Wednesday, 30 January 2008
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
COPYRIGHT INFRINGMENTS
Copyright notices
- The notice should be obvious and legible, and if applicable, (e.g. web sites) the notice should appear on every page.
- Mark any copies of your work with a notice, on the body of the work as well as the cover or sleeve.
- The notice should take the form of:
- The actual term copyright.
- he copyright symbol ©.The year.
- Normally when first published, but for unpublished work, use the year it was written.The name of the owner.
- This can be an individual, collective or organisation.e.g. Copyright © 2000 Joe Smith.
- For sound recordings you should also include a phonogram rights notice for the sound recording itself, using the phonogram symbol to denote the copyright of the sound recording.e.g. Copyright © 2000 Joe Smith/ 2000 Joe Smith
Monday, 28 January 2008
Men's T-shirt Survey
This survey asked 50 men in bournemouth town square on Saturday the 26th January 2008.
This survey shows that the theme's of the t-shirts are a stronger selling point but men still have brand loyalty towards a brand.
Men's T-shirt Survey
This survey asked 50 men in Bournemouth town square on the 27Th January 2008.
This survey shows a mixture of results but mainly in the focus of indivual and commercial stores.
Men's T-shirt Survey
I have decided to compose a short local survey to see what key factors were important in t-shirt designs, where they were brought and how much people spend on them. This was only a small local survey but it will give me an insight into creating a customer profile and creating a mini audit for the brand.This survey asked 50 men in bournemouth town on Saturday 26Th January 2008
This questionnaire gave me an insight on how much people would normally pay for a designer t-shirt so I can can get a good idea on how much I can retaill my t-shirts at.
The T-shirt Costs
T-shirt Printing:
Polo-shirts.co.uk deal with wholesale and printing, which give the benefit of the company giving discounts if ordered on a large scale.
- The Ideal Vinyl dye (doesn't irritate the skin on the other side of the t-shirt)
- For application on to all kinds of garments - T-Shirts, Caps, Work wear, Sweatshirts, Polo-Shirts and more.
- To be used with a commercial heat press.
- Width - 500mm printing spread
All information supplied by Polo-shirts.co.uk
The T-Shirt
The reasons for choosing this specific plain t-shirt
- Men's heavy t-shirt. Gildan 2000 Ultra T
- Premium Heavy T-shirt Made from 200 gsm 100% cotton.(making it printable on both sides without showing though to the other)
- 32 Colours Available
- Manufactured by Gildan this is the number 1 selling t-shirt in America
- The fabric has been preshrunk to ensure reduced shrinkage.
- features include double needle sleeves and hem, seamless twin needle collar and a taped neck for neatness and strength.
- Tubular fit (less seams showing when turned inside out)
- XXXL Sizes are only manufactured in White, Black and Navy.
- The normal dispatch time for this item is 2-4 working days.
- Certified organic garments
All information supplied by Polo-shirts.co.uk
Thursday, 24 January 2008
Mens Wear Market
MAIN ISSUES
· The changing behaviour and attitudes of men towards clothes shopping – becoming more confident, shopping more for themselves and becoming more interested in fashion, not just in brands.
· The deflationary challenges and how some retailers are stretching their product and price architecture to encompass both enticing OPPs and desirable premium lines.
· Discretionary spending is being impacted by rising interest (and therefore mortgage) rates, and menswear is the first thing to be cut back on when household budgets are squeezed.
· The impact and opportunity of selling online.
· The comparative lack of celebrity influence compared to womenswear.
· The competition for share of discretionary spending from other areas such as hobbies and high-tech gadgets.
“Consumers are looking more for something for nothing…so ‘two-for-ones’, and ‘buy-one-get-another-half-price’, are becoming a lot more prevalent across the whole sector, including at Next, Burton and Topman. But the product still has to be something they like if they’re going to buy.”
– Head of menswear, value retailer
KEY POINTS
· Deflation continues, but not just regarding falling prices but having to increase the ‘value’ of a garment while maintaining the same price – eg improving the fabric quality, adding more detailing, adding a belt etc.
· Due to the increased competition from Primark etc, many middle-market players have sharpened their entry level prices, stretching their price architecture downwards, but there is also a movement in the opposite direction – enhancing the ‘best’ end of the spectrum to encourage consumers to trade up. Sub-branding segmentation plays a role here.
· The impact of deflation and rising costs has led to many retailers expanding store numbers and particularly store sizes to maximise economies of scale by driving volumes, and enable them also to introduce new product categories.
· Women remain the key shoppers for menswear, so retailers need to be attractive to both men and women, which is a challenge for store design and visual merchandising styles.
· Fashion trends show a general ‘smartening up’ but there has been a lack of a really big change in direction. So, it is a challenge to get men to spend more. The ‘clean cut’ look from the designer catwalks is difficult for lower-priced high street retailers to interpret successfully.
STRENGHTS
· Projected growth in the number of 25-34s is good for menswear as this age group is likely to be more interested in fashion and brands. Growth in the 45-54s is also good news as older men are increasingly confident and interested in what they wear.
· More players in the menswear clothing sector, and the growth of low-price retailers means more affordable choice, so greater volumes are bought. However, value growth is far less buoyant and retailers’ margins are being squeezed especially with spiralling costs.
· Availability of menswear on the Internet should appeal to those who dislike shopping in stores.
· Retailers investing in their store designs and distinctive product offers are making menswear much more interesting and enticing.
· ‘Dress down Friday’ is much smarter now, and the overall trend to smarter dressing and interest in formalwear (but often minus a tie) is good for encouraging spend on higher-priced items.
· Men are changing. Mintel’s consumer research shows that less than a third say they do not enjoy shopping for clothes, and nearly two in ten say they enjoy shopping on the high street.
WEAKNESSES
· Interest rate rises reduce consumers’ disposable income, and menswear is always the first to be cut back on when household budgets are squeezed.
· A lot of men are very keen on high-tech gadgets (like iPods and Wii) and this can divert their spending away from clothing.
· The overall structure of the population is ageing, with many older consumers historically buying fewer clothes.
· Lack of new directional fashion trends make it harder to persuade consumers to buy other than for replacement. Current and forward ‘clean-cut’ fashion trends (that are more minimal and pared down than the embellished distressed styling) are harder for high street retailers to interpret in an interesting and enticing way.
· Some major players and also independents are struggling in the competitive environment, and consolidation is inevitable.
· Menswear is bought by both men and women, and so retailers need to be attractive to both men and women. As they have different shopping behaviours (browsers vs destination; confident vs needing help) this is a challenge for store design and visual merchandising styles.
· Competition for men’s spending comes from their hobbies. Mintel’s consumer research shows that 20-24s and 35-44s are most likely to spend more money on their hobbies than on clothes – clothing retailers are not just competing among themselves but with other discretionary spending ‘wants’ products. These men are most likely to be the ABC1s who can afford to indulge themselves.
· The changing behaviour and attitudes of men towards clothes shopping – becoming more confident, shopping more for themselves and becoming more interested in fashion, not just in brands.
· The deflationary challenges and how some retailers are stretching their product and price architecture to encompass both enticing OPPs and desirable premium lines.
· Discretionary spending is being impacted by rising interest (and therefore mortgage) rates, and menswear is the first thing to be cut back on when household budgets are squeezed.
· The impact and opportunity of selling online.
· The comparative lack of celebrity influence compared to womenswear.
· The competition for share of discretionary spending from other areas such as hobbies and high-tech gadgets.
“Consumers are looking more for something for nothing…so ‘two-for-ones’, and ‘buy-one-get-another-half-price’, are becoming a lot more prevalent across the whole sector, including at Next, Burton and Topman. But the product still has to be something they like if they’re going to buy.”
– Head of menswear, value retailer
KEY POINTS
· Deflation continues, but not just regarding falling prices but having to increase the ‘value’ of a garment while maintaining the same price – eg improving the fabric quality, adding more detailing, adding a belt etc.
· Due to the increased competition from Primark etc, many middle-market players have sharpened their entry level prices, stretching their price architecture downwards, but there is also a movement in the opposite direction – enhancing the ‘best’ end of the spectrum to encourage consumers to trade up. Sub-branding segmentation plays a role here.
· The impact of deflation and rising costs has led to many retailers expanding store numbers and particularly store sizes to maximise economies of scale by driving volumes, and enable them also to introduce new product categories.
· Women remain the key shoppers for menswear, so retailers need to be attractive to both men and women, which is a challenge for store design and visual merchandising styles.
· Fashion trends show a general ‘smartening up’ but there has been a lack of a really big change in direction. So, it is a challenge to get men to spend more. The ‘clean cut’ look from the designer catwalks is difficult for lower-priced high street retailers to interpret successfully.
STRENGHTS
· Projected growth in the number of 25-34s is good for menswear as this age group is likely to be more interested in fashion and brands. Growth in the 45-54s is also good news as older men are increasingly confident and interested in what they wear.
· More players in the menswear clothing sector, and the growth of low-price retailers means more affordable choice, so greater volumes are bought. However, value growth is far less buoyant and retailers’ margins are being squeezed especially with spiralling costs.
· Availability of menswear on the Internet should appeal to those who dislike shopping in stores.
· Retailers investing in their store designs and distinctive product offers are making menswear much more interesting and enticing.
· ‘Dress down Friday’ is much smarter now, and the overall trend to smarter dressing and interest in formalwear (but often minus a tie) is good for encouraging spend on higher-priced items.
· Men are changing. Mintel’s consumer research shows that less than a third say they do not enjoy shopping for clothes, and nearly two in ten say they enjoy shopping on the high street.
WEAKNESSES
· Interest rate rises reduce consumers’ disposable income, and menswear is always the first to be cut back on when household budgets are squeezed.
· A lot of men are very keen on high-tech gadgets (like iPods and Wii) and this can divert their spending away from clothing.
· The overall structure of the population is ageing, with many older consumers historically buying fewer clothes.
· Lack of new directional fashion trends make it harder to persuade consumers to buy other than for replacement. Current and forward ‘clean-cut’ fashion trends (that are more minimal and pared down than the embellished distressed styling) are harder for high street retailers to interpret in an interesting and enticing way.
· Some major players and also independents are struggling in the competitive environment, and consolidation is inevitable.
· Menswear is bought by both men and women, and so retailers need to be attractive to both men and women. As they have different shopping behaviours (browsers vs destination; confident vs needing help) this is a challenge for store design and visual merchandising styles.
· Competition for men’s spending comes from their hobbies. Mintel’s consumer research shows that 20-24s and 35-44s are most likely to spend more money on their hobbies than on clothes – clothing retailers are not just competing among themselves but with other discretionary spending ‘wants’ products. These men are most likely to be the ABC1s who can afford to indulge themselves.
The Big Picture
Today we live in a branded world, were brands are more than logos and marketing jargon. They are icons of our society, reflecting our personal preferences, values and lifestyles. Many of us view our self identity through the brands we support and buy. Whether it’s a car, computer, wine, or even where we do our banking, we create brand relationships with what feels good, and what helps define us to others.
A lot of men and even women feel strongly about being a prisoner to expensive brands. Corporate Brands feel they can get away with labeling an expensive price tag on a plain white t-shirt that has a small logo printed at the bottom of the t-shirt. I feel that you never really get what you pay for when you buy an expensive branded t-shirt and for this reason I have decided to change the way men feel about purchasing a branded t-shirt, and that is getting their value for money.
For my final major project I will create my own t-shirt brand, which will have a unique selling point that gives value for money e.g. it could be ‘Reversible’ (t-shirt that is printed on both sides). The t-shirt will be priced along side other brand competitors e.g. Diesel T-shirts cost from £35 to £50 depending on the print and fabric. These will be aimed towards a younger market of men interested in fashion. The t-shirt designs will be controversial with a hint of subtle humour which will tie in with the target market.
My final major project development will be updated weekly in my research journal which will be in the form of an online blog. But this time the blog will be accessible for every one to leave feed back on my progress through out the project; this will help me make decisions and corrections.
As a starting point for my research journal, I will produce a mini audit for the brand by using Mintel to research into the current market for menswear retailing. I will also produce my proposed market plan which will involve an SWOT analysis and four P’s using the research I have gained from using Mintel and other key sources.
I will be researching into branding and product development to gain knowledge of creating a name and logo for the brand, as well as looking at existing brand names and logos to get an idea of how to design my own that is original and recognisable. The brand name will tie in with the controversial approach of the designs for the t-shirts.
I will create a capsule collection of different t-shirt designs for the brand which will graphically represent the brands controversial theme. I will have to research into printing costs and the costs for plain t-shirts to get an idea on what prices to retail them in stores.
I will create a creative promotional booklet that will display the capsule collection of t-shirts and the style of the booklet will reflect the brands reversible style and controversial theme. The promotional booklet will be distributed to outlets to display the range on offer or to be displayed next to the t-shirt in shops. I will use my knowledge in Photoshop and Illustrator to create these designs.
A lot of men and even women feel strongly about being a prisoner to expensive brands. Corporate Brands feel they can get away with labeling an expensive price tag on a plain white t-shirt that has a small logo printed at the bottom of the t-shirt. I feel that you never really get what you pay for when you buy an expensive branded t-shirt and for this reason I have decided to change the way men feel about purchasing a branded t-shirt, and that is getting their value for money.
For my final major project I will create my own t-shirt brand, which will have a unique selling point that gives value for money e.g. it could be ‘Reversible’ (t-shirt that is printed on both sides). The t-shirt will be priced along side other brand competitors e.g. Diesel T-shirts cost from £35 to £50 depending on the print and fabric. These will be aimed towards a younger market of men interested in fashion. The t-shirt designs will be controversial with a hint of subtle humour which will tie in with the target market.
My final major project development will be updated weekly in my research journal which will be in the form of an online blog. But this time the blog will be accessible for every one to leave feed back on my progress through out the project; this will help me make decisions and corrections.
As a starting point for my research journal, I will produce a mini audit for the brand by using Mintel to research into the current market for menswear retailing. I will also produce my proposed market plan which will involve an SWOT analysis and four P’s using the research I have gained from using Mintel and other key sources.
I will be researching into branding and product development to gain knowledge of creating a name and logo for the brand, as well as looking at existing brand names and logos to get an idea of how to design my own that is original and recognisable. The brand name will tie in with the controversial approach of the designs for the t-shirts.
I will create a capsule collection of different t-shirt designs for the brand which will graphically represent the brands controversial theme. I will have to research into printing costs and the costs for plain t-shirts to get an idea on what prices to retail them in stores.
I will create a creative promotional booklet that will display the capsule collection of t-shirts and the style of the booklet will reflect the brands reversible style and controversial theme. The promotional booklet will be distributed to outlets to display the range on offer or to be displayed next to the t-shirt in shops. I will use my knowledge in Photoshop and Illustrator to create these designs.
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