I think this session was very helpful in locking down what our company was really about. At the core of all of our ideas up to date was the notion of high quality illustrated candles, with this in mind we worked though the business concept sheet and I felt as though we were getting a much stronger idea of the real values of our business.
BUSINESS CONCEPT
Having a positive impact was something we all felt very strongly about, and having good communication and valuing the costumer service we provided was important to us, building on from this we started thinking about how one of our ranges could work with charities, and we came up with the 'bee' range of candles. Given the dwindling number of UK bees, making candles from beeswax in a sustainable way that could help the growth of the population was something that strung a cord with us. The candles could be in various shapes such as beehives, honey combs, bees themselves, to make them more desirable and appealing to audiences.
From this we started thinking of other possible ranges we could have; starting the business with a few solid ranges that could then filter into more in the future felt like a good place to start. We tried thinking of stereotypes who use candles, we came up with the idea of a 'black magic' range as another idea; targeting those who are into something a bit more niche and out-there. We considered current retailers who specalised in crystals, Gothic aesthetic and memorabilia as competitors for this range. In regards to distribution however, we could work with these independent outlets to get some of our candles on the high street; towns such as Whitby would be a perfect place to push this range. Thinking about the 'look' of this range we thought about all the candles being made of black wax, as not many candles are available in this colour, and making them in a range of shapes to fight competitors eg skulls, bats ect. It was also suggested at this point we could include more novelty things in this range such as glitter or hidden objects in the center of candles once they burn away, to make them even more desirable.
With these two ranges in place we thought it made sense to include a 'basics' range. These candles would all be sustainable, and would be centered more around variations in colour and scent when compared with the other two ranges. It was hoped this range would be accessible to all kinds of people, students especially, who make up a large percentage of candle consumers.
With all this in place we also finally came up with a name! Matchboxx was something that felt simple and accessible while still relating to our products. Originally we played around with the idea of including small promo matchboxes as a type of promotion or to send with our candles containing safety information. Though we'd decided to step away from the fire safety element as such the word 'matchbox' still felt very applicable. After a quick google search we found the name 'matchbox' already belonged to a toy making company, so we changed our name with the additional x, I feel this also makes the company sound like more of a brand rather than just an object.
BUSINESS MANIFESTO
Once our concept was more concrete, I felt a lot more confident producing a manifesto. Our values were those of creating a positive impact while providing high craft and quality 3D illustrated candles. The term 'meet your maker' was coined as we were discussing our roles as designers for the business, this helps make our business feel more accessible and ultimately HUMAN. Being a business of PEOPLE rather than a corporation was very important for us to communicate.
FINAL MANIFESTO
'Matchboxx' is a company of creatives based in Leeds, dedicated to making high quality candles with a sustainable positive impact whilst inspiring individuals to think outside the (match) box. We believe that knowing you is essential to that process, customising our products to meet your personals wants/needs and making you feel part of the Matchbox family.
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