channel checks: experiential summer campaigns in€¦ · 05/07/2017  · with some retailers that...

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DeborahWeinswig,ManagingDirector,FungGlobalRetail&Technologydeborahweinswig@fung1937.comUS:917.655.6790HK:852.6119.1779CN:86.186.1420.3016Copyright©2017TheFungGroup.Allrightsreserved.

April6,2017

July5,2017

OurChannelChecksreportsfeatureobservationsfromourrecentstoretours.Inthisreport,welookatexperientialsummercampaignsinUKretail.

1) Brandsandretailersareinvestingmoreinexperientialmarketing,withnewtechnologiessuchasvirtualreality(VR),augmentedreality(AR)andtheInternetofThings(IoT)providingaboost.

2) InJune,retailersTopshopandJoMaloneusedin-storeexperiencetoengagewithcustomersandboosttheirsocialmediapresence.

3) JohnLewis’sGardeningSocietyRooftopcreatesaspacethatoffersfood,drink,aworkspaceandevenfitnessclassestoengagetheircustomers.

4) BrentCrossshoppingmall’sartificialbeachhasbroughtafamily-friendlyattractiontoNorthLondon,anditincludessocialmediacompetitions.

Channel Checks: Experiential

Summer Campaigns in

UK Retail

Deborah Weinswig

Managing Director,

Fung Global Retail & Technology

deborahweinswig@fung1937.com

US: 917.655.6790

HK: 852.6119.1779

CN: 86.186.1420.3016

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DeborahWeinswig,ManagingDirector,FungGlobalRetail&Technologydeborahweinswig@fung1937.comUS:917.655.6790HK:852.6119.1779CN:86.186.1420.3016Copyright©2017TheFungGroup.Allrightsreserved.

April6,2017

July5,2017

IntroductionThisChannelChecksreportwrapsupourstoretoursatretailersinLondon,withsomeretailersthatareofferingexcitingexperientialcampaignsthissummer.WebeginbyprovidingsomecontextonexperientialmarketingintheUK.

ExperientialMarketingIsGrowingExperientialmarketingisastrategythatisusedtodirectlyengagecustomerswithaproductorservice,inanin-person,one-on-onemanner.Itdifferstoregularmarketinginthatconsumersarenotpassivereceiversofmessages,butinsteadareinvolvedintheco-creationofmarketingprograms.TheevolutionoftechnologiessuchasVR,ARandIoThashelpedtoboostexperientialmarketing—and,aswediscussbelow,TopshopisoneretailerthathasusedVRinthisway.

• ReadmoreaboutIoTinretailhere.

So,whyshouldretailersencouragecustomerstoparticipateinthemarketingprocess?A2017surveybyYouGovasked1,200USadultswhatinnovationstheywantretailerstoincorporate,andfully86%ofshopperslike"experiencestores,"wheretheycantestortryproducts,butbuyonline.

InanothersurveybymarketingserviceproviderFreemanofover1,000ChiefMarketingOfficersintheUS,EuropeandAsia,59%ofrespondentsagreedthatbrandexperiencescancreatestrongerrelationshipswithaudiences.ThiswasattributedtomillennialsandGenZerspreferringtotellothersaboutsomethingtheyhavedoneratherthansomethingtheyhavebought,andbecauseoftheappealofsharingexperiencesonsocialmedia.

AccordingtomarketingplatformPearlfinders,2016sawthesecondconsecutiveyearofsignificantgrowthincorporatespendingonmarketingexperiencesandevents,withthenumberofUKbrandslookingtoinvestinexperientialcampaignsup40%in2016onthepreviousyear.Freemanresearchalsoforecaststhatoneinthreeglobalmarketersexpectstoallocateuptohalfoftheirbudgettoexperientialmarketingby2020.

Formostretailers,thepursuitofvolumesalesandpricecompetitivenessisessential.However,investmentinthebrandexperienceisimportant,too,andexperientialmarketingcaninjectvitalityintoretailers’brandsandhelpthemconnectwiththeirtargetcustomers.

86%ofshopperslike“experiencestores”andenjoytestingortryingproducts.

Experientialmarketingcaninjectvitalityintobrands.

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DeborahWeinswig,ManagingDirector,FungGlobalRetail&Technologydeborahweinswig@fung1937.comUS:917.655.6790HK:852.6119.1779CN:86.186.1420.3016Copyright©2017TheFungGroup.Allrightsreserved.

April6,2017

July5,2017

ChannelChecks:ExperientialSummerCampaignsTheFungGlobalRetail&Technologyteamvisitedspecialistretailers,departmentstoresandmallsinLondonthatwereusingexperientialsummercampaigns.Allvisitstookplaceonaweekday,whentheweatherwaswarmandeachlocationhadhighfootfall.

TopshopVirtualRealitySlideTomarkthestartofsummer,BritishfashionretailerTopshoptransformedthefrontwindowofitsflagshipOxfordStreetstoreintoavirtualwaterparkfromMay25toJune4.

Topshop,OxfordStreetSource:FungGlobalRetail&Technology

The10-daylongexperientialcampaignstartedwithcustomersadorningaVRheadsetandsittinginaninflatableringatthetopofaslide.Customersthenexperiencedacomputer-generatedwaterslidejourneythroughOxfordStreetthankstotheheadset,whileinreality,theytravelleddownaslidein-storetoprovidethephysicalexperienceofmomentum.TheretaileralsorolledoutaSnapchatfilterforthecampaign,toencourageuserstosharetheirexperiencesonsocialmedia.TopshopGlobalMarketingandCommunicationsDirectorSheenaSauvairecalledthecampaign“anexhilaratingVRexperience.”

JohnLewisGardeningSocietyRooftopBritishdepartmentstoreJohnLewistraditionallytransformstherooftopofitsOxfordStreetflagshipstoreintoagardenwithapop-uprestaurantandbar.Thisyear,theretailerwentonestepfurtherbycreatingtheGardeningSocietyrooftop—agarden-inspiredareawherecustomerscaneat,drinkandeventakefitnessclasses,aswellasenjoyotherexclusiveeventsaspartoftheretailer’sNationalTreasuressummercampaign.

Topshop’svirtualwaterparkisan“exhilaratingVRexperience.”

JohnLewiscreatedapop-upgardenwherecustomerscaneat,drinkandeventakefitnessclasses.

JohnLewis,OxfordStreetSource:FungGlobalRetail&Technology

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DeborahWeinswig,ManagingDirector,FungGlobalRetail&Technologydeborahweinswig@fung1937.comUS:917.655.6790HK:852.6119.1779CN:86.186.1420.3016Copyright©2017TheFungGroup.Allrightsreserved.

April6,2017

July5,2017

Therooftopofferscustomersthechancetoeatatthe“pavilion,”drinkatBritain’ssmallestpub,orreservea“summerhouse,”whichoffersanindoorspacewithfreeWi-Fitoeatandwork.Ontopofthis,thefreerooftophostsexclusiveeventsaswellasmorningfitnessclasses.TheGardeningSocietyrooftopwillbeopenfromApril29toSeptember24,2017.

BrentCrossShoppingMallBeachNorthLondonmallBrentCrossShoppingCentreopeneditsman-madebeachandattractionparkonJune23,andthesewillremainopenuntilSeptember10.Theparkoffersafamily-friendlyexperienceforcustomerswithanartificialbeachequippedwithsunloungersandagiantpaddlingpool.Theparkalsoboasts25rides,includingalogflume,observationwheelandhelterskelter.Thereisawidevarietyoffoodanddrinksavailablefromalcoholiccocktailstotraditionalfishandchips.Furthermore,theparkencouragesvisitorstosharetheexperienceonsocialmediathroughvariouscompetitionswhereparticipantsmaywintokensforrides.

TheBeach,BrentCrossShoppingMallSource:FungGlobalRetail&Technology

JoMalone“JustBecause…”BritishbeautyretailerJoMaloneuseditssummercampaign“JustBecause…”toencouragecustomerstoengagewiththebrand.ThepromotionsawtheirflagshipstoreonRegentStreethostfreeexperiencesandoffershoppersthechancetowinfreegiftsfromJune18to20.Outsidethestore,therewasastallgivingawayfreeicecreamtopassersby—alongqueuehadformedwhenwevisitedatlunchtime.Instorecustomersreceivedfreeglassesofchampagneandhandandarmmassages.Thestorealsofeaturedaclawgift-grabbingmachineandinvitedcustomerstotryandwinagift,rangingfromperfumestohandcream.Thestorepromoteditshashtag#JustBecauseforsocialmedia.

BrentCrossShoppingMallcreatedanartificialbeachfortheircustomers.

JoMaloneletcustomersrelaxthissummerwithfreeice-cream,massagesandchampagne.

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DeborahWeinswig,ManagingDirector,FungGlobalRetail&Technologydeborahweinswig@fung1937.comUS:917.655.6790HK:852.6119.1779CN:86.186.1420.3016Copyright©2017TheFungGroup.Allrightsreserved.

April6,2017

July5,2017

JoMalone,RegentStreetSource:FungGlobalRetail&Technology

KeyTakeaways• RetailersinLondonareusingexperientialcampaignsthissummerto

engagewithcustomers,createhighlyshareableexperiencesandmakememorablemoments.

• TopshopandJoMalone’sshort-livedfreeexperiencessawhighfootfallandhappycustomers.

• JohnLewis’sGardeningSocietyRooftopcreatedanall-encompassingexperienceforcustomerswheretheycouldeat,drink,workandworkout.

• BrentCrossshoppingmall’sartificialbeachofferedafamily-friendlyexperienceandsocialmediacompetitionstogaincustomerengagement.

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DeborahWeinswig,ManagingDirector,FungGlobalRetail&Technologydeborahweinswig@fung1937.comUS:917.655.6790HK:852.6119.1779CN:86.186.1420.3016Copyright©2017TheFungGroup.Allrightsreserved.

April6,2017

July5,2017

DeborahWeinswig,CPAManagingDirectorFungGlobalRetail&TechnologyNewYork:917.655.6790HongKong:852.6119.1779China:86.186.1420.3016deborahweinswig@fung1937.com

KatieMarshallResearch&MarketingAssistantHongKong:8thFloor,LiFungTower888CheungShaWanRoad,KowloonHongKongTel:85223004406London:242-246MaryleboneRoadLondon,NW16JQUnitedKingdomTel:44(0)2076168988NewYork:1359Broadway,18thFloorNewYork,NY10018Tel:6468397017

FungGlobalRetailTech.com