Week 9: Brand Strategy

Infusing Magic into Marketing

Last week, our team went on an interesting journey of branding and marketing by delving into the cultural aesthetics of the “Cosmic Core Girlies”—a sub-culture tribe we defined as having a fondness for witchy vibes, tarot cards, and the magic of the universe. We started by picturing the “cultural tote bag” of a Cosmic Core Girly. We recognized crystals, tarot cards, and Nyx lip gloss as potential items in such a bag.

A Cosmic core girlies’ tote bag

This led us to examine Nyx’s market positioning using a basic competitor analysis chart, demonstrating how it corresponds with the Cosmic Core aesthetic through price and quality compared to other lip gloss companies.

Brand Competitor Analysis Chart

Building on this momentum, we began with the task of creating an offline/online marketing campaign for a new toilet cleaner aimed particularly at this tribe.

The brainstorming process began with imagining the Cosmic Core Girly’s relationship to magic and mysticism. A group member suggested naming the brand “Abracadabra,” I added an interesting twist: “What if we position this as a mystical product, like a magical potion designed to purify the toilet?”. This reimagining and repositioning of a mundane utility commodity as something enchanting unleashed a new level of creativity.

Brand Name & Tagline

When someone in the group suggested that they could even personalize and create their potion, I realized that even with potions, there are different ingredients to get a specific concoction for a specific purpose – they would love to be able to choose what they think will work for them rather than us dictating what they might like. This tribe is incredibly free-spirited, and this would be an excellent opportunity for them to transition, as Murphy (2017) describes, from passive dupes purchasing generic toilet cleaners to active agents, creatively leveraging their freedom of choice to build their toilet cleaner mix to express their lifestyle.

Marketing Campaign
How the brand works?

So the brand name is “Abracadabra”, and the tagline is “Ta-da! Clean Like Magic”. Furthermore, the brand’s packaging would be its unique selling point. The marketing campaign’s goal was to promote this brand that offers personalisation in a segment that is typically linked with functionality rather than beauty or customisation. This would pique people’s interest and possibly trigger a shift in perception from a utility product that is only meaningful because of its usefulness to a product that communicates its owner’s distinctiveness and becomes a symbolic product in its category.

Further reflecting on this, I also recall coming across this work – by @girinbluestudios – which takes a sarcastic attitude by presenting meal prep as a metaphor for haircare, with haircare supplies packaged in pantry-style tin packages.

As a designer, I was excited to see something fresh in haircare packaging and would like to explore this type of cross-category branding, which is something similar to what we explored by using a magical potion as a metaphor. Which begs the question: how can we employ cross-category branding to pique interest while avoiding confusion?

Week 8: Brand Audience

Workshop + Homework Task

GenZ Subcultures

Gen Z Fashion Wheel

Our identified Subcultures:

FairyCore: Ethereal, related to nature, springtime, soft pastels and flowers; Believe in harmony, likes exploring nature and DIY projects.


Coquette: Sweet, romantic, feminine, playful, bows, soft pastels and ruffles; Flirtatious nature, hyper-feminine.


Old Money: Wealthy, elite, classy and chic; exudes elegance, appreciation for the finer things in life.


Y2K: Nostalgic, Retro feel, Inspired by late 1990s and early 2000s, low rise jeans and tank tops; Looking for comfort in a bygone era where things weren’t so stressful.


Cosmic-Core: Witchy, magical, enchanted, blend of goth and whimsical; believes in magic and the power of manifestation.


Barbie Cowgirl Aesthetic: Bold pink hues, reinventing masculine outfits into feminine, cowboy hats and boots; women reclaiming power.

What’s in the tote of a Cosmic Core Girly?

Essay Task

We started the group discussion by brainstorming current trends we have encountered. I suggested that the Y2K aesthetic is very prevalent, noting my own attraction to 2000s Bollywood music and fashion, as well as the content created by many social media influencers around this theme. We all agreed that this trend is part of the broader Y2K aesthetic.

Since many Gen Z individuals are active on social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, our ideas were heavily influenced by what we see on these platforms. According to a Mintel report titled “How Instagram and TikTok are Defining Gen Z Subcultures,” about 50% of Gen Z consumers check Instagram multiple times a day. This constant engagement allows people to build digital personas that align with their cultural beliefs and ideologies, helping them maintain their online identity. Many of the cultures we discussed were rooted in Instagram reels and viral trends.

I also recalled watching Barbie in her iconic pink cowgirl outfit and realized that Barbiecore continues to be trendy. Since 2019, hundreds of Pinterest boards dedicated to Barbiecore have been created (Caruso, 2023). A Mintel report on Gen Z Lifestyles (2024) noted that these viral trends often revolve around themes of self-confidence and self-expression. While Barbiecore offers a playful interpretation of the Country/Western aesthetic, I believe it can also revitalize vintage looks and reinterpret the constructs of masculinity and femininity. For Gen Z, embracing Barbiecore is about accepting ourselves as we are. In addition to the stereotypical Barbie, there are now curvy, petite, and tall versions available in a variety of skin tones.

Looking ahead, we decided to focus on the Cosmic Core Girlie subculture for our “What’s in the Tote” task. I envision a Cosmic Core Girlie as someone inspired by tarot cards, who probably keeps a journal to record her tarot readings and believes in the power of manifestation. She might use sage to cleanse spaces of negative energy and carry crystals to enhance her intuition or get into the right mindset before a reading. Even if she doesn’t know how to use the tarot cards, her interest in the aesthetic may lead her to purchase these items as part of her identity rather than for their practical uses (Walker, 1989). Ultimately, she might either develop a deeper interest in tarot or lose interest until those items in her tote are replaced with something new.

References:

Caruso, S. (2023) ‘What Is Barbiecore? Everything to Know About the Viral Fashion Trend Inspired by Barbie’, People, (19 July). Available at: https://people.com/style/barbiecore-fashion-trend-everything-to-know/ (Accessed: 20 November 2024).

Mintel (2024) Lifestyles of Generation Z – UK – 2024. Available at:https://clients.mintel.com/content/report/lifestyles-of-generation-z-uk-2024#workspace_SpacesStore_c1f71572-ad9b-41fc-a3d4-5620b9eae3db (Accessed: 20 November 2024).

Walker, J.A (1989) Design History and the History of Design. Pluto, 1989.

Week 4: Brand Narrative

A Day in my Life in 2033

It’s Wednesday morning in 2033, and I wake up in my Amalfi Coast home. From the artwork on the walls to the smallest details, everything here conveys the story of a life lived with purpose.

I get dressed in a vegan leather Chloe blazer and my mother’s antique silk shawl from India. The combination of contemporary and tradition symbolizes my journey, but I wonder if I’m balancing things well, or if I’ve lost touch with what used to make me feel alive. In moments like this, I remember singing and dancing for the sheer joy of it, something I’d lost in the rush of developing my profession.

But there’s a constant pull: how can I meet corporate expectations while remaining true to my passion for doing good in the world? The weight of corporate expectations—client demands, investor pressure, and personal ambitions—makes me wonder if the success I’ve strived for has come at the expense of my integrity.

I am constantly working to reach a stage in my life where I can work for six months and then travel for the rest of the six months, exploring hidden gems, absorbing culture, and embracing diverse stories in ways that enrich both my life and my creative process. My family has always been there to support me, which is why I aim to achieve this work-life balance. While the customers, coworkers, and communities with whom I collaborate profit from the ideas I implement.

In the meeting room, presenting my latest project, I exude a quiet confidence that has replaced my former uncertainty.

I recall my time at UAL when I was developing my regressive design research technique. What was previously unsure and uncomfortable has become a guiding force in my work and identity as a designer; my approach to a project is my unique selling point. UAL has not only shaped my professional position but also established me as an engaged researcher and thinker in the creative sector.

I live like the main character in a fairytale, not because everything is flawless, but because I write my own story, balancing achievement with being true to myself.

Workshop Task

Brand: HP

Using the fairytale model to plot the narrative arc of the brand story through an illustrated and captioned storyboard –

Key elements of brand story: Message, Conflict, Characters, Plot
HP(Hewlett Packard) Brand Story

Week 2: Brand Identity

Workshop + Homework Task

This workshop involved understanding Brand Identity, and the meaning of icons, indexes and symbols. Informed by semiotic analysis, an iconic, symbolic, and indexical identity was transformed into an identity of another category. This blog provides an illustrated account of my workshop experience including the processes and thinking used for the redesign.

Redesigning Logos using Semiotic Analysis

As per the brief of the workshop, the logos were chosen based primarily on the three categories of signs they fall into: icons, index, and symbol.

Redesigning an Iconic Logo as an Indexical Logo

Slice Mango Juice Brand Identity

The Slice mango drink is one of the leading players in its category in India. With an iconic logo, it features a slice of mango and the brand name written using the mango itself. Its qualities resemble the object and can excite the sensation related to it such as drinking sweet mango juice (Peirce, 1976).

The Redesigned Logo

The logo redesign features a mango juice splash, serving as an index of the mango, making it an indexical logo.

Redesigning an Indexical Logo as a Symbolic Logo

Nandini Brand Identity

Nandini Milk is a heritage milk brand, that originated in the southern Indian state of Karnataka and has become a household name in India. The brand has a logo that features a cow in a natural landscape. The logo is considered an indexical logo because cows produce milk, and the index here is physically connected and affected by the object (Peirce, 1976).

The Redesigned Logo

The redesigned logo now features the Kamadhenu, a divine cow goddess representing fertility, prosperity, and the sacredness of cows. In this context, Kamadhenu is the signifier and the mental concept of purity, nourishment, and abundance by the signifier is the signified (Saussure, 1916). The meaning of this logo is rooted in Hindu scriptures, and it is understood through cultural associations, thus making the redesigned logo symbolic.

Redesigning a Symbolic Logo as an Iconic Logo

Parle-G Brand Identity
Parle G Biscuit

Parle-G is a widely recognized wordmark brand in India. The brand is renowned for its iconic biscuits, which are commonly enjoyed with tea across the nation. It is believed to be the highest-selling biscuit globally. This is a symbolic sign since the logo does not have any connection with the biscuits (Peirce, 1976). It is recognised by the learnt significance based on the cultural practices of people who have grown up with this product.

The Redesigned Logo

This logo has been redesigned to be an iconic logo. The classic design of the Parle-G biscuit is unique to the brand and easily recognisable, even if people haven’t paid attention to the wordmark. Thus, it has been redesigned taking the iconic shape of the biscuits and its pattern, evoking a sensory memory for anyone who has touched the biscuit before. This is an iconic logo as it directly embodies the product visually rather than referencing anything else related to it (Peirce, 1976).

References:
Visible Signs, David Crow
Handbook of Semiotics, Winfred Noth