AD6607 Fashion Business 2024

Team 2: Marketing & PR Team 2: Marketing & PR Team 2: Marketing & PR

Darci Allcock Darci Allcock Darci Allcock

At the beginning of January, I was incredibly fortunate to establish a place within the PR & Social Media Marketing Department of Studio 204. Over the past few months, I have worked as a marketer, a credible team member, an organiser and a content creator; I have thoroughly enjoyed my role within the brand.

I have created this zine as a visual narrative to demonstrate my work for the brand, including the step-by-step process that I took to reach my goals, as well as my final outcomes.

Who am I and what is my role?

I am the Marketer

My name is Darci Allcock and I am a Level 6 Fashion Marketing and Communication Undergraduate. I live in Newport, Shropshire with my parents and younger brother Oscar, who I am very close to and adore. Family is very important to me and will always remain at the core of who I am.

Since joining Fashion Marketing Communication at Chester it has always been clear that I excel within the marketing side of my degree more, as opposed to the communication side; this is something that both my tutor, Tracy, and I have picked up on. With this in mind, when my group sat down to negotiate our roles, we decided that I would control the marketing side of our department, leaving the communication and storytelling aspects to my peers. We managed to navigate our sub-departments quite easily, as we were fortunate enough to discover that our individual strengths and comfortabilities lie in different areas. I recognise the importance of pushing the boundaries outside of my comfort zone and testing my limits, however, for this particular module we decided it was best for us to all ‘stick with what we knew’ as we thought that doing this would be the most effective way for us to produce our highest quality of work for the Studio.

As the marketer of the ‘Social Media Marketing and PR Team’ for Studio 204, I am responsible for educating our audience on what the Studio is all about, this includes its procedures, core values, missions, and accomplishments. One of the main purposes of this role within Studio 204’s brand is to ensure that it is effectively promoted towards prospective students, with the hopes of extending their knowledge and excitement about their potential futures within the course. However, the social space of 204 is also a great place for students to be recognised, it facilitates the opportunity for industry professionals to see their work and for it to be appreciated.

Studio 204 is a fantastic brand; it is an emblem of positivity and possibility, built from a community of strong individuals. I massively respect the way that the Studio conducts itself, caring for the well-being of people, whilst unitedly encouraging success. Because of my strengths in visual marketing techniques and my extensive ability to use various Adobe Suite applications, I believe my skill set has delivered valuable expertise to the marketing role component of my team.

Meet my team members.

Ella is the Storyteller

My peer Ella Ostrouchow is from Stoke on Trent but has big dreams to relocate to Copenhagen upon graduation. As an excellent storyteller, Ella is responsible for effectively communicating the transition of FMC into the new fast-track course. Her role involves explaining the transition and what the fast track course is all about, whilst playing on the idea of us ‘handing over the baton’ to the new students.

Lily Cliff, who is from Liverpool, excels in visual communication, so as a team we instantly knew that this would be the perfect role for her. As an inspiring magazine editor, she has been tasked with documenting the journey of our course members, communicating our future aspirations, what we’ve learnt during our time as FMC students and what challenges we’ve faced. She will also be exploring previous student placements, as we believe this is beneficial information for prospective students to be provided with.

‘OUR ALUMNI’ ‘OUR ALUMNI’ ‘OUR ALUMNI’

Our alumni are such a vital component of Studio 204 as they represent its extensive successes and the future opportunities that it facilitates the accumulation of. Over the last 7 years of Fashion Marketing and Communication at Chester, there have been countless students to congratulate. Focusing on our alumni is crucial for the Studio 204 brand, as not only does it demonstrate its strong community, but it also provides prospective students with an insight into what the future could look like for them if they choose to join the Studio’s educational journey.

PUBLICITY PPUBLICITY UBLICITY Remembering RRemembering emembering Creating CCreating reating around Studio 204 around Studio 204 around Studio 204

As Studio 204 is a brand, generating engagement and publicity is vital. When a brand is given media attention it increases its appeal and insight, as more and more people become aware of it. My second KPI involves pushing these ideas, as I strive to make more people aware of the Studio and what it is all about.

As part of my focus on our alumni, I will be:

Researching - What others are doing? How do other universities market their alumni? What makes a good social media post? How can I engage with our audience?

Considering - How can I develop my research to formulate new ideas for social content? How do I want my alumni posts to be received? Which is the best social media channel to convey this message on?

Interviewing - To market our alumni I will need to know all about them. To do this, I will be developing interview questions to ask them. Studio 204 is a brand, I will need to ensure that all of my interviews are carried out professionally and to ensure that both the interviewee and I communicate effectively.

Editing - After the interviews are conducted I will need to edit the content that I gather to ensure that it is presented in the most captivating and exciting format for viewers.

Gathering - I will also need to gather imagery from our alumni so that I can visually communicate their successes on social media.

Creating - From this imagery I will use Adobe Suite applications to create visually pleasing content that is ready to publish across the Studio’s social media channels.

As part of my target to increase publicity, I will be:

Researching - Where can we advertise? Are there any local publications? What makes a good marketing film?

Considering - How do we want Studio 204 to be perceived? What message do we want to put out there? How can I show what we stand for?

Communicating - To increase the engagement and attention around Studio 204 I may need to contact other people/brands/agencies. How can I professionally present myself? - While liaising with them I am representing Studio 204.

Designing - I may need to design a leaflet or article for Studio 204 as part of the publicity process.

Gathering - I will also need to gather imagery from the Studio’s archive so I can ensure that its best pieces are published.

Showcasing our Showcasing our Showcasing our

INDUSTRY MENTORS INDUSTRY MENTORS INDUSTRY MENTORS

Studio 204's industry mentors are an asset to the brand, as they provide students with an advanced awareness and sensitivity of the industry’s fastpaced and competitive nature, whilst equipping them to creatively react and respond to the potential future requirements of it. Many Universities are unable to offer their students the opportunity for 1-1 discussions with industry mentors; however, this is something that Studio 204 encourages, setting it apart from its competitors.

As part of my KP1 to increase the marketing around the brand’s industry mentors, I will be:

Researching - How has the brand previously marketed the mentors? What is effective and ineffective about the previous content? What new ideas do I have?

Considering - Which industry mentors am I going to focus on? How can I show who they are as professionals through the content the Studio publishes on them?

Gathering - I will also need to gather imagery from our industry mentors - this will include images of them but also their work/what they have achieved.

Creating - Visually communicating each industry mentor through digital content that reflects who they are individually, whilst engaging with an audience.

What are my KPIS (Key Point Indicators)?

Positivity and possibility; be optimistic, be open, and be brave. We, as one, are STUDIO204.

Praised by The Guardian as one of the Top 10 courses in the UK, Studio 204 stands as an embodiment of creativity and a testament to the pursuit of pushing the boundaries within the dynamic landscape of the fashion industry

At its core, Studio 204 is not merely a course; it is the home of many success stories and a transformative journey that propels individuals to the forefront of shaping the future of fashion marketing

As we embark on this journey, we recognise the pivotal role we play in steering the trajectory of the fashion industry forward The future of fashion marketing is undeniably in our hands, guided by industry mentors who, with unwavering commitment, pass down their wealth of experience and knowledge to the next generation of fashion marketers. Tony Green, Christopher Shannon and Helen Price are among many of the phenomenal industry guests who mentor our students, and from testimonies, this has proved to be extremely beneficial. It is unusual for students to be given opportunities where they can ask professionals for help and inspiration in a learning environment, but this works effectively to encourage and motivate them to push their potential by going above and beyond. The curriculum is meticulously crafted to not only meet industry standards but to exceed them, ensuring that graduates emerge as powerful contenders in the competitive realm of fashion marketing The course structure is designed not only to impart knowledge but also to instil confidence that empowers individuals to navigate the complex industry. What sets Studio 204 apart is not just its commitment to education but the success stories that emerge from its corridors. The studio boasts a roster of highly successful alumni and previous students, each a testament to the power of the course Their journeys, marked by triumphs and accomplishments, serve as living proof that Studio 204 can propel individuals towards unprecedented heights in the fashion industry

Studio 204 is not just a channel for education; it is a catalyst for self-discovery. As aspiring fashion marketers, each individual is entrusted with the responsibility of shaping the future of the industry. Studio 204 recognises this potential and offers a platform where dreams are not only nurtured but realised. By choosing to be part of a course with outstanding NSS and employability statistics, individuals position themselves strategically within the competitive landscape of the fashion industry.

After 7 successful years of Fashion Marketing and Communication, Studio 204 has transitioned into something that is the first of its kind in the country; a two-year fast-track course into industry We are a hybrid fashion degree, delivered through a social media environment, facilitating students with a new, updated approach to learning which offers students a consistent sense of contextual engagement.

Studio 204 stays current and aware of the industry shifts, we look forward to a more sustainable future and do our bit to stay green in the course delivery. This is done by emphasising a focus on digital portfolios and hand-ins, as opposed to producing work physically. At Studio 204 we are a family that supports and encourages one another, there is always the opportunity to ask questions and receive guidance when challenges are met. Challenges are a learning curve for our students and these are what encourage our positivity and possibility motto.

What happened next? 26/01/2024.

OUR CONCEPT OUR CONCEPT OUR CONCEPTSTATEMENT STATEMENT STATEMENT

How are other Universities marketing their alumni on Instagram?

Researching and Considering

Dosometypesof foodmoldfaster thanothers?

To work towards my first KPI, the marketing of our alumni, I began researching how other fashion Universities and Colleges market their successes. As Studio 204's Instagram accounts are where the brand receives the most interaction, I decided to start on Instagram; surfing through our competitor's profiles and highlighting anything that I felt was effective, or caught my eye. I also began to consider, ‘What makes great social media content?’

The purpose of this research exercise isn’t to copy, it is simply a way to explore ideas for inspiration. Competitive analysis is crucial for a brand that is creating social media content, as they need to stay current with what is going on in the industry. It is beneficial for a brand to research what the other brands in their niche are doing, and from this see what appears to be working for them. With this said, 'copying and pasting' what others are doing is never a good idea, it is okay to take inspiration from others, but a brand needs to keep its core values at the forefront of everything it communicates. With this said, I will ensure that everything that I create to be posted on the Studio’s social media accounts resonates with the brand’s DNA and personal identity.

Plasticcontainers Bananas Carrots Whitebread HardCan

I think great social content is made when the creator effectively merges what they like to make with what their audience likes to see. Finding a gap in the social media market is also a great way to stand out when creating content, as setting a trend is a highly successful way to gain consumer recognition. I also think that having a goal is essential when creating content; the most successful content is specific in its approach, it has a target viewer and a target aim for how those viewers will feel and respond when they see the content. In this instance, the target viewers for my content are prospective students, with the aim being to ignite excitement and inspiration within them as they discover what the previous students of the course have achieved, I want the viewers of my content to desire what our alumni have achieved, and therefore be encouraged to embark on an educational journey of their own within Fashion Marketing and Communication at Studio 204.

After searching through Instagram to determine what other Universities are doing, I took to Pinterest for some further inspiration. I wanted to make sure that the posts I created for Studio 204's Instagram account were symbolic of the course and its digital nature. From this, I considered incorporating a screen, as shown in the mood board, into the image, with the idea being that the alumni could be looking into a screen that shows their occupation.

I have created the following mock-up to demonstrate this idea:

Moodboard of ideas (inspired by my initial research)

Scrapbook vibe.

Each student in different screen.

Below of some of the mock-up graphics that I have made to use for potential Instagram content. Designing these graphics helped me to visualise what I wanted to take from my mood boards. *GRADUATION YEAR* graduate,

Who ARE our Alumni?

Interviewing

From the initial ideas that I had generated in my research, my next steps were to actually find out about Studio 204's alumni; I needed to get in contact with them and ask the allimportant questions:

What year did they graduate?

What have they done since graduation?

What is their current role?

How have they found post-University life?

Finding the answers to these questions was the vital next stage of my research process, as I needed to unpack the individual’s personalities and niches so that I could tailor their posts to reflect who they are.

After a search on LinkedIn, I began reaching out to some of Studio 204's alumni on Instagram. EXAMPLE INITIAL MESSAGE:

re-branding. With ma logistics for us to con mind, when asking the qu voice note or video fo

Personal to each individual &their role

After gathering the information from the alumni, I decided to make an Excel Spreadsheet where I could keep all of the information in one place. I thought this would be a good document to keep referring back to when creating my visual content. I also gathered some images of our alumni to use for the social content.

Gathering Imagery

Much like the face-to-face interviews, arranging a shoot with our alumni proved to be very difficult. With them all working full-time, in different areas, getting them to come into the studio for some images wasn’t possible.

As I have developed a strong knowledge of Adobe Suite Applications during my time at University, I realised that I could take some photos of my team member Ella, and then adapt these images on Photoshop, so that her face was swapped for that of the alumni.

Images from the shoot that I conducted with my team member Ella.

Alumni Emma Jean Clarke, who graduated in 2019, has since been incredibly successful. After completing this business module in her final year, Emma discovered that she felt at home when in front of the camera; something that she had always been behind. She started experimenting with social media, consistently posting across multiple platforms, where she has now accumulated a total of over 280k followers. Emma’s story is something that I believe Studio 204 needs to publish further, particularly due to the rising population in becoming a Social Media Influencer amongst Gen Z today.

Visualising the Concept

AI Development

I have acknowledged the consistently ongoing growth of Artificial Intelligence adaptions in my designs, transforming the secondary imagery that I obtained from the alumni into artificially enhanced primary images.

When I was researching how other Universities are marketing, I didn't notice any obvious incorporation of AI, therefore I think embedding these ideas into the brand’s content will be a great way for it to increase the likelihood of meaningful interactions.

Development of the brand

During an early conversation with Studio 204's CEO Tracey Hall, it was mentioned that the brand’s logo required an update. The prospect of this challenge excited me, as I had an idea of having the ‘204’ written from pool balls. My reasoning for this comes from the pool ball analogy of ‘a lucky shot’, which I believe resonates with the feeling that comes with being a member of the Studio. The Studio’s students ‘take a shot’ by choosing to be a part of a small course that is situated in a housing street in Chester and later realise how ‘lucky’ they are to have made it.

DEVELOPMENT - Instagram Posts

I have sized all of my Instagram posts to the appropriate square size, a optimise their layout on Studio 204's account and feed. I have also inc Studio 204 logo as well as its brand colours of pink and black in my de the im

Decline Accept

2020 graduate Becky Mann, is working as a Freelance Marketer and has set up her own business B&Co Studio!

How are other Universities marketing their alumni on Youtube?

Professionalsetting

Insightstotheirwork

Strongopening visuals

KPI 1: ‘OUR ALUMNI’

As well as marketing our alumni on Instagram, I also decided to consider what the brand could do with its current YouTube channel. Rebranding Studio 204's YouTube channel was one of the first discussions my team had with CEO Tracey Hall, as she explained to us how the platform needed attention as it was currently lacking engagement.

After researching alumni videos that other Universities had posted on YouTube, I came across this ‘Alumni Stories’ series. This gave me the idea for the Studio to have a podcast series on YouTube, where our alumni are invited back to share what they have been up to since graduation.

Although YouTube facilitates the sharing of large videos, I think that it would be best for the videos on the podcast channel to be under 10 minutes long. This is to ensure that the audience remains engaged and doesn't end up clicking off the video.

Currentindustryrole

As I have already reached out to many of our alumni and previously requested answers from them in a voice note form, the actual making of the podcast videos should be feasible.

“INTHE SPOTLIGHT” “INTHE SPOTLIGHT” “INTHE SPOTLIGHT” Couldthisbethe nameforthe podcastseries?

I created this mock-up to demonstrate my proposal for how the brand’s Youtube Podcast Channel should look.

Ella Ostrouchow talks about her time in Copenhagen and how it has influenced her FMP.

Sophie Taylor tells us all about her MA at The London College of Fashion.

2023 graduate Jess Gillett talks about her role as a Director for PR & Creative Agency ‘blond‘.

As well as our alumni students, I think that each year the Studio should create a podcast with a final-year student; somebody that is doing a live project. This is because their knowledge of the Studio is more current and their Final Major Project is more fresh in their head to discuss. I believe it is beneficial for the Studio to post content about student’s FMPs as this is interesting and insightful information for prospective students.

INTRO YOUTUBE VIDEO - Incorporating AI

(VIDEO CONTENT UNAVAILABLE ON THIS PLATFORM - PLEASE SEE ELSEWHERE)

How can I increase engagement around the course?

Developing the mood board ideas...

From the mood board that I created, I decided to develop Studio 204's rebrand further and design an A4 promotion flyer. Much like with the logo, I kept the brand’s original image of pink and black and its ‘positivity and possibility’ slogan, however, I also added the key phrases that my team and I came up with when we wrote our concept statement. Not only does ‘be open. be optimistic, be brave’ symbolizes what we believe in as a team, but it also reflects the characteristics of Studio 204 itself.

As these phrases are what we as a Studio stand for, my idea is to get these flyers printed out and take some images of students standing on them.

Once printed, the flyers can also be distributed around Chester or handed out on Launch Night.

With the evergrowing dominance of TikTok, particularly with its recent adaptations to aid brands, I decided that the platform is a crucial place for Studio 204 to increase publicity. Combining the images that I had taken and the new brand logo that I designed, I used Premiere Pro to create a short and snappy TikTok video, which captures what we as a Studio, stand for. I thought it was important to keep the video small, as Generation Z, the generation of our current course members and the likely target market for our prospective students, often have a short attention span and ‘scroll’ past videos quickly on TikTok.

(VIDEO CONTENT UNAVAILABLE ON THIS PLATFORM - PLEASE SEE ELSEWHERE)

Aside from initiating publicity through marketing on Studio 204's social media channels and through distributing marketing flyers, I have also considered the possibility of getting an article about the brand in a local publication. During a meeting with Studio 204's CEO Tracey Hall, we were advised that the brand has an allowance that is available to spend on marketing facilities, with this in mind I began researching which Cheshire publishers welcome public editorial slots.

Upon researching the surrounding publications in Chester, I thought that the LOVE CHESTER magazine would be the most appropriate for Studio 204's article, this is due to the readers of their magazine being more likely to be interested in the brand as opposed to the kind of viewers reading the news articles in The Chester Standard for example.

Whilst looking at the latest magazine article, I noticed that the first page was dedicated to advertising the University of Chester anyway; this solidified my thoughts of it being an appropriate publication for Studio 204 to be promoted within, so I decided to mock-up my ideas of what the article might look like.

Organising the Publishment (Getti

After creating a mock-up design of what the article published in the LOVE CHESTER magazine would like, I contacted the brand’s CEO to ask for her opinion on the idea. We also liaised about how much of the budget I could spend on the article and therefore, what size spread we would go for.

Unfortunately after attempting communication with the LOVE CHESTER team multiple times, we were unable to arrange for the article to be published. The Apri edition was already in the printing stages and the next edition wasn’t until the following month. Hopefully, this is something that Studio 204 can look into again in the future.

Liaising with Studio 204's CEO...

ASING OUR ASING OUR ASING OUR MENTORS EENTORS NTORS

Initial Ideas / Mood boards

To begin my third KPI I decided to look at how the Studio was currently marketing its industry mentors. Both of the brand’s Instagram pages, @uoc studio 204 and @uocfashionfasttrack, have already published content to address its mentors, so I thought it was important for me to look at what has already been posted and consider how I can develop this.

I gathered some of the ‘industry mentor’ content together from the Instagram pages and annotated what I liked about the content and what I thought could be different moving forward.

Muchlikethecontent thatIhavecreatedformy otherKPIs, Ilikethe digitalincorporationhere ofthemobilephone visual.

I like the informative nature of these stories, however,I find them slightlytoo busy& distracting (too much going on)

Crucial incorporation of the brand logo

Ithinkitiseffective wtoincludethementor’s orkinthecontentasthis wshowsprospectivestudents hotheyare/whattheyare about

There were many things about the current content on our industry mentors that I liked on Studio 204's social platforms, including the branding, digital incorporation and colour scheme, so these are the aspects that I intend to take forward with my designs. However, I think the brand should adapt some of this content to make the posts about each mentor a bit more specific to them and who they are as individuals. I intend to portray this idea as I move forward with my content.

Who are the Studio’s Industry Mentors?

Due to the large number of Industry Mentors who visit both the Fashion Marketing Communication and the Fast Track course, I decided to focus my content on just a few of them. As I wanted to tailor each post to the individual more personally, I chose three of the Studio’s industry mentors that I found particularly influential. Tony Green, Christopher Shannon and Garry Butterfield have all assisted me along my Studio 204 journey, therefore I felt as though they were the most appropriate mentors for me to market.

TONY GREEN ILLUSTRATOR

TONY GREEN IS AN ARTIST WHO CREATES ILLUSTRATIONS, COLLECTION DESIGNS, PRINTS AND RESEARCH CONCEPTS HIS PRINTS ARE COLLECTED WORLDWIDE AND HAVE BEEN SEEN IN PLACES SUCH AS SELFRIDGES, VOGUE AND WORLD OF INTERIORS

CHRISTOPHER SHANNON DESIGNER

CHRISTOPHER SHANNON IS A LIVERPUDLIAN FASHION DESIGNER WITH AN EPONYMOUS BRAND SINCE GRADUATING FROM CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS HE HAS HAD MANY ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDING FEATURES IN GQ STYLE, VOGUE AND DAZED.

GARRY BUTTERFIELD CREATIVE

GARRY JAMES BUTTERFIELD IS A DESIGN AND PRODUCT CONSULTANT, WITH AN EXTENDED KNOWLEDGE IN TREND ANALYSIS, TEXTILES, MANAGAEMENT AND, 3D FASHION. AS A CREATIVE DIRECTOR, HE IS AN EXTREMELY CREDITED EDUCATOR

TONY GREEN MOOD BOARD IDEAS

For my process of creating the content on the Studio’s industry mentors, I focused one by one on each mentor creating mood boards around them. I did this to help myself visualise how I could ensure that their content is personalised and tailored to them and their niche, ultimately representing who they are as professionals.

Due to the multiple social media platforms that Studio 204 is present on, I decided to create a mixture of stills and GIFincorporated content to expand the versatility of their usage. As both Instagram and TikTok are particularly profound applications for facilitating engagement, I primarily focused my attention towards creating content for these platforms.

PAINT SPLATS

Tony Green is an illustrator who works in a very ‘imperfectly perfect’ manner, so I want to reflect this in my designs. I intend to incorporate sketch style fonts, bold colours and messy lines.

CHRISTOPHER SHANNON MOOD BOARD IDEAS

PROUD OF HIS LIVERPUDLIAN ROOTS

KPI 3: ‘INDUSTRY MENTORS’

Christopher Shannon is a bold designer, frequently working with denim and other types of reworked materials. His designs commonly portray a theme of sportiness and feature heavy amounts of layering. For the content that I create on Christopher Shannon, I want to include some of his designs, as I think this is the best way to inform viewers about how he works.

LAYERING

CHRISTOPHER SHANNON - Experimenting with my Ideas

ChristopherShannon FashionDesigner Pinterest pin style

CHRISTOPHER SHANNON - FINAL INSTAGRAM CONTENT

(VIDEO CONTENT UNAVAILABLE ON THIS PLATFORM - PLEASE SEE ELSEWHERE)

CHRISTOPHERSHANNO

Menswear fashion designer from Liverpool.

INDUSTRY MENTOR

INDUSTRYMENTOR

ChristopherShannon FashionDesigner

As a Design Consultant and Creative Director who specialises in many fields, Garry Butterfield is ‘at the centre’ of all things digital, therefore I want an image of him to be in the middle of the posts. Due to his 3D design knowledge, I want my content around Garry to include moving image, whilst featuring digital aspects - this will visually assist the viewers’ understanding of Garry’s profession.

Addressing our industry mentors as a whole, I worked to create the following TikTok video for the brand.

The Process... (VIDEO

As the PR & Marketing Department of Studio 204, I believe Ella, Lily and I worked together really well as a team. We had regular team calls and chats, allowing us to have open communication with one another. At the beginning of the project, we set up a schedule together of all of the dates that we intended to meet; this was essential towards our progress in sharing ideas and offering support. We consistently encouraged each other, congratulating and offering constructive criticism with assistance where needed.

When reflecting on my personal achievements within this project, I feel proud of the progress I have made. As an FMC girl who has always felt more at home with the marketing side of the course, being the marketer of the Studio 204 brand was perfect for me! I have enjoyed feeling comfortable within a module, as this has given me the confidence to push my creative capacities.

I am satisfied with the way that I have approached my KPIs; I think I have explored all of these in-depth, creating various content for each across a wide variety of platforms.

I am disappointed with the outcome of the article publication as it would have been really special for us, as the final class of FMC to have been able to get a page in a local magazine. Despite being unable to complete the publication at this time, I think Studio 204 should consider the idea in the future, and I would love to return and help out with this if I can.