[ Brand Development Video ] Hi, I’m Amy, and in...

[ Brand Development Video ]

Hi, I’m Amy, and in this video, I’m going to discuss what I’ve learned in this month’s class, Brand Development. I’m also going to talk about my thesis project selection.

During this course, three topics that I definitely connected with were using metaphors and analogies, identifying ideals and asking questions. Both metaphors and analogies are storytelling mechanisms that use comparison to help illustrate new ideas by relating them to what we already know. Since the dawn of civilization, we’ve relied on stories to communicate, stay alive and evolve. Story is a very powerful tool, and learning how to weave it visually is going to be in the forefront of my mind.

Identifying ideals is another topic that seemed very important to me. I feel that if we don’t pin down precise, unique ideals, we’re unable to effectively design. This process can be somewhat elusive, because we’re dealing with a lot of intangibles, but as designers, it’s our responsibility to thoroughly assess these ideals, so that we can make them tangible, through our designs.

Asking questions was another concept that was important to me. I found this to be quite pertinent, because I have a background in journalism and reporting. It’s not just about asking questions- it’s about asking the right questions- the ones that will get you the type of answers that will make your designs authentic and effective.

Now for some information about my thesis project, Teavana. Teavana’s industry is the tea and beverage sector, and its competitors include Harney & Sons, The Republic of Tea, Tazo and Numi. There are many promising trends including ready-to-drink teas, specialty tea and topical and health products with tea extracts. All four companies are providing specialty teas, and Harney & Sons, The Republic of Tea and Numi are all capitalizing on the bottled, ready-to-drink tea trend. I don’t think any of these companies, including Teavana, are tapping into the tea-infused product market, so that’s a huge area for development.

As far as differentiating factors, Harney & Sons has tradition and elegance, The Republic of Tea has healing and active lifestyle, Tazo has whimsy and possibility and Numi has earthy and community. I’m going to differentiate my thesis company, Teavana, from its competitors by focusing on the figurative heaven their tea manifests. I plan to do this through a multi-media campaign designed to be blissful, soothing, satisfying, intuitive and inviting. At minimum, this campaign is going to include a revamped identity, a new logotype, a new or redesigned trademark symbol, other promotional materials and package designs for a new line of tea.

Thanks for listening, and I’m excited to share with you my progress in the future!

References:

The Tea Association of the USA. (2011). Tea Fact Sheet. Retrieved January 24, 2013 from:

http://www.teausa.com/14655/tea-fact-sheet

Simrany, J. (2012). The Tea Association of the UStA. The State of the U.S. Tea Industry. Retrieved January 24, 2013 from:

http://www.teausa.com/14654/state-of-theindustry