WORKSHOP: Marketing Tools

In response to the branding and advertising lecture held on wednesday 14th september '11 -a workshop was held in the Dalhousie building, University of Dundee, to focus on marketing tools.


The purpose of this workshop was to give us an opportunity to practice using marketing tools in order to develop marketing strategies.


The workshop was carried out in teams.  Each team was composed of designers from different design backgrounds throughout DJCAD. 


TASK ONE. 


For the first task, our team decided to work towards producing a set of proposals for 'DJCAD Cantina'.  The tools we used were used to help stimulate creative responses.


We produced a general brainstorm on the cantina before carrying out a 'SWOT' analysis.  The SWOT analysis allowed us to determine the internal weaknesses and strengths as well as the external opportunities and threats of the DJCAD cantina.

After producing a SWOT analysis, we realised that there were many existing weaknesses.  Although the cantina is in the ideal location for art students to purchase food and drink, the variety and price of the products let the business down.  


We decided to produce a perceptual map in order to compare the cantina with other food/drink competitors within the University radius.  In doing this we realised that most other cafes/restaurants in the area have more variety in food with a higher quality, therefore emphasizing a need for change for the DJCAD cantina.

The image above shows our SWOT analysis, our marketing proposal and our perceptual map.


TASK TWO


Our second task asked us to apply the same marketing tools to help a real life client with her real life business, Little Riot.  The business has been set up by a recent interactive media design graduate of DJCAD.  The product the client wanted us to market was 'Pillow Talk'.  The product has been designed as an aim to connect long distance lovers.

How it works: Each person has a ring sensor they wear to bed at night, and a flat fabric panel which slots inside their pillowcase. The ring wirelessly communicates with the other person’s pillow; when one person goes to bed, their lover’s pillow begins to glow softly to indicate their presence. Placing your head on the pillow allows you to hear the real-time heartbeat of your loved one. The result is an intimate interaction between two lovers, regardless of the distance between them.

As a group we produced a SWOT analysis to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the product.  This allowed us to confirm that there is an existing gap in the market for a product like 'Pillow Talk'.  It also allowed us to think about potential competitors in the interactive design market.

As a group we wondered how the product would be delivered to the customer.  This was an issue that was identified as a weakness when carrying out the SWOT analysis.  We wondered if the two separate pillows and rings would be sent to one house hold, or to two separate addresses (saying as long distance couples live apart, therefore living at different addresses...)

We also identified the need for wifi as a weakness.  If a customer does not have wifi, then the product can not be used for it's purpose.   


When focusing on the opportunities of the product, we thought about how and where the product could be sold.  We reckoned the product would be best sold at airports and travel shops, as the products' target audience are more likely to be concentrated at these locations. 

I really enjoyed the workshop as it gave me real life experience in trying to market an existing product.  I now realize the importance of carrying out marketing tools such as a SWOT analysis or a perceptual map.  They are great ways of really 'getting to know' a product.