Starbucks Fukuoka.

Another eye catching and unusual 'Starbucks' store has opened, this time in Fukuoka, Japan. Kengo Kuma the architects of the V&A Dundee project are behind the stores design.

The area of the store- which opened in late December last year- had a great impact on the final design. As it is on the road to a Japanese deity shrine Kengo Kuma wanted to ensure they didn’t upset the historical nature of the area therefore kept their materials and techniques quite traditional. Even although it is traditional and not intrusive it still has a modern look about it. He over laps 6cm squared blocks, some are suspended and some are also functional and act as a support for the ceiling. These overlapping blocks are similar to branches overlapping in a forest. The café is supposed to feel as though it is nestled in a tree making the customer be at one with nature. The use of these blocks add a sustainable value to the building as the blocks can be recycled or the building can be dismantled and rebuilt in another location!

I love these unique Starbucks coffee shops that have been created recently. They’re different from the norm and each other but still manage to keep the brand recognisable to customers using more subtle measures. It’s also good to see that they’re thinking about the environment and the shops surroundings by once again using environmentally friendly materials and learning about the local area before designing. Check out my other blog on the Starbucks in a shipping container in Washington.

Starbucks in a Shipping Container.

On the 13^th of December 2011, in Tukwila, Washington, Starbucks opened the doors to its first coffee shop/drive-thru inside a shipping container.

Designed in-house by Starbucks Architects the shop which is made up of four reclaimed shipping containers was designed with LEED building standards in mind. It has not yet received a certification but if it does it will be the first building with a LEED certificate in Tukwila.

Through this design Starbucks wanted to encourage more “green” building design in the retail world. They reduced operational costs and energy usage by reclaiming the shipping containers. They also gave something that would have been scrap a new life. The inspiration of the containers came from the ones used to ship Starbucks their tea and coffee across the world. The building itself has been used as a sign therefore reducing materials that would have been needed for signage. A rain water harvesting system and xeriscaping have also been integrated into the design. The interiors are the same as its other shops.

All this sounds very impressive and it’s definitely good to see that a big chain like Starbucks is taking an interest in our environment but why the drive-thru? A drive-thru isn’t environmentally friendly encouraging people to drive to pick up their coffee causing more pollution. I think it would have been amazing if they had a bike-thru, it certainly would have tied in with the environmental issues raised. It would have also been quirky and probably gained a lot of publicity. I understand that they want to make money and a drive-thru would make it easier for their customers to buy drinks but even if they suggested a bike and drive-thru to discourage the use of cars and show that they really do want to be “green” and want their customers to be “green” as well.

I’m not really surprised that Starbucks has done this as they are always trying to make customers aware in store and online that they are a “responsible company” telling customers they recycle and by selling ethically sourced coffee. It was a good move to put this image out there completely. The Tukwila store now symbolises the brand identity, they want to be thought of as environmentally friendly, responsible and caring about the planet and by having a (hopefully) LEED certified building will back this up.

This store is a one off but hopefully will act as a prototype for other stores. I really like the design and would like to see more of them about and the fact that it’s “green” is a plus! 

Feel Good Final Advert - Storyboard.

I recently posted a blog about my groups final advert for 'Feel Good'. This is just a quick post to show our final story board images and a few images of the app we came up with that goes along with the ad campaign.

Using the 'Feel Good' app you can play traditional games such as pears and bowling. Here's how it could look on an ipad or iphone.

When you're a winner you will receive a ticket. Players go to the 'Feel Good' website to cash in their points to donate money to 'Maggies Cancer Research' or to get a token for money off a bottle of 'Feel Good'.

Mock up of website incorporating app.

Lastly I've included an image of our idea to make 'Feel Good' stand out in the supermarkets. The 'Feel Good' fridge.

Burger King – New Interior Identity.

Burger King Singapore has had a makeover. ‘Outofstock’ were commissioned by Burger King Asia specific to design a new look for the interior of their takeaways. The design was intended to be welcoming, appealing to families with children, teenagers and not alienate existing customers.

Whilst researching the Burger King brand the words ‘flame grilled’ kept reappearing. ‘Outofstock’ took these words as a starting point for their design associating this with BBQs, camping, family picnics they came up with the idea of the ‘BK Garden’. The interior was then designed to imitate a garden.

Exposed brick walls, metal framed wooden dinning tables, and sofas upholstered in outdoor materials have been used. Plants are scattered around the restaurant, a roof trellis hides the exposed services and posters of the food have been framed and placed on wooden shelves. Plant pots have also been used as pendant lights to add to the garden theme.

Whilst creating a welcoming atmosphere this new design also creates a new image for Burger King. The garden theme, through the use of healthy plants and natural wood creates an image of healthy eating. The pictures framed in the store show the freshest tomatoes, these little touches would make customers think the food they are eating isn’t bad for them. In today’s environment where people are becoming more conscious of the foods they are putting into their body restaurants like Burger King that don’t sell healthy food have to have a new image for customers to buy into. It might not actually be healthy but it certainly has to look it.

As I was looking at this design I came across some of ‘Outofstocks’ sketches of it. I really like this style even although the drawings are cartoons they still look realistic and explain their ideas well. 

‘Feel Good’ Final Advert Idea.

The ‘Feel Good’ brief asked us to create a campaign that communicates their brand name, what their drinks look like and that their drinks only contain natural ingredients. The main problem we found with the product is its childlike image. It’s too similar to the other fruit drinks at the moment and it’s too young for the people they are targeting, the 16-34 year olds. As a group we feel that the idea we have come up with fulfils the brief and addresses these problems.

Our advert will still be fun but in a way that appeals to the 16-34 age group. Instead of cartoons we have designed a TV. advert that involves a ‘Feel Good’ fruit machine being placed in a town centre. Passers by will then be seen going to the machine and pressing the feel good button where they will always win (you’re never a loser with ‘Feel Good’). They will receive prizes such as ‘Feel Good’ drinks, balloons, bubbles… The machine is intended to ‘spread the feelgoodness’. A crowd will gather around the machine and it will turn in to a street party of sorts. The final scene of the ad will show the ‘Feel Good’ drink on top of the machine with fresh fruit beside it, the background is blurry with people having a good time. An ideal channel to show the advert would be E4 or Channel 4.

Storyboard ideas 1

Storyboard ideas 2

The fruit machine will be colourful and will have the ‘Feel Good’ logo on it. The part that spins will link a picture of a piece of fruit, a drop of water and the words no sugar, to show what’s in the drink, this will be the winning combination. Also written on the machine will be ‘100% natural’.

Not only will this be a TV. ad but to raise awareness of the product several machines will travel around the U.K. being placed in different cities where people can participate in the fun.

The ‘Feel Good’ website will have a similar game on it where players can collect points which can then be turned into vouchers for money off their next ‘Feel Good’ drinks purchase.

Supermarkets will be given displays which will be set up in store for a period of time so that the product stands out to customers. The displays will be in the shape of the machine so that customers recognise it and link it with the TV. ad.

Sketch of possible supermarket display.

This campaign is fun in a grown up way which will appeal to the target audience. As it’s not too childlike it won’t be a problem when trying to introduce their new cocktail range. It makes the product known as the adverts will create a buzz and have people talking about it. The message of what’s in the drink comes across through text and pictures in the ad and the drinks bottle is clearly shown. Those who get the chance to play the machine will get to taste the drink. The ‘Feel Good’ brand will be associated with ‘feelgoodness’ hopefully making people want to drink it.

'Feel Good': Personas

Who drinks 'Feel Good'? As a group we came up with a few different personas of the type of people who drink 'Feel Good'.

Gary
Age: 19

Occupation: Politics Student

Hobbies: Mountain biking, jogging and going to the gym regularly.

Gary enjoys socialising with his friends and getting good grades at uni. He enjoys his politics course. He's always trying to keep his family and friends happy.

Louise
Age:25

Occupation: Accountant

Hobbies: Shopping, reading a good book in her local park, going to the gym and going out for dinner with friends.

Louise has a busy lifestyle, she's a recent graduate and has just started her first job working as a trainee in an accountancy firm. After work she has a glass of wine to relax or invites friends over to her flat which she is currently renting in the city center.

Sue
Age:27

Occupation: Full time mum

Hobbies: Entertaining friends and socialising with other parents at family groups.

Sue is extremely health conscious since becoming a mother. She does her best to cook healthy meals for her family.

John
Age:30

Occupation: Electrical Engineer

Hobbies: Socialising, going out with friends for a few drinks, watching football.

John has his own house and lives on his own. He tries to be healthy but feels he doesn't have enough time. He gets the occasional take-away. When he's not working he's spending his money on the latest gadget.

'Feel Good': Competitor's Adverts

I've been trying to get some inspiration for my groups 'Feel Good' advert. So I thought I'd look at some of its competitors ads.

'Drench'.

This advert is for 'Drench' water, its fruit juice ad is quite similar as it's very random and focuses on the fact you can perform better after drinking it. I really liked this ad featuring Brains from 'Thunderbirds' just because I found it funny. I remember seeing it at the time but didn't realise it was for 'Drench' so I'm not sure it was effective in doing its job properly since I have never had 'Drench' before. However it would get people talking about it.


'Volvic Touch of Fruit'

A colourful ad showing people enjoying themselves and full of energy it's implied that this is because they drink 'Volvic'. A clear shot of the 'Volvic' bottles and freshly cut fruit shows the viewer exactly what the product is, what it looks like and what it contains (although this may not be the whole truth added sugar isn't mentioned). I like the way this is the final image as the viewer isn't left confused wondering "What was that ad for again?".

'Tropicana'

I love this ad just because it makes me feel happy, I'm not sure why. Maybe because it reminds me of holidays and perfect breakfasts. I'm a 'Tropicana' drinker. 'Tropicana' have the advantage of advertising this way because orange juice is more of a breakfast drink. Targeting people by focusing on 'Feel Good's' USP will hopefully help us.

Music features heavily in these three adverts and I think it gives a friendly, upbeat, happy vibe. So maybe our 'Feel Good' ad should have some music to it, we are trying to make people feel good after all.

'Innocent'

This ad is very simple but effective. The 'Innocent' carton is shown in natural surrounding on healthy green grass. It's then joined by what the drink contains showing viewers what it is.The last shot is of its different packaging so viewers will then recognise it in the shop. The whole ad sums 'Innocent's' brand.

'Feel Good': Ideas Wall

We have now started to think of potential adverts. We gathered around a blank wall then sketched whatever ideas came to us and added them to the wall.

We then selected a few of our favorite ideas that we felt we could work on a little more or help generate new ideas. 

 Some of our ideas....

'All you need is  Feel Good'. Person pictured with a bottle of 'Feel Good' having a happy life. shows the joy it brings.

An apple on a date with water having fun when a bottle comes out of nowhere and squashes them together inside. This creates the juice in the bottle. 'Capture those Feel Good moments'.

'Feel Good Fridays'. This ad would show an office situation where the workers are drained of energy. A 'Feel Good' drinks trolly passes by a desk hands a drink to an employee. After he drinks it his grey face changes he now looks energised. The whole office is now buzzing. 'Thank Goodness for Feel Good Fridays'.

We were still thinking of staying with the cartoon style that 'Feel Good' already has as they do want it to be cheeky and fun. However we think that it shouldn't be as cute as it is at the moment as this seems to be aimed at much younger people than their target audience.

Hmm... still more work to be done I feel. Group meeting later so hopefully some more ideas will emerge.

What makes you Feel Good?

As a group we did a quick brainstorm on what makes us feel good then what makes us feel bad. We did this in the hope that it would help us come up with some good advert ideas. It did in fact loosen us up a bit before we began on our ideas wall.

                                     

Family, friends good food, t.v and home comforts were the main thinks that make us smile.

 Surprisingly thinking up things that make us unhappy was more difficult. Bad drivers, annoying people, spiders were a few of these.

‘Feel Good’ USP.

What is the Unique Selling Point of ‘Feel Good’?

Other drinks as well as ‘Feel Good’ give you one of your five a day. But ‘Feel Good’ is different from the rest as it is 100% natural and contains no added sugar. As a juice drink this is uncommon. Competitors that look like healthy fruit drinks such as ‘Vitamin Water’ and ‘Drench’ contain way over 20g of sugar. Check out the Donut-O-Meter below.  

‘Feel Good’ doesn’t disguise itself it is what it is, fruity

‘Feel Good’ …Research.

Meeting up with my group again we decided to do some more research.

Questionnaires were made up to give us an idea of the lifestyles of people who drink juices like ‘Feel Good’.  We asked their name, age, occupation before asking them; to tell us a few words that describe their lifestyle, what they do to keep healthy, if buying healthy drinks is important to them and which one they buy and why. We also presented them with a sheet of paper that showed the ‘Feel Good’ logo and the logo of its competitors to see what they recognised the most and if they’d ever heard of ‘Feel Good’. The majority of people we asked said they mainly drank water or orange juice if they were being healthy. If they were to drink any other type of drink it would be ‘Innocent’ as they think it’s good for them. A few people had tried ‘Feel Good’ before as it happened to be there when they were buying a drink. However no one bought ‘Feel Good’ on a regular basis even though those who had tried it enjoyed it. I still feel the main problem is that people can’t easily get their hands on a ‘Feel Good’ drink. Something I’m interested to look at next is how other juice companies started, how they managed to get retailers to stock their drinks and become well known to the consumer…

As a group we drew up another perception map this time looking at a drinks price and its quality, high-low. This again showed ‘Feel Good’ in a crowded area.

The ansoff matrix was used to help us identify how the product stands at the moment and where or what opportunities there are for it.