Exploring Creative Business
You are about to commences the first phase of the design, manufacture, promote and sales aspect of your module activites. You need to think of an item that is feasible to develop within the timescales listed below. All members of the group are expected to contribute to its activities. Individuals will be asked to score one anothers contributions to the project - and these comments will be taken into account when allocating final marks.
Key Dates
Commencement date: 28th October 2009
Completetion date: 25th November 2009
Sales oppertunity commence: 30th November - 16th December
Interim feedback: 16th December
Working in groups:
- Decide on your company name
- What is your mission? What are your aims? Objectives?
- Sort out your strategy: Where do you want to go? How are you going to get there?
- Decide what you are going to offer for sale - in terms of either a service or a product
- Carry out a SWOT analysis..
- Carry out a PESTEL analysis
* * *
After being given this brief we organised ourselves into groups. I am working with Ric and Kieran - graphic design students like myself, Imogen and Helen - 2nd year illustration students and Bev - mature textiles student. Although we have quite a large group (the suggested number was 4) I think that having students from all across creative fields can only benefit us, plus the more people we have, the more ideas and solutions we can come up with - something which is always going to be important in a design subject.
We discussed a few possible ideas in class today as a group, but we shall make a final decision next week and begin work.
Possible ideas included (pros + cons):
1. Christmas cards
Pros:
Everybody buys Christmas cards
A good oppertunity to put our creative skills to the test
Easy to manufacture
Cheap to manufacture
Cons:
There are a lot of Christmas cards already in the market
Unless we can offer something special, why would people choose our designs?
2. Wrapping paper
Pros:
Another nice project for design work
Cons:
Could be hard to print cost-effectively
With so many cheap shops offering wrapping paper we would have to have great designs at outstanding value to attract potential customers, and this could be very difficult to achieve
3. Gift wrapping service
Pros:
Requires minimal materials for set up (if any) and this reduces costs
Cons:
Most people would not be willing to pay for someone to wrap their Christmas presents, when they can do it themselves for free - especially in this economic climate.
I personally think that the Christmas cards idea would be best for our group, as it can be easily achieved with good results, and it will put our creative minds and skilled fingers at work, without being too challenging. The cost of materials would also be minimal, but if the cards were of a high standard then we could easily make good profits (not that it would benefit us personally since any profits are going to charity) but surely making good profits is essentially what a business is all about?
When we meet next week we shall discuss any further thoughts we have had on the matter and decide what product/service we are going to provide.
