Participatory Media ScenarioKaleem Ali s3345342

Proposal Statement

This proposal demonstrates the need to #Overcome today’s fashion market. Today’s pop culture is filled with materialism and a focus on the display of wealth, rather than authenticity. People are being sold dreams, without any rationalization of how to get there. We represent the people who are to aware to get consumed, or in doubt about the status quo of the world.

Many alternative subcultures in primary hipster also seem to offer this perspective of “standing out” and being non-conformist. Unfortunately it is done to the point it has become the new “conformism”. This leaves the average hard-working guy out: The underdog. The guy who doesn’t give a funk about all the fake ish, and doesn’t sell his integrity to either be the center of attention or to stand out.

#Overcome is the solution. We are going to #Overcome these fads, be classic and timeless, while being solution-orientated with an open mind. #Overcome is for all the hard-working people that are trying to accomplish something with their life, not matter how hard it is. These fellas have bigger goals than just being rich or famous. They want to remain true to their nature and never ever give up becoming better people.

Key aims and objectives

1. Introduce #Overcome brand through social media

2. Increase brand awareness through promoting an online campaign motivating people to use #Overcome on social media to share their struggles and aspirations in life for inspiration to themselves and others

3. Increase consumer affinity with contests were people send us designs and motifs and we pick winners to every new collection

4. Network with likeminded contributors, artists, sponsors etc. 5. Set up and online shop to promote our brand

Research into the #Overcome and its field

#Overcome is an idea that was born the year of 2013. Friends and partners-in-business Suthesh Swaminathan and Kaleem Ali are behind the initiative, creating an antithesis to the blind following, materialism and nonsense of mainstream fashion and pop culture. At the essence of #Overcome is true artistry which is born in the absence of the false ego and upholding of any false image. This true artistry gives birth to the actions that helps us #Overcome our daily struggles and obstacles to become better individuals and coming closer to accomplishing our goals in life.

The name #Overcome itself means succeeding in dealing with a problem or difficulty, defeating an opponent and/or prevailing. It is a positive word as both “over” and “come” put together represents something positive. “Over” could have a negative connotation as in something good being “over” as in finished, but with the “come” on the end it denotes that the ending must be good. The name is something each and every one of us can relate to as we all have our struggles in our lives, no matter how big or small. Who do we relate it with though? The notion of “Daddy saves the day” and the classical male hero figure is what first comes to mind. We are advocating that people can be their own savior, but doing the most with what they are given. Our target is a young hardworking male with aspirations and goals to become successful in their lives, being independent and taking responsibilities for their own actions.

Timeline for the social media material

• 4 November – Social Media Network surrounding #Overcome

goes official• 11 November – Launch of #Overcome campaign on social media• 18 November – Launch of #Overcome t-shirt design

competition.• 25 November – Winner of #Overcome t-shirt design

competition announced• 2 December – Launch of #Overcome online store with original

#Overcome products as well as several other featured authentic brands including Ray Ban.

Recommended platforms and rationale for each

Starting off by setting up a Facebook-group & page and setting up other relevant social media accounts such as in Twitter & Instagram. The Facebook group will be open to everyone, but only administrators will be able to post on the wall, to prevent spamming. Administrators will be moderators; any hateful, or indecent material will be deleted. The likes on Facebook and Instagram, and the accounts we follow on Instagram and Twitter will reflect the image #Overcome portrays, and will function for networking with business partners and likeminded individuals.

After an introductionary week with explanatory, thought provoking and engaging posts, the #Overcome social media awareness campaign will be launched. With this campaign the target group will be asked to share their personal experiences associated with the word #Overcome. In this social experiment, they will do the brainstorming for the brand. Hoping for a wide span of stories around struggles and aspirations that will inspire the brand itself. This way the brand #Overcome will become bigger than retail. It will become a movement!

A week later a drawing contest will be launched, where designers and fans will be asked to send us their ideas for designs and motifs for #Overcome apparel. We will post the ones that are closest to our ideas and boundaries for the brand, and the ones who get the most likes will be used for designs on actual clothing that will be released a few weeks later. The aim of this campaign is to instill consumer affinity.

The language on posts on each and one of the social media platforms should be tailored for the exact type of media as well as the connection to possible business partners, sponsors and different collaborators. Finally when the online shop is up and running it is important that the linking of the different social media platforms and the online shop runs smoothly.