Levi's opens Experiential Experience

I like seeing ways in which retailers transform their shopping environments for their customers and innovative ideas for an experiential experience. And I really like this new concept...

Denim brand Levi's have just opened their new flagship store, located in Regents Park and the main focus is to create an experiential experience for the customer. The two-floor store has been designed by Checkland Kindleysides who amongst many design skills transform retail and in-store environments. The idea is to create a story of the denim production process and show customers beyond the products they see in-store. The shop has a factory inspired feel and inside customers are faced with a large atrium, used for exhibitions. This area is currently showcasing work and portraits of young creative people from around London, most customers these days are looking for more from a basic shopping experience and this offers a broader educational aspect.

Craft is a major influence on this space and original Levi's jeans are lined up and displayed in glass cabinets alongside bottled indigo dyes, again emphasising the production process. A basement area can be used for different displays and even has a stage to accommodate live acts. Finally to top off the experience instead of your traditional 'customer assistant', customers are served by drapers, artisans and tyros.

I think all this is fab and create a really unique and experiential experience for the customer. It highlights the strong history and heritage behind the brand and also the quality, which in this financial crisis is what customers are looking for and are comforted by. Also with growing competition the product alone isn't enough anymore. Retail environments need to constantly evolve and meet consumer needs and I can't wait to visit the new Levi's!

Kathryn x

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer

For a while now fashion has had a strong initiative to target Breast Cancer and their new campaign for 2010 is no disappointment. Fashion Targets Breast Cancer was initially launched in 1994 by Ralph Lauren and has gained many influential supporters. The new campaign will feature Sienna Miller, Kylie Minogue and Claudia Schiffer to name a few and features the women posing covered by a silk sheet displaying the target logo. As well as these big names the campaign was shot by renowned fashion photographer Mario Testino. These images will be displayed through print and media advertising and the campaign has an aim to raise over £1 million in total. The charity has raised £10.5 million since its launch.

Alongside this a number of fashion retailers will launch products associated with the cause. Retailers include Marks and Spencer's, Topshop, River Island, Coast, Laura Ashley and Whistles.

Kathryn x

Augmented Reality

Many brands are climbing on the augmented reality band wagon in order to offer their audiences more in terms of service. This has been seen before with cosmetic brands allowing you to upload your image onto a PC via webcam in order to virtually try on different cosmetic products and colours. This cutting edge technology is offering exciting times for many companies and a completely new shopping experience for us!

The latest company to pick up on this is watch brand TAG Heuer. They are to be the first watch company to introduce this reality application in which consumers can stand in front of their webcam and alternate through a variety of styles and colours. The application will allow you to see yourself and the product in 3D from all angles! Although this is an innovative move and saves on shopping time I personally enjoy visiting the shops and trying products first hand!

Kathryn x

Harvey Nichols Pops up!

Pop-up shops are being used increasingly by brands to showcase collections and trail retail concepts in different areas. They are great at raising brand awareness and can show off fun and innovative ideas. The latest pop-up hub from Harvey Nichols has toured London for four days giving consumers a sneak view of the feminine fourth floor. Consumer interaction was emphasised through competitions - which were glamorously run through their jewel encrusted phone booth! Harvey Nics also introduced a vending machine idea, but rather than picking up a chocolate bar customers could get their hands on ipods and Comme De Garcons wallets! I think this was a great idea and certainly something to be remembered.

The pop-up hub was located in key fashion areas including Hanover Square, Spitalfields Market, Notting Hill and the Southbank Centre. Along with all the fun and games visitors were treated to performances from Samantha Ronson and new star Daisy Dares You.

This marketing technique engages the audience and allows Harvey Nics to communicate with their consumers on a personal level. Shame I missed it!

Kathryn x

Benetton 'It's My Time' Campaign

Benetton are known for their...interesting and edgy campaigns and their latest, 'It's My Time' invited real people to represent the brand. They took full advantage of technology and social networking and offered us the opportunity to create a profile to help them find interesting people. The first 100 winners were chosen by the public themselves - allowing consumers to get involved with the brand and therefore increasing word of mouth advertising. The final 20 were then flown to New York to appear in the Fall 2010/2011 catalogue.

The idea of the campaign was to mix old and new advertising methods, take advantage of technology and celebrate different ideals of beauty. This was helped along by the one competition rule...NO models!

Kathryn x

Denim Rivalry

It is no secret that companies compete against each other but Norwegian Jeans brand Anti-Sweden has taken rivalry to new level - hence the brand name! The aim is to challenge Swedish jeans brand such as Acne and Cheap Monday. Anti-Sweden are asking customers to trade in their old Swedish jeans which will be redesigned but illustrator Justin Bartlett. Co-founder Kjetil Wold says:

"We set out to put rebellion back into jeans by using Norway's strong heritage of true black metal"

The illustrations will play on this by including metal thread and pins.

This is certainly one way of getting rid of competition and something a little different too...it will be interesting to see how Acne et al respond!

Kathryn x

Topsy Turvey Gap

Along with Gap's new in-store reward scheme has come a strong marketing campaign. The Gap store in Vancouver has completely turned itself upside down! This includes everything from window displays to mannequins...even to the cars parked outside! The reward scheme means that customers will be refunded the difference if a garment they purchase goes on sale within 45 days of purchase. The campaign is called 'Sprize Money' and customers are refunded with store credit...clever.

This is certainly something different and has already resulted in a lot of press coverage. It will transform the 'plain' image of Gap and offer a truly interesting retail experience.

Kathryn x

SEX Sells?!

Ok...so after a loooong break of blogging I'm back! Tackling uni work seems to have taken over my life but I'm determined to get back into blogging. After the rush of Spring/Summer 2010 campaigns being released I will continue to explore interesting and innovative advertising and will look forward to the Fall 2010/2011 campaigns!

We all know that sex sells and this has been used for years by Abercrombie and Fitch and Tom Ford but this Valentines Day Armani Exchange took this to a while new level! Their 'Share The Love' campaign features three couples...a gay couple, a heterosexual couple and a lesbian couple...and of course ALOT of oil and a lack of clothing! Armani are obviously keen to express their open attitude but the campaign caused an uproar amongst mothers. A mothers support group accused that the images "poison children with 10-foot posters that are nothing but soft porn".

Personally I don't think they are that bad...not particularly classy but they get the point across and at the end of the day...Sex Sells!

Kathryn x