The purpose of this exercise was to carry out a SWOT analysis against a potential client.
Key words from the brief:
- Identify an easy client you could work with.
- Use SWOT analysis to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats posed by such a venture
- What does this tell you about the skills you have and those you might need to develop further?
Context
An opportunity arose for me to work on a client brief for a start-up company called Against the Grain, on a product design/branding brief. This became the work I submitted for Assignment 5 – Self directed project.
The SWOT analysis below was done retrospectively but is based on real experience.
About the company
Against the Grain are a London based start-up business brewing and selling craft cider.
The business offers an alternative to the ’big brand’ ciders in craft/ London-centric establishments as well as an upgrade from the sweet ‘fake fruit’ ciders (Kopparberg, Old Mout etc.), which are current market leaders.
As a sub-aim, it encourages non-beer drinkers into the world of ‘craft’: take up where gin left off.
SWOT analysis
Objective: To produce a series of illustrations for use on product labeling for a new range of craft ciders and design and build a simple website to establish the company and market the ciders.
What does this tell you about the skills you have and those you might need to develop further?
- I have a lot of experience of dealing with clients in a creative/digital context.
- I understand the delivery and relationship management aspects of the business.
- My current objective supported by my OCA studies is to switch from doing ‘delivery’ to doing more work on the creative side.
- In order to do this the skills I need to develop are around developing a strong distinctive personal voice evidenced by a focused portfolio of high quality work.
- I need to consider at what point I have enough to start marketing myself as an illustrator.
Illustration 