Ox - Printing Services
A project with a great vision that evolved from t-shirts to empowering creative communities
- Client
- Temple Accesorios
- Year
- 2012-2013
- Role
- Creative Copy Writer & Product Designer
- Team
- Startup team
- Duration
- 1 year
Overview
Temple Accesorios's Ox brand started as a t-shirt selling project with the ultimate goal of inspiring creative people in Perú to follow their passion. What began as a Creative Copy Writer role quickly evolved into my first experience with product and service design, as we discovered the market was saturated and needed to pivot our entire strategy based on user research.
The Challenge
The t-shirt market was already saturated with well-established products and brands. Our initial vision of inspiring creative people through t-shirt sales wasn't resonating with our target audience, and we faced resistance to change from our own biases.
The Solution
Through focus groups and workshops with users, we discovered they didn't want to buy inspiring t-shirts - they wanted to make their own. We pivoted to a low-volume digital printing service for designers and artists, giving them the tools to express their creative impulses on garments.
Business Impact
Complete strategic shift based on user research
Self-sustained creative community
Fulfilling original vision differently
1. The Beginning
I was called in from the go, officially as a Creative Copy Writer, to assist with the brand creation and management. However, after workshops with users and stakeholders, it became clear the market was already saturated. This startup project became my first experience with product and service design.
1.1. Failing Fast
One of the most enduring memories from this project is the founder's willingness to try new things and make decisions based on facts. After initial workshops, we decided to test our theories. After months of pushing hard to position our brand, we realized we needed a different approach and started running focus groups and workshops with our users.
2. The Turn
We realized the t-shirt market wasn't ideal and wouldn't help us fulfill our vision. A commercial product like a t-shirt seemed unsuited - the inspiration it offered was too fleeting. We researched and ideated services that would match user needs.
Based on knowledge from the t-shirt business and gathered insights, we pivoted. Instead of selling inspiring messages on t-shirts, we focused on giving users tools to inspire each other without requiring deep tech literacy. We knew they didn't want to buy t-shirts but to make their own. Our research translated into a low-volume digital printing service for designers, artists, and anyone wanting to express their creative impulses.
3. Branding & Communications
I worked on the initial digital marketing strategy, content creation, and community management. I used my videography and photography skills to create engaging content that helped explain and position both the service and brand. We even created a YouTube series with known and emerging artists and designers.
Note: Video content from the original Vimeo embeds can be viewed at the project's Vimeo channel.
4. Afterwards
The service started using social networks as the main gateway - not only for communication but as the main space for community and service delivery. Technology has matured, making it easier for users to create their brands and products and sell them using Ox's online services.
Ox has accompanied its users throughout the learning process and has become a self-sustained business that serves as a platform for independent artists and designers to share, inspire, and make a living from their passion. It provides not only printing and e-commerce services but also a place to learn about design and business.
Ox is accomplishing the vision it initially set out to fulfill.