Waterstones

Now part of HMV Group, Waterstone's first opened in Old Brompton Road, London, in 1982 and currently trades from more than 300 stores, on high streets and in shopping centres, and through numerous university campuses in the UK, Republic of Ireland and continental Europe (Brussels and Amsterdam) as well as on the Isle of Man, Jersey and the Isle of Wight.

No two Waterstone's bookshops are the same. Sophisticated stock management systems ensure that each bookshop has its own unique range profile and space at the front of store to promote a choice of books picked by that branch. These 'Recommends' bays are genuine staff picks.

An average sized Waterstone's store merchandises a range of around 30,000 individual books, with 200,000 titles in the largest store. With over one million books in print, and around 120,000 new consumer titles published every year (compared with around 10,000 in the 1950s), the expert recommendations and advice of the company's booksellers are key ingredients in its success.

Summary of brief

Upon first look at the brief, I was really happy that I could relate to it in many ways. The main thing I was happy about was that the whole brief was based
around football and the fact that Project X and Waterstones are using the Premier League as a medium to encourage young boys to read more.
I have a wide knowledge about football, I watch the majority of televised games and I regulary attend my teams home matches when Im not away at uni. So my knowledge of the game and the enviroment will help me produce
different ideas and my progression through the brief.

Product/Service

Waterstone’s is a high street bookstore selling a wide range of books for all
subjects.

‘Discover something new’ - Strap line for Waterstones.
http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/home.do

Branding

Usp, Unique selling point of product/service -

After looking at Waterstone’s website they claim there mission is to be the leading bookseller on the highstreet and online providing customers the widest choice, great value and expert advice from a team passionate about books.

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/navigate.do?pPageID=100000002



Usp, Unique selling point of a competitor producing the same or similar product or service

Amazon - Amazon is a web-based store who also sell books but have a wider range of products like DVD’s, CD’’s, Software for computers and clothing.

Amazon’s strap line is ‘and your done’ I think this is there unique selling point making the customer believe that they don’t have to go anywhere else.


Brand Promise-

Waterstone’s promise that there mission is to be the leading bookseller on the highstreet and online providing customers the widest choice, great value and expert advice from a team passionate about books.

On their website they show facts and figures from surveys and polls to show there leaders for customer satisfaction etc

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/navigate.do?pPageID=100000003


Brand perception-

I think that customer will see that Waterstone’s as an upmarket bookstore but with their committed staff and how the shop is run, new customers won’t hesitate to go in.

Semiotics and paradigms

This collection of images make up the badges of the premier leaugue, every badge is similar in the sense that it has an idividual identity of the town or city where its based.

Created by CHI & Partners, part of Waterstone’s new branding ‘Discovery’ the campaign was made to inform the wealth of books that can be discovered in Waterstones stores. The ads were seen on television over the Christmas period.
The adverts are film based, they are made to be light-hearted humour ads taking a spin on the first moon landing in 1969. With it being a spin from a previous decade there was a mixture of black and white shots to give off a sentimental feeling.
There wasn’t alot of press coverage for the initial adverts but there was an article on http://www.thebookseller.com that highlighted that Waterstone’s has good plans for the upcoming year building on the ‘Discovery Campaign”.
I think the USP was communicated slightly in the concept of the ad but was not overly focused upon.
http://www.chiandpartners.com/#/work/waterstones/campaign/discovery/

Target audience profile

My target audience are male, they aged 4 upwards but focussing towards the 9-11 age group