Introducing…
The Branch Collective
A unique, experiential offering
The Challenge: Transform a nonprofit bookstore in NYC (The Bookstore) into a global experiential destination that attracts both tourists and locals, diversifying its private events and becoming renowned for its cafe with a liquor license with the goal to raise revenues and public awareness.
Methods: Conducted extensive field research employing both quantitative and qualitative methods, including a market analysis and stakeholder interviews, complemented by innovative ideation workshops and strategic design methodologies to guide and inform project development. Leveraged insights from research to prototype and test concepts, subsequently developing a sustainable business model with a compelling value proposition to ensure the project’s strategic impact and success.
The Solution: Proposed the introduction of The Branch Collective, a new business venture for The Bookstore that will create an experiential space for visitors and urban explorers who want to discover something new and forge connections by creating a space for tasting, trying, and talking.
Meet the team:
I am a strategic designer energized by working at the intersection of data, creativity, storytelling, and design. With a background in brand strategy, I am passionate about creating immersive experiences and building memorable brand campaigns.
Emma Kowalczyk
Pattra is an artist and strategic designer based in New York City. Originally from Bangkok, Thailand with a background in communication design and fashion, Pattra works across different disciplines from art direction, to brand identity, to illustration.
Pattra Sikkamann
Giordana has driven department and brand growth through strategic analysis and sales projections, enhancing gross margin, turnover, and ROI. She has expanded private labels, developed new profitability strategies, and negotiated with global suppliers.
Giordana Cué
Research
Our process began with an extensive investigation of the existing bookstore and its overarching organization. We then conducted a competitive analysis by visiting eight other market competitors. We completed a series of in-depth interviews with The Bookstore employees and customers, competitor employees and customers, and potential future customers. Utilizing a series of strategic design frameworks, we identified weaknesses in the current setup and uncovered potential opportunity areas. This approach allowed us to narrow our focus and ideate innovative solutions.
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Ecosystem Map
We used ecosystem mapping to visualize the overarching organization and understand how The Bookstore fits into the larger structure. This approach helped us see the relationships between all parts and branches of the organization, providing a foundational understanding that guided our research.
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Compelling Experience Map
Through this framework, we mapped the user experience of The Bookstore across five stages of the journey and according to six criteria. The goal of this mapping was to understand the customer journey and identify the core pain points and opportunity areas.
We determined there was an initial positive experience, followed by a decrease in engagement. The observed decrease in engagement has a long-term impact on customer retention and loyalty. We discovered the need to maintain a lasting presence in the customer's mind.
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Competitive Analysis
As part of our competitive analysis, we visited eight different bookstores, carefully selecting them based on a variety of offerings, diversity in location, and breadth of services. Although these bookstores were for-profit enterprises, we aimed to explore a wide range of stores to gather comprehensive insights. During our field research, we conducted in-depth interviews with bookstore employees and shoppers, enabling us to gain valuable perspectives on their experiences and operations. This approach allowed us to identify best practices and innovative strategies that could be adapted and applied to improve The Bookstore's operations and customer experience.
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Empathy Map
We utilized empathy mapping to deeply understand the needs, emotions, and behaviors of The Bookstore’s customers. This approach allowed us to uncover specific pain points and desires, ensuring that our design decisions were extremely user-centered.
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SWOT Analysis
Conducting a SWOT analysis enabled us to make informed decisions, leveraging our strengths and opportunities while addressing weaknesses and mitigating potential threats to enhance the bookstore's overall performance and customer experience.
Concept
We propose the introduction of The Branch Collective. The Branch Collective is an adaptable, immersive experience offered as a special event at The Bookstore which fosters conversation and connection through a facilitated discussion and alcohol and food pairing.
The Branch Collective crafts an interactive experience that blends cultural interests such as reading with product tasting activities such as wines, beers, and teas. This experience aims to promote awareness of the bookstore, its products, the core, and activities, while encouraging customer engagement and consumption and creating a community space for people to interact.
The Branch Collective is: New Beginnings. Interconnection. Vitality and flexibility. A global reach.
Applications
General Public
The Branch Collective offers a versatile experience that encourages participation. Whether coming alone, with a friend, or on a date, attendees will find an inclusive and engaging environment tailored to create memorable experiences. Our events are designed to be flexible and welcoming, making it easy for everyone to feel comfortable and connected.
Corporate Team Bonding
We offer a large-scale, high-impact alternative to traditional corporate events. Our program is designed to foster company connections and facilitate coworker collaboration in dynamic and meaningful ways that go beyond standard team-building exercises. These events not only strengthen team bonds but also provide a refreshing change from typical corporate gatherings, enhancing overall employee satisfaction.
Event Partnerships
Our event partnerships category focuses on collaborating with event companies to deliver innovative and tailored experiences. We propose working with companies like We Met IRL to reimagine dating events, offering a new lens through which people can connect. Through these collaborations, we plan to bring fresh ideas and exciting opportunities for building connections.
Business Model Canvas
This business model canvas framework helped us to clearly define and structure The Branch Collective's strategic approach. By identifying key partners, activities, resources, and value propositions, we have developed a robust plan that leverages collaborations and unique experiences to attract and engage our target customer segments. The framework has also enabled us to outline effective channels for reaching our audience, understand our cost structure, and diversify revenue streams, ensuring a sustainable and profitable business model.
What makes a truly remarkable experience?
A truly remarkable experience, from our perspective, lies at the intersection of sensory engagement, community connection, and storytelling. We believe that an experience should captivate all senses—sight, smell, taste, touch, and sound—to fully immerse individuals. It should foster a sense of community, encouraging connections and interactions among participants. Additionally, it should leverage intentional curation to create a compelling narrative arc, guiding visitors through a meaningful and memorable journey. By blending these three aspects, we craft experiences that resonate deeply and leave a lasting impact.
Size of Market
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
Food + Wine + Bookstores
Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM)
+ Wine Tasting + Book Club
Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM)
0.5% of SAM for a conservative estimate...
To determine the market size for our proposal, we conducted a thorough analysis using several key segments. We started by identifying the Total Addressable Market (TAM), which includes the combined sectors of Food, Wine, and Bookstores. This broad market represents the potential maximum audience for our event.
Next, we refined our focus to the Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM) by adding Wine Tasting and Book Club enthusiasts to our analysis. This more targeted segment includes individuals who are not only interested in the broader categories of food, wine, and bookstores but are also likely to engage in activities directly related to our event.
To arrive at a realistic and conservative estimate of our potential reach, we calculated the Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM) by taking 0.5% of the SAM. This fraction represents a manageable and attainable portion of the market that we are confident will attend our event based on our targeted marketing efforts.
We utilized Facebook Audience Insights to calculate the size of these market segments within New York City. This tool allowed us to gather detailed data on the number of individuals interested in food, wine, bookstores, wine tasting, and book clubs, ensuring our proposal is grounded in accurate and relevant market information.
Protoype
We created a high-fidelity prototype of a Branch Collective event centered around pairing wine with poetry, exploring themes of love, longing, loss, and nostalgia. This prototype event meticulously combined sensory experiences and storytelling, engaging participants with carefully selected wines that complemented the emotional tones of the poetry readings. While this particular event focused on poetry and wine, each Branch Collective event will revolve around a different theme—whether cultural, artistic, or otherwise. By varying themes, we aim to continually offer fresh and immersive experiences, fostering community and connection through diverse and meaningful narratives.
Event Planning
We created a high-fidelity prototype of a Branch Collective event centered around pairing wine with poetry, exploring themes of love, longing, loss, and nostalgia. This prototype event meticulously combined sensory experiences and storytelling, engaging participants with carefully selected wines that complemented the emotional tones of the poetry readings.
While this particular event focused on poetry and wine, each Branch Collective event will revolve around a different theme—whether cultural, artistic, or otherwise. By varying themes, we aim to continually offer fresh and immersive experiences, fostering community and connection through diverse and meaningful narratives.
Invitation
This is the invitation for our prototyping event, and it shows what a typical invitation might look like that attendees receive.
The Event
How do we measure success?
We measured success for our prototyping event by the transformation and engagement of our attendees. It was a triumph when someone who had never liked poetry left eager to start reading it. Success also meant that attendees felt comfortable opening up about their personal experiences, fostering a sense of community. We looked for everyone to be actively engaged throughout the event. Additionally, we considered it a success when participants wanted to purchase the book and wine featured, and expressed a desire to return for future gatherings.
The Future
Profit Projections
The profit projections for The Branch Collective demonstrate the financial potential of three event package options: Basic, Wine Partnership, and Wine Partnership & Booklets. The Basic package, with a cost per person of $18.90 and a selling price of $40.00, yields a 54% gross margin. The Wine Partnership package, with a reduced cost per person of $9.88 and the same selling price, offers a higher gross margin of 75%. The Wine Partnership & Booklets package, priced at $50.00 per person, maintains a 71% gross margin despite the additional booklet costs. Projecting for the first year, with 1,000 attendees, the total revenue is estimated at $50,000, with a gross margin profit of $40,120 and an overall gross margin of 71%. These figures highlight the profitability and strategic advantage of leveraging partnerships to enhance value and reduce costs, ensuring financial sustainability for The Branch Collective's events.
Proposed Event
Our next Branch Collective event will celebrate the vibrant world of club fashion, exploring its evolution through the decades and its intersection with queer fashion. Attendees will immerse themselves in an experience that showcases iconic styles from different eras, highlighting the bold and innovative expressions that have shaped club and queer culture. This event will offer a dynamic blend of fashion, history, and community, providing a unique opportunity for everyone to connect and celebrate diversity. To complement this immersive experience, we will feature a selection of Cosmopolitans. This iconic cocktail, with its bright and stylish appearance, perfectly embodies the spirit of club fashion and queer culture, adding a touch of sophistication and flair to the evening