Established in 1957, Harvard Student Agencies is a diverse non-profit encompassing 13 profitable businesses across multiple industries, generating over $13 million in annual revenue. As Creative Director, I spearheaded a rebranding campaign with a team of designers, resulting in a 60% total revenue increase compared to the previous fiscal year.
MY ROLE
Creative Director.
Research, leading, branding, design, workshopping, prototyping.
THE TEAM
Team of 4 designers
TIMELINE
September 2022 - Present
Case studies of different focus areas during the rebranding campaign
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Rebranding The Harvard Shop to boost online revenue
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The Harvard Shop, while deeply rooted in Harvard's legacy, currently faces stiff competition from Coop, a Harvard merchandise outlet managed by Barnes & Noble. This competition dilutes The Harvard Shop's market presence and potentially hinders its revenue potential. Thus, there's a growing aspiration to move beyond being just an academic brand and become a wider-appealing fashion label.
HMW rebrand The Harvard Shop in a manner that not only distinguishes it from competitors but also positions it as a trusted fashion brand, worn by individuals beyond just Harvard affiliates?
HMW rebrand The Harvard Shop in a manner that not only distinguishes it from competitors but also positions it as a trusted fashion brand, worn by individuals beyond just Harvard affiliates?
BREAKDOWN OF THE PROBLEM
🎓 Identity Mismatch
The user experience currently reinforces an academic-centric brand. How might we redesign it to communicate a wider fashion appeal?
🫶 Deepening Connections
How might we optimize the user journey to foster trust, ensuring lasting engagement and brand loyalty?
🎨 Coherency Concern
The graphics and branding elements show noticeable inconsistency across components. How can we establish a uniform UX design language that ensures visual harmony and reinforces brand identity?
🚀 Boring Branding
The current design parallels other brands too closely. How can we innovate our brand to uniquely position The Harvard Shop, ensuring it is unmistakably distinguishable in the market landscape?
OVERVIEW OF THE OLD EXPERIENCE
USER RESEARCH
Our team conducted 180 different interviews from various demographics, including THS tourists, COOP tourists, Harvard Graduate Students, Harvard College Students, and online customers.
Additionally, we studied demographic information from online checkout survey
(1,095 respondents) and in-store sales (110,000 purchases)
The online and in-store experiences should cater to their distinct audiences. The web primarily attracts Harvard affiliates and a younger demographic, while the physical store sees a greater influx of tourists.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The Harvard Shop resonates more with a younger demographic and is perceived as a contemporary and modern brand in contrast to its competitors.
💸 Affordable
59.4% of participants believed that The Harvard Shop had better prices compared to competitors.
🎒 Student-Run
66.7% of participants agreed that the fact that The Harvard Shop is entirely student-run influences their purchase.
USER PERSONA
Consolidating our key insights into 3 personas.
Mary
Harvard Undergrad
BACKGROUND
Mia grew up in a suburban town in New Jersey and always dreamed of studying at Harvard. Now that she's there, she's deeply involved in campus life.
BEHAVIOR
Buys college merch before major events, at least once a month.
Prefers trendy, modern designs. Likes merchandise that can serve dual purposes: for tailgating events and casual outings.
Desires a seamless online shopping experience for when she's too busy to visit in person.
Arjun
Harvard MBA
BACKGROUND
Originally from San Francisco, CA, Arjun completed his undergraduate studies in Economics. He’s now pursuing his MBA with aspirations to enter the tech startup world.
BEHAVIOR
Shops for Harvard merch ahead of visits back home
Looks for items that can serve as representative mementos of his Harvard journey, suitable for gifting to friends and family
Looks for timeless pieces rather than overly trendy items.
Lucy
Tourist
BACKGROUND
Lucy is from Dallas, Texas. She’s always been fascinated by American history and planned a visit to Harvard University during her family vacation to Boston.
BEHAVIOR
Shops for souvenirs during travel adventures.
Seeks unique mementos that reflect the spirit and history of the place, and practical items like apparel and mugs for daily use.
Wants souvenirs that feel authentic and aren’t just commercial mass-produced items.
REBRANDING GUIDELINES
The rebranding effort was shaped by the insights gathered from our interviews.
BRAND IMAGE
Reinforcing brand image and voice through various channels
Social media campaign showcasing student employees and their narratives in a vibrant, youthful manner.
Magazine door-drop campaign to emphasize the trendy & student-centered image
Email campaigns aiming to form a more authentic brand image
Signs throughout the store to emphasize that we are an entirely student run business
SOLUTION
Designed and developed a new website to outline The Harvard Shop's renewed direction.
Website UI is consistent with the updated brand identity
Product image is cohesive and professional
A streamlined process for browsing and purchasing items.
Fully responsive in all dimensions
PROJECT OUTCOMES
The rebranding initiative contributed to ~65% total revenue increase compared to the previous fiscal year.
and a ~30% increase in web revenue after the new website launch
Designing the 'Let's Go' Website to commemorate its 65th Anniversary
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Despite its longstanding history and a vast community of alumni, "Let's Go" has never had a digital platform or website to commemorate its journey, share its stories, and connect its alumni. HMW create a structured means to archive and showcase photographs, articles, and memorabilia associated with "Let's Go"?
USER RESEARCH
To gather insights, preferences, and deep-rooted memories associated with "Let's Go", a series of semi-casual interviews were conducted.
WHAT IS NAMP?
We connected with 5 alumni spanning different eras of "Let's Go's" history. The interview setting was designed to be comfortable and relaxed, allowing alumni to freely share their cherished memories and provide feedback on the proposed digital platform. These interviews were also posted on the instagram for enhancing company's brand image.
KEY FINDINGS
📜 Lack of Digital Footprint
Despite having a rich tapestry of alumni from six decades, Let's Go currently lacks a dedicated archive where past members can showcase their accomplishments to loved ones.
🤔 Connecting With Others
Alumni have expressed a keen interest in reconnecting and building networks with fellow Let's Go members from various cohorts over the years. They cherish the idea of reminiscing shared experiences and exploring new collaborative opportunities.
BRANDING GUIDELINES
Maintaining consistent brand guidelines for the historical archive to evoke a sense of nostalgia in the user experience
Integrating the emblematic book covers as recurring motifs throughout the website
SITE MAPPING
Checklisting and compartmentalising key contents through several card sorting exercises
LOW FIDELITY
Testing content layout and hierarchy to timely deliver each key information along a users' journey while on the site.
SOLUTION
Crafted and launched a website to celebrate the rich historical significance of Let's Go
Website UI is consistent with the brand identity
Detailed archive telling the story of Let's Go grouped by decade
Timeline of Let's Go
Let's Go found in pop culture
