Athlete-Model.Pdf
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1 Table of contents Introduction Page 4 Athlace Model Page 6 Link to theories Page 11 Application of Model: analysis and evaluation Page 14 Painpoints & Opportunities Page 24 Concepts Page 28 Appendix: Sources Page 39 2 3 Introduction 4 Concepting plus, an advanced course with the objective to develop a theoretical model that walks through the process of concept thinking. From start to finish, all stages of the marathon have to be run to take all aspects of a company extensively into account. The first prize of the competition, is to identify the unique selling points and what distinguishes them from competitors. After having reached the finish line, the company will be able to reflect on qualities, weaknesses, painpoints and opportunities. Thereby, the company knows what to adjust after the first round of applying the model. ‘Athlace’ exists to obtain a clear roadmap, from research, identity and the essence of the company to vision and from reflecting values, analysing the targetgroup and a valuefit to the actual concept. Once the model has been run through, it can be performed multiple times more. By doing that, the company keeps on improving. Hence, a better position in the market can be taken, unregarded if they turn out to be in sports or real estate sectors. As a result of applying the model, brand awareness will rise and if lucky, the concept can even become a lovemark. Nike was chosen to explain the model for this assignment. The foundation of the model is the construction of Nike’s main product: the shoe. The imaginative footwear consists of multiple layers which get different meanings by adding value to it. From the shoe sole on, ‘Athlace’ adds all crucial parts that are needed to achieve the best valuefit. The model is called after her inspiration. ‘Ath’ stands for the best ‘athlete’ people can (businesswise) be and eventually, everything gets combined in the last step; tying the shoelaces together and the concept is ready to go. See you at the finish! Sjoerd Vermaak Kimberly Snoeren Iris Post Pleun Hoofs 5 Athlace Model 6 7 Part 1: Research (The foundation of the shoe) Every concept starts with a good research, a SWOT analysis or trend watching for example. The research is the foundation for a concept, because research is the scholarly pursuit of new knowledge, discovery or creative activity in an area with the goal of advancing that area's frontiers or boundaries. Without research, there is no foundation and without a foundation you can’t make a sturdy shoe. Research is important for every business and should not be just a one-off activity. Successful businesses conduct research on a continual basis to keep up with market trends and to maintain a competitive edge. Part 2: Core Values (The shoe sole) After having done the research, you add the shoe sole. The shoe sole is the essence of the company’s identity, the core values. The core values are those values the company holds, which form the basis on which the company performs work and conducts itself. In an ever-changing world, core values are constant and are not descriptions of the work a company does or the strategies they employ to accomplish their mission. The values underlie the work, how you interact with each other and which strategies you employ to fulfill the mission. These are the practices the company should be using every day, in everything they do. Summarized, the shoe sole supports the vision, shapes the culture and reflect on what the company values are. Part 3: Vision (The stability) After placing the shoe sole, you add stability to the shoe. The vision is what the company really stands for and gives stability to the shoe. A vision is an attitude, view or motivation towards a product, service, human being or the world. When talking about a concept vision, the vision is the reason of existence. A vision is not something that can be obtained, that is why it is not a goal; it is a statement about the reason of existence. Consumers are looking for the “why” instead of “what”. They are looking for the meaning in life and in products and services. The stability of a vision gives the organization guidance and it distinguishes concepts from each other. (Hens, 2015) 8 Part 4: Target Group (The toe box) After having stabilized the shoe, you look outside your internal box. The external part of the shoe is the toe box. The toe box is the particular group of people, identified as the intended recipient of an advertisement or message. Targeting a specific market does not mean that you are excluding people who do not fit your criteria. Rather, target marketing allows you to spread your message to a specific market that is more likely to buy from you than other markets. This is an efficient, affordable and effective way to reach prospect clients and increase sales. With a target audience clearly defined, it is much easier to determine where and how to market your concept. Here are some tips to help to define the target market: Look at your current customer base Who are your current customers and why do they come to you? Look for characteristics and interests they share. It is very likely that other people like them could also benefit from your product or service. Check out your competition Look at competitors’ targeting and who their current customers are. Do not go after the same market, you may find a niche market that they are overlooking. Analyze your product or service Write down a list of each feature of your product or service and list next to each feature, the benefits they provide and the benefits of those benefits. Once you have the benefits listed, make a list of people who have a need that your benefits fulfil. Choose specific demographics to target Figure out not only who has a need for your product or service, but also who is most likely to buy it. Think about the following factors: age, career, education level, ethnic background, family status, gender, income level and location. (How to Define Your Target Market, 2010) 9 Consider the psychographics of your target Psychographics are personal characteristics of a person, including: attitudes, behaviour, interests/hobbies, lifestyle, personality and values. (How to Define Your Target Market, 2010) Determine how your product or service will fit into your target's lifestyle and look at how and when your target will use the product or service. Look at what features are most appealing to your target group and what media your target turn to for information. Don’t overly define target audiences in socio-demographical metrics or other buying behaviors that your product could cater too. Create your audience. Evaluate your decision Once you have decided on a target market, be sure to consider these questions: Are there enough people that fit my criteria? Will my target really benefit of my product or service and will they have a need for it? Do I understand what drives my target to make decisions? Can they afford my product or service? Can I reach them with my message and are they easily accessible? (How to Define Your Target Market, 2010) Part 5: Concept Carriers (The framework) One of the final stages in the process is the execution. The execution is everything that's necessary to carry out the concept. While the formation of the ideas and the development of the concept design were central in the early stages, in the execution phase the focus is on anchoring and monitoring the concept. In particular, it refers to structured writing down the information from the previous phases, which must be made in terms of feasibility. In the conceptual design that have been chosen in the previous phases, the main features of the concept definition are already visible. The aim in the execution is to define the concept of design in such a way that further realization of the intended product or the service and the carriers can be put into operation. The concept carriers The concept carriers are all physically observable and tangible manifestations of the concept design that has been selected for exploitation. They are the products and services that represent the concept. In principle, one product or one service is the centre, as part of the design concept, to launch the ideas. This is called the central carrier. Around that, all relevant other carriers are appointed and developed which will support the demonstration of the product or service, which relates to the physical environment, organization, materialization, communication and networking. 10 Important is to note that the developed ideas are ultimately going to be represented by multiple concept designs. By finally putting several concept designs in the market, the ideal vision comes to life. The result is a network of products and services that is recognized by the target audience. The connection therein is formed by the values as the basis set out in the ideology. The developed product or service must carry the ideology and the resulting concept design. Therefore, the term concept carrier exists. However, the launch of an ideology goes beyond just launching a new product or a service. Because they respond on values, they must be addressed in width. The consumer should not only want to identify himself with the product alone, but with the whole ideology. (Sutmuller, 2014) Part 6: USP’s (Brand logo) After executing all separate phases, the shoe is finished. But to make the shoe personal you have to add a brand logo.