Waterstones and the Changing Bookselling Environment in the UK: the Journey so far and Prospects Uzoechi Nwagbara

This article is about marketing analysis in Business for bookstore-Waterstones. Writter talk about SWOT from different ways to think Waterstiones’ situation. In article, he has mentioned that Waterstones mission statement:

“Waterstone’s mission is to be the leading bookseller on the High Street and online providing customers the widest choice, great value and expert advice from a team passionate about Bookselling.

Waterstone’s aims to interest and excite its customers and continually inspire people to read and engage in books” .

To my project, I chosen Waterstones as object to find a new way for window display of bookstore.so I will extend Waterstone’s mission to link my design – the content of Waterstones window display. Because Waterstones provides widest choice, great value and expert advice, it means Waterstones like universe has various books and visitors can read great stories in Waterstons. As we know, good stories can give reader amazing experience, like readers go into an amazing and imagined world which is different with real world. Through presenting this idea in window, the store’s face, to engage people experience outside, whilst to achieve Branding Culture Value, thereby building relationship with consumers. 

Link:

Uzoechi Nwagbara, 2011, Waterstone’s and the Changing Bookselling Environment in the UK: the Journey so far and Prospects, 

http://www.upg-bulletin-se.ro/archive/2011-3/2.%20Nwagbara.pdf

25/06/2013 Tutorial

Today, we have discussed about concept of bookstore model-box. The bookstore window design for viewing use angles and perspective(optial illusion) to got a pattern, by this way to engage passer-by experience.

The window display of Waterstones consist of two parts. Firstly, discussion the open space of window – the background. the window theme is the world of book, because books contain too many knowledge and storise, It is unlimited. Meanwhile, reading book can improves people’s imagination, so the background use sky/space as metaphor to express wide and unlimited concept, those characters of book is similar as sky.

Secondly, we talked about confined space,  According to “world” to conducte brainstorm, so I got some keywords. I picked up three typical words, they are nature, society and people, using related elements to link the books’ world. This part is for peephole experience, so we discussed the interactive device, like putting button on window, except for the confined space(the box) have holes to engage people curiousity to close window, and people can interaction with window to get fun when they see that.

open space and confined space

the window is distinguished two parts, open space and confined space. to open space, I go to google to research some pictures about "The world of book",

the world give people the first experience is wide, and book likes universe contains many things, it is also too wide. so I got the idea in below picture,

draft

in oder to express the characteristic of bookstore, the pattern 'V' in window is book which is opening. I put two same patterns together to consist the world 'W'. the reason is this window display is for Waterstones, the capital of word is 'W'. it can emphasis Waterstones brand identity to give passer-by a clear message.

I went to Waterstones to observe the environment, and pick special color for Waterstones to make the window display integrate with normal environment.

so graphic effect:

and quote the famous quotation to show the theme.

"A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe."  ----Madeleine L'Engle

11th June 2013 Tutorial feedback

Today we have checked the plan to discuss what I have done before.  We talked about the scale for model-box to make sure the scale is more professional, and to distinguish what different between low-fidelity and high-fidelity.

We have discussed window display and content for bookstore. To display form,  the idea is creating two layers scenes about book( open space and  confined space). For open space , people can see it in long-distance, and for confined space, the box maybe have few holes people should close window through the hole to see inside space.  We  also talked  about content and mentioned a whole and parts scenes, i.e. from open space to confined space. to make this two parts can link each other and think what content can engage people’s attention to close window, thereby  promoting the relationship between people and brand, (e.g. Apple).  And we have mentioned to use kaleidoscope to enhance the visual language, but if I want to use it, should think about how to use kaleidoscope to link bookstore.

Data about model

the audience of my project is adult and children, because window display form has two parts,  generally, the height of box one is for child and upper part is for adult.   

and also based on the below picture

I got the box height,which suit for audience to see it.

and at top of box is incline, it should fit people's visual scope, so I have research Ergonomic design about vision part, to got a suitable angle for people's eyes.

theory 

box height

about Kaleidoscope

there are some kaleidoscope advertisement to help me to development my idea. 

M&M's - Kaleidoscope

                                                 

How to make a human arabesque: The making of the TEDxSummit video

This film and photographic experiment set out to prove The Power of X by attempting an Ideas Worth Doing for TEDxSUMMIT.

Brand Culture Value for Waterstones

How Waterstone's killed bookselling 

"When it started, Waterstone's was a breath of fresh air. But as it got ever bigger, many say it lost its soul. What effect has that had on publishing?... is that a problem? After all, I am the one who brings sentiment and culture to the book-buying experience. Spice's thought, though, is that Waterstone's has lost its literary soul in stooping to compete with supermarkets and stationery retailers WH Smith. "A big retail business will inevitably move to the lowest common denominator position. Their commitment to book quality has to wane." Why? "Because once companies get big they draw in business management that doesn't have any sensitivity to the product. "

by Stuart Jeffries

article link:  http://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/nov/10/waterstones-high-street-bookselling

this article can be as a reference to support the idea, Brand Culture Value, for bookstore window display. As a bigger bookstore company, expect for commerce, Waterstones can create brand culture in window. because window like face, it can give passer-by a good impression to built good relationship easily with costumers.