The first decks I created was a struggle. I was slightly confused in terms of what we are expected to show and how. I knew we had to present initial ideas on how we would change HMV as it is.
Based on my primary and secondary research there was so much that needed to be changed. Truthfully…everything. I didn’t know where to begin. I was staring at the blank page of an Illustrator file. So much needed to be changed…so much. After much confusion and panic with regards to my starting point I have written a list. A list of things could be changed and should be changed. Writing a list helped. Once I have written a list and wrapped my head around what I need to do and look into I began an online research. This post will cover my research, my first deck and the feedback which led to my project theme and concept.
Bulletpoint list
- Events
- Products (in-store and online)
- In – Store experience
- Apps and Browser
- Partnerships
I looked at online articles and discussions about HMV to gain a better understanding. HMV used to be a thriving and successful business. Now this is the second time it is going bankrupt, most probably due to it’s old fashioned values and instead of adapting to fast growing modern technology, the business decided to sell its soul to cheap thrills and irrelevant products in order to survive but not thrive.
I checked out some of HMV’s competition. The only vinyl and CD store I could think of, in Kingston, Banquet Records. Prior to Chelsea I studied in Kingston for 3 years and I remember this store was very popular back in the day, as well as now. I was shocked too find how much popular the store is. I compared Banquet Record’s Instagram with HMV’s.
Banquet Records have 19.9k more followers than HMV. I thought this was surprising because Banquet Records only has one store, and of all places, located in the not so central Kingston. So how comes they are so much more popular? Well lets see…
Just by looking at their posts they post store relevant pictures of events, signings and new releases. In comparison HMV is pushing the ideas of movies and movie scenes (bit boring). Banquet Records also host events and sell tickets in store and do regular signing sessions with guest artists. Events, good music and knowledgable staff. Feels like HMV has a lot to learn from this ‘little store’ in Kingston.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46700080
The above article was fascinating. It discovers ‘HMV: The rise and fall of a music icon’. I never knew this but from this article I discovered that HMV used to have ‘music booths’. I thought this is a brilliant idea and should be brought back. The current stores have headsets, headphones and turntables on display but not for trying out. Personally I always wanted a turnable. I can’t recall ever hearing one and seen as they cost a fair amount of money (so do vinyls) I am not prepared to spend so much unless I can try it. Looking at any Apple store, it is an amazing customer experience to be able to try all their products.
I also discovered old B&W pictures of HMV stores and how they used to look
Thought the images are black and white, the store layout and design is so much better than it is now. They sold relevant products, the layout is funky (though these were different times and it is matching a retro style) the in store experience was fun, straight forward and interactive…something that the current HMV is absolutely lacking.
Based on brief research and personal (youthful) experience through going out in this modern day and age to places, stores, venues and events that are beyond popular I created this deck:
I am heavily inspired by colour and patterns. I think these are such important and key things not only within our lives but design. Colours trigger feelings and emotions. They are emotional, psychological, symbolic, cultural and just…’human’. Colours brighten up everything. Colours are light, and light is happiness. When the sun shines everyone feels so much better than they do on a grey and rainy day. HMV is currently a dark and gloomy ball of depression spiced with a very uncommunicative, irrelevant and ugly neon pink dressed in some weird comic sans like font as their logo. The logo/ logotype can’t be changed. I am actually quite glad as I am not the greatest when it comes to logo design. But the store…we can change that and it needs to be changed!
There is a Hungarian song by a Hungarian band that my mum and I used to listen to. Every time when I felt like I need to shake things up because I got too comfortable my mum would always refer to that song. ‘Szinezd ujra’ is the title of the song. It means ‘recolour it’. The song is about recolouring your life when the shades faded. That is exactly what HMV needed, recolouring its life.
The current signs and genre classification is….awful. Again I would like to refer to their terrible choice of font as well as their terrible layout and organisation. Colourful and fun signs will draw more attention as oppose to simple and boring signs.
I noticed that there were so many ‘irrelevant’ products in HMV. Random comic book and anime store items. Their Merchandise is completely based on nerdy/geeky comic people. Though there is nothing wrong with that, HMV is about music and film (It should heavily be focused on music in my opinion) but there is Forbidden Planet for that kind of stuff. If HMV made new partnerships with record labels, they could sell limited edition vinyl, CD and mercy from artist who are assigned to the record label. Limited edition and exclusive stuff attract the masses.
In store experience. Don’t just display, offer the option to try and have fun.
The current HMV website looks like a commercial magazine. Similar to their products, it should be simplified, more specific and again…COLOURFUL! these are examples of websites and web layouts I think work very effectively and convey a clear message through colour.
Idea for app. Vinyls are becoming increasingly more popular, much like anything vintage and retro. However, with the fast growing technology and apps people in general (including me) prefer to download music online, subscribe to an app and listen whenever on their phone as well as download and watch things online on a subscription base instead of physically buying things. If HMV did a similar app to Google Play, Netflix and Amazon Prime but instead of just online buying, each CD and DVD would have a code, type in or scan. Once a physical product is bought it can be synced with a HMV listen and watch app and upload to a profile so it can be viewed at any point, offline and online.
I found a few statistics online to support my opinion. The project is targeting an audiendce of young adults. I am a young adult and my personal experience is that it is easier to get Netflix and Spotify instead of a DVD and CD player. I am lucky that my MacBook is a 2012 model so it has a CD/DVD player, most models nowadays don’t have that. Students and young adults will either be living at home, in halls or shared houses where they either don’t have or don’t want to purchase physical players.
Prior to the group presentation I have added to the list. Once I created this deck which is more like a moodboard, I added and explained each section.
Hmv – PRESENTATION ‘ SPEECH ‘
Create an interactive social hub. A comfortable home like environment where people can go to ‘chill out’ and chat as well as read magazines and books and discover new and old music and films through interactive technology, live events and browsing shelves.
Events:
- Through partnerships invite artists, musicians and actors/actresses to do music, signing and interview sessions.
- ‘Hmv new/ up and coming’ – invite up and coming, local musicians to play their own or tribute songs
- Hmv quiz – movies and music
- Hmv workshops (pairing up with/running similar sessions to Apple store, music and film editing workshops ran by guest professionals)
- Film projection/ series/ movie marathon
Products:
On the shelves:
- less dvd and Blu-ray (some can be on display but majority should be based off of online purchase and click & collect)
- More space for cd, vinyl, technology, relevant books and magazines
Selling Hmv exclusive products through partnership
Consider opening a ‘second hand section’ in order to provide customers with perhaps cheaper and more exclusive items (cds, covers and posters that aren’t being made anymore)
In-Store experience:
- offering the chance to not only look at items on display but also try out (turntables and headphones in particular)
- Interactive screen – album search that’s linked to headphones to discover and listen to music before buying it
- Hmv themed photo booth
- Coffee shop in store with seating are to enjoy a drink or reading books
- Have a ball pit
Apps and browser:
- considering a hmv movie app – similar to google play (being able to purchase movies and series online as well as buying it physically – when a physical item is bought a special code is generated with the receipt that can be uploaded to a certain number of profiles on the hmv app and watch it off line – ideal for students living away from home not owning a DVD player or people with laptops who don’t have DVD players)
Partnerships:
- smaller and larger record labels (universal, inter scope, black butter, etc.) in order to receive hmv exclusive merch, cd and vinyl covers as well as inviting signed artists)
- ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer’ Netflix – in order to sell Netflix original series on dvd, have access to Netflix original series soundtrack (vinyl and cd) as well as inviting artists in store for talks and signing
- (Larger and )independent venues than hmv could provide in-store to hold events (mainly music organised by hmv, sponsored and supported by partners) and tickets being sold through hmv
FEEDBACK
I was beyond nervous, especially to realise that we are presenting in front of our whole group. I wasn’t the first which allowed me to edit and perfect my moodpboard slightly before it was my turn. It was good to see other people’s thoughts and themes emerging, in a way it gave me ideas and reassured me that my ideas are just as good or better, however it also made me more anxious when Ansel brought up the ‘LIZARD BRAIN’. I was questioning my ideas and confidence. Soon it was my turn. I was hesitant, but I just dived right in, hoping for the best. The feedback I got was shocking.
Ansel almost instantly was drawn to the colourful swatches, interior and signage design idea. By the 2nd-3rd slide he brought up the ‘LIZARD BRAIN’ and suggested to not only add colour but look into colour psychology to the signage and interior. In a way recategorise products and store layout in a way that removes genre as ‘genre is becoming dead’. Colours instead of genre. Colour psychology. I loved the sound of that and I was extremely excited to begin my research.