Wednesday, November 27, 2019
buy custom Top Shop essay
buy custom Top Shop essay Introduction In the recent past, competition between businesses operating in similar industries has drastically increased. Vrechopoulos (2001, p. 5) argues that in developed countries, such as the United kingdom among other European countries, more than 70% of businesses have adopted the modern ways of marketing, all in an effort to diversify their market niche, offer improved customer services, thus remaining competitive. One of the most successful clothes retailingshop operating in the U.K. is the Topshop (Varley Rafiq 2004, p. 77). This paper will critically evaluate the Topshops Visual Merchandising, Atmospherics and Web atmospherics marketing strategies. Background on Top Shop Visual Merchandising, Atmospherics and Web atmospherics Topshop is one of clothes retail shop operating in the United Kingdom and more than other 20 countries across the globe. The firm has also established online operations in most of its markets, in order to increase sales revenues. The business is a branch of the Arcadia Group that owns numerous retail shops including Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge and Burton. In 2000, the firm uploaded its internet site in order to the internet generation, especially in the U.K., although the site significantly was lacking the actual buying facilities. However, this was rectified in 2002, thus vastly increasing the sales volume of the firm. Visual Merchandising Kotler (2004, p. 34) argues that visual merchandising is an act as well as a profession of coming up with three-dimensional displays and door plans, all with an aim of maximizing sales revenues. The main purpose of visual merchandising is attracting, motivating and engaging customers towards making purchases. This leads to a higher sales turnover that in most cases translates to increased profitability. To achieve the element of visual merchandising, Topshop has adopted appropriate image differentiation as well as fresh retail look. This service is provided by Topshop catwalk fashion trends via merchandiing in-store. Web Atmospherics With regard to the e-retailing, corresponding stimuli are via sound, usability, customisation visuals and text, sound among other parameters. The retail versus e-retail operations Visual Merchandising The store environment is extremely vibrant, lively and energetic. As indicated by Eroglu (2003, p. 9) atmosphere is one of the aspects that has made Topshop a knockout as compared to other firms. Harold (2011, p. 50) indicates that atmospheric is consciousness in designing space, thus creating given effects in the buyers. It can also be described as an effort to design the buying environments, in order to give rise to detailed emotion effects tothe buyers. For instance, the hardwood flooring surfaces used by company represents style and warmth, while the big images of the models as well as in-store signage visualizes the aspects of being authentic and fun. Store layout and display techniques As witnessed on the Topshop Flagship Store located on the Oxford Street, Topshop employs a mixture of free-flow and boutique format depending on the size of the store. As a part of display techniques, Topshop uses store displays and evolving windows as a major voice of its brand (Marianne 2005, p. 17). Web Atmospherics McKinney (2004, p. 89) categorically states that e-store is a purposeful design of an e-retailers site. For Topshop, the website design enables efficient and essay navigation for users. The firms navigation bar on the left side of the website indicates the various services and products offered through the e-store. The other element that has significantly improved the web atmospheric is the visual, colour and text used on the firm's website. Further, the zoom facility enables customers to view the products in close range as well as availability of text (Wang 2002, p. 10). Image Topshop is considered onee of the most successful retailers having reinvented its brand image from cheap teens brand to a street style leader. It is essential to note that, the e-store used by Topshop promotes the image of the urban chic clothing, all targeting young women and teenagers. Comparison the navigation is forboth the bricks and clicks stores. the two methods apply streamline format (Siomkos 2004, p. 41). both e-store and in-store gives in warmth and colour with visual images of products, for example, the website portrays product and the store merchandises. the experience of in-store is much attracting, but the e-store more entertaining because of lighting, colour and music applied (Wang 2002, p. 14). however, both clicks and bricks have an equivalent credits for their clients (Kotler 2004, p. 101). Recommendation From the above information, one can see that both offline and online marketing strategies employed by Topshop retail shop have been extremely successful. However, there is a need to improve the store environment in the web atmospheric to match with that of visual merchandising atmospheric. Further, there is the need to increase brand awareness, both to online and offline customers. Currently, only the brand loyalty for the offline customers is estimated to be at 78%, 24 % higher than that of online customers. In this regard, more online marketing strategies, with the aim of raising brand awareness to the online customers, should be adopted by the firm, thus being able to raise its profitability by at least 12% in the next five years (Marianne 2005, p. 78). Conclusion Topshop is one of the most successful companies in the 21st century. The firm has been able to compete accordingly, due to the effective use of contemporary marketing strategies, thus raising the firm profitability level (Vrechopoulos 2001, p. 8). Buy custom Top Shop essay
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Seven Steps to a Better Logo
Seven Steps to a Better Logo Whether youre a novice designer or a branding veteran, logo design remains a deceptively difficult practice. What looks like a simple icon to the general public took a designer or team hours of concepting and revising to execute. The most effective logos take the heart and soul of an organization and summarize that essence in a distinct, easily-recognizable visual. Its easier said than done, and it takes a lot of practice to successfully develop great logos, even under tight deadlines or limited budgets.In my experiences as a freelance designer, Ive discovered that the best tool for developing logos, whether for a huge corporation or a small local business, is devising your own process. This process can be used as a guideline to help steer you in the right direction for the logo youre designing. However, dont be too worried about rigidly sticking to the process as flexibility can allow for more creative concepts to arise.Below is my own personal process for logo design which Ive deve loped through my freelance practice along with some agency experience. Ive discovered that utilizing this process as a guideline has been extremely helpful no matter what kind of organization Im working with or what deadline I have. Spending time on each step has helped me to focus on creating a logo that my client will be thrilled to use.My basic process for designing a logo.Step 1 - Do your homeworkBefore you start picking typefaces, sketching, or looking for inspiration, you need to know for whom youre designing. This first step seems obvious, but its a crucial step that many designers forget. To make a logo truly represent an organization, you need to understand what the organization does and who it does it for.For example, lets say youre designing a logo for a restaurant. When did the restaurant first open? What type of food do they serve? How many people do they employ? What kind of people generally eat there? What are the restaurant owners goals for the business? Directly as k clients these types of questions if you can, and scour their website or promotional materials to get to know their current brand. You just may learn something during your research that will completely change the visual choices you make. If you find out that the restaurant is popular among young people but the owner wants to start appealing to families, then youll want to design a logo that is more appropriate for a family-friendly place rather than for a hip new cafe. This will not only help you create a more effective logo, but it will also make clients happier because you took their goals and needs into consideration.Step 2 - Complete a wide visual auditAfter researching the organization, look at the competition. Start with a narrow focus and widen as you go - this will help you have context for what already exists. In our restaurant scenario, first look at the branding of restaurants in the neighborhood, the city, and surrounding areas. If the restaurant serves Japanese food, what do other nearby Japanese restaurant logos look like? What local restaurants are the most popular - and what does their branding look like?After you look locally, explore relevant branding on a wider scale - this is the ideal time to look for restaurant branding or logos in general that inspire you. By collecting these logo ideas, youll not only have a visual bank of inspiration, but youll also avoid designing anything too similar to what already exists. You may notice that many logos you find in your audit are very similar or employ the same overused clichà ©s - a quick Google search for Japanese restaurant logo reveals pages of logos with red circles, chopsticks, and brushed calligraphy. Being aware of common visual tropes can help you develop a logo that stands out among the competition while still feeling appropriate for its context.A Google search is a quick way to reveal what designs have been overdone.Step 3 - Mood boardsAfter youve researched the company and the co mpetition, its important to sum up everything youve learned into something you can build on visually. I like to do this by choosing a handful of specific words or phrases that describe the brand to create a foundation for the rest of the process. If your client has given you any style requests for the logo, be sure to include those words here too. If youre a literal thinker, then doing an image search can help you find pictures of things that connect with your words - these can be abstract or literal. For example, if you find that one key aspect of the restaurant is fresh, then searching this word results in numerous pictures of water, organic forms, and the color green. You may not use these images in a literal sense for your logo, but theyll give you a starting point to start sketching from.A snapshot of an example mood board which uses words and images that describe the brand.Step 4 - Turn off your computerWhen youre on a tight timeline, it can be tempting to open Illustrator a nd start working digitally right away. Taking the time to sketch with a real pen and paper, however, helps you to produce ideas quicker and gives you more immediate freedom to explore. When sketching, think about the visuals you found in Step 3 and use them to generate ideas. At this stage, dont worry too much about making the most perfect mark or finding the solution right awayââ¬âthe point is to make various marks that you can refine later.Step 5 - The fun partNow that you have a few pages of sketches, pick a couple of your favorite ideas to build digitally. Some designers find it helpful to scan in their sketches, but I prefer to eyeball them and tweak as I go. Just like sketching on paper, dont be afraid to make lots of digital iterations. You may end up with something completely different than your original sketch, but thats okay! Stay open to the process, and try doing something new. If you get stuck, print out your digital logos and view them on paper. Cut them out, draw on them, or fold them. Refer back to your mood board. At this point in the process, theres no right or wrong way to develop ideas.As you start to refine your logomarks, here are a few tips to keep in mind:Remember that your logo needs to look good at all sizes and dimensions, so try enlarging and shrinking the marks to see what happens to their visibility.Avoid using very thin strokes or fine details, as these might get lost if the logo is printed from low-quality printers.Your client will most likely be using the logo both printed and on-screen, so make sure it plays nicely in both realms.Generally, the simpler the logo, the better - if you can draw the mark from memory, youre on the right track.Step 6 - Add color and typeOnce you have developed a few marks, move on to type and color. These two aspects are their own disciplines, but a few rules of thumb can help you find what works best for your logo and the brand it represents. For color, keep it simple - use as few colors as possible in the logo. You might be tempted to use a plethora of bright hues, but this can result in a logo thats hard to use across different applications. Lots of color can also distract from the effective mark youve already developed, and since the logo has to work in a single color, dont make color the backbone of your concept.For type, Ive found that picking typefaces that contrast with your mark can create a nice balance. For example, if your mark is built with organic shapes, try a sharper, more rigid typeface. If the mark is intricate and complicated, choose a simple sans serif. Make sure that the type and logo look harmonious together, and give each enough breathing room by sizing each element so neither feels too overwhelming. Choose colors and typefaces that feel relevant to current design trends without being too trendy - think about how your logo might look in five or ten years. A good logo is an investment for an organization, and if a logo is timeless enough to stick around, its going to create a lot of equity for the brand it represents. This process will take a bit of trial and error, so give yourself enough time to refine each concept before you present it to the client.Step 7 - Be boldDeciding on how many concepts to present to a client can be difficult. Ive found that this depends on the client, the timeframe, and the budget. Presenting too many options can overwhelm a client, while presenting only one or two may result in many revisions if the client doesnt see what he or she wants. However many concepts you choose, make sure that each one looks distinct and independent. Presenting a diverse array of concepts can help you to get a better feel for what a client likes and doesnt like, and in this situation its usually easier for a client to have strong feelings towards a single concept. And, dont be afraid to present an option thats a little bit more out there - while a safe, expected logo may initially satisfy a client, presenting a bolde r approach can inspire the client to envision something bigger and better for his or her organization, and it can foster a more comprehensive understanding of the importance of good branding.Finally, letting clients see a little bit of your process and explaining the thoughts behind each concept can create more meaningful interaction with them and spark real interest in the work. Speak to how each concept relates to the goals of the organization and how it fits into the context of the research you conducted in the first two steps. And, be enthusiastic! Show the client that you care enough about your work to put some thought behind it. Regardless of what concept they choose, carefully considered work goes a long way in an industry where careless design is all too common.Its easy to get overwhelmed by the mere idea of creating a brand-new logo from scratch, but following a few guidelines can be a huge help in designing a great idea. And lastly, dont put too much pressure on yourself t o create the best, most clever logo the world has ever seen. After all, as the legendary Paul Rand once said, Dont try to be original. Just try to be good.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Locally Produced Goods Versus Imported Goods Essay
Locally Produced Goods Versus Imported Goods - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that modern days have seen the transportation and use of goods irrespective of their geographical locations. This trend is most of the time attributed to the freedom of mobility as a result of globalization and technological advancements. Thus, sometimes, goods which are imported become cheaper and of better quality than the locally produced ones. Along with this trend, there arises the controversy whether it is right to give priority to imported goods over the locally produced ones on the basis of price and quality. Though the trend seems harmless at the first sight, history proves that this practice will have a number of negative effects. Studies show that locally produced goods are better than imported goods due to many reasons. Firstly, the imported goods do not offer cheap rates over long time. So, if there is more reliance on imported products, the local production will disappear. This will allow foreign companies and nations to have to tal monopoly over the product. They may utilize this situation to exploit the consumers through increased price or reduced quality. This will have a serious impact on the security of any nation. Secondly, when there is higher reliance on imported goods, the local producers will have to stop production. This will affect the local economy at both macro and micro level. Thus, profit on one side is loss on the other. Also, it becomes evident that the plants and animals of a particular place are best suited to the local environment. So, for the inhabitants of that place, consuming the locally available things is the best way for survival in that area. Moreover, it becomes evident that this practice has a devastating effect on culture. A culture is called a culture for various reasons ranging from food habits, specific rites and ritual, a specific dress code, art, and language. So, deviating from any of these for financial gains will lead to a dilution in the culture as has seen around th e world. In addition, there are humanitarian issues too. As noticed, most of the mass produced cheap products are the result of considerable levels of exploitation. In nations like China, which are known for cheap production, workers are deprived of even basic salaries and proper sleep. Furthermore, there are both health issues and environmental issues to be explored. Mass production like industrial farming requires heavy use of pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers. In addition, the mass-produced products require preservation and transportation. The workers who work in such farms will have to face serious health problems. Also, preservation and transportation involve use of preservatives, and waste of energy. Also, when there is mass production, there is large-scale pollution, exploitation of natural resources, and contaminate of natural resources. When this happens, many locally available varieties are ignored. Thus, over time, there will be the loss of many important varietie s due to this craze for profit. This will, in turn affect the ecology as a whole. Modern days have seen an increasing exchange of goods irrespective of geographic proximity as a result of improvements in communication and transportation. Thus, people use local and import products in their everyday lives even without being aware about the same. This change came along with a controversy regarding the effects of this change. As multinational retailer giants launched their units in countries like China, people witnessed a rising conflict between regional sentiments and globalization. Thus, presently, there is the question whether one should go for locally produced goods or imported goods.
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