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

The Next 3 Years for CE:

You know it could be easy to have a negative outlook for the CE industry – This year alone we have seen natural disasters like earth quakes and massive flooding that has shut down full factories.  We have also seen layers of consolidation that have in some ways made the industry smaller.  But the one thing about CE, is that it never stands still.  Twenty years ago Samsung, Apple & LG were not even considered competitors and now they are leading global technology brands.  In the last decade alone we have seen new ways to communicate with customers via Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.  We watch movies through Netflix, we access data in the Cloud, we carry 10,000 songs in a device smaller than a deck of cards, in other words so many things have changed and evolved.  History is on our side to confidently conclude that the next great product is not even on our radar yet.  Change defines our industry, and is what creates our greatest opportunities; the path to purchase for consumers is changing equally and the companies that take advantage of this at retail will win.  I am very positive that the next three years will have the economy heading in the right direction and the innovation and exciting products that we admire will continue to be announced and with appropriate introduction at retail they will be embraced.

Why the Private Sector and Why Red Leaf?

I have been extremely fortunate to have worked for some of the greatest consumer technology brands in the world.  I have played a role in some of the most exciting product launches that now define our industry; whether it be the launch of flat panel with Sony, or HDTV with Bell or the roll out of next-gen smart phones with LG and RIM.  This background has given me tremendous insight into what a consumer brand needs to accomplish not only to be successful with a retail partner but to also win the eyes of a very informed consumer.  I see myself moving to a digital service company like Red Leaf a natural direction – what attracted me to the company was the wealth of talent from a design perspective and the company’s ability to move quickly to meet the needs of a client.  But today, a display is nothing like what we relied on ten years ago or even two years ago for that matter. Now a display has the ability to entice each customer with information tailored to their demographic interests delivering interactive in store & mobile engagement, while tracking all activities with the product and delivering these analytics to the manufacturer or retailer to refine their tactics in real time.   I don’t see any company in North America that can touch Red Leaf Retail in delivering these rich in-store marketing tools that will be required to move a brand forward in the future.

We are also pleased to announce that Red Leaf Retail now offers four distinct yet complementary divisions to better service and fulfill your needs.

Come visit us at Hall 3A, booth #2931  at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

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

Email us for more information at info@redleafretail.com

- 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