REALISATION PROJECT - BUSINESS IDEA
Mindful Monzo
The Stage 2 development project was followed on from the Stage 1 research project. Stage 1 gave great insights from primary and secondary research, which led to the growth of a new business concept.Market and consumer research was carried out, alongside trend analysis and industry interviews, which led to the development of extending Monzo.
A problem was identified through thorough research in that;
-People are overwhelmed by choice. if people could monitor their spending and become educated in how each act of consumption affects the planet this would limit their choice
-Lack of data tailored to each individual
-Lack of knowledge out there related to the climate crisis - which is illustrated in an 'easy to understand way'
-41% of people are not sure where to start research to know what the choice is when buying product.
All of which led the growth of 'Mindful Monzo'. An extension of the challenger bank Monzo.
'Mindful Monzo is a carbon footprint tracking service that operates within the challenger banking app Monzo, which allows users to track whether their choice of purchase is setting off more carbon emissions than the average person. The service aims to encourage users to think more mindfully in their approach to consuming and get people to start talking and acting on their purchasing behaviours, which are not so good for the environment. The solution helps consumers to understand their impact and reduce their footprint as it connects each transaction to its impact on the planet. The solutions offer a proven, independent climate calculation and are based upon leading financial data.
Functioning as a B2C entity on the original Monzo app, Mindful Monzo aims to drive the fintech and sustainable markets to join as a venture in hope that likeminded businesses get involved and create the desired space whereby young consumers make incremental choices for their planet.
1.Track in Engage in Co2 Emissions
2.Reduce your Carbon Footprint
3.Shop more Mindfully with likeminded businesses
4. Earn Points that lead to vouchers
5. Take part in local sustainable initatives
For more information on my research project around the business concept. Please get in touch
RESEARCH PROJECT
The Consumerism Trap: Filling an emotional void with material objects. Is there a way out?
This report discussed research findings based on the research topic of consumption and whether consumers feel trapped in this cycle, questioning if there are ways out. The report focused on Millennials, looking into individual behaviours and motivations and whether there is a link between individual core val- ues and their shopping decisions. To achieve more niche results, the report focused on people aged between 21-25, which is a grouping within the Millennial demographic. This demographic of people was chosen, as it is a growing focus around many trends and movements currently in the media.
Intro
The previous Future thinking report gave a great insight into how individuals are merging towards a healthier lifestyle by opting for more sustainable alternatives to help the planet and their own lives. This was explored from the growth of the macro trend sustainability, whereby it highlighted the intention of why is it people over consume when the majority of people have the basic needs covered.
A variety of both primary and secondary research was sourced to achieve the research question. Including a literature review to provide depth analysis of past and current issues, supported by theories from past and current psychologists. Further- more, the report will look to gather all the findings from both the literature review and primary research creating key insights and recommendations for the future, which will help form scope for the final stage and formulate possible business opportunities. (See Above for business idea)
FUTURE THINKING
Sustainability - Over Consumption
‘Sustainability is most often defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It has three main pillars: economic, environmental, and social.
The main area explored within this report was consumer behaviour and how brands are adapting change to B2C in order to fulfil their needs. Focusing on this area will allow one to gain a perspective into the root cause of why sustainability came about in the first place. The route cause being too much choice. The areas challenging sustainability will be Social Media/Marketing, Fast Fashion and Hyper Consumption all leading back to the consumers attitudes to buying and how they’re influenced, looking at the different consumer types in psychology.
GENDER IDENTITY
The Blurring of Gender
As androgyny and gender fluidity become the norm rather than the exception in today’s cultural landscape, brands are faced with the challenge of tackling gender norms both in their advertising and the products they offer,” (Ruth Bern- stein,2016)
Visual culture is not just about the images people see but what they as consumers relate to within themselves. The key drivers are a change in generation values right now. Young people are raised to think they are supposed to fall within a certain stereotype, but why? Pink, Blue? Or however they are told to identify. Young people are now living at a certain point in their development and society where they are open to express their gender or sexuality. It is becoming the norm to conform to anything - no separation. The younger generation are realists and future focused, so these changes have an impact on many areas including fashion and design, as well as branding. Consumers want versatile androgynous styles; they want to be separated from the late millennials – young people are the creators of change through rejecting traditional gender stereotyping. The concept of gender-neutral fashion is not an entirely recent phenomenon, but rather one that has periodically cropped up over decades, in pivotal seasons and during times of rapid social change. As is the case with many trends that brew away quietly, pop culture and fashion runways are often essential in pushing them to the forefront of consumer consciousness once more.
This essay went on to explore the development of gender identity in relation to images and how it has transitioned through fashion with iconic celebrities, designers, to high street clothing stores gradually influencing the fashion mar- keting and branding industry more than ever before. Being gender fluid is to identify as neither solely male or female. This can be done through dress code by refusing the premise that certain clothes are meant for one gender. But, are high street retailers tapping into the blurring of gender in the right way? Haven’t both genders already been wearing baggy pants and plain coloured tops for years now due to preference? Or are fashion retailers slowly emerging into Generation Z marketing trend in order to respect the values that “81 percent of Gen Z are passionate about gender equality, and 63 percent care deeply about LGBT issues” (Claveria, 2016) Or is the movement on gender uidity within society making people realise that they shouldn’t just be identified through the gender they are told to conform to. Generation Z has created a culture of openness without prejudice, and relating to the term gender on a more personal level than ever before. In the minds of the young, notions of gender and biological sex are not linked as one, but as a fluid merge of identity.
FASHION MAP
SS 2017
Fashion Map involved working in small groups to identify the current Spring/ Summer 2017 trends on the highstreets. Four main trends for SS 2017 were high-lighted with a strong focus on one dom-inant trend that season. Using a variety of primary and secondary sources the report went onto look at the fundamental factors within the process of trends whereby they transition out onto the high street highlighting the social cultural, economic and media influences. Primary research played a vital role in high lighting key trends on the high streets of Nottingham city centre and enabled discussion on where the SS shoot would be located bringing through the conversation on how the trend has evolved onto the streets today.
BRAND BOOK
During Year 1 of university we were given the freedom to choose our own brand and create a brand book from just gaining a feel for the brands essence and DNA through in store and their website.
'Olive is a British contemporary clothing brand founded, 2010 by Rohan Moore – Managing Director, based in the heart of Cheltenham, UK, where its operational headquarters and flagship store lives. Olive has remained wholly owned, funded, and managed, by its original founders over the last 7 years.'
I chose the Brand Olive, as they are a local store to me, as they operate a sustainable business ensuring that fashion remains slow and essential. Focusing on quality rather than quantity.
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
Brand Marketing Consultant
In Year 2 of the course we were set the task to collaborate with students from Furniture and Product Design (The student being my client) We developed a creative and strategic brand, marketing and integrated multi-channel communications plan to bring our designers product to market. Through this we developed a new brand for our designer focusing on the narrative and ritual project they had completed.
Alongside the initial report, a brand book was also created in the (second row of images seen above). The brand book informed and inspired, communicating all the key elements of my brand 'Dasha' in a visually engaging way.
-Multi-channel brand marketing and promotion
-Trend identification, application and development
-Building a consistent visual brand identity
-Communication Planning
-Creative and Implementing tone of voice
TEAM STRATEGY PROJECT BRIEF
CYO - Boots Make-up Brand - Innovation
With this tram project we critically analysed the current brand CYO and marketing strategy. Whereby we made recommendations for a strategical plan to turn the company around and adapt a brand extension strategy. Developing a 3 year strategic plan.
- Market Overview - Research of the Macro Environment and competitors of the brand
- Customer Analysis and sales information
- Trends
- Business Strategy - Internal
- Brand Strategy - Internal & External
- Opportunities - Identify areas for growth. Identify new opportunities