saher-hassan

[saher-hassan]

Conclusion...

During this brief I have acquired many skills that I believe will help me throughout this course. I have learnt the importance of perspective and proportion through photoshop and learnt the basic marketing skills used in order to attract and engage customers. I have also learnt how companies create a target customer group and use techniques in order to appeal to them. It has been a great experience creating my own window display whilst expressing and challenging my creativity. I have learnt the importance of trail and error and also how to take feedback in order to improve and elevate my work which I think will help me, not only throughout this course, but also can be taken through with me to my future career.

[saher-hassan]

My final window display...

This is my final window display and after many changes I am finally happy with the outcome. I feel as though this finally captures both the essence of what Lush produces and the message Rethink Mental Illness wants to spread. I kept the concept of simplicity whilst also avoiding the window display being too bare. Looking at ‘the comfort range’ sign I decided that changing the positioning of the product to behind the text would intergrate the song a lot better into the display and makes it blend nicely. I also made sure to continue the ‘cherry blossom’ across the top of the window and cascade them down the right side of the display. This again pays homage to the way in which blossom trees are and gives the effect of them blowing in the wind . I think that this window display effectively shows the importance of self care and brings awareness to mental health, not only in general, but especially during a time that has caused stress and anxiousness for many people across the world. I wanted to make the display calming and comforting but also engaging and fun to entice people and I believe I have achieved that with the help of the soft pink colour scheme and the chance to win discounts on products found in- store.

[saher-hassan]

Attempt number two...

After receiving feedback on my first attempt I decided I should make some changes to my display. In this attempt I extended the ‘cherry blossoms’ across the window to create a ‘blown in the wind’ effect as blossom trees are known to depart from the tree and fill the air with tranquility and beauty. I also changed the positioning of the QR code and ‘Rethink Mental Illness’ logo in order to draw more attention to them. Underneath the QR code is a simple explanation as to what happens when the QR code is scanned so that the customers are aware of the prizes that are up for grabs. Despite this design being a step up from my previous one, I was still not happy with how ‘the comfort range’ sign looked and the way in which the QR code and logo was displayed.

[saher-hassan]

Attempt number one...

In this attempts I set my foundation for the shop window and used this as a stepping stone to evolve my display and elevate it to its final stage. I was happy with the general layout of the window display however, felt it was missing something as it was very minimalistic (despite Lush being known for their simple yet effective designs). I was also very happy with the colour palette as it adheres to the stereotypes of their female customers but was not happy with ‘the comfort range’ sign as I felt it did not blend well with the display.

[saher-hassan]

Trial and error...

“A mistake is an experience, choice or concept it is necessary for us to have or make in order to evolve beyond it. Errors can be the launchpad of great ideas.”

- Stewart Stafford

[saher-hassan]

Spin the wheel...

Once the customer has scanned the QR code, they will be taken to a spin the wheel which gives them the chance to win free products or money off their favourite products. This will entice more customers as people love a game of chance. It is also a quick and fun way to involve the customers and gives them a chance to donate to ‘Rethink Mental Illness’.

[saher-hassan]

Including a QR code...

Today, retailers must go the extra mile to make sure their customers have unique in-store experiences. They have to be clever enough to appeal to new customers, retain their existing ones, and keep both interested in their products. One way retail stores can accomplish this is by using QR codes. This is why I believe including an interactive aspect to my window display would be a great way to involve the customers and attract more. I want to be able to include a QR code that allows you to both spin a wheel for a chance to win discounts on products and donate to ‘Rethink Mental Illness’.

[saher-hassan]

Coming up with a slogan...

Like most campaigns, I will need to have a slogan in order to captivate customers and effectively explain the message behind the campaign. I want to be able to incorporate mental health and the importance of finding your comfort. Some options include:

- In a time of stress... find your comfort

- Your mental health is important... take time out, find your comfort

- We care about your mental health, take care and find your comfort

- Focus on you... find your comfort in a world of stress

I personally think that slogan no 2 truely captures the message I want to spread with this campaign and nicely reflects on previous campaigns ‘Rethink Mental Health’ has been a part of.

[saher-hassan]

Choosing a window...

This is a very critical part of my project as it has to be right in order to successfully display my work the way I want it to. Choosing the wrong window could be a disadvantage as it could effect the way in which my display comes across. After looking through pictures available to me on the internet I narrowed down the choices to the two windows above. I liked the space available to me in the first window however, saw aspects of window 2 that could add to my own window display and elevate the way it looks. I want my window display to be as realistic as possible so think that window two would be the best option for me to show off my display effectively.

[saher-hassan]

Choosing a font...

When it comes to Lush, it’s know for its iconic font and a window display would not be the same without it. To find the best font I went to a website called dafont.com which is filled with thousands of different font styles. I was then quickly able to find the right font using the search bar and previewed the text I wanted to include in my window display.

[saher-hassan]

Playing with photoshop...

In hopes to replicate a blossom tree, I took to photoshop and decided to play around with positioning and proportions of the bath bombs on the fake tree. I like how the bath bombs imitate the flowers but feel as though I still need to play with positioning a little more in order to create the ideal outcome.

[saher-hassan]

Photo inspo...

These pictures I have taken from the internet help me to visualise my ideas and will be used for comparison when making my window display. I like the idea of the blossom tree branches coming across the window and filled with comfort bath bombs to replicate the cherry blossoms. I also really like the idea of using the torii, found in the last image, as a stand to display the products and add to the idea of a Japanese garden.

[saher-hassan]

Japanese garden research...

Using this link I got a deeper understaning of the effects Japanese gardens have on the brain and how they encourage serenity and peacefulness. This link was very useful as it also gave me more information about the history of Japanese gardens and how they visually and sensorily stimulate the mind causing it to be a great stress reliever.

[saher-hassan]

Choosing my concept...

Looking at the mind map and hearing peoples ideas of comfort opened the door for many possible concepts and themes which made deciding a final concept to be difficult. However, I took time to look closely at both the ideas given and my chosen products. Looking at the comfort bath bomb reminded me of a flower, a cherry blossom in particular, which fit great with the concept of a Japanese garden. Having this concept would lead me to easily incorporate my product into the display as I could recreate a blossom tree.

[saher-hassan]

Mind map...

As my window display brings attention to stress awareness month and is supporting a mental health charity, I believe it is important to create a display that brings serenity and a feeling of comfort to those passing by. In order to truely find out what brings comfort to people I decided to ask a few friend and family members to express what makes them feel calm and describe what the feeling of comfort means to them. To show the results I have made a mind map as a way of visualising their ideas and to get a clearer idea of what direction I want to go in when it comes to my window display.

[saher-hassan]

‘The comfort range’...

Whilst looking through the products that Lush had to offer I stumbled upon the comforter bath bomb and bubble bar. I believe that these products would be great for my theme as in a stressful time people seek comfort and peace. The colour scheme also targets the predominant female customers and the shape is unique and inviting enough to attract people. I think that due to this, these two products would be great to use in my window display and can be showcased in many different ways.

[saher-hassan]

Product research...

In order to find a product to both fit my theme and be the centre of my window display, I thought it would be best to download the Lush app and look through the products they provide. It also gave me an insight into the ingredients they use, their marketing techniques included to sell the products and the language they used in order to intrigue customers.