business.
This aspect of 'Douceurs' is one that is key to reality and validity. From the outset there has been strong determination to create a brand that is consistent; a brand that people can associate with myself as a designer and 'Douceurs'.
The first step towards immersing myself in this project and gathering the tools needed to create the desired brand was the purchase of a nib and ink. This was not an easy task. Firstly finding a shop that sold them was difficult, as well as finding a member of staff who was knowledgeable on the objects. The sales person showed me all the available nibs, they were all lined up beautifully in a wooden case, which upon opening revealed an array of gold and silver coloured nibs - each one slightly different. This has been used to compose all letters written to potential sponsors, designers and companies.
To further contribute to my brand and enable me to experiment with another old-fashioned way of communication; I purchased a personalised stamp.
I believe the title of a project is very important and a great deal of thought went into creating 'Douceurs' . The arrival of my stamp inspired various concepts relating to integrating the process of stamping into texting and emailing.
A combination of the aesthetic of the stamp, typewriter, nib and ink and use of brown parcel paper has been successful in developing a consistent and unique brand, associated with the notion of value and thoughtfulness associated with hand made objects and hand written letters.
A large part of my business research has been exploring existing product which relate to 'Douceurs'. These objects were designed by Chris Dimino in the response to the brief - give an old object a new life that it was never intended to have.
Similarly this object shows a seamless connection between a familiar everyday experience and drawing and writing messages.
In response to the BBC's The One Show feature on the 'dying art of letter writing' I wrote to them to introduce them to 'Douceurs' . In their response they gave me the details of the man who led the feature and I am now in correspondence with his agent with the intent to perhaps gain sponsorship or meet up with an individual who feels as passionately about the subject of letter writing and the lost value it provokes as I do. Below is an image of one of the letters written. If you wish to read the letters and view them larger please visit my blog www.postaletter.blogspot.com.
the non-useless furniture studio.
These objects are designed for unusual needs. The market for these products is very similar to the market 'Douceurs' is aimed at. I wrote to the designers Renee and Jean to try and gain a deeper insight into their customers and their marketing strategies.
Their website highlight the fact they design around characteristics. For example, one of their objects is aimed at 'people who love glasses'. The first product illustrated above is used to store newspaper cut outs and the second product is used for sorting incoming mail. These objects are perhaps competition for 'Douceurs' as I believe the person who would purchase an object of this nature is very similar to the kind of person who would purchase my final product.
borders.
Borders is a company who have evolved from being a simple book shop to almost becoming a life style. Spending vast amounts of time in the store talking to staff and customers has highlighted the reality that the store is the ideal place of purchase for an object of 'Douceurs' as well as the customers being the ideal target audience.
I have written a letter to the store events manager to request a meeting and permission to set up my experience prototype in store.
The store has also influenced my approach to branding.
Exploring advertising and branding associated with old objects of communication has also been a significant insight to my business approach. A recurring theme was the notion of these old communication devices being aimed at women...
pencils.
The designer yuta watanabe has created this pencil range as a result of exploring the relationship people have with objects. He arrived at these solutions through observations of everyday life. This project aims was to explore the perception of an intuitive feeling between people and objects. These pencils were explored through different points of view including memory, behaviour, humour and product language. These objects are potential competitors of 'Douceurs'.
objects.
These are existing objects that although have not been marketed, have been exhibited or created.
olivetti.
Olivetti has been a source of inspiration in relation to their approach to form and function as well as their successful brand that has definitely proven itself to standing the test of time. Their objects enter your daily routine allowing you to relive everyday emotions in really simple way. Their designs integrate friendly technology and quiet elegance. When considering their approach there objects are somewhat aimed at the same market as 'Douceurs'.
This article seemed befitting as it highlights the thousands of people who were drawn in by the idea of being able to draw over radio. In a parallel with 'Douceurs' this object has taken a simple everyday gesture of drawing and combined it with the technology of radio transmission. The fact that so many people were interested in suggests this relationship between communication and technology is one people are eager to be part of.
objects of (almost) competition.
this object doesn't have a name or a specific purpose but the simplicity and cleverness of it is wonderful , created by the integration of a zippo lighter and typewriter keys; I want one.
Former IPD student Robert Djaelani's project is also a competitor of 'Douceurs'. As many of these products mentioned have not yet reached the market, I am unable to gather statistics and anaylse customer buying habits etc. However, I am able to see evidence of a need for such products and people instinctive liking towards such objects of communication.
The idea behind the next project illustrated is here is an inLove fax machine; using a GPS-equipped songbird the user is able to send a love fax to the object of their affection. Designed by Ricardo Figueiroa.
The desk pictured below literally throwing itself into the waste basket. I like the idea of visualizing the cycle of rubbish and the possibility reusing letters and paper no loner needed in a constructive way. Material: Recycled paper reused in the material wellboard consisting of a craft liner and a corrugated cardboard in between. The material is strong, recyclable and very light weight. The whole table weighs only 4kg.
Subsequent to my research into perceptions and uses of cultural probes, this project seemed important to highlight. Post-It notes are tools which ordinarily peek from within chosen places amongst documents. However, in this particular design they are transposed to form the face of an unmarked timepiece, becoming a means by which to visualize “time” as a personal phenomenon. When post-its are attached, time is made conspicuous before the eye, organised according to selected events or places; upon their removal it once again recedes beyond direct visual perception, existing intangibly at the very edge of conscious awareness.
MyTimes pictured below merges the experience of being able to read a printed newspaper with the benefits of keeping it updated with the latest news as available through internet. Users purchase a news subscription for MyTimes, customize the contents and set the priorities through which the space they occupy on paper will be decided.
Pocket Library - Flexible e-ink screens, as easy on the eyes as newsprint, will wirelessly grab the documents you need when you enter a meeting. You can then unfurl them on the train or switch over to the newspaper. Researchers at Dutch company Polymer Vision have created flexible circuitry that bonds to displays at low temperatures so that screens can bend without melting or breaking. Now they’re working on circuits for high-resolution 8-by-11-inch displays.
Among all formats, of paper used A4 is clearly the most important one for daily use. The ISO paper sizes are based on the metric system. Using standard paper sizes saves money and makes life simpler in many applications. The Waste Paper basket varies in different sizes and all of them carries the dimensions from the A4-system. It is made out of laser cut and bent sheets of metal.
Omero is a curious three-legged object in aluminum and stainless steel, mirror polished. Its unusual shape makes it appear to be a sculpture, or a starship, but it is a surprising magazine holder. Newspapers and magazines fit perfectly between its rings, hanging suspended in mid-air like paper flowers.
Tarati is a step towards rewriting mobile phone history. Tarati enables the user to connect with others by passing fingers, in order, through key holes. This action of dialing alone is a more magical experience and, hence, more indicative of what's really happening beyond the visible realm. Tarati beckons the user to touch someone without physically touching a single key. Its design reflects human connectivity in a less material/mechanical, more sensual, way. Tarati is a subtle device, but ever-so-powerful in its fearlessness.
MutliBook is a hinged, book-shaped box with a 3-way multisocket inside. The spine of the book has an LED digital clock and calendar, whilst the remaining three sides provide a gentle, diffused light. At the front, a square backlit panel turns into a cardholder, so everyone knows which one is yours.
The image below is a soft mobile phone concept. The phone is encased in a flexible plastic housing. A soft polymer insert is located between the microchip module and the casing. You can drop it, bend it, sit on it and throw it around. A flexible display and the keys are located on the surface. The display itself looks like paper, but the ink incorporated in it can change its position when affected by electric signals. This process called 'electrowetting' is so quick that you can even display video.
This cordless hanger phone enables new ways and new spaces to place your phone when not in use. Hanging up your phone takes on a whole new meaning as phone calls are ended by simply the hanging action. Letting it stand on a table also turns it off.
The MARK bookmark is an exciting design. During the day it’s like any other bookmark but at night, glows to illuminate your pages via FOLED technology.
FOLEDs or flexible organic light emitting diodes provide bright illumination with very little power. MARK uses a sheet of thin plastic embedded with FOLEDs to achieve a glowing effect. The intensity of the light can be controlled and the best part is if you fall asleep, you’re bookmark is already where you left off. Although just a concept, MARK won the Red Dot Award for best design concept in 2007 so something like it will be in stores soon.
Studio Foundations has taken the concept of cartoon speech bubbles but enabled them to be used with real people. Programmable to say whatever you want, this bubble is sure to be hit with friends and family. If you don't want to say it out loud, say it with a Fukidasi Bubble.
The concept shown below aims to create a more tactile and appealing interface for creating sentences...they create thoughts and a method to express them interactively.
I was particularly drawn to this next concept as I feel it an exemplification of new technology meeting old. Through passive amplification alone, These unique pieces instantly transform any personal music player + earbuds into a sculptural audio console.
Without the use of external power or batteries, the Phonofone inventively exploits the virtues of horn acoustics to boost the audio output of standard earphones to up to 55 decibles* (or roughly the maximum volume of laptop speakers).Upon connecting active earphones to the Phonofone their trebly buzzing is instantly and profoundly transformed into a warm, rich and resonant sound
The LifeSigns Network
In order to improve my knowledge of current trends in the world I have become a member of the Life Signs Network. It is a web-based portal for The Future Laboratory's extensive network of professionals working in the creative and branding industries. Every day, the LifeSigns Network team uploads trend-led stories and report from conferences and trade shows. They also launch events from around the world covering design, architecture, interiors, retail, product, furniture, technology, fashion and culture.
The LifeSigns Network's strength comes from its highly informed editorial and visual team who glide seamlessly between tomorrow and the future: talking to experts, devouring the press and the web, sifting through new products, publications and press releases and teasing out the directional threads.
It is a great resource to those in the industry and one which is only going to get better. I was lucky to join when I did as the site currently runs on a free subscription basis, the end of year re-launch will offer an additional premium service. This membership should expose me to detailed trend insights and in-depth Future Laboratory products such as consumer reports, advanced booking for conferences, our biannual trend briefing, subscription to the creative industry's bible, Viewpoint.
stationary companies such as smythson and paperchase are examples of companies who would were perhaps sell my product in their stores.
Shortbread.
Shortbread is an emerging new Scottish company based on selling audio books whilst promoting scottish writers and poets. This company has formed a 'blueprint' for me, as they have combined an old communication device of books and reading and merged it with the limitless possibilities of internet downloads. First hand contact with the founders of this company and those who work for them has created a platform for accessing more information on this particular sector of the market.
direct mail.
In ordering a catalogue from Royal Mail I was able to investigate their market approach and branding. It contains some good examples of how direct mail can engage with the senses. They claim that when customers experience a sensory experience, they connect emotionally to the message and give it their undivided attention. The main objective of the campaign illustrated below is to encourage test drives to demonstrate the superiority of the car over its competitors.
In just the first 4 week after mailing the Luxury Mailer generated 1.097 hand raisers. This can be broken down into 795 people requesting a brochure and 302 people requesting a test-drive. A further 1,142 people called to requested more information.
facts
communication is 7% what you say. 38% how you say it. 55% body language.
The following information summarises some details from the Information from the Office of Communications Report 2007
"communication is proven to be the constant factor in determining any successful relationship."
"each person now spends more than seven hours cumulatively every day watching, listening, making phone calls and web-browsing. This reflects both the growing importance of communications services in our work and leisure lives and a growing desire, particularly among the young, to use multiple services simultaneously."
"the alarm is the mobile handset feature which has the highest substitutional impact on stand-alone devices, followed by the camera. A significant minority of people also say their mobile is substituting for their stand-alone portable music player or games console."
"At the end of 2006 there were nearly 70 million active mobile phone subscriptions in the UK, with further growth being driven by multiple handset or SIM ownership. Of these, 35% were contract connections (1% higher than a year previously)."
The following information summarises some interesting facts from the Keynote of millenium youth:
"over 72% of adults and 85% of teenagers have mobile phones."
"over 125 million text messages were sent on new years eve."
"youth market is going to get smaller as populations are changing."
"over 76% of households have their own pc."
"family and friendships are valued above jobs etc in the youth category of society."
"SMS went from a non-existent market to 45 million messages a day over a 4 year period."
"we are amidst the information age, which involved intense media choice, rapid changes in technology and unstable family life."
" there are 118,000 post boxes in the UK"
lets think about desire.
People have the desire to communicate. most importantly, to communicate more romantically, poetically, physically and ultimately more meaningfully.
Why is this? because text messages are dull, unimaginative and intangible. there is no room for expression, creativity or individuality. which contradicts what people are all about.
This opportunity has presented itself to me by analysing the past and the dissatisfaction expressed and noticeable with regards to the current methods used; text, email etc
furthermore, the delight expressed towards the more traditional methods of communication such as letter writing and postcards has been evident throughout my research.
People have needs that are unconscious and often unknown by the individual; my product will also appeal to these needs. For instance, improvement of vocabulary, people being able to articulate themselves more clearly, encouragement for people to put their thoughts down on paper, friendships drawing closer...
Motivation: I intend for my product to delight people, to motivate them emotionally. What really delights people is when you give them something nice they never expected. This may be something that they didn't expect simply they had never thought of it; or if they had thought of it, they never believed it would be possible.
Who will my customers be? I do not like the notion of defining people by age and gender etc. I am much more drawn towards the idea of defining my customer by behaviour and traits. I believe this will lead to a much richer project.
For instance my product is aimed at people who write letters, send texts, use email, cannot use email because of disability or confusion, people who blog, who write books, who write poems, who write love letters, who use a typewriter, who send postcards and keep a diary.
Companies are continually churning out new methods of communicating such as the i phone, voice recognition email etc. Although these work very well technologically, they are not capturing the romance and history of physical meaningful communication noted in the past.
I intend to talk to people and customers to broaden my horizons as to where my product could potentially be marketed..
The space where my product will live is very important. I am deliberating between a conceptual and speculative approach. to explain a little further i envision my product being an object of novelty that would have an appropriate place amidst a community to which users would go to the object to use and then their message would be physically left behind. this in turn creates a new slant of creating communities etc.
The other approach would involve my product being part of the family home and being part of everyones daily life. for example, the house phone has its own 'place' within the home...my product would to.
To conclude my business chat i am defining my customer on behaviour rather than demographics. I am going to define what the customer values and in terms of competition what other objects would this user buy?
I intend to insert a new object into society not for widespread use and consumption but instead to provoke conversations about technology and social phenomenon. small scale. one of a kind prototype.
Do you know why thy there are 160 characters in a text? Because that is the same amount of letters you were restricted to when sending a telegram. Another interesting fact is the fact that 70% of all UK text was sexually related. We like to flirt.
Behavioural variables will play an important role in defining my target market. Using traditional marketing segmentation to define a target audience.
According to a report by the office of communications we text because:
it offers general privacy.
offers secrecy.
can be made during meetings, lectures etc.
it is a low cost way to exchange superficial new, jokes and gossip.
new wireless reading device released by amazon:
Amazon have released amazon kindle a wireless reading device which had the intention of 'being the future of book reading'. This is a product that could potentially be competition for 'Douceurs'. However, it is an example of the advanced technological products which have failed to capture the essence of reading. what is the point in reading a book if you cannot thumb through the pages and feel the front cover etc?
the amazon kindle has a revolutionary electronic-paper display provides a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper. It is simple to use: no computer, no cables, no syncing. There are more than 88,000 books available. it is lighter and thinner than a typical paperback; weighs only 10.3 ounces. and holds over 200 titles.