Today's achievements

It has passed midnight - technically it looks like I am a day late with this blog entry, but I am very please with my efforts today. I have worked very hard and feel that my research is really beginning to develop into independent thought, and consequently ideas are beginning to flow.
Below I will list what I have achieved, in comparison to what I hoped I would.

Today’s achievements:

• Today I successfully completed research into two brands: Swatch and Puma.
  This research included contacting both the PR and press departments of the brands, asking for extra information.
• I subscribed to the Puma newsletter which will give me more information about Puma’s brand development.
• I discovered that the product ranges in both brands were a lot broader than I expected – both covering not only apparel but also jewellery, handbags and footwear.
• I felt that particularly Puma concentrated on a large target audience covering men women and children, at what seemed to be a vast age span.
• Swatch had a graphic art section, which included designers promoted through the brand – this is something that Swatch are really trying to push at the moment, and therefore any promotion I may decide to create must follow this sort of theme.
• Both brands covered a broad range with regards to the cities their stores were found in, and also the areas covered on their internet site.
• Swatch had downloadable wallpapers on their site. I considered this a brilliant piece of advertising, particularly where portable laptops are concerned.
• Swatch and Puma both had viewable media calendars on their sites, these taught me which events were considered significant by media professionals, for example not only special events such as Christmas and Easter - but also media events – press conferences, results, meetings.
• I requested magazines from Swatch and Puma – I believed I would find these more tangible forms of research.
• I looked thoroughly into the Puma history – including the puma vision, retail statement, company backgrounder, timeline, brand strategy, corporate mission, corporate values and S.A.F.E concept.
• I presented both research categories in my portfolio, annotated and highlighted – ready to draw conclusions from.

In Reflection:

I believe that today I successfully completed in depth research into the brands: Swatch and Puma. Although I intended to cover remaining brands: Diesel and Howies, I feel that today’s research has been particularly beneficial and therefore do not see myself as being behind in the project.I will however aim to have finished all research into brands by tomorrow evening, so that on Monday I can more forward with research and actual production of all necessary constituents in the project. Tomorrow I will complete the research above using the same methods I used today. If I complete this I will begin research into product shots and business cards, collecting these from Preston town during the day if I have enough time, or desire a break from the portfolio!