Roberts Radio
Research & Insights,
Brand/Product Strategy
An in-depth research project to define future prospects for Roberts Radio, a traditional audio manufacturer. Combining industry trend analysis alongside qualitative user research, key opportunity areas were outlined, informing the creation of an actionable roadmap to kickstart rapid transformation.
Year
2018-2019
Studio
Method
My role
Project lead
User insights
As a heritage audio company, Roberts were facing a challenge to find their relevance in a rapidly evolving technology industry and a place in users’ lives.
The aim of this project was to gain an understanding of the wider consumer, technology, and business context of the audio sector, both in the UK and globally (France, Germany, USA & China). We set out to understand and map users lifestyles as they relate to listening behaviours.
This first-hand research was key to identifying and prioritising market opportunities that were based on customer insights.
Shifts in listening behaviours and the central role of the smartphone in users' lives indicated that audio devices could be divided into two categories: Portable and Static. Portable devices, carried outside the home were seen as a statement of personal style, akin to a fashion accessory. Static devices were seen as an extension of interior decoration, taking cues from furniture and soft furnishings.
We illustrated and mapped these opportunities, defining key customer archetypes and delivered actionable recommendations for a future Roberts roadmap.
Brand vision
Roberts' strong brand heritage – founded almost 90 years ago, and possession of two Royal Warrants gave the company the potential to position themselves as a luxury audio manufacturer. Over time the brand had lost its way through an over-diversification of lower quality products and a lack of connection with a younger, tech-savvy demographic. We created a future brand vision for Roberts, designed to appeal to the key archetypes that were defined in our user research and data analysis of the market. We illustrated an aspirational new brand positioning, focusing on a typographic lockup and use of the royal warrants.
A new Roberts wordmark with 'England' descriptor was drawn, positioning them as a British, luxury, heritage brand.
An original Roberts Radio advertisment from 1949
Current Roberts wordmark
Proposed Roberts wordmark
The Roberts script logo was redrawn and crafted, adding a rhythm and confidence to the lettering
A notional advertising approach linking product colourways to interior design cues – a desire expressed by users during field research and also in our data insights.
Product vision
We conducted an analysis of the Roberts product portfolio. At over 150 SKUs the product portfolio lacked structure and clarity. We proposed rationalising their product range, focusing on the most successful products that would appeal to their new target audience while strengthening the new brand positioning of luxury British heritage. The leather bound products from the Roberts 'Revival' range were identified as being core to the Roberts product design language and DNA.
We developed an evolution of the product language, with pared-back styling and a focus of high quality materials.
Current Roberts 'Revival' radio design
Proposed product styling and colourways
Process
First hand user research was key to uncovering insights about shifting habits in audio consumption. We travelled around the UK over a number of weeks, interviewing and observing users in their homes. The interview process was designed to uncover attitudes topics such as content, ownership and rituals. Task-based activities allowed us to observed instictive behaviours. Access to users home environments also allowed for observations around stylistic and aesthetic preferences.
Insights were created through the combination of first-hand user research, global diary studies (in France, Germany, USA & China), trend analysis and the large-scale mapping of user interests via data analysis of social media channels.
Competitor analysis was conducted.
And the competitive landscape of the audio sector was mapped.
We also spoke to subject matter experts to get a sense of how audio hardware and content consumption is changing. We spoke to specialists from a range of companies including Spotify, Jabra, John Lewis, Monocle, BBC and Netflix.
User interest maps generated by scraping data from thousands of Instagram accounts.
Plots showing 3 tiers of interests for one of the user archetypes: 'Curators'.
Other projects
Gjensidige Mobile BankResearch & Insights, Product Design
EVRY Strategic Design LabCapability building, Research & Insights
Wynn Resorts – In-room controlsExperience Design, Service Design
Kenwood Universal UIExperience Design
NightingaleExperience Design
Method Icicle InstallationExperience Design
Hitachi – The Future of TrustSpeculative Design
Barbican – The Future of FoodSpeculative Design
Dunhill Brand IdentityBrand Design
DAZN identBrand Design
UKTV BrandingBrand Design
51 Jay Street BrandingBrand Design
JW Marriott Venice F&BBrand Design
Freshfields Brand IdentityBrand Design
Globe Telecom Flagship storeEnvironmental Design
Swarovski Crystallized StoreEnvironmental Design
Peter Gregson Album CoversGraphic Design
Sensory Holiday CardGraphic Design
Decontstructed Christmas TreeGraphic Design
Richard's SignGraphic Design
Anti Brexit protest signGraphic Design
Concert for EuropeGraphic Design
Peace One DayBrand Design
Didot ThinlineGraphic Design
Ten Bells PubPhotography
Method Supper ClubPhotography
Joshua Leigh
Contact
©2019