The document discusses J.W. Anderson's digital branding strategy and opportunities for improvement. It analyzes Anderson's target demographic of creative, urban professionals aged 20-35. It finds that Anderson's current minimalist website fails to reflect his avant-garde aesthetic or engage customers. In particular, the lack of an interactive landing page, limited use of color, and focus only on products misses opportunities to develop the brand's personality and customer relationships online. The document recommends enhancing the digital experience through more immersive and distinctive visuals, storytelling, and opportunities for online exploration and interaction.

1. Digital Branding
A critical review and advancement of the digital strategy of
Jessica Kennaway
9014603

2. Branding
Branding acts as a company’s personality. (Phil-
lips, 2006)
Our decision to associate ourselves with a par-
ticular brand comes from our perceived judge-
ments of the characteristics of that brand. Often,
before we have a full understanding of the final
quality of the product, we have already decided
whether we like it or not due to these judgments.
Just like how we chose our friends, if we find
compatibility, likeability and worth we connect.
This connection creates a bridge where value
can be shared. If the company is able to provide
for their consumer something which the consum-
er regards as having a worth while value, wheth-
er a final product or something the consumer has
gained from the company’s digital presence, a
bond will be created.
These emotional ‘friendships’ encourage long
term relationships, which in a competitive oli-
gopolistic market such as high-end fashion, a
strong reputation is essential to achieving long-
term revenue and lasting success. (Aakar, 2012)
We now live within a digital culture, and a brands
digital presence is key in the creation of brand
equity. The digital experience, interface and the
visual aesthetic will effect consumer perceptions
of the brand while being available for the cus-
tomer to consume 24/7. If it is done efficiently
communication will not fail and the consumer/
brand relationship is protected.
Digital, is non-variable and finite, creating vast
opportunity for consumption and as we integrate
further into a digital culture, many competitive
fundamental attributes of the digital culture which
give shape to the digital mind-set apply to indi-
viduals and organizations alike, influencing deci-
sion making strategy at all levels.” (Kaufman and
Horton, 2014:19)
J.W.Anderson
JW Anderson is an Irish designer, designing for
the modern consumer with a modern mind. The
application of these core digital values, into his
digital presence will be much more representa-
tive of his consumer needs and brand values.
Anderson’s collections are innovative and pro-
vocative; his designs have a modern interpre-
tation of masculinity and femininity with both his
women’s and men’s collections possessing sim-
ilar shapes. This blend gives the consumer the
opportunity to reject already created perceptions
of gender merging, as the looks are more relaxed
and less definitive. Ambiguity and androgyny
has become a distinguishing style throughout his
collections. Postmodernist collaborations of new
and old, theories and visions, male and female,
create an exciting image with a sense of oppor-
tunity for individual self-expression. This appreci-
ation of space and interpretation creates a sense
of realness. This acts as a clever marketing tool
allowing consumers to have a more personal re-
lationship with the garments on sale, as they will
work with the consumer rather than the other way
around, regardless of the high price. Allowing
consumers to be in control of there own opinions
of the brand rather than having an opinion forced
on them, is important to changing the mind of the
high fashion consumer as he/she does not want
to feel undermined. (Yeoman, 2010)
brand review
tools have become available to businesses that
were not there before.
Kaufman and Horton speak about the core val-
ues that digital culture has opened up for indus-
tries and how these values are becoming more
and more expected by consumers.
They include:
Core values Fundamental Attributes
Creativity Disruptive, experimental, innovation
Equality Non-hierarchical, flat, democratic
Empathy Responsive, receptive, adaptive
Integrity Honest, trustworthy, consistent
Knowledge Analytic, data-driven
Efficiency Agile, proactive, purposeful
Openness Transparent, collaborative, authentic
Unity Integrated, holistic, socially responsible
(Kaufman and Horton, 2014:19)
Within high fashion markets consumers want the
brands they are consuming to have the same
morals and ethics as themselves in order that
they feel fully represented. Utilising these core
values throughout the brand experience will cre-
ate a sense of transparency increasing consum-
er purchasing power.
Digital integration allows a company to expand
and reach new markets and using these core
values to ensure a smooth integration will cre-
ate further opportunity while complimenting the
brand’s physical performance.
“Digital culture transcends geographical proximi-
ty; it knows no physical boundaries; it recognizes
no socio-economic, radical or ethnic hierarchies
or divisions. Rather, the digital culture is a virtual
culture open to anyone with access to a comput-
ing device. Perhaps most importantly, the core
values and

3. Areas of the Website
Workshops:
JW Anderson runs a workshop space, where in-
stallation art is exhibited while acting as a physi-
cal space initiated to give a platform to the ideas
and ambitions of Anderson and his collaborators.
‘Space is both a tangible and intangible con-
cept that acts as the canvas for any idea, pro-
gression or masterpiece.’ J.W.Anderson
Bookshop:
Anderson sells a selection of books ranging from
photo books to old magazines. The artefacts
mostly have connections to culture and sexuality,
and are directly chosen by Anderson.
Men and women’s wear:
Anderson won the first ever, double award at the
2015 British Fashion Awards winning both Mens-
wear and women’s wear designer of the year.
Consumer profile
Age: 20-35
Gender: female & male
Occupation: professional or student, creatives or
humanities
Income: £35-50K+
Social grade: A or B
Living: smart urban city; Dalston, London
Leisure activities: party, gym, shopping, visiting
the natural history museums, reading novels and
high fashion magazines, going to quirky bars
and coffee shops
Online leisure time: Dazed and Confused,
WSGN, Crack, Vice, Netflix’s (documentaries)
international news
Shop at: Christopher Kane, Selfridges, Liam
Hodges
Personality: confident, individual, intellectual,
creative, cool, open minded, social
Looking for: intelligently crafted garments that
reflect their current social and political surround-
ings
This demographic are heavy internet users, at-
tention must be paid. (Adults’ media, 2015)
Consumer Interview
The interviewee discovered J.W.Anderson at
fashion week and after seeing his clothes on the
runway she was captivated by the innovative
style. Having already made this very positive
relation to the J.W.Anderson collections when
conducting this interview and showing Millie the
website for the first time there was clear disap-
pointment with the disjointed themes between his
digital and physical presence.
There is little to consume on the website with very
little interaction other than the sign up for a news-
letter. There is a minimal amount for a consumer
of this demographic to relate and communicate
with other than the images of the clothes.
The interviewee even said she believed that
the website may be directed to an older demo-
graphic which means a lot of character was lost
within Andersons digital presence, including the
untamed androgynous personality that originally
caught her attention.
She even stated that she believed that if she had
found the website before she saw the clothes
first hand, she would be surprised if she felt the
same connection to the brand.
She used words to describe her orginal feeling of
the brand as:
“Avant-garde”
& “Interesting”
While describing the website as:
“Conservative”
& “Average”
Critique of Current
DIgital Presence
Andersons current website has a very minimal,
conservative feel, with white backgrounds and
block images to display the clothes.
The website helps develop the concepts of the
brand by including a bookshop and the work-
shop information which if looked further into
may help lead you to a healthy understanding of
Anderson, and while I believe Anderson’s own
image will increase brand equity, it does not
conduct a clear journey of what the brand itself is
about.
Anderson describes himself on his website as
having “a unique design aesthetic” I would argue
that this is not the image of the brand or Ander-
son when you leave his website. The general
Anderson consumers are forward thinking and
intellectually aware and therefore

4. Landing Page
Landing pages act as the host of your digi-
tal experience, they need to reflect the brands
image in an instant and leave an impression.
Andersons doesn’t have a landing page- it just
takes you straight to his home page. The clothes
displayed in the first few images you see don’t
say much about the brand or experience you
could receive. They are also only there to look at,
with no interaction for the consumer before they
hover over the images, then they are given the
options to either look at the photos from the show
or to go straight onto shopping. Interactivity is
believed to increase consumption, leading to im-
proved brand equity. (Diehl and Terlutter, 2006)
Andersons website does not support the growth
of brand depth or customer interest as there is
not an interactive, interesting or memorable ex-
perience.
Competitors such as Christopher Kane displays
a video with music as you arrive on this website
creating more distinction and interest instantly.
Imagery and Colour
White backgrounds and minimal use of colour is
used throughout the website, including the dis-
play images. The white backgrounds work really
well in maintaining a clean aesthetic and devel-
oping the concept of space.
To create and develop a loyal relationship be-
tween a high-end consumer and the company,
the consumers want to understand the thought
behind the aesthetic and be able to quickly dis-
tinguish the brand aesthetic from others. Without
this clear image it is hard to make it relatable
and develop emotional bonding with the brand
that leads to repeat purchases.
There are many points of interest lost within the
website as you are directed straight to the prod-
ucts you can buy. While the products displayed
on the landing/home page are directed to his
ready to wear consumers, the items chosen lack
the core brand attributes. The flow of the web-
site is always directing you to your next pur-
chase which will discourage browsing consum-
ers while missing the opportunity for interaction.
Interaction creates a much more memorable
experience for consumers of all types.
Brand Themes
When someone says Louis Vuitton you straight
away think of the classic leather suitcases and
their distinct logo. This has been stuck in our
minds and it would be hard for us to imagine
anything else when we hear that name. While it
is much easier for Louis Vuitton, who can define
themselves with a product and logo due to be-
ing the first in this market, J.W.Anderson needs
to use his logo, aesthetic and core concepts to
define his brand.
The select themes that best define J.W.Anderson
are:
Aesthetic:
Open space
Primary colours
Unique design aesthetic
Concepts:
Androgyny
Ambiguity
Innovation
J.W.Andersons Current Logo
next to the symbol of
Androgyny
The images used are professional and display
the garments in a very impressive light. Although
the use of a monochromatic colour scheme helps
the concept of ambiguity it lacks distinction. The
use of primary colours have been very apparent
across this collections and could be used to cre-
ate a more memorable colour pallet.
Logo
The logo is a clear cross over of the ‘J’ and
the ‘W’ of his name. It is easily recognisable,
clear and effectively position with safety space
throughout Andersons garments and website.
As mentioned by a consumer in one of my inter-
views, the logo does have a preppy anchor look,
which has middle classed and boring connota-
tions. A more unique look could be given to the
logo to better address the brands demographic.
What is often missed, is the symbol of androgyny
that sits on top of the logo. This could be used as
a distinctive marketing tool, however due to the
missing context around the brand it is lost in the
logo. Small alterations would be positive in better
defining the brand.
(Jain and Dean, 2009)

5. Communication
Anderson uses social media to communicate
with consumers, mostly posting images with tag
lines, the occasional video and blogging brand
inspiration and brand news on his website. Both
the visual and verbal information being trans-
ferred to Anderson’s consumers, most of which
are simply images of his collection are aestheti-
cally pleasing, fun and interesting. However it is
unclear if there is anything particular that Ander-
son is trying to communicate. While we are able
to justify this with concepts normality and ambi-
guity it makes it hard to make the connections
between the posts and the brand. Anderson has
a huge online following however he lacks any
distinctive online presence. While garments are
very distinctive, the brands image gets lost in the
clutter of random posts online. While I do think
the ‘normal’ flow of posts help connect the con-
sumer to Anderson as a person and the relation-
ship should be relaxed, a clearer image needs to
be established. (Fashion, 2014)
Celebrity links have been created through social
media displaying figure heads such as A$AP
Rocky, Robert Pattinson and Pixie Geldof wear-
ing Andersons clothes, expanding consumer
interest. The characteristics of all three of these
named celebrities are young ‘cool’ fashion lead-
ers. The digital presence of the brand however is
much more clean and conservative seriously dif-
ferentiating itself from the characteristics of these
popular personalities. The social media platforms
could be better used to create brand distinction
and connect more personally with consumers.
Anderson does not have an app, so there is also
no communication through this means.
SOcial Media
User Interface
Is very clear and easy to use (see layout above
on landing page image) it stands out well against
the white background. However differentiation is
key in competitive markets and Andersons inter-
face lacks invention.
Grindr
Andersons AW16 collection was live streamed on
Grindr a gay hook up app, which according to
the company now has one million active users on
the platform worldwide every minute.
A unique marketing strategy that acted as a
direct means of communication and created
excitement and interest for the brand directed at
a strong and growing demographic. Consider-
ing the demographic of topic, novelty is a very
effective tool to help brands leave their mark in
the consumer’s brain. While there is no mention
of the Grindr stunt on the website the Bookshop
seems to be directed at the gay community. This
page has a romantic feel, but it lacks the innova-
tion and excitement the Grindr stunt had.
Typography
The typography used really fits the brand. It is
simple and classic and like other aspects of the
business creates a feeling of space and move-
ment. The text also looks genderless which works
well with the brand image.
Music
Sensory marketing has a impact on consumption
decisions and close attention to using as many
senses as possible is an effective equity building
tool and is paid a lot of attention in physical retail
stores. The use of music is another way to con-
nect and leave a mark with consumers online,
and one Anderson should adopt. (Krishna, 2012)
Content
The website includes an ‘About’ section which
Followers
Twitter 34.2k
Instagram 278k
Facebook 74360
briefly describes Andersons background and
career. The language is informative and easy to
read and while informal language would not be
appropriate, the language and content lacks per-
sonality blocking the possibility of consumer/de-
signer relate ability. Other content includes look
books and videos of his collections. Sufficient
information about the composition of the clothes
is available.
Story Telling
Although it is difficult to construct a followable
story while concentrating on concepts such
as ambiguity, there is a definite lack of journey
throughout Andersons online presence. With no
landing page other than the home page, there is
no ‘welcome’ to consumers, already taking away
the opportunity for a journey to begin. You are
taken straight to the shopping page suggesting
no story exists. An abstract brand story can be
made up of the concepts and aesthetics of the
brand, which currently are undistinguished. In
store Anderson has used slides as part of this
garment display creating playful and youthful
connotations. Online a sexual story is told to
some extent but a more holistic brand story is
needed.
Impact
The website as a whole is clean, informative and
easy to use however this does not differentiate
the brand from any of his competitors. Points of
interaction are missed throughout the website
along with any opportunity for interrelation the
consumer may have with the brand. While it is
very clear that the garments do the talking and
do have a very distinct and memorable aesthet-
ic, this has not been reflected on the brands
online presence. The images of the clothes and
the books containing sexual content are the only
things that make an impact. Creating distinctive-
ness should be at the centre of brand strategy.
(Romaniuk, Sharp, and Ehrenberg, 2007)
1 Billion people are ac-
tive on facebook
more consumer could be
reached

6. Ambiguity
Open to more than one interpretation; not having
one obvious meaning.
Space creates opportunity for everyone to every-
one to make his or her own opinion, leaving un-
limited prospect of self-expression.
sketch book
Fall 2016 J.W.Anderson runway
“I feel like a store should be like
your house” J.W.Anderson
“The excitement of today is the
freedom of the individual to make
his own choice and the vast range
of possibilities from which he may
choose.” J.W.Anderson
“All people are paradoxical. No one is
easily reducible, so I like characters
who have contradictory impulses or
shades of ambiguity. It’s fun, and it’s
fun because it’s hard.” J.W.Anderson
Cut out shapes and primary col-
ours against white open space.
Open space is
something an
urban consumer
is keen to have.
It makes people
think what could
I do with this?
What story can I
create?
It becomes ex-
citing opportu-
nity for an open
minded forward
thinking fashion-
consumer.
Art and imagery
should be used
to increase inter-
national brand
value. Art is
universal.
(Kapferer, 2014)

7. Androgyny
In the post-modern world where people are expected to take
ownership of their identities, bodies and gender, intersexuality
and gender neutrality phenomena is something accepted and
valued as an individuals right of choice. It flows on naturally
from the concept of space, again leaving all judgments to be
made by the viewer with little force. While being a growing
concept, it also has grown into our culture as an admired trait
thanks to the likes of David Bowie and Grace Jones. These are
easy and trusted points of communication for consumer who
have a connection to this division of culture and life, including
any news issues that relate to gender issues and homosexual-
ity. While the concept and potential for complete freedom of
individuality is a very exciting concept, androgyny is distinctive
and exciting for the eye without being over powering. It is a
distinct look adding to a distinct brand image.
“It’s not gender for me, it's just
clothing. I feel that in a modern
culture, if it’s about gender then it’s
a very dated concept. In the realms
of novelty newspapers. I wanted to
achieve something awkward, less
comfortable. A little bit…sweet, sug-
ary, dirty. Like the people who work
in call centres: they were homely
fabrics, mundane. I don’t see it as
being sexless. I see it as being frag-
ile. I like that hidden reveal, the
black shirt with the very comfort-
ing slash on the back. It’s the spine,
something that has a chill to it.” J.W
Anderson
“Responsible for the second wave of
fashion’s fascination with
normality”
(Burley, Avedon, and Dazed, 2014)

8. Innovative
Innovation creates value. (Teece, 2011)
Brand identity gives the consumer the opportu-
nity to differentiate between brands and make
easier choices. Novelty is the most effective tool.
J.W.Anderson has a sense of novelty within nor-
mality.
post modernism
A high market consumer considers the past in
decisions that effect their future.
(Burton, 2002)
the clothes do the talking
The garments have a very distinctive look and
by leaving open space throughout the brands
website lets you digest the collections fully,
letting you make your own opinions of them
and where themes may have come from.
“I think it takes time to digest a
collection, and sometimes it might
not make sense at the begining.
Usually the good collections are
the ones that don’t automatically
make sense, you have to live with it
a little bit.” J.W.Anderson

9. SUBTLE REALITY
Including the bookstore takes the innovation of
the garments and brings it back to reality. The
books give depth while being a direct source of
communication with J.W.Anderson.
“i first saw ian’s work in a very small
magazine booklet that i bought a
long time ago, the fun sense of nos-
talgia drew me in.”
J.W.Anderson
Books full of life

10. Brand GuideLines
Colour
Logo and background always:
Monochrome (black and white)
Any other use of colour through J.W.Andersons
digital presence should match these samples:
Can only be used for:
Image shadows
Appropriate subheadings
Typography
Title:
Trajan pro
Font size 48pt
Standard text:
Helvetica 12pt
Horizontal and perpendicular
to the middle of the page.
Layout
No borders
Images always cut out
100% LOGO
150% SAFETY SPACE
100% LOGO
150% SAFETY SPACE
100% LOGO
150% SAFETY SPACE
J.W.Anderson Logo Guide
Logo Justification
The new logo’s aesthetic moves away from the preppy feel and becomes much more innovative and
futuristic. The removal of the anchor tail of the ‘J’ takes away conservative connotations while having
a slicker look. The alterations to the letters ‘D’, ‘R’ and ‘O’ highlights the letter of his name that are
also in the word ‘Androgyny’ drawing more attention to this concept as a competitive point of differ-
ence. It creates more ambiguity than the original logo as it is harder to relate the shapes to anything
in particular, while sparking more creative interest.

11. Landing Page
On the arrival
As you enter the website, the logo will grow out of the centre of the page be-
fore moving itself in a snake like trail across to the right of the page. As the logo
moves over the page, it reveals the singular image as shown below. This image
turns into an interactive motion and flashes through the other 6 images, as seen
below. The logo swoops over the top of the images to finally rest as the singular
image on the left. The logo then turns into an entry button to the rest of the web-
site. This can be done on Indesign, I used these images to trial.
Music
Lou Read-Take a walk on the wild side Blutch Remix
The lyrics of this song relate to doing things differently with the original song
having relaxed connotations. The Blutch remix re connects the consumer with
ideas of postmodernism and while being a modern interpretation. This song fits
really well with the opening aesthetics.

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