate brand status. The more I learn, the more my audience will receive.

 Many products now have a broad range of standards and similar features or, in other cases, the service or product may have become a commodity competing on price and quality. Some fundamentals have not changed – people can choose simply on price, availability and location – but where competition and choice exists, the brand matters.

Brands today represent more than a product, service or brand identity (the name and logo, design and voice of the brand). A brand is synonymous with the business and the style behind the product or service; it encompasses the people working for the company and a philosophy and spirit that sustains it. Brands offer a set of values, a vision and an attitude.
Davis, M., and Baldwin, J. (2006). More Than a Name: An Introduction to Branding. AVA Publishing                                                      

Top Five Talents

My top five talents are communication, adaption, leadership qualities, relationship building, and artistic expression.

Communication is the key to opening someone's interests, opinions, and emotions in order to effectively communicate with other individuals. This talent is important when it comes to brand strategy. Every word I speak, will be documented and forever imprinted on the minds of those who will decide whether or not to establish the ultimate brand loyalty. Without communication, brands would not exist and also advertising agencies and other forms of media. Communication allows my brand to open up and engage my audience in what I am trying to accomplish. It's like talking to an employer face to face, once you've established that eye contact, you've got them hooked.

Adaption is important for managing stressful situations, and complicated endeavors. In the market place, I must adapt to my competitor's strategies and market fluctuations. There is extremely detailed research that involves internal and external factors of society. Therefore I must adapt to my style of branding, observe how competitors brand themselves, and attempt to achieve brand leadership. Every day I must constantly improve my brand, staying updated on the latest trends, industry news, my consumer's behaviors, and finding ways to expand.

Leadership qualities are attractive in the marketplace. If you're ahead of the market and have achieved brand loyalty, keep working. As a leader, I must strive for higher, yet remain "level-headed" to maintain my business relationships. I will be the kind of leader constantly updating on fresh marketing trends, hoping to achieve the ultimate brand loyalty for years to come.

Relationship building has always been a strong suit of mine. My humility and positive persona is an attractive, yet profitable quality. I am able to establish personal relationships of support successfully, but as a brand, I must also create profitable ones as well. Although I would never "Burn Bridges" with those who I started with, they too could become investors.

Artistic expression can be tied into all four talents. I can communicate artistically without words, I can adapt creatively in an environment, I will be a leader in artistic expression, and I will attract and network amongst artists to create a unique brand.

Once a brand has established itself in the market, it must continue to prove its effectiveness to stay in the market through ongoing brand activity. The purpose of brand campaigns may not be solely focused on selling a product or service, but to also build awareness, improve a reputation or to affirm or change perceptions.

At the heart of every brand is its audience. The consumer is no longer simply the person buying the product or service, but a broad spectrum of ‘stakeholders’ who include customers through to employees to external agencies and local communities. Each stakeholder may experience the brand in a different way, but there should be consistency in brand behavior. The relationship between the brand and the consumer is two-way – what the consumer thinks of the brand matters as much as how the brand projects itself to the consumer.

Many brands may succeed in communicating to an audience, but fail to engage. Engagement happens by identifying and exploiting the magic in a brand: the insight or idea that connects to the audience. It can be an intuitive process and requires a mix of strategic business thinking and creative ideas. The thinking and creative process must never stop.
Davis, M., and Baldwin, J. (2006). More Than a Name: An Introduction to Branding. AVA Publishing                                                      

Talents

Talent is to have a natural aptitude or skill. My very first talent was sewing. As a four year old living under the protection of my parents, I found refuge at the desk of my sewing machine, I was able to truly express myself through my projects. As I learned to effectively communicate with others, I became a source of comfort for others. My ability to talk softly and sincerely to others, allowed them to trust me. My mother would jokingly say that I should get a degree in Psychology, not Fashion. I also have excellent writing skills. There was a time in elementary where my teacher would stress the importance of good handwriting; that was before the era of the "text-messages." When it comes to stressful and demanding situations I am able to adapt. Adaption is a very important talent of mine because life in general has surprises. I can conform when needed and shine when necessary. Other talents that I posses are artistic abilities, leadership qualities, technological capabilities, and relationship building qualities.

Branding is a marketing discipline and the basics of branding are common to all areas of marketing: define your audience, know your market, differentiate yourself, choose a route to market and then make your brand stand out.

Many brands may succeed in communicating to an audience, but fail to engage. Engagement happens by identifying and exploiting the magic in a brand: the insight or idea that connects to the audience. It can be an intuitive process and requires a mix of strategic business thinking and creative ideas. The thinking and creative process must never stop.

Managing a brand also requires measuring the reputation of that brand both within the organization and externally, as well as managing and protecting the brand identity to prevent dilution or inconsistency. Those responsible for the brand need to be fully aware of the brand perception, the marketplace, the competition, wider trends and social influences, and the ever-changing relationship with the consumer and other audiences.
Davis, M., and Baldwin, J. (2006). More Than a Name: An Introduction to Branding. AVA Publishing                                                      

Passions

To be in an industry and to be successful in that industry, is to have passion. Passion is very important to have in a career because it is what drives someone to wake up every single day to "clock-in." My passion has always been for fashion. I am not into research, accounting principles, or white-collared institutions. Fashion for me is all about color, and creativity. Color is not only for colour palettes and trends, it is also for the variety of individuals fashion has reached. Creativity is for the clothes that designers from the past have created that professionals today refer to for inspiration. Before I attended college, I believed that fashion involved only designing and dressing people. Now that I am aware and educated of what the industry truly entails, my passion for fashion has grown.

When people are passionate about particular brands there is an emotional connection that goes beyond the appreciation of the product or service. The attachment could be triggered for a number of reasons: there may be a status associated with the brand; the person may be attracted by design or form; it may give a brilliant service, or a simple, functional, practical use that makes the person connect with the brand.

 As more human values and identities come to the forefront, the value of a brand will be measured on its engagement with the audience. This means that audiences will actively participate in the evolution and development of emerging brand identities.

Managing a brand also requires measuring the reputation of that brand both within the organization and externally, as well as managing and protecting the brand identity to prevent dilution or inconsistency. Those responsible for the brand need to be fully aware of the brand perception, the marketplace, the competition, wider trends and social influences, and the ever-changing relationship with the consumer and other audiences.
Davis, M., and Baldwin, J. (2006). More Than a Name: An Introduction to Branding. AVA Publishing                                                      

Core Values

What matters to me, and I know most people would agree, is trust. Trust to someone else may only require not telling lies and saying what is really on your mind, which can be inappropriate at times. Trust to me requires

• Reliable relationships
• Honest opinions when asked
• Genuine communication

I am sure that the idea of trust can mean millions of concepts to others, but that is my condensed version.

Another core value of mine is a strong work ethic. Hard work will always have positive outcomes, no matter how long the wait. Laziness is a horrible habit to adopt and it will bring great unhappiness. Now sometimes hard work can be exhausting and repetitive, but people still need to sleep, eat, and take a break. When I work hard, I make sure that it is for a reason and not a waist of time. The hours I spend at school and at work are filled with purpose and meaningful experiences. At school, I learn something new everyday and all assignments are done based on real life situations. At work, I communicate with many diverse individuals and offer exceptional customer service to the best of my ability because to see my customers happy gives me great joy.

 Managing a brand also requires measuring the reputation of that brand both within the organization and externally, as well as managing and protecting the brand identity to prevent dilution or inconsistency. Those responsible for the brand need to be fully aware of the brand perception, the marketplace, the competition, wider trends and social influences, and the ever-changing relationship with the consumer and other audiences.

Brands don’t just arrive out of nowhere. They are the product of a company ‘vision’. Although making lots of money is a vision of sorts, it is not exactly specific. Any successful brand needs to be part of a clearly defined set of objectives.

 The brand is the promise of something. That something is intangible; it could be a guarantee of quality, a sense of prestige, or of heritage. Brands also offer a differentiating factor that makes it easier to choose between the many competing product variants.
Davis, M., and Baldwin, J. (2006). More Than a Name: An Introduction to Branding. AVA Publishing                                                      

Primary "Product"

Attending a creative school for creative minds has made me realize that I am more experienced than I know. The problem that I always run into is the ability to communicate those experiences to employers because of the "long, drawn-out" explanation. If I were given the opportunity to explain all the services and abilities that I have performed this would be the list on my resume:

• Assisted disabled/elderly citizens with caution (grandparents)
• Mentored young adults about life's experience and the importance of making righteous decisions. (nieces and nephews)
• Completed all tasks given to me by authoritative figures to the best of my ability. (Chores)
• Catered, entertained, and hosted public and personal festive occasions. (birthday parties)
• Instructed older personnel on the basics of technology. (mother needing help with computer)
• Made the effort to always remain trustworthy, reliable, and humble to all that I have serviced. (being a good friend/daughter)

See, I am quite the professional at what I do. So what exactly do I do? I would like to answer that question as living my life with as much purpose as I can.

Managing a brand also requires measuring the reputation of that brand both within the organization and externally, as well as managing and protecting the brand identity to prevent dilution or inconsistency. Those responsible for the brand need to be fully aware of the brand perception, the marketplace, the competition, wider trends and social influences, and the ever-changing relationship with the consumer and other audiences.

Brands reflect the society we live in. A look at advertising in your own environment can give you an idea of trends, influences and issues in society.

Brands cannot pretend that they can serve individual tastes or needs with bespoke tailoring, or that the brand belongs to each of us, especially if the underlying product or service is increasingly commoditized. The brand needs to behave in line with its values and be relevant to its audience – it must act with integrity, be consistent in its actions, and deliver on the promise.

 Davis, M., and Baldwin, J. (2006). More Than a Name: An Introduction to Branding. AVA Publishing                                                      

Week 6 BOC: Tylenol Scare 1982

In the fall of 1982, seven people in Chicago, Illinois died after ingesting Tylenol capsules that were contaminated with cyanide. It resulted in their market value plummeting about 1 billion dollars. The tampering occurred once the product reached the shelves. They were removed from the shelves, infected with cyanide and returned to the shelves. In 1982, Tylenol controlled 37 percent of its market with revenue of about $1.2 million. Immediately after the cyanide poisonings, its market share was reduced to seven percent. Then four years later, the same incident occurred which called for immediate damage control. Although Johnson & Johnson knew they were not responsible for the tampering of the product, they assumed responsibility by ensuring public safety first and recalled all of their capsules from the market. In fact, in February of 1986, when a woman was reported dead from cyanide poisoning in Tylenol capsules, Johnson & Johnson permanently removed all of the capsules from the market. Johnson & Johnson removed 31 million bottles that were being sold nationwide and replaced all advertisements with alert warnings to protect their loyal customers. With all their products stripped from the shelves, they were able to begin reconstructing their brand image. Chairman of Johnson & Johnson, James Burke, made it clear to the company and public that they saftey of the consumer came first then the improvement of the product second. What set apart Johnson & Johnson's handling of the crisis from others? It placed consumers first by recalling 31 million bottles of Tylenol capsules from store shelves and offering replacement product in the safer tablet form free of charge. The new "tamper-proof" seal was introduced to the public along with caplets, instead of capsules. Also they invented a new pricing program and coupons for their loyal customers to apologize for their unfortunate events. Because Tylenol is considered a "medical drug," they reached out to the medical community to promote the saftey of the new packaging and caplet. It is because Johnson & Johnson acted quickly that established the trust between the company's shareholders and customers that allowed it to protect their brand till this day. 

http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/fall02/susi/tylenol.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/23/your-money/23iht-mjj_ed3_.html
http://www.mallenbaker.net/csr/crisis02.php

Week 5 EOC: Trend Predictions

For next year's trend forecast, I predict that the hourglass will make its way back on to the runway. We have seen frequent boxed silhouettes that last two seasons and I think the sexy woman should emerge now. If it is economic troubles that are influencing these boyish trends, then so be it. It still is not an excuse to forget why your a woman. Progressive brands are moving away from traditional advertising methodologies and opting for consumer insights to connect authentically to the market. Still, traditional brand-owners are not yet ready to accept that qualitative trends and consumer emotion are driving the market. Another trend prediction of mine are pastel colors. I observe the grunge and punk rock fads will eventually fad and themes will become more softer and bring back the strength of femininity. I believe advertisements should direct their attention to the older generations, they are making a comeback. Since times are rough, the baby-boom generation are fighting for their last will-in-testament before they finally retire. These next trends need to display comfort and agility for those cougar moms and sugar dads.  Today’s youth interacts with brands that connect with it on an emotional level. They want to feel that a brand belongs and connects to their lives. They are interested in co-creating with brands and want to feel that they can influence product design, marketing, events and communications.Today's youth are concerned with only themselves, so its time to give the parents and grandparents some attention because they still exist in society and we as young folk look up to them. Young people are still finding who they are, so even if the advertisements are toward older people, if the fashion is trendy, most likely they will wear it.
So many companies focus on their immediate competition for marketplace trends. I preach the gospel to brands about ‘looking sideways’ at products and brands in markets beyond their own. Radical innovations come about when elements from very different worlds are brought together.

Brands now need to be authentic and real; it’s about honesty and sincerity.

Week 4 EOC: McDonald's Response to "Super Size Me"

I feel that McDonalds handled the release of the documentary "Super Size Me" pretty well. It seemed as if McDonalds felt the man who decided to eat all those calories every day for 30 days was a total idiot. McDonald is the Wal-Mart of fast food restaurants and people fail to realize that the more attention you bring to these companies, the more your advertising their brand for free. It does not matter how many people stand in front of a McDonalds and hold picket signs all day, you cannot fight the brand. The company has called the documentary “a super-sized distortion of the quality, choice and variety available at McDonald’s.” It says the film is not about McDonald’s but about Spurlock’s decision to act irresponsibly by eating 5,000 calories a day — “a gimmick to make a film.” Both parties brought up significant arguments as defenses. McDonalds has made the effort in introducing a healthier menu to their broad consumers. Even though Spurlock, the man who made the documentary, ate some of those items during his fast food, 30 day diet, doesn't mean McDonalds is misleading their customers. In the McDonald's ad, the restaurant chain highlights the fact it has introduced healthier items to its menu. It claims the amount of food Spurlock ate during his experiment was quivalent to what the average McDonald's customer eats at the chain over six years. We all know that fast food isn't good for anyone period. Fast food consumption should be in moderation, and as an American trying to live a healthier lifestyle should realize that. Spurlock says, "I believe it's a two-way street because I believe there's not enough information coming out to the consumer. When you feed 46 million people every day, as McDonald's does, you have a huge responsibility - 46 million worldwide, half of them in America, 23 million every day, almost 10 percent of the population. You have a responsibility to help educate your consumer to make the right choices, letting them know how often they should eat the food." I feel that Spurlock made an agreeable argument, but what do people want from McDonalds? Do they want their advertisements to say "eat within moderation" or "do not overly consume," no, they will not.

 

http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/220087/
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/4433307/ns/business-us_business/t/mcdonalds-phasing-out-supersize-fries-drinks/#.UfmXtIKaClU
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500183_162-615975.html

Week 3 EOC: Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone is a magazine that publishes newsworthy articles related to pop culture.  Its’ strategic marketing patterns are directed to a younger generation interested in worldly subjects that affect their futures. In its early days in the 1960s and ’70s, Rolling Stone was a chronicle of the counterculture where a generation of young people came to find political coverage that spoke to their disaffection. Rolling Stone has a reputation of publishing shocking and controversial topics and media. It is because of their heavily researched articles that make the magazine unique. They communicate to their subscribers and readers that they are more than just a magazine for music. Wenner made it clear that Rolling Stone was not just about music “but also about the things and attitudes that the music embraces,” as he wrote in the first issue, which bore a cover date of November 9, 1967. Some of these other things include movies, books, politics and newsier items - anything that might interest a literate, engaged readership. The position Rolling Stone holds in the media business is fading. Technology reigns over newspapers and magazines, therefore trying to publish multiple page articles in a booklet is not favorable in today’s society.  Since their fist publication in 1967, Rolling Stone’s first editor, Jann Wenner, has made sure that each issue contains in-depth and informative media. Wenner observed: “When Rolling Stone started, music was the only medium available to young people to express themselves and share ideas. Now everything is open to young people and their concerns and values: television, newspapers, books, every medium imaginable. He also stressed the importance of innovation and evolution; therefore his magazine has reached to local and global audiences through journalism and Internet channeling.  Because Rolling Stone has been around for many years, they are considered a trustworthy brand. It is of significance that the magazine communicates to their target audience who they really are. Their brand markets to young, educated individuals who want to read about newsworthy topics that provide great detail and research. Because of technology, information is sent in seconds and can be read in just a few minutes. This type of competition can be difficult to beat.  Luckily, Rolling Stone has worthy journalist who continues the brand’s legacy. 

http://articles.latimes.com/1997/oct/20/news/ls-44656

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/business/media/28stone.html?ref=jannwenner

http://rockhall.com/inductees/jann-s-wenner/bio/

Week 2 EOC: John Varvatos SWOT Analysis

S: John Varvatos is menswear designer that is known for its’ intricate and classic tailoring.  His strengths include the improvement of his website. He accepted more of an editorial, fashion forward image. He hired professional web designers that have worked for other couture designers like Alexander McQueen. he is considered as an American designer but has achieved global recognition in the fashion industry. In his campaigns, he uses legendary music icons like Jimmy Page and Gary Clark Jr. He advertises in reputable fashion magazines like GQ, Vanity Fair, and Esquire.

W: John Varvatos is strictly a menswear designer. Although menswear is not focused upon as much as women’s wear is, it still disables the brand from expanding to the fullest potential. He spends millions on advertisements alone, which can damage his budget. The individuals he uses for his campaigns are from older generations; there is a risk that his market will unfortunately not recognize them.

O: John Varvatos has been able to host celebrity parties to raise funds for special causes. Therefore, he has the opportunity to network, create business, and personal relationships amongst his peers. John Varvatos is a worldly individual, which opens the opportunity to grasp inspiration outside of fashion.

T: John Varvatos has much collaboration with musicians and actors. He has teamed up with the CEO of diesel, Cristiano Quieti. These collaborations can be either profitable or disastrous. He must be cautious of whom he trusts, or the possibility of companies retaliating against him and the brand he has worked hard to create.

http://www.wwd.com.ai.libproxy.edmc.edu/eye/parties/ben-affleck-jennifer-garner-co-chair-john-varvatos-stuart-house-benefit-6840948?src=search_links
http://www.wwd.com.ai.libproxy.edmc.edu/footwear-news/markets/3-questions-for-john-varvatos-6747034?src=search_links

Week 1 EOC: How to Make it In America

When attempting to accomplish anything in the business world, knowledge is a crucial element. There are two types of smarts; street and book smarts. These two characters in this television show demonstrate more of a street-smart mentality and live everyday trying to make it in America. Neither of these two gentlemen show laziness that often most men would feel if they were not successful in their careers. The display of vigor and diligence is what makes these two individuals likable. They have the drive, but establishing a brand, who they are, is their biggest task. They had a business started but lacked the research of their potential market. Their ideas were not innovative enough and lacked reasoning. ”Brands today represent more than a product, service or brand identity (the name and logo, design and voice of the brand). A brand is synonymous with the business and the style behind the product or service; it encompasses the people working for the company and a philosophy and spirit that sustain it. Pg 27” These men needed more than just a product to sell to random people on the streets of New York, the development of a unique style and motto is what will grasp the market’s attention. The market will find them more valuable, an entrepreneurship to feed the economy. “Brands offer a set of values, a vision and an attitude. Organizations establish a brand position to project a consistent public and internal image. This brand position sets perimeters to help respond to opportunities and challenges and also gives context to those who work for the company. Pg 27” I believe this is what it takes to make it in America, make yourself marketable first, then invest in assets that will contribute to your personal brand.