Make it green
The new Bang & Olufsen headphones offer sustainable, low-carbon self-repair services inspired by early 2000s practices.
Skills
- Marketing
- HTML/CSS
- Wireframing
- Prototyping
CLIENT
Mediacollege
YEAR
2023
Assignment
This was the third project of the first year of the e-commerce designer course.
We were tasked with making the company environmentally sustainable without resorting to greenwashing.
For this project, I designed the headphones with the practices of the early 2000s in mind, a time when consumers could easily disassemble and repair their own devices.
By eliminating the intermediary, we significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with repeatedly shipping components. Instead, users can directly order specific parts and perform repairs themselves.
This approach not only minimizes environmental impact but also extends the lifespan of the headphones, thereby reducing product waste to a minimum.
Learning goals
- HTLM/CSS
- Wireframing
- Marketing
Research
Before developing the headphones, I sought to understand both my target market and the strategies for effectively selling the product. Additionally, I needed to adhere to the criteria set by Bang & Olufsen to ensure the product remained consistent with the brand.
Once I identified my target audience, everything began to align. Among the various concepts, one idea stood out as the most fitting for the "Make it Green" project: replace and repair. This approach encourages users to repair their own headphones, thereby extending their lifespan.
Furthermore, my target audience, primarily millennials, has a strong sense of nostalgia for the past. By incorporating familiar elements into the headphones, I aimed to resonate with this demographic.
In my research on product marketing, I also focused on maintaining brand integrity. This included modifying the logo to subtly indicate the new sustainable product line while keeping it recognizable to existing Bang & Olufsen customers.
Here you'll see the target audience:
- Primary target audience
Primary target audience (buyers)
Criteria marketing & logo
See here full research document
Low fidelity wireframe
First wireframe
Second wireframe
Website high fidelity prototype
Below is the website I developed for this project using HTML5 and CSS.
This was our first time coding.
Marketing
In designing the marketing posters and social media ads for the new headphones,
I emphasized the fantasy elements associated with Bang & Olufsen and highlighted the message that
these headphones are built to last for generations.
The idea
The marketing concept aimed to demonstrate to consumers that the headphones are designed to last for generations. To convey this message, I developed a three-part story.
Initially, my sketch depicted a scenario where Woman A (wearing the headphones) met Man B, and later in life, they passed the headphones on to their child. However, this concept did not fully emphasize the unique selling proposition (USP) of the headphones' longevity.
For the final version, I crafted a narrative where the headphones are handed down through generations. In the first post, Child A receives the headphones from his parents. The second post shows Child A, now an adult, giving the headphones to his daughter. In the final post, the daughter passes the same headphones to her own child.
This storyline effectively highlights the USP, showcasing the headphones' ability to endure and be cherished across multiple generations.
Sketch process
The logo
For this project, we were tasked with redesigning the logo while preserving its integrity and recognizability.
I conducted extensive research to ensure that the new logo maintained the style and essence of Bang & Olufsen, while also introducing a fresh look. My goal was for the logo to convey an eco-friendly message and represent the headphones.
I achieved this by separating certain elements within the logo, creating the impression that these elements could be detached. I colored these separated elements green to signal to consumers that this is an eco-friendly product.
To emphasize the unique selling proposition (repair and replace) of the headphones, I even animated the logo.
