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Lifestyle | X |  |
Convenience is such an obvious trend. But these days, it underlines nearly every marketing development. It's a trend that isn't going away and one against which retail brands need to continue to innovate. The Internet is helping, but there are also emerging developments and innovations in brick...
If everything a brand does communicates, what about the external architecture of the store? Very few retailers have done anything interesting in this area, with some exceptions, one of them being the luxury fashion brand, Prada. ArticleIn the mainstream, most retailers are big bland boxes that...
With various analysts and commentators talking up the arrival of new luxury, what does it mean of you are the venerable Jaguar car brand owned by the Ford Motor Company? Can you be mass and luxury at the same time? The European bastions of automotive luxury, BMW and Mercedes obviously believe this...
Samsung is the latest company to jump aboard the experience store bandwagon. They've just opened their 10,000 sq ft emporium at Columbus Circle in New York. However, unlike other retail/experience centers, Samsung's offering is pure experience. It features contributions from their research and...
Maytag has been testing a concept store model in which appliance shoppers can actually test-drive appliances in mock-up kitchens and laundry rooms. Oven shoppers can bake a batch of cookies; washer/dryer customers can do a batch of their own laundry. The atmosphere is welcoming and home-like,...
Many brands are moving towards increased customization and niche specialization, adding new value beyond their core offering in an attempt to either keep up with or differentiate from competitors. At the same time, no-frills brands are stealing share in more and more categories, cutting out those...
Campbell's soup, after years of shrinking market share, is repositioning their brand to be about 'ready-to-eat meals for people on the run.' The new Campbell's products will be sold in new channels as well, like 7-Eleven and Subway stores among others.The Campbell's brand still carries strong,...
Electronics and office retailers, among others, are scrambling to grow and emphasize the parts of their offerings that consumers can't get from discount giants. Best-Buy and CompUSA are rolling out their on-call tech handyman services in which store/brand representatives actually go to the...
Starbucks is launching an in-store music service allowing customers to browse and burn cds using HP tablet computers. They already have licensing agreements with most of the major record labels who love the idea of bridging the gap between the digital and physical distribution channels.They took a...
In a scramble for market share, fast food companies are rapidly and radically shifting and extending their brands to stay relevant to the increasingly health conscious consumer. McDonalds pulled the super-size menu amid some controversy and will roll out apple slices and juice as an option instead...
A paradox for car marketers: most people don't test-drive cars that aren't already on their short list. And most people only buy cars they test-drive. So for a car company seeking to get onto the consideration lists of new buyers: how can you get people who aren't yet considering your model into...
Old, established brands often attempt to re-stimulate trial and inject excitement into their otherwise monotonous product offerings by releasing new flavor, color, scent, shape or packaging variations. The claim of a 'limited edition' frequently accompanies these releases, positioning the variant...
The enclosed shopping malls that dot the American landscape were designed, developed and built by real estate-minded management that planned for sales-volume and store capacity but not for harmonious consumer experience. This comes as little surprise to most of us who have noted the bleak,...
Ever-growing product selection and consumer choice is creating a backlash in some retail categories as stores lose what was once at the core of their value to consumers: an editorial POV. Historically, consumers counted on their chosen retailers to make informed, sophisticated, tasteful...
Sodalicious gushers, rainbow colored goldfish crackers, icing filled dunkaroos. In every grocery store, there's an aisle filled with foods like these in flashy, glittery packages offering free toys and temporary tattoos. Behold the tween food market.What can we learn about tweens from the knowledge...