Strategic Management

Final Capstone Project

“Strategy in a 21st Century Creative

Company: The e-Types Case”

by Eleni RELLI
Gland - Switzerland, 04th of October 2015
Assignment

Imagine that you are an employee at e-Types and you are in a meeting about
the Team Denmark decision. You are trying to persuade your colleagues that
your recommended course of action is best. You have two options: 1) Make a
2 minute video of yourself explaining what you think e-Types should do, which
option they should choose, and why; or 2) Submit a written recommendation,
in the form of a 3 to 8 slide Powerpoint presentation, or a written document
(maximum of 1000 words), explaining what you think e-Types should do,
which option they should choose, and why.

Review Criteria

 Does this learner provide a clear recommended course of action about

which design e-Types should present?

 Did the learner submit a video or presentation that conformed to the

requirements (under 2 minutes for video or 3-8 slides/a written
document (maximum of 1000 words)?

 Is the logic in the recommendation sound and persuasive?

 Is the recommendation supported by evidence from the e-Types case

(such as something someone said in the videos)?

 Does the recommendation seem feasible (it should not require anything
impossible or cause anything catastrophic)?

 Is the client likely to see this recommendation as legitimate and

reasonable (e.g., not stretching the rules of the design contest)?

 Will the recommendation keep e-Types employees sufficiently happy

to keep the company together and functional on future jobs?

 Will this recommendation move e-Types in the direction of future

success and growth?
 An ambitious, profitable, on the rise design firm,
based in Copenhagen, which has an expanding base of international
clients and considers itself extremely edgy, extremely
revolutionary.

The phrase they adopted: “Smash the world of design”!

ESSENCE OF THEIR BUSINESS

They go deep into the “soul of the company”,

the strategy of each company they cooperate with.

Key Words: IDENTITY, VALUE, ASPIRATION, GOAL

 INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE

In 2006, e-Types was invited unexpectedly to participate in

a design competition to provide new logos and new identity for
Denmark’s National Sports Team, a prestige client.

The problem that e-Types faced is that they had two designs, not one.

1. E-Types Classical Team Denmark Logo

Based on the brief document provided by the Team Denmark,

e-Types designed the following logo, but….. they did not like it
very much. They found it was too classical and boring for their
revolutionary and edgy identity and this logo did not represent
it at all!

So, they went back to the drawing board and produced a much
younger and radical design, which they called “the edgy design” and
which totally reflected their design style!
 2. E-Types Edgy Team Denmark Logo

They were enthusiastic with this one, but….

everyone agreed that it might just be too radical for the client.

The fact that they had two designs generated a huge controversy!

In the end, they came up with three options

for how they thought they might proceed:

Option 1: Present only the “edgy design” – 20% chance of winning

Option 2: Present only the “classical design” – 80% chance of winning

Option 3: Present both and let the client decide

 Which of the above-mentioned options
would be the most appropriate for the client?

Option 1

The “classical design” according to the rules of Team Denmark is too

boring for e-Types. On the other hand, it is in perfect harmony with
the ideals advocated by the Team Denmark, such as discipline and
team spirit. E-Types strongly believe that they could win by
presenting the “classical design” but they would stay inside the
client`s limit instead of breaking the rules as they are usually used
to do. So, I would not suggest that they presented the “classical
design”, because there is a strong contradiction between the
strategy of the Team Denmark and the creative values that e-Types
stands for.

Option 2

The “edgy design” is too radical, risky, wild and extreme for the
Team Denmark, but seems the correct direction for e-Types.
Although this choice is the personification of the e-Types creative
values it would be a total breakthrough for the profile of the Team
Denmark and would not probably work out. Summarizing, I would
not suggest that they presented the “edgy design” either.

Option 3

In my opinion, e-Types should present both the “classical” and “edgy

design” and let the client choose. In this case, the Team Denmark
will be able to compare itself between the one that they asked for
and the revolutionary proposition of e-Types. In that way e-Types
could induce them so as to make a step forward and decide to
reconsider by giving a chance to them. In addition, if e-Types won
the competition they would be able to communicate further with the
Team Denmark in order to create a third design more appropriate
for both of them. That would be not “classical”, nor “edgy” but at
the same time it would be something that the client “would never
know to ask for” and it would also reflect the e-Types vision!
EXTERNAL LINKS

www.e-types.com