NEXT PLC ;
In-House — 2016-17
Email Marketing, Art Direction, UX / UI, Web Graphics, Online Editorials, Copywriting
CONTEXT: I was scouted during my degree show by Next, for a full-time position within their Childrenswear online marketing team.
Based in Leicestershire, I commuted to the headquarters from Nottingham. The workload was intense so I became faster, and overcame challenges with public speaking in order to communicate my ideas clearly in presentations.
For a year it was great work experience at a big brand operating on a global scale across print and online. I developed my technical skill of composition, hierarchy and typographic partnerships. I gained more confidence in directing photographers and web developers.
CONTENTS: (01) EMAIL MARKETING (02) WEB CONTENT (03) ART DIRECTION
(01) EMAIL MARKETING
The base responsibility as an Online Creative was to design and upload email content across multiple languages, countries and cultures. The schedule included 1 Long and 1 Short email per week to each audience, along with any extra Ad Hoc Trend releases. The product & worn imagery was sourced from the online database or self-directed photo shoots, often stock levels would dictate what could be featured. Each week I would utilise a database for copywriting content or supply my own, exporting each email's worded sections into over 30 languages. I would then build in Dreamweaver & upload complete English version into MailChimp's server, and direct colleagues in India to code the rest.
Summer Edit Short Email - Asia
New Collection Long Emails
Christmas Campaign Long & Short Emails
Christmas New Collection
Christmas Northern
Christmas Southern
Christmas Middle East - Mobile
Christmas Middle East - Web
Christmas Germany
Mobile versions stack the content into 2 columns, therefore text & image placement is key to a flowing mobile display.
Ad Hoc Trend - Detail
Ad Hoc Trend - Sleepwear
Ad Hoc Trend - Stripes
Ad Hoc Trend - Denim
(02) WEB CONTENT
Outside of email duties I would also be tasked with designing Storefronts, Landing Pages, and sections of Homepages, along with other website graphics such as Buttons, Banners & Footers. Initially all website content needed to be exported and directed to the website developers, however at the beginning of 2017 we transitioned to CMS and were trained to operate the system ourself.
New Collection - Northern Homepage
Easter Campaign - UK Homepage
Web Banner for Southern New Collection Event
CMS Landing Pages
Once per season (4 per year) I was responsible for the planning of Boys Shoe Room; a storefront on the website where customers can navigate through the categories. Much of Next's imagery for the website is provided from the content within the catalogue, however this was an opportunity to show different sides to the products, directing a more playful perspective to Next Childrenswear.
Boys Shoe Room Storefront
Boys Shoe Room Storefront
(03) ART DIRECTION
In addition to Boys Shoe Room, I was also permitted to book the photo studio & photographers for campaign content such as Holiday, Christmas & Ad Hoc Trends. I was popular with the photography studio as I came with original ideas and a positively playful approach to generating content. I painted my own canvases for backdrops, and crafted floral props from coloured card and tilted the bases to create dynamic product imagery.
