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University of Arizona
Composition Program.
All rights reserved.
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Date:
September 26, 2001
To: Center Team Leader and Interns
From: Samantha Stevens, Agnes Moore, and Valerie Peron
Subject: Proposal to create, organize, and present a visual merchandising
promotion concept for the months of January and October for the U of A bookstore.
Problem statements:
The purpose of this proposal is to demonstrate the U of A Bookstore's need for a more effective visual merchandising concept. In order to address the problem of unsuccessful display results in the U of A Bookstore, this project will explore:
This project will serve pressing promotional needs as well set a standard for future success in the visual merchandising realm at the University of Arizona. An enormous financial investment has been placed into the construction of the new U of A Bookstore. The U of A Bookstore is taking its operation into a new direction by greatly expanding its square footage as well as its featured merchandise. The U of A Bookstore is now carrying not only required textbooks for offered courses and a few T-shirts and pencils, but instead is offering a huge range of merchandise from clothing to CD's. On its upper floor, the U of A Bookstore is beginning to look much more like a Barnes & Noble than a typical campus bookstore.
The new U of A Bookstore will be carrying over 15 different types of backpacks, shirts, shorts, hats, notebooks, journals, CD's, software, a wide assortment of art supplies, recreational reading, and much more. This vast amount of new merchandise requires an entirely different approach regarding sales and promotion. The U of A Bookstore needs to compete on an entirely new level. The factor that will make a student stay and shop at the U of A Bookstore after purchasing his or her required texts is a strong visual merchandising concept. This concept of visual promotion is also what is going to encourage customers outside of the University to want to shop there as well. In order to turn this large investment into real profits for the University, the U of A Bookstore needs to put its best face forward and establish an effective plan for its visual merchandising concept. This project will help the U of A Bookstore accomplish this by employing visual merchandising and display techniques while offering an outside perspective.
Introduction/Background:
Display
or visual merchandising is "showing" merchandise and concepts at
their very best, with the end purpose of making a sale. A successful visual
merchandising concept for the U of A Bookstore will sell merchandise by showing,
promoting, and encouraging the shopper to enter the store. Additionally, an
efficient concept will enhance the store's visual image while entertaining
customers throughout their shopping experience. Introducing and explaining
new products in display also helps to educate customers by answering questions
about how certain products are used. Careful considerations are given to color,
texture, line, composition, balance, proportion, and rhythm. The meticulous
combination of these elements creates an effective display.
This project aims to facilitate the promotional needs of the new U of A Bookstore
and create a renewed interest among the student population. By displaying
merchandise in a creative, imaginative, and engaging manner, this project
will attract new as well as old customers into the store. Currently, the visual
merchandising concept for the bookstore is virtually nonexistent. Displays
are misplaced, out of customer sight lines, and disorganized. No certain products
or storewide events are given special promotional attention. The development
process for this project will include time for research, development, and
planning for placement and construction. In order to explore effective visual
merchandising methods, research of successful retail displays outside of campus
will also be a part of the development process. This research will be helpful
in enhancing the U of A Bookstore's image to customers outside of the University
circuit in addition to its existing student customers.
Throughout
the month of October and during the first weeks of November, we will develop
the visual merchandising concepts for the months of January and October for
the year 2002. We will be using display materials available for order at
www.visualstore.com, and www.ddimagazine.com.
Methods:
Research
on this subject can be divided into three foci:
" Sources of promotional success
" Visual merchandising in relation to planning, placement, and resources
" Application of basic design elements in creating visual merchandising
presentations
To determine sources of display success, this project will focus on related merchandise promotional, and institutional displays. In a related merchandise display, separates, accessories, or other items that "go together" are displayed because they are meant to be used together, because they are the same color, or because they share an idea or theme. Because the month of January is celebrated on campus as "Jazz Month," we will be doing a combination of related merchandise and promotional display. The promotional display advances or emphasizes a particular concept, trend, or item. A theme will be developed for advertising the Jazz Month event. A jazz show will be held on a certain date in the U of A Bookstore basement, so the display will be announcing this event while displaying jazz related merchandise such as books on jazz and CD's. For the month of October, a holiday promotion will be implemented. All related Halloween merchandise will be incorporated into a display.
This project will also incorporate researched methods involving the following:
When discussing color psychology, it is important to understand the theories that have been supported concerning the effects of color on people and their moods while shopping. Because color can create a specific mood for a display, it is an important consideration in any visual promotion. The marketplace for the U of A Bookstore is vast and global. Because of this, there are obviously cultural and regional differences in color preference that must be taken into careful deliberation. Texture is another very important aspect of color. The surface treatment of an object can affect the color of the merchandise and must therefore be carefully considered. Textures can also be suggestive to explain the merchandise in terms of surrounding materials. Line can be considered second in importance to color and texture in creating a response to the merchandise in display. A line can be horizontal, vertical, curved, or diagonal, and methods in which these lines are used and combined determine the success of the merchandise presentation. Composition can be defined as the organization or grouping of different elements in order to achieve a unified whole. The arrangement of these lines, shapes, forms, and colors into a whole allows a particular message to be conveyed. Balance, proportion and rhythm involve the creation of a pleasing relationship between the parts of the composition. Proportion involves the relationship of the size, scale and weight of the elements within the composition. Rhythm can be defined as a self-contained movement form element to element, from side to side, and from background to foreground.
Timeline and Goals:
The result of this project will be the creation of a visual display concept to remedy the situation of inadequate promotion. The project will be completed according to the following schedule:
Initial
research complete: October 16, 2001
Research and material selection complete: November 1, 2001
Report draft complete: November 20
Conclusion/Recommendations:
The presentation
of this project will occur in the form of a portfolio with visualization
of the merchandise featured, signage, graphic, props, forms, and accent
pieces. We will also be using an online Power Point demonstration using
digital photographs of the U of A Bookstore's existing set up. At this point
in time, research indicates that the main problems involve a lack of display
within the bookstore, misplaced and unpersuasive presentation of merchandise,
and disorganization. The demonstration will make recommendations for the
U of A Bookstore's future visual merchandising processes based on research
and professional observations, and will present a portfolio of projected
visual concepts for the months of January and October in the year 2002.
References
Pegler,
Martin M. "Getting Started-Visual Merchandising and Display Basics."
Visual
Merchandising and Design. Fairchild Publications: New York, 1998.