Congratulations to all nominees and see you at DSE 2013.

-Maggie

Looking forward in meeting with you to discuss the many advancements and opportunities within today’s DOOH industry.

While there, we will be attending the Apex Awards Dinner, where Red Leaf is a finalist in the “New Concept” category.  Please read blog for more information.

Red Leaf has been investing in technology and research to create programs and solutions for clients,  helping them assist and guide shoppers along the path to purchase.  Our new product ‘Consumer Engagement Platform’ is an interactive wall that encompasses digital signage, guided selling applications and much more technological advancements.

With this being said, Red Leaf is excited to announce that we are 1 of 3 finalists in the New Concept category.

-Maggie

Over the years airports and retailers have had a symbiotic relationship with one another; airport operator’s benefit from lease revenue and retailers profit from steady foot traffic and the ability to reach a broader target market.

Key metrics for airport retail designers are “transfer rates”, “retail dwell” and “sight density”

Transfer rate refers to the rate of passengers that are staying in the terminals between flights as opposed to those catching planes and those on the way out after arriving.

Retail dwell refers to the length of time passengers reside in a retail space.

Sight Density refers to the number of passengers that are directed through a particular space.

Although leasing costs for retailers within airports are substantially higher- approximately $150-$200 per square foot compared to $20-$50 per square foot in a mall setting, the returns can be high. Take UK knitwear retailer Pringle of Scotland. Their small terminal 3 shop has twice the sales per square foot than its boutiques in central London.

Here are some other neat facts about retail and retail transactions at London’s Heathrow Airport – recipient for the second year in a row of the Skytrax World Airport Award for Best Shopping.

• Heathrow has over 740,000 square feet of retail space
• Heathrow is home to more than 500 shops
• Luxury designer brands such as Prada, Gucci and Ermenegildo Zegna can be found as well as premium UK retailer Harrods.
• Heathrow sells 55,000 bottles of fragrances per week
• If all the bread from the sandwiches made at Heathrow in a year were stacked you could make a tower 22 miles high
• Heathrow sells enough bottled water each year to fill two Olympic size swimming pools[1]

What are your thoughts on airport retailing as a consumer? Are your expectations even higher in this type of environment? Have you seen any innovative concepts you would like to share?

Write us your comments.

- Veronica

What goes up must come down!

With the explosion of in-store marketing, the rate of brand spending has increased drastically while traditional advertising has taken the backseat. Approximately 95% of brands are placing more focus on maintaining or increasing their in-store marketing spends, while de-emphasizing television and newspaper advertising.

ASSOS’ advanced high-tech cycling apparel paired with attractive models and modern sleekness helps to create compelling in-store experiences.  Their store concepts really are a true reflection of the brands identity, operational capabilities and the constant evolving consumer behaviours.

- Maggie

- Maggie

“The design also provides opportunities to increase revenue through digital signs, intelligent cross-selling tools, and targeted ads.”

 

- Terrence

What would retail experiences be like if all major companies integrated their brick and mortar stores uniquely to their local environments?  What if there were no such thing as 40 page in-store guidelines to adhere to?

- Heather

The theory behind using atmospheric scent is that smell is considered to be the strongest of the five senses. The olfactory bulb is directly connected to the limbic system in the brain; this is the area that controls behaviour and emotion. (Refer to diagram below) Scents help trigger memories and evoke emotions it can also help consumers associate with a particular brand.

This ambiance tool needs to be carefully used, what may draw one person into the store may repel another! Therefore subtle more neutral aromas are likely more fitting. The scent should also complement the product offering i.e. baby powder fragrance in a children’s apparel store or coconut oil scent in a swimsuit department, which UK retailer Harrods used.

What are your thoughts? Do you think scent branding provides an improved retail experience?

- Veronica

Featuring an interesting use of pegboard for visual effect, the layering of micro pegboard over macro not only provides a sense of depth and acts as a product highlighting tool, but also paves the way for huge functionality and versatility in the future for the mixed-use environment.   From the images, it appears that the walls and merchandise can be playfully planogrammed like a game of tangrams – indicating a sign of smart and adaptable retail design.