Weybridge 1761 Creative Brief

“We love ties. They are our passion. At Weybridge 1761, we are committed to providing men with superior ties – ties that look good, feel good and will never be out of style – and we are very good at it. We are, after all, part of Beau Ties Ltd. of Vermont, a company whose individually-handcrafted ties have been the choice of thousands of men – from business and political leaders to entertainment and athletic stars – for nearly a quarter of a century. Weybridge 1761 was born because the Beau Ties team listened to their customers – many of whom loved the designs, high-production standards and attentive customer service, but needed ties priced to fit their budgets. By working directly with our fabric designers, leveraging our relationships with silk mills, and applying the skills we’ve developed over the past 25 years, we created a line of ties that meets our exacting standards with prices that do not break the bank.“

WEYBRIDGE 1761's MISSION STATEMENT

Beau Ties recently created an additional line under the name Weybridge 1761. This line of neckties and bow ties is designed for a younger market looking for quality ties at a lower price. The goal of this creative brief is to determine how to attract new, younger customers who are looking for high-quality bow ties and neckties at a cheaper price point. Currently, Beau Ties and Weybridge 1761 have websites and various social media sites up and running. Although the company does a great job of keeping their loyal, older customers, they struggle reaching new, younger customers.

OVERVIEW

Typically, brands try to “win” on one of three fronts: Quality/selection, service, or price.Weybridge 1761’s main goal is to try to win on price. Weybridge 1761 is a value brand. Weybridge 1761’s competition includes The Tie Bar, and department stores including Marshals, Kohl’s, and Macy’s. The market leader in direct-to-consumer ties is The Tie Bar. They are a $20m brand and have historically sold all their ties for $15.00. In 2015, they raised their prices to $19.00. The Weybridge 1761 brand was created to target customers attracted to The Tie Bars low price.

Weybridge 1761 launched in late 2015 and priced all the ties at $17.61 and the response was solid. In January 2016, Weybridge 1761 ran a month long 40% off sale -- $25 regular price, $15 sale price. The original $15 price point established by The Tie Bar was the magic number. When Weybridge 1761 lowered the price to $15.00, sales took off and the results were spectacular! The market spoke and dramatically changed demand. A key lesson was learned, If you’re going to compete on price you better be the low price solution.

BACKGROUND

The goal of this research phase is to understand the consumer. Part one of this phase includes a user survey. A survey was sent out to various students at Rochester Institute of Technology and across social media including Facebook. The survey has received 72 responses to date. Participants included both males and females ranging in ages from 16-60. These individuals were asked various questions about demographics, including their gender, age, occupation, state of residence and general questions about neckties and bow ties.

Part two of understanding the consumer included data collection. The survey data was recorded into a spreadsheet and organized into various info-graphics. The data was organized separately into male and female responses.

Part three of understanding the consumer included a second user survey. This survey was sent out via email to a select group of individuals who fit the target market. The survey consisted of specific questions about neckties and bow ties as well as Weybridge 1761 and Beau Ties Ltd. The survey data was recorded into a spread sheet and organized into various info-graphics.

Part four of understanding the consumer includes user interviews. Individuals were selected who completed both surveys and fit the Weybridge 1761 target market. These interviews were recorded and documented.

UNDERSTANDING THE CONSUMER

Important takeaways from the target market surveys inclued that participants prefer self-tied bow ties and neckties but a large percent did not know how to tie a bow tie.

A large percent of participants mentioned that they do not shop online. This is crucial to address because Weybridge 1761 is an online company, with the exception of the small store located in Vermont at the business headquarters.

A large percent of participants had never heard of Weybridge 1761 or Beau Ties Ltd but were interested in knowing more!

USER SURVEY TAKEAWAYS

In order to convey the message, Weybridge 1761 must create ads that are appealing towards a younger market and get younger males excited about ties! In order to get the target markets attention, these ads should be displayed on social media sites that the primary target market visits including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Vine, and Snapchat. Offering contests with prizes/discounts for posting and tagging Weybridge 1761on social media is a great way to get individuals interesting and involved!

KEY MESSAGES

There are many reasons to believe and buy ties from Weybridge 1761 including:

Weybridge 1761 features high quality ties at the lowest price
Weybridge 1761 ties are stylish and affordable
Weybridge 1761 has styles that fit anyone’s personality
There are different styles, patterns, and colors to fit any theme
Bow ties are coming back into style
Weybridge 1761 also sells neckties
You can turn your own old ties into new bow ties
Ties are Handmade in Middlebury, Vermont.
Weybridge 1761’s brother brand, Beau Ties, has been reliable and reputable since 1993.
Weybridge 1761 has great customer reviews that they feature on their own website.

REASONS TO BELIEVE AND BUY

MANDATORY ELEMENTS

Weybridge 1761 should use social media to inform customers about new products, sales, events that are going on with the company. One select individual should be incharge of posting across social media forms at least twice a week between the hours of 11:30am-1:30pm. This is prime time for social media sites because a large amount of people are on lunch breaks and are able to check their phones and media sites.

Weybridge 1761 should follow a large range of users. Particularly other brands that are competitors to see what they are posting and how they are gaining followers. Other users that Weybridge should follow are celebrities that purchases product from their company and users who post images featuring their product. **It is important to not follow every single person that follows your account.

A good way to gain followers on both instagram and twitter would be to use hashtags. If you use hashtags, people can search different things and your posts will appear in their search. This is an easy way to get your posts viewed by users who don’t currently follow your account. Another way to get followers is to post images and use the “follow4follow” tag and hashtag. This is used to gain followers by following different accounts. If someone follows your account, you follow them back too so they also gain followers. An easy way to gain followers is to post giveaways that require users to follow your account and tag a select number of friends to enter.

Events: A lot of college students do not own ties and nice formal dress wear that they need for special events while in college. Since Weybridge 1761 in an online store, representatives could travel accross country and visit various colleges in states. Since bow ties and neckties are big with college fraternities, they could visit schools with a large Greek Life. Colleges down south also hold events such as Derby Day. At these events they could sell ties along with specialty ties for the specific schools, Greek Chapters and events. They also could set up booths around colleges during the spring and sell ties on campus. It would be a great way to get their name and brand out to their target market who will be graduating and will need to continue to purchase ties for their future jobs.

At colleges or highschools, Weybridge 1761 could host an event about how to dress for an interview. What you should wear, and what you shouldn’t. How to pair your shirt with a tie. How to tie a necktie/bow tie. Have a table set up to purchase ties/order them. If you attend the event, you get a coupon to use at Weybridge 1761. A lot of local schools and charities host galas and auctions. Weybridge could donate a gift basket with various bow ties, neckties, and other goodies.

Dominic | High School Student

Male, 14, Buffalo, NY

Dominic will be entering 9th grade this coming fall. He does not own many formal dress shirts or ties but will be required to wear them to school every day. His mother purchases his clothing and tris to to spend less than $20 per item because knows he will outgrow sizes and styles and trends will change.

USER INTERVIEWS

Taylor | College Student

Male, 21, Rochester, NY

Taylor is a current student at Rochester Institute of Technology. He is not required to wear ties to his current co-op but will need a tie for multiple family graduations and weddings this summer and potentially for future jobs.

Morgan | Sales

Male, 23, Rochester, NY

Morgan is a recent college graduate. He currently works a day job where he is required to wear a dress shirt and tie Monday-Thursday. He owns mostly solid color shirts and uses his ties to add a pop of color and pattern to his outfit. He generally spends $40-$50 on formal ties, but often asks for them for gifts.

TARGET MARKET

The target market data was collected from various sources including user surveys, interviews, field observations and personal observations. The primary target market is younger males, ages 15-25, who are shopping for themselves. Individuals in this market care about friends, school, work and figuring out their next steps in life. They spend their free time hanging with friends, partying, drinking and just being boys. Their clothing habits include dressing stylish without breaking the bank. They want quality clothes but realize that they will out grow things and styles will change. The individuals in this market spend a large amount of time on social media. Media habits include watching videos, looking at photos and memes, watching sports, checking email, doing homework, and chatting and texting with friends. Individuals spends large amount of time on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.

The secondary target market is mothers/fathers, and other adults who are shopping for the primary target market. They do not want to spend a fortune but want quality ties that will last a couple of years, knowing that their son will outgrow clothes and styles will change. Individuals in this market care about their family and friends. They focus a lot of time and energy on their family and work. These individuals shop for their kids and significant other online and in department stores. They like to bargain hunt and often wait for items to go on sale. They often buy name brand clothing and choose quality over quantity. Individuals in this market spend a little time on social media including shopping online, keeping in touch with old friends, checking email, and looking up recipes.

Marcus is a recent college graduate who currently works a day job where he is required to wear a tie to weekly meetings. Marcus has a small budget, and doesn’t want to spend a fortune but still wants higher quality clothes that will last. He changes his style, and likes to add color and pattern to his wardrobe. He wants things he can wear throughout the day that can transition to the night. He mostly shops online but also in department stores.

USER PERSONA

BRAND PERSONALITY

KEY WORDS:

Low Cost

High Quality

Reliable

Functional

With a new campaign plan and highly-defined creative brief, the Weybridge 1761 brand will have a new, narrower direction, making it easier to connect with their desired target market and obtain new customers and increase sales.

Creating new ads that cater to the desired target market and posting these ads where the target market will most likely see them such as social media will yield the best results for this campaign.

In order to win the market, you need to cater to the wants and needs of the market while still offering the product at the lowest price. Bow ties and neckties have become more of a fashion statement with millennials. Ties used to be a way of dressing up an outfit. Ties were worn with suits and formal business wear. Today, ties are worn with jeans and more casual outfits. This trend allows colors to be bold and bright, and patterns to be more fun, interesting, and abstract. These design changes make ties more appealing to a younger market.

By creating a system of ads that speak to both the primary and secondary target market, Weybridge would be able to reach a larger market of potential new customers. Because the primary market is a younger crowd, these ads can be more fun and youthful than traditional tie advertising. Whereas the secondary target market is a little older, these ads could be more traditional.

TRENDS AND GOALS

Walk the Walk
An Instant Classic
A tie tells a lot about a man
Let your style do the talking
Looking nice doesn’t cost a fortune
For those who refuse to be mediocre
For those who set their standards high
Getting dressed for class? Add some class!
Brighten up even the dullest shirt
Confidence comes in multiple forms/many styles
Handmade since 1993 in Middlebury, VT
Looking good never goes out of style
You have to be odd to be number one
Turning boys into men since ‘93
Dress for the life you want to live
Your Grandpa would approve
Quality you can trust

TAGLINES AND SLOGANS

Stand out in a good way
A bow tie for every occasion
Modern twist on a classic style
Modern style with a classic twist
Life is too short not to dress sharp
Classiness never goes out of style
Dressing up doesn’t have to be hard
You can tell a lot about a man by the way he dresses
Be all that you can be. Wear a bow tie.
Ties that look good, feel good, and never go out of style.
Being a gentleman never goes out of style
Make a statement without saying a word
Hand Made in Middlebury, Vermont.
Modern style with classic values
Set yourself apart from the herd
Not your grandfather’s bow ties.
Dress to impress

CREATIVE BRIEF 2016

Advertisement 1:

Print/web ad that would be posted over social media, on the Weybridge 1761 website, and shared over email.

From the various research and data collected, 82% of responses stated that users prefer patterned ties. Almost all of the individuals interviewed stated that they use their necktie or bow tie to add a pop of color to their outfit.

ADVERTISMENTS

Advertisement 2: