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Contents 6 Concept 7 Rationale 14 Target Audience 18 Market Analysis 22 Content Stratergy 25 Budget 30 Social and ethical responsibility 32 Project management and risk assessment 34 Promotion 35 Timeline 36 Appendix 46 References
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concept The concept “Noir” will act as a visual photography book dedicated to black women celebrating their uniqueness and contribution to the fashion world creatively. Black women do not often experience being highlighted in various creative narratives but are usually reflected in negative stereotypical tropes that can be harmful to their wellbeing mentally. Stereotypes such as being undesirable, hostile and overly aggressive. (Asare, 2019) Black women at a young age are encouraged to withhold their emotions whereby they internalize being strong and resilient no matter how hurtful the situations they encounter are or how they are portrayed. According to an article by Refinery21, this is known as “The strong black woman schema”. (Ishmael, 2021) Noir aims to dispel this and to reflect the black woman as a multi-layered being, which many media outlets, editorial publications and books fail to do. Sadly, mind charity revealed that black women are twice as likely as white women to be experiencing mental health problems as a consequence. (Blackett, 2020) The book will explore nine visual stories communicating different themes the black women could be placed in, reflected in a storybook-like manner. Exploring their beauty, vulnerability, strength and resilience. The book will focus heavily on styling and creative directive elements. The unique selling point of the concept is that all the models featured within the book are female and of black and mixed-race descent. Not something that is often seen within a global market. The concept is inspired by elements of Afrofuturism, which is about its exploration of the African diaspora and limitless opportunity for black people. Noir is inspired by this notion to encompass a range of media and artists with a shared desire to envision the futures of black individuals. The aim is for the book to be a permanent fixture within the creative hemisphere as opposed to a magazine publication that would often have a shelf life.
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Rationale “We have to document our don’t do that, us and it will STELLA
take own our be
it upon ourselves to lives because if we stories will die with someone else’s take” DADZIE
The black female experience, specifically in the UK, is communicated in a reduced manner through the white gaze that does not identify the complexities of our lives. Throughout history, non-black gatekeepers have inaccurately represented what it means to be a black woman living in the UK, or their rich history has wholly been erased from existence. It is vital as a black woman to reflect our livelihood through mainstream media, art or academically accurately. According to Britain’s youngest black female publishers Margaret and Bryan Busby, we need to form our histories. Others writing our history leads to inconsistencies in our representation as they communicate us in a way that makes sense to them, leading to the narratives and stereotypes of black people repeating themselves in the mainstream media despite them not being true. A visual communicative book such as Noir is essential to introduce into the market as it articulates one aspect of the black female perspective precisely. Telling our own stories allows female blackness to be seen in all its fullness and how our lives are navigated outside the “persuasive lens of whiteness”. (Akpan, 2019). Black women are still looking elsewhere to feel empowered, specifically online, found by a study conducted by the British Sociological Association. The study conducted by Francesca Sobande discovered that once she interviewed 23 black female participants aged 19-47 about their media habits and everyday lives, they felt they were being underrepresented and misrepresented in British media. Black women more than ever feel they must carve out their own accurate narratives, specifically online on platforms such as Instagram, as a shared community. Concerning this, Noir will be available to purchase online and in-store due to an increased spike in the online presence of black women. They are looking for content produced by people who look like them. (Sobande, 2017).
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There is a misconception that there is no market for black women, but that could not be further from the truth. Before Edward Eunnifuls appointment as Editor in Chief of British Vogue, Alexandra Shulman held the lucrative position at the magazine. During her appointment of 25 years, only two black women were given solo covers. In her own words. (Hirsch, 2018).
“In a society where the mass of the consumers are white and where, on the whole, mainstream ideas sell, it’s unlikely there will be a huge rise in the number of leading black models”. Alexandra
Shulman
Shulman’s words highlight the ignorance the industry is usually accustomed to, although inaccurate. For example, in 2008, Editor in Chief of Vogue Italia Franca Sozzani produced a special “all black issue’ that only featured black and mixed-race models throughout 100 pages. The legendary Steven Meisel shot the special issue. Upon its release during its original July run, the issue was sold out in the U.S. and U.K. in 72 hours. With an extra 40,000 more copies having to be reprinted by Conde Nast due to its high demand. It only highlights the marketing power black women possess. A book like Noir is needed because there is a market there for it to thrive. (Mower, 2008)
The consequence of excluding and misrepresenting black women in mainstream media can be detrimental, which is why a book such as Noir is needed. According to the NHS, black women are prone to experiencing mental disorders such as “anxiety, depression, panic and obsessive-compulsive disorders”. Women of those ages 16 and 34 are also prone to self-harm more than white women. However, why is this, well BBC4 documentary black girls do not cry highlights the key reasons. The narrative of the strong black woman needs to be dismantled for starters; many sectors of British society do not believe black women fit in various narratives. “We’re constantly portrayed as adversarial, confrontational, unattractive and unlovable (the last woman any man would pick)”, an unfortunate reality black woman are forced to accept. (Cole, 2018) Black women often feel invalidated and not beautiful enough because they are not acknowledged in the right way. They have to try to conform to unattainable Eurocentric beauty standards. The UK heavily promotes the “thin, able-bodied, white women with European-looking features as the epitome of beauty”, which can damage those that do not fit the status quo. It is essential to be reflected in mainstream media as human beings are constantly looking for representations of who they are. If women of colour are continually fed that white is desirable. In that case, the automatic self-perception will be “What is the opposite of beautiful? It’s ugly”, so a visual book such as Noir dedicated to black and mixed-race women is vital. Hence, they have an outlet that they can turn to that acknowledges their individualities, such as their hair and skin tone. (Joshi, 2021) 10
For years women of colour have had to purchase glossy publications such as Elle, Marie Claire and Vogue, to name a few that did not cater to the. From cover-to-cover, women of colour were often excluded; the office of national statistics found that in June 2016, of the “Of 214 covers published by the 19 bestselling glossies last year, only 20 featured a person of colour”, a shocking statistic. However, that was four years ago, have things changed? (Hirsch, 2018) The fashion industry has pledged that they are taking the necessary steps when it comes to combatting racism. However, concrete evidence is needed to clarify whether necessary change is being made. For example, the New York Times has set out to collect data on the diversity within the teams of brands, stores and publications behind the scenes. However, out of the 64 that were contacted, only four responded with answers. Why is this important, well? By knowing the numbers of diversity within these teams, more can be done to change things around. (Friedman et al., 2020) For example, black photographers struggle to make it in the industry and are expected to work ten times harder to get noticed. A lack of black creatives in the industry can lead to inauthentic or lack of black-related content getting produced. The industry often relies on an elite circle of white photographers to create black inspired content. As mentioned earlier, although the Vogue Italia ‘All Black Issue” broke barriers for featuring an all-black assemble of models, the majority of the content was shot by white photographer Steven Meisel. Black individuals should articulate creative stories centered around blackness as they communicate their work through the first-hand experience, in the words of London-based photographer Ronan Mackenzie. 11
“Hire African photographers, stylists, and creatives – there are a lot of us,” Ronan
Mackenzie
Social media has made it easier for black creatives to get noticed. Social platforms such as Instagram has allowed them to promote their work. There is not a better time than now to come out with a book such as Noir. For example, the landscape for fashion-related media is changing; platforms are being created specifically for black creatives such as Nataal media and Niijournal to enable black people to share their creative voice and their work publicly. (Cadogan, 2018) Platforms such as these are great for promoting the work of black individuals. This highlights that Noir, a photographic book, will not get lost in translation, as spaces would acknowledge it. 12
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Target audience Noir will be aimed at a younger audience of black females, looking for visual content that inspires them and something they can relate to. Often young black girls who are growing up don’t see themselves mirrored in mainstream media. Consequently, this can affect how they view themselves. Types of generations Millennials Ages: 25-35 Years born: 1986-1996
Personal profile two: Generation Z Name: Anna Kasote Age: 16 Location: Manchester Occupation: Student Salary: unclassified Anna is currently a student doing her GCSEs in high school. She is very outspoken on racial injustices online. Anna hopes to be an activist for racial issues one day, once older. When appropriate, she is a frequent protester, most recently taking part in the Black Lives Matter marches in 2020. On the other side of things, Anna is highly into fashion and hopes to have a career in that field one day alongside her activism. She regularly reads British Vogue and was ecstatic when black editor Edward Eunniful was appointed editor in chief in 2017. Anna hopes to see more diversity within fashion representation. In her spare time, she loves to watch Dear White People.
Generation Z Ages: 13-24 Years born: 1997-2008 Persona profile one: Millennial Name: Mariana Jones Age: 25 Location: London Occupation: Assistant fashion editor Salary: £27,000 Mariana works as a junior editor for luxury fashion publication Elle. She is very passionate about social issues relating to race. Her spare time is spent raising awareness for the lives of black people on her social platform Instagram to her 20k followers. She is interested in reading books that centre around black feminism, social policy and climate change. Her favourite show is Friends, which she has on repeat.
The book Noir will be aimed at millennials and generation Z because of their progressive nature regarding social change. Millennials and Generation Z have specifically brought more racial and ethnic diversity to society. They are likely to appreciate the content of Noir once in front of them as they are better informed on political race issues. The growth of social media use and technology has contributed to the power of both generations. These particular generations have a stronger sense of identity and are more open to embracing diversity. For example, a statistic by Shandwick and KRC Research shows that 83% of millennials are likely to boycott a brand for ethical reasons, which highlights the importance and support to put towards social issues. (Chappet, 2019). 14
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“I want the positiveness of being Black to be normalised because it’s the core of who I am and there’s no reason for that not to be embraced and celebrated”. Mercy
Abel
“Every time I would watch a movie with Jennifer Aniston or some other conventionally beautiful white woman with blue eyes and blonde hair, I’d end up feeling worse about myself.” Words by Grace from Sorella magazine
Particularly generation Z, who are responsible for shifting the landscape on fighting racial injustice. Last year in the UK, thousands of people flocked the streets to support the Black Lives Matters cause, following the tragic death of George Floyd. The youth of the black community pushed the message forward, causing the spark of essential discussions that forced organisations to confront the reality of racism within their structures. (Morgan, 2020) I interviewed my younger sister, who is part of generation Z at age 15, to get her to take on racial issues and whether a book like Noir would appeal to her. She believes we must see more black female representation, and she would purchase Noir because it shifts the narrative on black womanhood.
“The only time we are even seen in photography and the media in general is when we are being depicted in a very specific stereotyped way.” Munashe
Brodersen
I believe aiming the book at these specific generations will be received well as they are open to embracing change. There is also the discussion on filling the void for black girls within this target audience. Representation of black women should not be a request but a necessity in society. As black women grow up, they are used to seeing themselves portrayed in stereotypical ways, such as the Jezebel (a hypersexualised being) or a (mammy) the larger dark-skinned motherly black women. We want to be seen as beautiful and desirable. It does not help when the beauty standards society set are unattainable. Women that fit these beauty standards (white/Eurocentric) are likely to afford more privileges in society. We, as black girls, grow up feeling “ugly, inferior and unwanted” because our dark skin tone and curly hair is not commonly seen in the media. (Theeverygirl,2020) 16
Media industries are continuing to fail black girls. A research study conducted by Sage discovered that black children suffered lowered self-esteem when watching television, for example, because they were frequently exposed to stereotypical images that reflected them as unprofessional and criminal. These constant images can lead to them believing these characteristics are valid even though it is not. To combat this, a magazine titled Sorella Magazine launched in 2019 to give “black women a voice and space to exist”. The owner Grace felt a gap in the market was not producing content directed at black girls. In her own words, she believes “in a traditional magazine you would see maybe one or two token black women sprinkled throughout the articles and pages”, whereas her platform is explicitly aimed at them. This is why it is hugely important for me as a black woman to create a book like Noir because I am contributing to filling the gap like Grace. (B, 2021) 17
market analysis
In terms of marketing, I need to figure out whether self-publishing or traditional publishing would be beneficial. Some may argue that self-publishing will mean greater control over the book’s creative process plus higher royalties, whereas going the traditional publishing route would mean mainstream success. Self-Publishing Pros • There is a guarantee your book will be published • Complete creative control • You can dictate the timescale of your marketing • Expect to earn about 70% royalties for E-books and 50% for print Traditional publishing pros • Prestige recognition and awards • The financial backing of an editorial, design and marketing team • The production of the book is paid for by the publisher • Physical books can be sold in bookstores
I asked my Instagram followers whether they would prefer a digital photography book or a hardcopy version. I discovered that out of my 1,185 followers, about 96% of participants preferred hardcopy versions compared to the 4% that prefers digital. Although social media has swayed individuals towards more digital mediums, there is evidence to suggest that people still prefer to read books purchased in-store in a physical nature. A report conducted by YouGov found that six in ten (60%) British individuals prefer reading paperback books, whilst 47% opt for a hardback book and about 23% prefer to use e-books. These statistics suggest there is still a market for producing physical copies of books, which highlights there is a position for Noir to exist. However, what needs to be discovered if that percentage of people is that of a younger audience. The target audience for Noir is a younger one; therefore, it is integral that a high percentage of the youth prefer hard copies. The same study found that the British youth aged 18-24 years are more likely to opt for a hardcopy book, with only 18% favouring a digital e-book. This is a positive discovery as publishing a hardcopy book such as Noir is likely to be purchased because there is still a demand for physicality. (Ibbetson, 2020) The coronavirus pandemic has sparked a growing interest in reading books as individuals were forced to stay indoors, with 63.1% of physical books being purchased online in 2020, a 41.6% increase from the previous year. Kantar Worldpanel division found that the book market is healthy and grew positively by 2.3% year after year. On average, the British book shopper is likely to spend £64.83 on a book in a year. This statistic will help form the basis on what the pricing of Noir will be and how much individuals within the target audience are willing to spend on that particular source material. (McClelland and Powell, 2021) 18
Both sides of publishing have their pros and cons; however, as Noir is a personal project, it would be best produced in the hands of the actual author where complete creative control is necessary. Therefore, the perfect route would be to self-publish. By self-publishing Noir, the story of black womanhood will be told from an accurate point of view. However, self-publishing is a lot more expensive; therefore, a rough estimation of a budget is required. This would need to be roughly 2000 pounds. This would cover the cost of the editing, design and distribution of the book. Although pricey, you can expect to make money book quicker and receive the majority share of the royalties. Whereas traditional publishing only offers authors about 5-15% of royalty rates, the majority go to publishers. Self-publishing gives you the flexibility to release your book whenever you need to compare it to traditional ones. Although traditional publishing is likely to give you a vast amount of exposure from a marketing perspective, self-publishing will allow you to target your audience directly. By “contacting niche review blogs, running price promotions and Amazon ads, and cultivating your fanbase, you will gradually build a less-mainstream but extremely loyal audience (reedsyblog, 2020)
” This route may take longer, but you will likely build a loyal audience that will stick around”. There are often assumptions that there is no market out there for black women and that their spending power is nonexistent, which is why there is a lack of media-based content targeted at them, specifically in the UK. Although slow progress is occurring, a tremendous amount of work still needs to be done. Releasing a book like Noir will contribute to bridging the gap between not acknowledging black people. Data collated by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), a professional trading body in the UK based media and marketing communication industry agencies, reflect that black people hold immense spending power in the UK, specifically £300 Billion a year, according to new research. However, these findings do not motivate media and marketing-based agencies to cater to that demographic.Further data shows that only one in twenty adverts in 2019 featured an ethnic minority. This finding reflects the change that needs to occur. (Simpson, 2020). 19
I researched how many books of that similar nature were readily available in the UK market. Specifically, books that represent black womanhood through the lens of various narratives. I struggled to find any in the UK market similar to the Noir concept, apart from one by black photographer Kwame Brathwaite’s book “Black Is Beautiful”, which explores the authentic beauty of black women refuting of white beauty standards in the 1960s. As I struggled to find a similar book relating to my concept, this may mean there may be a space in the market for Noir to attract a niche audience as there are not many books of its kind. Another reason for producing and marketing the book Noir is because there is a demand for diverse content. Statistics by CEROS reflect that fashion publications are now putting more emphasis on inclusivity and diversity. Before this, glossy magazines only featured non-black subjects. Below is a breakdown of statistics that highlight the growth of diversity over the last few years, from 2012 to 2018. (Healy and MERCANTE, 2018)
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content stratergy
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Cover The intended output of my visual book will be that of hardcopy output. The book will be available to purchase to view online and to have as a physical copy. Regarding the structure of the book, the cover of publication will be that of a hardcover design. The pros of hardbacks are their high quality, volume and weight due to the binding thickness. “It is durable, prestigious and timeless”. Hardback covers are used for books where the book’s body and the cover are joined together by endpapers. The density for my endpapers in the book will be 170GSM, as I am using coated paper inside the book. The hardcover will be made out of leather material in colour black. The leather cover will give the book an expensive, classic and modern look. The thickness of the cover will be that of 350 GSM, whilst the spine of the book measurement will be 18mm as the book will contain 200 pages. The overall size of the book is 250mm in width and 350mm in height. As producing the book is not too much about profit but about celebrating the beauty of marginalised black women, I would like to choose a luxurious cover that reflects the book’s exclusivity, directed mainly at black women. Commonly photo book covers use a matte soft finish, but I want Noir to be a unique book found on the market hence the use of leather despite what the cost may be.
Budget
Paper I choose to use gloss coated paper inside my book as this kind of paper is finished with a high gloss, which gives the photos in the book vibrancy, detail, image clarity, and sharpness.
Gutter/ margin allowance Gutter margins are there to ensure that none of the book content is lost. With these types of books, the pages do not lay flat. In order to make sure that the book’s content is not compromised, I need to make sure there is a proper gutter allowance. My gutter allowance will be 0.5 inches which are recommended allowances for the majority of the books. As some of the images cover the pages of the books, the bleed allowance will be 3mm.
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Setting out a budget as a creative is highly important because it means you can plan things well logistically. Budgeting is essential because it allows you to control your spending, track your expenses and save more money in the long haul. Without a concrete budget, there is a risk of overspending and landing yourself in debt. Setting out a budget enables financial behaviour to stay on course, resulting in achieving the goals you set. As Noir is an artistically driven project, financially, the budget was significant due to many collaborators involved with the project. The whole process needed to be planned well to reduce any obstacles that would throw the project off course financially. (Buchenau, 2018)
Garments As a stylist, to reduce costs, especially if you are starting out, would be to loan garments off up-andcoming designers. Loaning enables you to use the garments for free in return for producing quality content in the form of visuals that further promote the designer. Throughout the project, the process of loaning was a pivotal component to minimize the costs of sourcing garments. In industry, to pull garments, a pull letter, also known as a letter of responsibility, is required to ensure the borrowed garments legally will be protected. The letter of responsibility legitimizes the relationship between the designer and stylist; it outlines the borrowed items, the duration of the loan, the financial responsibility, and the project’s location. Creative credit must be given in the use of the garments. (Bruce, 2021) Appendix p. 39
Studio space Location wise to create the necessary content, studios were booked to achieve the desired look of the creative content. Studio hire cost can vary depending on how long you intend to use the space, whether you are using the studio’s equipment and if you are a student, resulting in discounts. For Noir two main studio spaces were used for the project, one in Leeds Lights Space studio and one in Newcastle Hidden Heights Studio. The Light Space studio hire for a student costs £200 for a full day, £120 for half a day and 340 by the hour. Students must pay the rate in advance to confirm the hire, as it is 50% off the original hire fee. Similarly, Hidden heights Studio costs £20 per hour, £30 for two hours, £45 for three hours, £60 for half a day and £120 for a full day of roughly 480 minutes. Noir was shot at Hidden heights on three occasions, one for hire of an hour and one for two hours, respectively. Whereas at Light Space, as the particular photoshoots involved more logistically, the studio was hire was that of a whole and half a day. It is crucial to get timings right to make sure the studio time does not run over. To guarantee this, a call sheet is created to break down the timings of each aspect of the photoshoot.Budgets as a creative student can be tight; therefore, to reduce the cost of location shooting, photoshoots can take place in outside spaces which in terms of access will be free to use, spaces including fields, parks, forests and beaches. Appendix p. 40
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Model agency Throughout the project, a wide variety of models were used; however, in order for this to be achieved, models had to be cast by liaising with model agencies. Hiring models from reputable agencies will allow the photoshoots to run smoothly. The model is coming into the job with experience on how to work on set, i.e., camera angles and posing. Agency models are more experienced; therefore, produced content will result in more professional looking imagery; however scouting models is not as simple if you are a student on a tight budget as model hire rates can be expensive. To navigate this obstacle, would be to contact agencies requesting to test shoot with their development models who need to build their portfolios. Test shooting also allows creatives to build a professional relationship with the model agent, leading to positive recommendations and future work. Before models are sent out, specifically if the photoshoot is a free test, the model agent would require information of the team you are working with, the location, the concept, which can be communicated through mood boards and a link to your professional creative portfolio. If they are happy, the agent will then begin the process of booking the model. Various model cards are sent to the lead creative of the shoot in order for them to select the suitable model for the theme of the shoot. Once the model is confirmed, the model agent will ask for a call sheet that confirms the timings of the shoot for the model to receive. If the agency is giving the model for free, they may require the models’ travel expenses to be paid. During each shoot for Noir, the two leading agencies involved with the process were J’adore Models, a Manchester-based agency and Tyne Tees models, a Newcastle based agency. With J’adore models, the models were supplied for free, whereas with Tyne Tees management, a booking fee was required. Tyne Tees management offers a special price for students on a budget, with the price costing £66 including VAT per model.
Invoicing Invoicing is the critical communication between a customer and business; it is a formal contract that demands the payment of goods and services. Invoices also ensure that clients are paid on time; delayed payments can result in the client losing trust. The customer of service wants to be well informed, so supplying the costing of services in a document will lead to trust. During the production of Noir, several people took part in the process, from photographers to makeup artists, to models and a retoucher. It is important when working with so many people to keep track of where all the expenses are going, so receiving invoices for services is vital. Appendix p.34
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Project expenses The overall concrete budget for Noir was £4000, which would cover the cost of various aspects of the project. Below is a table breakdown of the areas of each expense.
*The table above highlights the total cost of what was spent on the project Noir.
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Social and ethical responsibility Approach The approach of Noir will reflect the current racial climate that we are in. By addressing the marginalisation and underrepresentation of black women. The books social responsibility is to celebrate black womanhood authentically by shining a light on their personal experiences navigating society. Racial injustice is a fragile subject, so care and consideration will go into the book’s production.
Audience The target audience of Noir, at one point or another, has experienced racism and stereotypical prejudice along the way. The book is about making sure that they know people from their community want to make a difference for their community. In light of the racial pandemic in 2020, which has left many hearts heavy, Noir is a visual book that is there to inspire and uplift black women.
Sustainability With the demand for readily available printing products increasing, the production of Noir will explore sustainable means within its process. The pages in the book will use pages that have FSC Certification, meaning the paper materials have been sourced sustainably from responsibly managed forests. By doing this, Noir is committing to minimising its environmental footprint. I came across a printing shop titled Swallowtail Print that offers responsible, sustainable paper ranging from matte and gloss coated stock when printing books.
Ethics The audience who will purchase this book will hold strong ethical values and be passionate about being a part of a movement advocating for racial change. Throughout the process, as the books creator, I will ensure I am sensitive to the content I am producing, making sure it is an accurate reflection of black womanhood, as it is coming from first-hand experience. 31
Project management and risk assessment
Creation process As logistically, the project Noir involves many contributors and services; I had to make sure I was prepared for any problems during the process that may have arisen. For example, as a stylist, I was responsible for pulling and loaning garments for photoshoots. Garment transportation had to be organised by choosing the exemplary courier service to pick up the garments from the designer to be delivered to the shoot location. DPD local was the initial service of choice. However, the delivery process was not smooth sailing. An issue arose when the garment was collected from the address of the shoot to be sent back to the designer. The courier service ended up losing the parcel. In this instance, I had to make sure that regular contact was kept with the designer to maintain trust and to inform her of any updates on the parcel’s whereabouts. The process involved consistently chasing up the courier for more information on the parcel’s location. Luckily the parcel was found, but in an instance where it is forever lost, it is vital to make sure there is insurance cover added to the booking of couriers to ensure that compensation can be claimed in the event of a loss.
Launch risk Once there is a green light for the book to be launched. It is essential to make sure that the book is released into a market with space for the book to be well received. As it is a new release, various marketing tools should be applied to promote books, such as social media or exhibition events, to attract an audience. The book should be released in a small quantity to test the waters, with only 100 copies released to start with. From this point on, public interest can be gauged. If the result is positive, you can then go onto release more copies. Applying these steps will reduce the risk of losing money or running into debt.
Manufacturing risks Problems can arise during the manufacturing of a book. As mentioned earlier, the self-publishing of a book can be pretty expensive, so having a budget in place will ensure that costs can be kept on track to ensure they are staying within the budget. Another risk is that self-publishing a book may not give the same exposure you would get from a publishing agency, so it is vital to choose the right marketing tools.
Legal risks The book has featured several contributors ranging from creatives to models. In regards to creativity, their work must be credited. Failure to rightfully credit an artist can result in being sued, which would be financially detrimental to the project’s production. Two of the models who took part in the project were under 18; thus, their parents signed an informed consent form, requesting permission for the photos to be published in the book. Appendix p.40
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promotion
TIMELINE
Social media Using social media platforms is a good way to promote yourself as a creative, specifically on Instagram. The use of Instagram ads has proven beneficial as 200 million Instagram users visit at least one business profile each day, 81% of users also use the platform to research products and services. Instagram has recently introduced a feature that allows users to tap on shopping posts to purchase an item directly. I can apply use of this feature to create a shopping post for the book Noir. Instagram ads work so well because the platform has robust targeting data that can reach the specific audience of your product and provide high engagement rates; thus, Noir will be promoting the website of the book using the AD feature. (DeFazio, 2021) *Ads on avearge cost between £0.20-£6.50 and advertisers pay £6.50 per 1000 impressions.
Website For a book to be successful, a marketing strategy must be created to promote the book pre-and post-launch. One thing that can bring traction to a project is to create a dedicated website related to it that will feature information about the book to entice viewers to buy it. The website will be promoted on social media platforms to draw viewers in. The website for the book must have an optimised mobile version as more than 50% of traffic comes from mobile devices. It is crucial to have a mailing list on a site to ensure that the viewers who have signed up will be getting updates about the book’s release. Those that sign up to the mailing list will get exclusive access to purchase tickets for the book’s exhibition event at a discounted price of 10%. The website will feature a bio, excerpts from the book, a specific header on the page to buy the book, contact details, links to social media and a downloadable media kit. (NY Book Editors, 2021)
Exhibition Event In terms of promoting the book, an exhibition will be held in London, the central hub for creativity. The gallery holding the event will be The Old Street Gallery in their 93m 1000ft square function room. The cost of the room hire will be £110 an hour. The event will start at 19:00 and end at 22:00, meaning the room hire will be £330 in total. There will be two-time slots for the event, one from 19:00-20:30 for 50 guests and the other from 20:30-22:20 for the other 50 guests. The event space contains a bar whereby attendees can purchase drinks and a music speaker system to enable music to play across the room. The ticket price will cost £20. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase the book, which costs £30 after the exhibition. The event will be a ticketed event that will be released exclusively online. If successful, there will be a second event hosted. 34
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appendix invoice
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Pull letter
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call sheet
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informed consent forms
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interview
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References Concept Asare, J., 2019. Overcoming The Angry Black Woman Stereotype. [online] Forbes. Available at: <https://www.forbes.com/ sites/janicegassam/2019/05/31/overcoming-the-angry-black-woman-stereotype/?sh=63102bc81fce> [Accessed 5 May 2021]. Ishmael, A., 2021. Black Women’s Mental Health Is Often Invalidated — & That Problem Starts At Home. [online] Refinery29. com. Available at: <https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2021/03/10328806/black-women-mental-health-trauma-effects> [Accessed 5 May 2021]. Asare, J., 2019. Overcoming The Angry Black Woman Stereotype. [online] Forbes. Available at: <https://www.forbes.com/ sites/janicegassam/2019/05/31/overcoming-the-angry-black-woman-stereotype/?sh=63102bc81fce> [Accessed 5 May 2021].
Budget Buchenau, Z., 2018. Why Is Budgeting Important? 10 Key Benefits. [online] Be The Budget. Available at: <https://bethebudget. com/why-is-budgeting-important/> [Accessed 11 May 2021]. Bruce, K., 2021. The Pull Letter: How to SAFELY Lend Out Your Collection for an Editorial Shoot - Fashion Angel Warrior. [online] Fashion Angel Warrior. Available at: <https://fashionangelwarrior.com/the-pull-letter-how-to-safely-lend-out-your-collectionfor-an-editorial-shoot/> [Accessed 11 May 2021]. Target audience
Rationale
Morgan, J., 2020. Gen Z On What It’s Like To Be Young & Black In Britain. [online] Refinery29.com. Available at: <https:// www.refinery29.com/en-gb/gen-z-black-in-britain> [Accessed 14 May 2021].
Sobande, F., 2017. YouTube has become a really important place’: Black Women’s Self-Representation and Solidarity Online. [online] Britsoc.co.uk. Available at: <https://www.britsoc.co.uk/about/latest-news/2017/november/youtube-has-become-a-really-important-place-black-women-s-self-representation-and-solidarity-online/> [Accessed 5 May 2021].
Chappet, M., 2019. Activism reloaded: Why we’re generation GAF (that’s gives a f***). [online] Glamour UK. Available at: <https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/activism-in-2019> [Accessed 14 May 2021].
Akpan, P., 2019. These Incredible Women Are Reclaiming Black History For Future Generations. [online] Refinery29.com. Available at: <https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/black-women-history-uk> [Accessed 5 May 2021]. Cole, M., 2018. The ‘strong black woman’ stereotype is harming our mental health | Marverine Cole. [online] the Guardian. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/20/strong-black-woman-stereotype-mental-healthdepression-self-harm> [Accessed 5 May 2021]. Sobande, F., 2017. YouTube has become a really important place’: Black Women’s Self-Representation and Solidarity Online. [online] Britsoc.co.uk. Available at: <https://www.britsoc.co.uk/about/latest-news/2017/november/youtube-has-become-a-really-important-place-black-women-s-self-representation-and-solidarity-online/> [Accessed 5 May 2021]. Hirsch, A., 2018. Glossies so white: the data that reveals the problem with British magazine covers. [online] the Guardian. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/apr/10/glossy-magazine-covers-too-white-models-black-ethnic-minority> [Accessed 6 May 2021]. Mower, S., 2008. Fashion world stunned by Vogue for black models. [online] the Guardian. Available at: <https://www. theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/jul/27/fashion.pressandpublishing> [Accessed 6 May 2021]. Cadogan, D., 2018. Four black fashion photographers on the struggles of making it. [online] Dazed. Available at: <https:// www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/40998/1/black-fashion-photographers-tyler-mitchell-ronan-mckenzie-joshua-woods> [Accessed 10 May 2021]. Friedman, V., Tillet, S., Paton, S., Testa, J. and Brown, E., 2020. The Fashion World Promised More Diversity. Here’s What We Found.. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: <https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/04/style/Black-representation-fashion. html> [Accessed 10 May 2021].
The Everygirl. 2020. Representation for Black Women Is More Than a Request, It’s a Necessity. [online] Available at: <https:// theeverygirl.com/representation-for-black-women-is-more-than-a-request-its-a-necessity/> [Accessed 14 May 2021]. B, G., 2021. Why Black Girls Need Better Representation | SORELLA. [online] SORELLA. Available at: <https://sorellamag. org/black-girls-need-representation/> [Accessed 14 May 2021]. Artist council. 2021. Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants. [online] Available at: <https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/projectgrants> [Accessed 17 May 2021]. Creative Debuts. 2021. BAG - Creative Debuts. [online] Available at: <https://creativedebuts.co.uk/bag/> [Accessed 17 May 2021]. Promotion NY Book Editors. 2021. 9 Tips for Marketing Your First Book | NY Book Editors. [online] Available at: <https://nybookeditors. com/2018/05/9-tips-for-marketing-your-first-book/> [Accessed 17 May 2021]. Raquel, S., 2020. 5 Reasons Self-Publishers Should Crowdfund Their Books — Shayla Raquel. [online] Shayla Raquel. Available at: <https://shaylaraquel.com/blog/crowdfund> [Accessed 17 May 2021]. DeFazio, A., 2021. How Much Do Instagram Ads Cost in 2021? (+ How to Make the Most of Your Budget). [online] Wordstream.com. Available at: <https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2021/02/08/instagram-ads-cost> [Accessed 17 May 2021].
Market analysis Ibbetson, C., 2020. YouGov. [online] Yougov.co.uk. Available at: <https://yougov.co.uk/topics/arts/articles-reports/2020/03/05/world-book-day-britons-reading-habits> [Accessed 10 May 2021]. McClelland, C. and Powell, J., 2021. Are people still reading physical books?. [online] Kantar.com. Available at: <https:// www.kantar.com/uki/inspiration/sport-leisure/are-people-still-reading-physical-books> [Accessed 10 May 2021]. Simpson, T., 2020. Black consumers are worth £300 billion – ThePromota Africa Ltd. [online] Thepromota.com. Available at: <https://www.thepromota.com/black-consumers-are-worth-300-billion/> [Accessed 14 May 2021].
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