Jour 3253: Strategic Brand Planning

This course focused on how to use research and analytic tools to identify strategic insights about target consumers. I used those insights to develop effective brand positioning and message strategies that accurately reflect the creative brief.

Client: Urban Outfitters

Our Mission: research and identify opportunities and problems that exist with UO’s current brand identity.

How can these challenges form into future successes, how do we best communicate with their target audience?

My Role: We worked together to identify individual strengths and interests, which led me to take on the role as main external communicator and project manager. I sent all communication out to our professor, managed deadlines and aligned strategic findings with our creative brief.

Team Members:
Jaelynn Jackson, Alyssa Yessi, Riley Hallinan, Jakob Mcanally, Matthew Moyes

Client Timeframe:
09/01/2023 - 12/05/2023

Process

Step 1: Research
We sent out a survey and interviewed 10 brand consumers to best understand shopping habits, target audience psychographics, and gather insights. On top of local target audience data, we gathered information from Simmons and Mintel that led us to pinpoint the target audience as female college students aged 18-22.

Step 2: Ideation
We took this information and started formulating insights, recommendations and relevant strategic findings for Urban Outfitters.

Step 3: Feedback
After putting together project update our professor and mock client, Mark Jensen, gave us recommendation and feedback for final revisions.

Step 4: Final Presentation
We took our feedback and spent time designing our final presentation to show our client and class at the end of the semester.

Outcome

Click this image for access to our full presentation!

I learned so much from this project, and used all of these skills as I went through my account service agency internship with JT Mega the following summer. This process taught me the importance of proactive planning and allowed me to really get to know the brand. Knowing the brand you’re working with is key for effective recommendations, and research is important for every agency role, not just strategists.

Presentation Length: 20 Minutes

Grade: A (95%)