10 slides

10 slides, 20 minutes. Type no smaller than 30

BIO BIO BIO

All true.

Caitlin studied cryptozoology for five years before changing her life completely and becoming a writer. After writing for "The world weekly news" until its untimely demise in 2007, she became the newest addition to WFY. She enjoys being a copywriter, as it's a refreshing change from reporting about bat babies and the end of the world.

Presentation on the 26th

Intro- each introduce ourselves! (first Ward, Ferreira, Yee, followed by Ashkan/Caitlin)

Intro of project- Narissa
history of athletes world

Research
company-Nancy
competition- Narissa

culture- Deanna and Caitlin
consumer- Ashkan
(insight)- hierarchy of the school

Creative- explain creative/where it would run - Nancy
print -
tv - Ashkan
instore magazine -
guerilla- decals on floor/paint drops leading up to the store, also around the city/mall -

reiterate everything + wrap up questions

We'll figure it out tomorrow! 12-6:30, Let's do it! We'll meet in the 6th floor open space.

Meeting tomorrow during thesis

Hey peeps- that's what the kids say - peeps?

 

Anyhoo...tomorrow Nancy & I are going to meet during thesis to get the presentation put together etc. Our class has one on one's with Tony. My appointment is @ 5:45. unfortunately, I have to stay at work for my entire sentence so I can join you wherever we will be meeting. If you can make it for a bit, that would be great.

Holla - am i saying that right, holla?

Oh man guys

That sounds fantastic! Very much so. Looking forward to seeing you guys ASAP! I'm sorry I wasn't there Friday- are we meeting again Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday? I'm up for any time at all, see you all soon.

sup my fellow ballaz

Narissa thought it would be great if we present a little bio of ourselves when we do this bitch of a pitch (teehee) so send her your bio's by sunday, tuesday the latest.

Thanks yall happy easter

The final Brief for Athletes World

Our Insight: Everyday is a challenge for a teenager (in their view e.g. I deal with my parents, my girlfriend, making ends meet and etc).

We want our target to believe that Athletes World helps you GEAR UP for daily life.

from clothes to shoes.

Here's how we got there.

In the Kingdom you are defined by:

1) Looks
2) Athleticism
3) Clothes.
4) Group you belong to with your clothes.
5) Attitude. Being the Alpha male in the crowd. Being able to spend money on your honey. FACING LIFE'S CHALLENGES.

We are all coming online on friday between 10-3 to start working on the creative.

Nancy will be executing the creatives.

Here was an idea we came up with for the TV ad.

Music beats following his steps

Gets up in the moring. Puts his bag down and starts tying his shoes. Gets up. Zipps up his hoodie and starts walking. His footsteps start making paint ambient splatters. He walks out of the house and little sparks of colours flow behind him. Cut shot to him opening the door of the jungle (school). Walking past different animal groups in the animal kingdom. The girls laughing like hyenas. The girl doing a corn rost on the boyfriend like a monkey behind each other. He bumps into someone and little bit of colour drips off. Then he bumps into his friend and similar gear and the colour floats onto him. Then he nudges a girl. Then she blushes and colour fades from face and runs all over her. Once he leaves she still looks at him. Then he sneaks into the class and takes off headphones (background music stops). Teacher says Jason and he says present. She looks and nods. And then the music comes back. Fade to black and logo: Athletes world. Tag: Gear Up.

Extend that to packaging.

I'm off!

Hey guys,

I'm leaving now, so please let me know what's up while I'm away! I'll be sure to get everything you need done. I'm sorry I'll be gone during the week. I'll be sure to ask the teenagers all about stuff they think is cool in a way that won't make me seem like I'm asking about Athlete's world! SO, take care, and you can e-mail me at thepinkpantherATgmail.com. I'll be sure to work crazy hard upon my return to make up for being gone.

Cheers,

yo watch this

this is pbs' doc frontline: merchants of cool http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/view/

Hey guys! ROOM NUMBER!

EDIT: ROOM 670, 5pm

Hey guys,

Sorry this is so late! I booked room 670 from 2:30-6:30, how about we meet there at 5:00? I'll be there soon, so if you want to come early it's fine!

See you soon!

More info on the target

I found out a small tidbit about the athlete's world shopper.
This site reaches fewer than 2000 U.S. monthly uniques. The site caters to a youthful, very slightly female biased, more Asian, more educated following.

I have posted some data charts below that support the above statement.

Teen Shopping Project

We picked a handful of teens to track more closely, to understand how they spend their money and why. They let us into their rooms and into their thoughts about their sneakers, their clothes and other prized possessions. A 360-degree photo tour lets you explore their rooms and understand their distinctive styles. Check out the interactive graphic to see what stores they went to, what they bought and what they ignored.

Adam Rothe
Adam loves shoes. The 13-year-old Burke resident spends his free time at stores like Foot Locker. His bedroom floor is covered with a variety of sneakers and his walls are hidden behind posters of athletes and sports teams — particularly D.C. United. Learn more about Adam

Sneha Rao
Sneha lives in Silver Spring, but she's used to shopping outside of the area — halfway across the world in Dubai, to be exact. If she's not shopping with friends, the 14-year-old Silver Spring resident often hits the mall with her father — and frequently gets his approval before buying. Learn more about Sneha

Rebecca Klemens
Rebecca, 14, lives in the small Loudoun County town of Round Hill. She shares the second floor of their suburban home with her older sister, Elizabeth. The Klemens sisters usually opt to shop closer to home, but enjoy the variety of retailers available at bigger malls in the metro area. Learn more about Rebecca

Elizabeth Klemens
Elizabeth, 17, and her younger sister, Rebecca, live in the small Loudoun County town of Round Hill. Although the girls normally shop closer to home, the duo make it to Tysons a few times a year. Elizabeth participates in several activities and keeps a busy schedule. Learn more about Elizabeth

Kiara Hill
Kiara is a fan of fashion. The 13-year-old Silver Spring resident says she only goes to retailers with clothes that fit her style. Her high-rise corner bedroom is decorated to match her personality, as well as her style, which she says is subject to refinement. In her words, her style is urban but feminine, and she loves her bright-colored shoes, which she says land her numerous compliments. Learn more about Kiara

Whitley Gaffney
The way Whitley sees it, clothes introduce her to the world. The 16-year-old Burke resident identifies with the preppy kids at Lake Braddock Secondary School. Whitley gets a $40 monthly allowance to help her purchase clothes and achieve her look. Learn more about Whitley

Daisy Diaz
Daisy likes shopping with friends, her mom or her aunt. The 17-year-old resident of Arlington says her most expensive purchase is a digital camera. Her room is stocked with a computer and her bedroom door is loaded with photos of friends and family members. Learn more about Daisy

As The Kids Go Buy

They agonize over price. They're thoughtful, not impulsive. They arrive at the mall with information and purpose. They actually care about what their parents would think about those micro shorts.

They are teenage girls, and this is how they shop.

It wasn't what we expected to find when we spent a recent Saturday afternoon shopping at Tysons Corner Center with a horde of teenagers. This is a generation often considered indulged, equipped with cellphones and credit cards at an early age. This is the generation that spawned reality shows like "My Super Sweet 16," an MTV tribute to coming-of-age consumerism.

Teens' purchasing power is enormous. Last year, they rang up $179 billion in sales, according to Teen Research Unlimited. But they can be a fickle demographic, helping to send sales at a retailer soaring one season only to abandon it the next for another with fresher merchandise.

We were curious: What are the small decisions, the information and inclinations at work as teenagers shop? When do they stop and buy; when do they just move on? We called parent-teacher associations, the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington, and posted a notice on the Washington Post Web site seeking volunteers to shop, just as they normally would, with their own money and friends.

We wanted to get inside their heads.

Sixty-one teenagers in grades seven to 11 from all over the region, mostly from public schools, responded to our call. They came to Tysons in jeans, flip-flops, dresses, head scarves, gym shorts and braces. Some shopped with their parents, others just with friends. They came armed with carefully saved weekly allowances, baby-sitting money, birthday gift cards and, yes, their parents' credit cards. One girl delayed a trip to Pittsburgh to join in.

Although several boys said they would come, only one did. Apparently, boys are not recreational shoppers. This was a girl thing.

We equipped the shoppers with paper and pen, asking them to record their movements through the mall, writing down every stop and dollar spent. Some wore microphones to record their conversations and observations. Seven reporters trailed them. Five videographers and four photographers documented their journeys. We polled them on their favorite stores, the must-have items at school and how much they would pay for a pair of jeans. (Answer: Not as much as you think.)

They wound their way through the region's largest mall in twos or threes, save for the five members of Girl Scout Troop 1016 from Fairfax. They often crossed paths -- overwhelmingly shopping at a handful of retailers over and over again -- and frequently text messaged or called their vast social networks for approval or advice.

"Don't get solid colors -- that's boring," warned the voice on the other end of the cellphone when Billie McCain, 16, of Laurel called a friend for emergency fashion advice in the middle of Macy's. "And no sweaters because you wear sweaters too much. Get a blazer or a jacket."

They visited American Eagle, Hollister, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, Abercrombie & Fitch, Delia's and Old Navy most often. One girl bought nothing; others spent more than $100. All told, they spent $3,764.85.

"I go to stores I know will have my style," said Kiara Hill, 13, of Silver Spring, pointing out that her style is subject to refinement. "Forever 21 surprised me. It didn't use to be my style. Today, I liked it a lot. It's my favorite store now."

Before the first hour was up, Grace Ellison, 15, a Takoma Park bassist and singer in a punk rock band, declared "I love Wet Seal."

Not Gretchen Heberling, 16, of the District. "Wet Seal disgusts me," she said. "They're trying to force trends."

For most of them, price was a major consideration. They looked for value and often took prices they considered high as a personal insult. Some pointed out they preferred to shop with their parents because their wallets are fatter.

The accompanying articles, graphs, charts and photographs, along with videos of the shoppers and a virtual tour of their experience available at washingtonpost.com, look at how this group of teenagers spent their hours at the mall and offer insights into their consumer drive.

Sixteen-year-old Whitley Gaffney, who has a $40 monthly allowance and describes herself as one of the "preppy dressy" kids at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, sees it this way: Clothes introduce her to people around her.

"I want them to know a little bit of who I am," she says. "And I'm proud of it."

Errrr teen lingo anyone???

http://www.thesource4ym.com/teenlingo/index.asp

http://www.urbandictionary.com/

Disputes Over Your Teen's Dress: Another Aspect of Adolescence

Disputes over the way your teenager dresses is just one aspect of the journey through adolescence.

Young children dress to please their parents, but young adolescents dress to please their friends and older teenagers dress to please themselves. Teenagers are searching for their own identity during adolescence. Experimentation with clothing is just one way they incorporate in this search.

Your teen may, for example, dress like a street urchin in worn out, oversized, old clothes for one school term. Then he or she may change and dress like a teen executive in conservative suits and carry a briefcase for another school term.

Variations of this sort do not signify insecurity. They are simply the visible indication of experimentation with several different identities.

Young men who wear their pants so they appear to be falling off their hips and teenagers who pierce various parts of their bodies are some of the more current and flamboyant displays of the age-old and perfectly normal process of the search for identity.

Some of the reason parents have such a problem tolerating what their teens wear could be attributed to their concern over what their children's dress says about the parents rather than about the teens.

One solution to conflicts over dress may be to consult a third party whose opinion is valued by the parent and the teen. This may be the teen 's older cousin or someone both parties feel dresses fashionably.

Another suggestion may be to strike a compromise.

In such an arrangement, the parent and teen may agree that while the teen is with friends, he or she may make a fashion statement by dressing in clothing the parent considers outlandish. Then when the parent and teenager are out in public together, the teen may wear something he or she considers "boring" and the parent considers appropriate.

Experimentation with dress is only a passing phase. When putting things into perspective, remember there are far worse issues affecting our teens; we should be concerned about those things rather than what clothes they wear.

FINAL STUFF!

INTERNAL:
Primary: To convince urban teenage guys between the ages of 15-19 (guys setting trends at the top of the "jungle" older guys at the top, younger will want to copy the older "cool" guys) that: you can look "ballerific" in our clothes at whether chillin' with your girl or your boys. Because: Athlete's world has the latest styles to express yourself. Selling a brotherhood. We'll focus on the OLDER end of the spectrum.

For example: a 15 year old guy/girl will think a bit older, COOLER guy will be impressed, "older teenagers dress to please themselves" then the younger ones will dress to please their peers.

Secondary: Their ladies.

Tone: Artistic expression of urban street culture- VISUAL. Glossy, glamorous, graffiti. Late 80's/early 90's type of colour/style. These guys look up to bottle service, livin' the life.


Mentioned:

Magazine in store (a la H&M, just to promote the brand in the store, like a Vice type magazine)

Hip Hop shows/stuff going on flyers/promotions in store, like the store "Noise" where promos for upcoming shows/raves are featured right when you walk in

"Frenvy" Oh man, I need that thing my friend has

Let's have an exclusive!

So sorry...

I haven't posted over the weekend. haven't managed my time well over the past week. I will see you all in class tomorrow and will get something ready for us to talk about.

N

Guys check out 

www.freshnessmag.com/v4/2007/11/20/nike-x-footlocker-house-of-hoops-harlem/

This is what Footlocker (our Competition) is doing.  They are really about the "basketball culture."  Not only have they opened a retail store dedicated to basketball but they also participated in the 2008 All-Star game (most likely other years too).  Footlocker's CEO and President Keith Daly presented Jason Kopono the winner of the 3 Point Shoot Out contest of the All Star game.

Deanna

A note!

Deanna and Ashkan, I think both of your posts sound very good. I especially think the younger market sounds good. Ashkan, those photos you posted are great! Very in the same vein/style as the Athlete's world we want to promote, I think!

When are we all meeting up? This Wednesday? (Maybe before class?)

Also, I won't be here from March 16th-23rd. I'll be working in Cuba. I'll be out of contact, I apologize, due to there being no internet access. I want to make sure I'm doing my fair share though, so I can get work done before I go without falling behind. I know we're presenting on the 26th. I'll hopefully at least see some of you tomorrow, and if not, I'll talk to you here! (and on Wednesday)

I agree.  I think we need to rebrand Athletes World through our creative.  

Deanna

Creative Brief

Hey guys,

I personally think that the target that we should speak to should be younger.  I think that boys 15-21 is a little too old and should be 15-19.  I liked "You can look dope without being an athlete" or what about this? "You can look like an athlete and still look dope."  

I agree with "they're heavily interested in the music industry and therefore, very influenced by the lifestyle and fashion they see/hear in music."  It's like the saying 'monkey see, monkey do"

I like "Athlete's World is a place to go to get the most hip fashions.  You can wear our athlete wear without having to look like an athlete."

Here's my attempt:  

Target:

Primary: Boys 15-19; Secondary: girlfriends 15-19.  When the boys browse the store, the girls browse.  The girls end up creating need for the purchase.

What our target believes now: 

"I want my friends to look at me (or distinguish me) as someone with style.  So then they will have respect and I will have control over my clique" 

"I want to feel like I have the power and respect over my friends"

"I want to support my favourite rapper because he designed it and I want all my peers to know it"

What our target does now:

"I love wearing the latest fashions.  My peers look up to me and it feels good to know that I influence them."

What we want our target to believe:

"I'm ballin' out of control!"

"I can ball out in this at a club and I can also wear it with my girl, chillin'" (has a dual purpose)

What we want our target to do:

Shop at Athletes World for the latest fashions and trends.

Main message to change his/her mind:

You can look 'ballerific' in our clothes at the club or just chillin with your girl or the boys.

Athletes Wolrd Barnaby Brief

Hi Guys I really believe in Barnaby’s Brief structure. So I though for internal purposes we would use this but the six box brief for external.


Barnaby Style Brief for


Athletes World


To Convince: 1) Street fashion oriented teenage Guys between 15-21 2) Street fashion oriented teenage Girls or Girlfriends between 13-18.

That: You can look dope (good way) without being an athlete.

Because: Athletes World has the latest sports fashions to transform you into one.

The tone: Very visual, artistic expression of urban street culture. Sort of like Eco graphics.



I hate to say it guys but I think the pictures I post is the type of place Athletes world is and perhaps we need to change its brand and express in the tag that its more about fashion but without the excersize. I'll revize as time goes on.

Some brief ideas

I just realized the title can also be seen as a terrible pun.

Firstly, here are some links

People talking about what they think of athlete's world online/some sell out sales they've had
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176592
http://hackingthemainframe.com/smf/index.php?topic=7819.msg91001
http://www.hypebeast.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-56961.html
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=542638
http://forums.explorerx.com/index.php?showtopic=3015
http://www.hypebeast.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-56961.html

Closing stores
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/296525 (down the side)
http://www.mallvibes.com/showthread.php?t=111

SO apparently Athlete's world once had a working website!
http://www.ricksticks.com/design/web-design-athletes.htm



NOW! Brief ideas, look forward to see what you guys think. (It's super rough, but maybe you guys have different ideas)


Target Audience:
Teenage boys who want to be seen as cool and hip. They're heavily interested in the music industry, and therefore, very influenced by the lifestyle and fashion they see/hear in music.

What they currently believe:
"If I see my favourite artist/rapper wearing these "athletic" clothes, then that's cool to do. I want to live the same lifestyle, so I can start off by wearing the same clothes. They get respect for wearing it and so will I."

What we are going to tell them:
Athlete's world is the place to go to get the most hip fashions. You can wear our athletic wear without having to be an athlete. (As opposed to places like SportChek, where the focus is the sports) Athlete's world is more about the fashion scene and lifestyle without the sports.

What they should then think:
"I didn't even consider Athelete's world, maybe it's worth checking out."

Tone and Manner:
Unexpected, colloquial. We're not talking down to them, nor up to them. We're talking to them on the same level.

What they currently do:
Buy "street wear" clothes, or go to other sports themed stores to get their fashion.

Why they can believe us:
We have the best brands, the coolest clothes, and we're everywhere.

What they should then do:
Go to Athlete's world for their all the best fashion, that gives off the impression they want.

Talking about Athletes world

http://www.hypebeast.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56961&page=5

Oooooh man.

"Consultations provided by knowledgeable staff members, whose collective experience ranges from outfitting professional level basketballers to providing tools for first time runners.  Fashion also plays a large part in both the casual and athletic categories as leading brands continue to expand.  Categories: Active, Street, basketball, skate, running, sandals"

Athlete's World Info

Hey guys - Graeme emailed this to us today. I thought it would be easier if it were posted on
our blog. Take a look.

$270 million in annual sales
195 stores
3,550 employees
started
in 1978

Mission: to be Canada's leading retailer of urban and
athletic lifestyle apparel, footwear and accessories.

AW urban stores
80 locations in Canada's leading fashion malls
$160 million in sales
large format (4,000 - 6500 square feet)
shop-in-shop format
wide
selection of urban brands
distinctive "shoe wall"

AW rural stores
115 locations in secondary markets
$110 million in sales
intimate
knowledge of smaller markets
more focus on value
smaller stores,
smaller assortments
mainstream brands, less 'urban'

AW brands
include:
Nike/Jumpman
adidas
Reebok
Ecko
Phat Farm
Baby Phat
Enyce
Converse

total chain - men's sales 63%, women's 37%
footwear
50%, apparel and accessories 50%

Kay, this thing is not working for me....

Deanna

Hip Hop Fashion and Culture

The Lifestyle

• Based on capitalism and the popularity of the “bling bling” lifestyle in rap music
• Focusing on symbols of wealth and status like money, jewelry, cars and clothing.
• The “bling bling” has its immediate roots in the enormously commercially successful mid-to-late nineties work (specifically, music videos) to Puff Daddy and Bad Boy Records as well as Master P’s No Limit Records.
• The term was coined in 1999 by Cash Money Records artist Lil Wayne “Bling bling"

Media

Effects of the Media

• People live in an age where the media greatly impacts and influences people’s thoughts around the world.  People’s ideas are heavily inspired by movies, books, articles, but one form of mass communication that deeply influences people around the world in particular is hip hop music.  One person that helps describe the phenomenon of how hip hop spread rapidly around the world and diffusion of Global Culture is Orlando Patterson, a sociology professor at Harvard University. 
• Professor Patterson argues that mass communication is controlled by the wealthy, government and businesses in the Third World nations and countries around the world. 
• As a result, Paterson believes that mass communication created a global hip hop scene.
• As a result, the youth absorbed and are influenced by the American hip hop scene and start their own form of hip hop
• Patterson believes that revitalization of hip hop music will occur around the world as traditional values are mixed with American hip hop musical forms
• As a result, a global exchange process occurs that brings oyuth around the world to listen to a common musical form known as hip hop
• National Geographic recognizes hip hop as “the world’s favourite youth culture” in which “just about every country on the planet seems to have developed its own local rap scene.

Mid 1990s to late 1990s fashion

Gangsta Style

·   Hip hop fashion had taken on significant influence from the dress styles of street thugs and prison inmates. 

·   The style of sagging ones pants or wearing them baggy and low without a belt, was also style that originated in prisons.

·   This style of fashionm along with associated hand signs and territorial or “homeboy” mentality was adopted by African-American youth in Los Angeles initially and later by the hip hop community.

·   Hip hop artists such as Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and Beastie Boys all owre and referenced Ben Davis workwear in videos and songs.  This was a staple clothing brand amongst true gang/skate/hip hop/custom culture

·   On the West Coast, members of the hip hop community looked back to the gangsters of the 1930s and the 1940s for inspiration.  (think of Scarface, like double breasted suits, silk shirts and alligator shoes)

·   On the East Coast, “ghetto fabulous”  fashion (termed by Sean Combs) was on the rise.  Combs, Notorious B.I.G, Faith Evans, Russell Simmons

The Rise of Hip Hop

• The rise of hip hop n the late-1990s, primarily the work of Sean Combs, known locally around New York at that time as the "Shiny Suit Man" brought elements such as loud, flashy PVC aviator inspired suits and platinum jewelry to the forefront of hip hop in an effort to add a new vivid dimension of color and flash to the videos produced as a marketing tool.
• Combs, who started his own Sean John clothing line, and clothing manufacturers such as Karl Kani and FUBU brought hip hop fashion to the mainstream, resulting in a multi-million dollar hip hop fashion industry.
• There was a resurgence of traditional African-American hairstyles such as cornrows and afros, as well as the Caesars
• Caesars and cornrows are maintained by wearing a do-rag over the head during periods of sleeping and home activity to prevent the hair from being      displaced or tossled. Do-rags soon became popular hip hop fashion items in their own right.
• The "hip-pop" era also saw the split between male and female hip hop fashion, which had previously been more or less similar.
• Women in hip hop had emulated the male tough-guy fashions such as baggy jeans, "Loc" sunglasses, tough looks and heavy workboots; many, such as      Da Brat accomplished this with little more than some lip gloss and a bit of make-up to make the industrial work pants and work boots feminine.
• The female performers who completely turned the tide such as Lil Kim and Foxy Brown popularized glamorous, high-fashion feminine hip hop styles, such as Kimora Lee Simmons fashion line of Baby Phat.  While Lauryn Hill and Eve popularized more conservative styles that still maintained both a distinctly feminine and distinctly hip hop feel.Modern Hip hop Fashion
  • After the influx of the hip-pop influence, hip hop fashion became less based in actual street wear and more in an idealization of such.
  • Hip hop clothing is often produced by popular and successful designers, who charge significant amounts for their products.
  • In the 1990s and the 2000s, many hip hop artists and executives started their own fashion labels and clothing lines
  • Wu-Tang Clan (Wu Wear), Russell Simmons (Phat Farm), Kimora Lee Simmons (Baby Phat), Diddy (Sean John), Apple Bottom Jeans (Nelly), Damon Dash and Jay Z (Rocawear), 50 Cent (G-Unit) Eminem (Shady Limited), 2 Pac (Makaveli) and OutKast (OutKast Clothing)
  • Other prominent hip hop fashion companies have included Karl Kani and FUBU, Ecko, Dickies, Girbaud, Enyce, Famous Stars and Straps, Bape, LRG, Timberland Boots and Akademiks
  • According to many, hip hop fashion has become much more mainstream, possibly due to the popular acceptance of hip hop culture.
  • Today, arguably more so than in the past, the music goes with the fashion; one does not exist without the other.
  • Present-day hip hop fashion is not simply limited to one particular group of people but to anyone who has decided to identify with the culture.
  • Today, hip hop fashion is worn by a significant percentage of young people around the world. There are now a significant number of retailers that are dedicated to the sale of hip hop inspired fashions such as Dr.Jays.
  • Recent trends in hip hop fashion have geared toward a tighter, hipster-inspired style of dressing (so-called "prep-hop"), which is coming to include items such as Nike Dunks, Nike Air Force 1 (shoe), polo shirts (often worn with a popped collar), sportcoats, woven button shirts, large ornamental belt buckles, cufflinks, skull and skeleton decorations, elaborately decorated zip up hoodies, trucker hats (such as Von Dutch), fitted caps (New Era Cap Company), tighter fitting “vintage style” t-shirts with short sleeves (Dangerous Elite), Lumberjack button ups or plaid designed shirts, Snow Inspired fashions (Kooter Brown) and tighter denim jeans. 
  • Short length t-shirts have become involved in recent trends because of wanting to expose decorated belts like Jim Jones.
  • In some circles, the baggy style has faded away.
  • Like Kayne West, sporting colourful fitted prep-hop and hipster inspired clothing and tighter fitting skater influenced styles, like Pharrell
  • Commentators from both inside and outside of the hip-hop community have criticized the cost of many of the accouterments of hip hop fashion. Chuck D of Public Enemy  summarized the mentality of some low-income youths as "Man, I work at McDonald's, but in order for me to feel good about myself I got to get a gold chain or I got to get a fly car in order to impress a sister or whatever."

 

Final info about 16-19 year olds

Primary Observation

I tried to talk to the manager and staff but they just said you have to talk to head office. Obviously head office won’t reveal anything about their consumers. But the manager knew about Spicer, which was interesting. Okay the info.

Based on primary observation we have found that the main visitors of Athlete’s World consist of ethnic minorities and urban trendsetters. They range from Indian to Chinese and generally wear hip hop clothing. The staff also appeared to consist of minority as well. The age range appears to be people either in the final years of high school or fresh university students. Like Graeme said between 16-19. Guys , Girls and guys with their girlfriends.

Freaks, Geeks and Cool Kids.

The author of Freaks, Geeks and Cool Kids tries to shed light on youth by analyzing fashion motives. As one student insisted, cool clothing helps one become popular, and possibly enter the dating sphere. Another student noted that if a high school student is not an athlete then the next best thing is clothes and looks. Fashion is both dynamic and competitive. The problem with conforming in a high school is that normality is in constant flux.

Once a high school student is defined, then their identity becomes more flexible. Perhaps Athlete’s World caters to those who are in the process of molding their identity. We could make our store the place for trendsetters who are molding their identities. Perhaps Athlete’s World stands out for our consumers because it is not the big Sports Check or Foot Locker most people go to in a mall.

There is a strange notion that once a high school student reaches popularity then he or she could dress sloppy. Athlete’s World attracts a lot of people who are attempting to become popular and seek constant acknowledgement from their peers. Class and ethnicity also impact conformity. Minority groups it would seem are more prone to changing their fashion habits frequently than others.

Sports uniforms or quasi – uniforms are very important to certain high school students as they verify allegiance. To high school students, speech and language play an important part in authentic association. Each generation has its own vocabulary. As each group ages there is an attempt to make copying a difficult task. Slang words are now constantly replaced with each age group. If our target group is between the age of 16-19, then we should primarily focus on 19 year olds. This is the final age group that is fully immersed in seeking an identity before the shift to adult hood (Milner, Murray JR. Freaks, Geeks, and Cool Kids: American Teenagers, Schools, and the Culture of Consumption. New York: Routledge, 2004. 46 – 49). In fact the author of What Kids Buy and Why states that if a company wants to target an age group between the ages of 16-19 then they should consider them as almost adults. Both physically and mentally, the ages between 16-19 mark the path to “almost adult.” Lifestyle and perceptions come into drastic change for this group and this has to be taken into consideration. It is recognized that by this age group focuses specifically on the future, relationships, identity issues as well as mobility or forms of transportation. By this age they start to read more cultured magazines such as Rolling Stones as well as abstract humor. Many of them will leave these habits behind due to the nature of their evolution. Due to the development of the final development of the frontal lobe, 16+ individuals garner cognitive skills that allow better judgment. Thinking logically and being able to self-reflect become easier. Having said that the maturing of the prefrontal lobe is not always a given. Being deprived of emotional bonding, trauma or drug usage can stop the growth of the prefrontal lobe. If the prefrontal lobe does not grow properly between this age then there is nothing that can be done to aid it. Interestingly enough 16-19 marks a point where ideally the person does not care a bout acceptance as much as he or she used to. Ideally late adolescence marks a point where one starts to focus internally for acceptance. The concepts this age group looks for is innovation, controversy, edgy or even taboo like subjects (Acuff, Dan S. What Kids Buy and Why. New York: The Free Press, 1997. 124 – 133).

Competition

Here is some info I found on the competition:

Against whom/what does your company compete?

➢ Footlocker (Kids Footlocker & Ladies Footlocker included) is a major American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in New York City, and operating in approximately 20 countries worldwide. As of January 28, 2006, Foot Locker, Inc. had 3,921 primarily mall-based stores in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia Pacific (including Australia and New Zealand). Foot Locker, offers a wide selection of the latest styles of athletic footwear and apparel to its target customer, a 12-to- 24 year old male influenced by competitive sports and urban trends

➢ Sport Chek is the largest Canadian retailer of sporting clothing, sports equipment and equipment repair, with over 100 stores across the Canadian provinces excluding Quebec. Sportchek operates 201 corporate stores under the banners Sport Chek, Sport Mart, Coast Mountain and National Sports. It is also franchisor of 160 stores under the banners Sports Experts, Intersport, Atmosphere, RnR, Tech Shop, Econosports and Nevada Bob's. It is wholly owned by The Forzani Group Limited. Sport Chek is FGL's super store. It is the only national big box sporting goods retailer in Canada. Sport Chek stores have been designed to provide Canadian consumers an array of technically advanced sporting goods all under one roof. Each store offers consumers an extensive selection of popular brand name products as well as many private brand products. The stores have been designed to appeal to customers ­ a consideration not given to most super stores. Sport Chek's size, as well as the depth and breadth of its product assortment make it a dominant player in every category in which it competes.

➢ Champs Sports with about 600 mostly mall-based stores, is the second-largest component retailer in the Foot Locker family of stores. Champs offers for sale footwear, apparel, and sporting goods. They also have an average of 37 Canadian stores at year end 2006. In 2006, Champs Sports continued to distinguish itself from its competition by offering fashion-right products and superior customer service in a clean, consumer friendly environment.

What sort of campaigns do they have?

➢ Footlocker
o http://www.visit4info.com/brand/Foot-Locker/3141
o http://www.spike.com/video/2819738

➢ Sport Chek
o http://www.marketingmag.ca/magazine/current/feature/article.jsp?content=20061120_67250_67250
o http://www.marketingmag.ca/daily/20070508/national1.html
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N63LeOyB8x8
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIK0fTRrJg8&feature=related
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWeg_YlI7aE&feature=related

The main messages they promote.

The competitors promote fashion forward sports wear for men and women.

Who they seem to be targeting.

➢ Footlocker’s primary customers are 12 – 20 year olds with a merchandising mix of men’s, women’s and children’s athletic footwear, men’s and women’s athletic apparel and accessories.

➢ Champs Sports primary customers are 12 – 25 year olds with a merchandising mix of men’s, women’s and children’s athletic footwear, men’s and women’s athletic apparel accessories and athletic equipment Champs Sports targets the 12-to-25 year old
suburban consumer who is interested in team sports and favors wearing fashion-forward merchandise.

Gen Y research

Hi guys this is the lesson learned from a book entitled Mind the Gap!

I'm also reading a book entitled Geeks, Freaks and Cool Kids. they will be uploaded later.

Gen Y consists of those born between 1980s to 2000s. The attitude of this group is to transform the world for the better. They are highly irritated by unbalanced lifestyles as well as dishonesty. There are twelve words that define this generation and they include: “Impatient, desensitized, disengaged, skeptical, disrespectful, bluntly expressive, adaptable, innovative, efficient, resilient, tolerant and committed.”

Some words that emerged in this generation include:

1980s

Break-dancing
Out of order
Road rage
Yuppie
Designer stubble
Fantasy football
Internet
Girl power
Laptop computing
Glasnost and perestroika

1990s

Cool Britannia
Ball tampering
Cybercafe
Docu-soap
Heroin chic
New lad
World Wide Web
Biotechnology

2000s

Metrosexual
SARS
Weapons of mass destruction
9/11


Dress Codes

In regards to the dress codes each generation has adopted we start to see an interesting pattern. While Xers rebelled and tried to make their jeans different Gen Y adopts certain styles of Baby Boomers. They to now wear jeans and white T-shirts but not necessarily ripped, dirty or grungy like the Xers on a mass level. It appears that Gen Yers don’t mind looking like their parents.


Advertising Attitude

While Xers simply don’t trust ads Yers just view them on a level of transparency. Rather than being cynical about ads Yers acknowledge their existence and the role they play in their lives. They don’t necessarily trust them but they do view them as sources for entertainment. To this group ads with facts have no merit as buzz and word of mouth are the real informants. Books such as The Tipping Point exemplify that one person can influence a whole country. Besides being entertained Yers are constantly interested in what goes behind the scenes. They not only want to be part of the content but they also want to know how it operates. This could possibly be due to the fact that transparency is a necessity for them.

Codrington, Graeme and Sue Grant-Marshall. Mind the Gap! South Africa: Penguin Books, 2004.56 - 179

Trend prediction of 2008

In regards to the Athlete's World consumer I concluded so far that they are diffently part of the "status sphere."
One of the ongoing spheres of 2008 is expected to be the status sphere because the consumers constantly seek acceptance. The sub category of the status sphere consumer consists of

Status Sphere

Sub Categories of Status Sphere

Traditional Sphere
Transient Sphere
Online Sphere
Eco Sphere
Giving Sphere
Participative Sphere
Add Your Own Status Sphere

I think that are target is still within the realm of Traditional Status Sphere if he or she is between 16-19.

Visit

http://www.trendwatching.com/trends/8trends2008.htm

Consumer Trend Summery of 2008

Hi guys from a consumer point of view it appears that 2008 will be the Expectiation Economy.
The demanding consumer this year will want more suprises. This year's ecnomy has to focus on experiences. Now more than ever Canadian consumers have high expectations. On top of that they have a lot of competitive data available due to sites such as the ones below.

visit the link below to see what I mean.

http://www.trendwatching.com/trends/expectationeconomy.htm


• Core77, Inhabitat, Design*Sponge (design, furniture and
objects)
• Gizmodo, Engadget, Ubergizmo (cutting-edge gadgets and
electronics)
• Treehugger (eco-chic products)
• Curbed (real estate)
• Cool Hunting, The Coolhunter, Josh Spear, NOTCOT
(cool, beautiful, have-to-have 'stuff')
• Gridskipper, superfuture, Jaunted, Wallpaper, TripAdvisor,
Monocle (hotels, restaurants, architecture)
• Flavorpill (coolest city events)
• FlyerTalk, SeatGuru, Skytrax (best airlines and seats)
• Luxist, Born Rich (most desirable luxury goods and services)
• Autoblog, Jalopnik, Hybrid Cars Blog (automotive scoops)
• JC Report, The Sartorialist (fashion and style)
• Kotaku, Joystiq (video games)
• Styledash (beauty)
• Slashfood, Chocolate & Zucchini (food and beverage)
• EUKicks (sneakers)
• Vinography (wine)
• FirstShowing, /Film (movies)
• Digital Photography Review (photography)

Athlete's World Ads found by Taxi circa 2004

These are the most recent ads I could find on Athlete's world on the web. It doesn't seem like there were much of these produced...click on the links to check out the TV spots & the microsite that was done by Taxi

ATHLETES WORLD

The back-to-school sales season is a major opportunity for Athletes World, but the company was missing a fundamental component for success with kids: the cool factor. Thus Taxi explored some eternal teen truths focusing on two in particular: first, the fact that teens always develop their own lingo and second, that they need to create their own sense of identity and rely on an irreverent sense of humour to do so.

The campaign idea centred on a trio of teens called "The Critics." A series of TV spots feature the three characters commenting on the people who pass their way. The opening dialogue always features one of the guys ribbing another by pointing out a woeful adult - whose attire isn't up to par - and saying to his buddy "Guess what? Dasyou!" ("That's you" in adult speak).

The campaign also had a viral launch a few weeks before TV hit. Taxi created a site called dasyou.com, which set up the critics as if they had been dispensing fashion advice for a couple of years. Word of the site was leaked on kazaa.com and other portals aimed at youth. When kids visited the site, they found plenty of entertaining commentary, but no Athletes World branding at all (this appeared once TV and cinema ads launched). The creative idea was extended into point-of-purchase materials by Athletes World's in-house team.

"Dasyou!" contributed to the goal of making Athletes World a shopping destination and gave the brand the teen appeal it needed.

http://www.strategymag.com/aoy/2004/taxi/01/viralspot.html

http://www.strategymag.com/aoy/2004/taxi/01/pimpsquatch.html

http://www.strategymag.com/aoy/2004/taxi/01/tourfrance.html

http://www.strategymag.com/aoy/2004/taxi/01/goingback.html

http://www.strategymag.com/aoy/2004/taxi/01/plwebsite.html

Time issue

Hi guys just want to say I might need one more day.
I've gathered alot of books on teens and consumers and would need a little bit of extra time to read extra stuff. thanks.

4 Cs!

We all know this. BUT just to have a record....

4 C's
Company- Nancy
Culture - Deanna, Caitlin
Competition- Narissa
Consumer- Ashkan

documentry

check out "frontline: The merchants of cool" on quicksilverscreen.com...its interesting into the demise of teens

TIMELINE

Feb 20th we should upload our research
Feb 23rd we should discuss our brief