Strategic Design 1 (MA01)

PART 1: START WITH THE STRATEGIC DESIGN PROCESS

FRA GÅRD is a well known local farm shop that has been around for over 25 years in Austvågøy, Lofoten, Norway. The shop sells fresh produce from the area, freshly baked goods, and some local artists’ handiwork (candles, wood-carved souvenirs, ceramics, and pottery). After reading and going through the brief about FRA GÅRD. Now time for setting the Strategic Plan and Process.

* SET A GOAL

The owner wants their farm shop to expand and develop in the direction of modernization, to be known by more worldwide tourist through social networks and online media marketing, instead of the traditional passive marketing method that just serving tourist come to visit at the shop in Svolvær.

They also want the farm shop has a unique logo in various formats which will help attract passing customers to Fra Gård, and use the logo to brand some of their products, like grandmother’s famous tyttebærsyltetøy (lingonberry jam).

* PATHS TO REACH THE GOAL

1.1 About the client and what do they want?

FRA GÅRD is owned by Silje, she has been running this farm shop for over 25 years in Svolvær on the south coast of Austvågøy, Lofoten. Now she wants to partner with her 24-year-old grandson (Ole Kåre Jørgensen) to modernise her farm shop and hand over the reins to him in the future.

Ole Kåre wants an identity and modernise for the farm shop is a growing need to create a presence for the shop online. He also wants to use social media to attract more tourists worldwide to visit the shop in Svolvær.

Besides, the farm shop currently does not have a logo, so they need a graphic designer to design a unique logo in various formats which will help attract more passing customers to the shop. They can also use the logo to brand some of their products, like grandmother’s famous tyttebærsyltetøy (lingonberry jam).

1.2. How am I going to help my client?

Set a strategic plan for researching, analysing to create a unique brand identity for Fra Gård which is first to create a logo – the business face for the farm shop. At the same time create a business account page for Fra Gård on popular social networks (Facebook and Instagram).

Research and partner with the local hotels, travel agencies and review sites to help the tourists access and experience more about Fra Gård.

1.3. The biggest challenges in achieving the client’s goal

The first challenge is researching how to design for Fra Gård a unique logo that truly reflected the business face of the farm shop. The logo should be easy to remember, simple, recognizable and easy to use in a variety of formats for marketing and advertising.

The second challenge is analysing and understanding the outstanding main products, the history and location of Fra Gård, to solve the problem then come up with suitable logo design ideas and use the logo to brand some of their products, like his grandmother’s famous tyttebærsyltetøy (lingonberry jam).

1.4. What does this company stand for?

This farm shop is a family business that sells fresh produce from the area, freshly baked goods, and some local artists’ handiwork. They running the business for bringing the authentic, personalised shopping experience true to the region and nature of the locals. It’s basically a food and gift shop showcasing the best the area has to offer together with his grandmother’s famous tyttebærsyltetøy, of course.

1.5. What does it stand against?

Although is a famous local farm shop that has been around for more than 25 years in Austvågøy, Lofoten, it is still just a small local shop that tourists just pass by and accidentally drop in while they are on vacation. This is a passive business model that only relies on the number of tourists visiting.

1.6. Who are the competitors?

The competitors of Fra Gård are the other farm shops in town that have similar types of products and services, and the other creative workshops that support the local artists who work with their hands.

1.7. What makes Fra Gård distinctive/different from their competitors?

• Having a unique brand identity (logo, signs, shopping bags, interior design).
• Products are displayed inside and outside the farm shop catch the attention of tourists/customers.
• Professional customer service style.
• Having an online shopping system on social networking sites so that tourists/customers can contact to order/business online.

1.8. How will you measure success?

• Brand identity profile (logo design) is accepted.
• More business through social media.
• Increase tourist-traffic to the farm shop as well as improve overall tourism appeal of Svolvær town.
• Become a popular creative workshop, support local artists who work with their hands and inspire the designer.
• Improve the profits for Fra Gård.
• And of course the biggest asset – grandma’s famous tyttebærsyltetøy is well known and appreciated by all tourists/customers.

PART 2: WHAT IS A BRAND? & ANSWER THE QUIZ

I got wrong at the last question. It was a bit confused for picking between the first and the last answer in this part, now I understand the modern consumer is “belief-driven” not “loyal to brands no matter what”.

PART 3: RESEARCHING TARGET MARKET FOR FRA GÅRD

3.1. Who are their current customers (according to the brief)?

Basically Fra Gård is a food and gift shop showcasing the best the area has to offer. The owner believe they can give TOURISTS a more authentic, personalised shopping experience true to the region and nature of the locals.

3.2. Who do they want to be their customers in the future?

The owner want to expand their business development beyond the Svolvær area. They want more tourists to know about their products and the shop. So the customers they want to reach in the future are TOURISTS WORLDWIDE.

3.3. How to connect with those specific people (current and potential customers)?

The owner want an identity for the shop is a growing need to create a presence for the shop online. They want to use SOCIAL MEDIA to attract tourists worldwide to visit their shop in Svolvær.

3.4. Why would these people mentioned above specifically want to visit Fra Gård, not that of a competitor?

Because they believe they can give tourists an authentic, personalised shopping experience true to the region and nature of the locals. Ole Kåre believes that it’s their biggest asset – together with his grandmother’s famous tyttebærsyltetøy, and EXCLUSIVELY of course.

3.5. Fra Gård’s buyer personas

We are talking about potential customers for Fra Gård, who love travel, discovery and influence the community. Therefore, the potential group of customers will be tourists of all ages traveling in groups for exploring the world together.

PART 4: BRAND POSITIONING

4.1. What makes Fra Gård unique?

• The grandmother’s famous & exclusive tyttebærsyltetøy (lingonberry jam).
• Fresh, organic local food and gift shop showcasing the best the area.
• Authentic, personalised shopping experience true to the region and nature of the locals.
• Conveniently located in the central area, very popular among locals and tourists.
• Family business that has a long history over 25 years located in Svolvær.

4.2. How to create a unique experience for the customer?

By giving tourists a more authentic, personalised shopping experience true to the region and nature of the locals. Besides, cooperating with local artists, host creative workshops to attract people from the city for a kind of sabbatical in the countryside and also for tourists to make their own gift from exclusive local natural products. Those items will be like a unique memmorable gift engraved with their names. This will make the reputation of the local product as well as Fra Gård farm shop known worldwide.

4.3. How to make the unique differentiator easily understandable for target market?

• Creating an exclusive visual identity for Fra Gård. Have a unique logo which will help attract passing tourists to the farm shop. Use the logo to brand some of their products, like grandmother’s famous tyttebærsyltetøy (lingonberry jam) that only available in their shop.
•  Introducing the local artists’ handiwork that can’t find anywhere else.

4.4. Brand positioning statement for Fra Gård

By using this template: To [insert target marked], Fra Gård is [differentiating benefit for target marked] by [how Fra Gård is going to make it possible].

And here is my result: To creative passionate souls, Fra Gård is a unique shop that giving authentic personalised shopping experience by providing traditional food and artists’ handiwork for making tourists get closer to the locals’ culture and history.