After talking to Richard last week in class we came to the conclusion that the items I was making didnât quite communicate my idea. While I âmade a thingâ, it wasnât the âright thingââŚ
This week I decided to take a slightly different (and hopefully final) approach. I am still branching off of the idea that all people have many multiplicities or versions of the self. While McKenzie is still going to be my muse, my final thesis items will be focusing on fragmented brands and product differentiation.
If we look to brands like the famous Coca-Cola, they have a range of products that are all more or less the same- specifically in their cola beverage line. Diet Coke in North America and Coca-Cola Light in Europe are the SAME product just branded differently to reflect different facets (or multiplicities) in the market. This concept can be extrapolated onto mass produced commodities. In many instances, the actual products are more or less the same, it just boils down to branding. If all bottles of water are similar in cost and size, the consumer then makes a choice based on brand. Do they agree with the values of Smart Waterâs recycling process or prefer the aesthetically appealing graphics of Fiji?
As the appeal of customization and niche subcultures increases, so will different fragments of brands. I was in Loblaws the other day and couldnât help notice a new SKU of granola labeled âWomens Granolaâ. That title alone is rejecting 50% of possible clientele assuming it appeals to the remaining 50% of all women. This instance alone is solid proof that brands are becoming more niche in the market each day.
For my thesis, I want to push the bounds of fragmented brands. How niche and tailored can I possibly make my product before it only appeals to the individual it was specifically designed for? Is that even possible?
This week I still used my subject McKenzie, but this time as a muse. I wanted to guide my design decisions off of an actual person so I can keep the depth without sweeping generalizations and creating generic consumer profiles.
One of the items I created a mock up of was a bottle of gin- Mckenzieâs favourite spirit. She used to drink this beverage with her spanish girlfriend Aymar and to her it symbolizes a very special and happy time. Since the end of their relationship, she has toned down her drinking ways, but will forever have certain associations with gin and Aymar. Each element on the bottle has a very specific association to McKenzieâs life and tells a narrative reminiscing on the positive times of their relationship.
*Disclaimer* QUICK MOCK-UP:
A breakdown of elements on the bottle:
Name âMisty Blueâ: references the song âMisty Blueâ by Dorothy Moore, the token song that reminds McKenzie Aymar. It also references one of the happiest moments of McKenzies life- swimming carefree with Aymar in the misty blue waters of Santa Monica this past summer.
Type of alcohol: Spanish gin referencing Aymarâs spanish nationality.
Est. 2014: Time relationship was established
âFleeting, passionate, secretâ: The words McKenzie used herself to describe the relationship
Manufactured in Ithaca: They met at Cornell University in Ithaca, upstate New York
Roses- The gift McKenzie gave Aymar on her birthday
Loose rose petals (on back of bottle): The state of their current relationship- not together
Want to carry on in this direct creating a cigarette package along with some other generic mass produced items, a toothbrush or toothpaste, gum, maybe a marker⌠lipstickâŚ.
Letâs see where this goes and stop writing and âmaking a thingâ!
