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Brand—Space

The impact of branding on physical space and the importance of creating an experience. Branded space, in the form of shops, museums, cafés and restaurants have an effect on us everyday. This study will look at the impact of physical space – how it can influence us and how it shapes our perceptions of brands and places. Including case studies from around the world and interviews with industry professionals.

The impact of branding on physical space and the importance of creating an experience. Branded space, in the form of shops, museums, cafés and restaurants have an effect on us everyday. This study will look at the impact of physical space – how it can influence us and how it shapes our perceptions of brands and places. Including case studies from around the world and interviews with industry professionals.

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Brand<br />

I<br />

Space


II


I


II


III<br />

<strong>Brand—Space</strong><br />

The impact of branding<br />

on physical space and the<br />

importance of creating<br />

an experience.<br />

By Craig Norwood


IV<br />

© Craig Norwood 2017<br />

All rights reserved. References have been made<br />

in the Harvard style for Ulster University Belfast<br />

School of Art, and have been completed in their<br />

fullest to the best of my knowledge.<br />

Printed by McGowan's Print<br />

Heron Rd, Belfast BT3 9LE<br />

Design by Craig Norwood<br />

Typeset in Adelle, Lapture and Neuzeit Grotesk<br />

www.craignorwood.net<br />

craig@craignorwood.net


V<br />

Abstract<br />

Branded space, in the form of shops, museums,<br />

cafés and restaurants have an effect on us<br />

everyday. This study will look at the impact<br />

of physical space – how it can influence us,<br />

how it shapes our perceptions of brands<br />

and places. Looking at the importance of<br />

creating an experience for people to enable<br />

these interactions between brand and space.<br />

There has been a massive shift in branding<br />

in recent decades, with the introduction of<br />

new technologies; we now live in a digital and<br />

online landscape. However, physical space still<br />

comes out on top when brands look to increase<br />

audience or popularity. Whether through<br />

exhibitions, pop-up stores or through layout<br />

and merchandising; brand extensions and<br />

brand democratisation are at the very centre<br />

of these scenarios.<br />

For example 20% of people in the UK since<br />

2014 now visit a coffee shop daily, up from 11%<br />

in 2009 – are people seeking more social<br />

environments that they aren’t getting from<br />

spending so much time online? What can be<br />

done to add emotional and sensory appeal that<br />

makes it experiential? With case studies from<br />

around the world and interviews from designers<br />

and an architect, we explore these themes<br />

in detail: Rethinking retail, creating engaging<br />

and interactive environments and how to<br />

adapt and be flexible.


VI<br />

Acknowledgements<br />

This has been a project spanning over four months,<br />

I’d like to thank my tutors Jill Spratt and Ruth Brolly<br />

for their teaching, support, and advice on writing<br />

and designing this dissertation.<br />

Many thanks to my interviewees, Architect,<br />

Gerry Hamill for all his advice and input.<br />

Chris Killeen and John McDermott for their<br />

branding and design input and for their<br />

inspiration before this project even started.<br />

Thanks to Lauren at Checkland Kindleysides<br />

for kindly providing the images used to show<br />

their projects.<br />

Final thanks to the owners of other photography<br />

that have granted permission to use their images.


VII<br />

Contents<br />

00— 01— 02—<br />

List of Illustrations<br />

VIII-X<br />

SECTION THREE<br />

Perceptions of Place<br />

10-13<br />

SECTION SIX<br />

Case Studies<br />

22-39<br />

SECTION ONE<br />

Introduction<br />

1-3<br />

03— 04— 05—<br />

SECTION FOUR<br />

Branded Place<br />

14-17<br />

06— 07— 08—<br />

SECTION SEVEN<br />

Conclusion<br />

40-41<br />

SECTION TWO<br />

Branding<br />

4-9<br />

SECTION FIVE<br />

Experience of Place<br />

18-21<br />

Appendix<br />

& Bibliography<br />

42-52


VIII<br />

List of Illustrations<br />

Figure<br />

Page<br />

2.1<br />

2.2<br />

2.3<br />

3.1<br />

3.2<br />

4.1<br />

4.2<br />

5.1<br />

5.2<br />

6.1<br />

6.2<br />

Brandbrew S.A. (1876). Bass Logo Trademark. Available at:<br />

https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/Results/1/UK00000000001?legacySearch=False<br />

Saatchi & Saatchi. (2004). Lovemarks. Available at: http://www.lovemarks.<br />

com/learn/about/ [Redrawn by Norwood, C. 2016]<br />

Shannon, C. (1948). Mathematical Theory of Communication. In Graphic<br />

Design Theory. Davis, M.(.J.). (2012) . London: Thames & Hudson. Pp.16<br />

[Redrawn by Norwood, C. 2016]<br />

Williams, A. (2015). Whitworth Museum Outside. In Creative Review,<br />

July 2016, Vol.36 Issue 7 pp.62-67<br />

Williams, A. (2015). Whitworth Museum Inside. In Creative Review,<br />

July 2016, Vol.36 Issue 7 pp.62-67<br />

Dawood, S. (2016) Dyson Concept Store. Available at: https://www.<br />

designweek.co.uk/issues/4-10-july-2016/dyson-brings-engineering-life-newlondon-store/<br />

Starbucks (2016) Available at: https://news.starbucks.com/multimedia/<br />

file/11088<br />

Norwood, C. (2016) Starbucks Headlines. Available at: https://www.<br />

designweek.co.uk/?s=starbucks<br />

Checkland Kindleysides (2016) Levi's London Flagship Store. Available at:<br />

http://checklandkindleysides.com/work/levis<br />

Checkland Kindleysides (2016) Levi's Changing Rooms. Available at: http://<br />

checklandkindleysides.com/work/levis<br />

5<br />

7<br />

9<br />

13<br />

13<br />

16<br />

17<br />

20<br />

21<br />

24<br />

25


IX<br />

Figure<br />

Page<br />

6.3<br />

6.4<br />

6.5<br />

6.6<br />

6.7<br />

6.8<br />

6.9<br />

6.10<br />

6.11<br />

6.12<br />

Checkland Kindleysides (2016) Levi's Shop Floor. Available at: http://<br />

checklandkindleysides.com/work/levis<br />

Checkland Kindleysides (2016) Hunter Regent Street, London. Available at:<br />

http://checklandkindleysides.com/work/hunter<br />

Checkland Kindleysides (2016) Hunter ‘Soundscapes’. Available at: http://<br />

checklandkindleysides.com/work/hunter<br />

Checkland Kindleysides (2016) Hunter Regent Street, London. Available at:<br />

http://checklandkindleysides.com/work/hunter<br />

Checkland Kindleysides (2016) Hunter Ginza, Japan. Available at: http://<br />

checklandkindleysides.com/work/hunter<br />

Checkland Kindleysides (2016) Sony PlayStation Event. Available at: http://<br />

checklandkindleysides.com/work/sony-playstation<br />

Checkland Kindleysides (2016) Sony PlayStation Event. Available at: http://<br />

checklandkindleysides.com/work/sony-playstation<br />

Checkland Kindleysides (2016) Gran Turismo Driving Pod. Available at:<br />

http://checklandkindleysides.com/work/sony-playstation<br />

BAS (2015) Systembolaget Store. Available at: http://basid.se/case/<br />

systembolaget/<br />

BAS (2015) Systembolaget Display. Available at: http://basid.se/case/<br />

systembolaget/<br />

25<br />

26<br />

26<br />

27<br />

27<br />

28<br />

28<br />

29<br />

31<br />

32


X<br />

Figure<br />

Page<br />

6.13<br />

6.14<br />

6.15<br />

6.16<br />

6.17<br />

6.18<br />

6.19<br />

6.20<br />

6.21<br />

6.22<br />

6.23<br />

6.24<br />

BAS (2015) Systembolaget Infographic Labels. Available at: http://basid.se/<br />

case/systembolaget/<br />

BAS (2011) Clas Ohlson Signage. Available at: http://basid.se/case/clas-ohlson/<br />

BAS (2011) Clas Ohlson Store. Available at: http://basid.se/case/clas-ohlson/<br />

BAS (2012) Kasthall Display. Available at: http://basid.se/case/kasthall/<br />

BAS (2012) Kasthall Store. Available at: http://basid.se/case/kasthall/<br />

BAS (2012) Kasthall Shelf. Available at: http://basid.se/case/kasthall/<br />

BAS (2012) Kasthall Products. Available at: http://basid.se/case/kasthall/<br />

Richters, C. (2012) The MAC Exterior [Photograph] Belfast. Available at: http://<br />

www.hallmcknight.com/projects/1/the-mac<br />

Richters, C. (2012) The MAC Interior [Photograph] Belfast. Available at: http://<br />

www.hallmcknight.com/projects/1/the-mac<br />

Norwood, C. (2017) The MAC Signage [Photograph] Belfast.<br />

Heaney, C. (2015) The MAC Lines and Light [Photograph] Belfast.<br />

Heaney, C. (2015) The MAC Gallery Space [Photograph] Belfast.<br />

32<br />

33<br />

33<br />

34<br />

35<br />

35<br />

35<br />

37<br />

37<br />

37<br />

38<br />

39


01—<br />

1<br />

Introductio<br />

n


2<br />

SECTION ONE<br />

Introduction<br />

1,2<br />

Anon. (2013) Brand<br />

spaces: branded<br />

archaitecture and the<br />

future of retail design.<br />

Berlin: Gestalten.<br />

Spaces, brands and places and what these words<br />

mean to people are all linked and all influence<br />

each other to shape consumers’ perceptions<br />

about somewhere, or about a brand.<br />

With the birth of consumerism came the,<br />

now traditional high street. Local businesses<br />

soon turned into multinational companies along<br />

with the department store and eventually the<br />

supermarket and shopping centre. This wasn’t<br />

just a change in branding but a change in space,<br />

how spaces were developed and how brands<br />

applied branding to create places.<br />

This study will explore the importance of<br />

branding in physical space and the impact that<br />

brands have on it, including the relationship<br />

between consumers and space. How brands<br />

are changing their approach and attitude in an<br />

ever increasing online landscape to increase<br />

footfall, build and share experiences and create<br />

engaging and interactive environments. In our<br />

digital world a logo doesn’t cut it. People crave<br />

not for virtual reality, but for reality. Brands have<br />

identified the importance of space, and finding<br />

their own space in which to brand their own.<br />

Having an online presence is not enough<br />

to survive in such a heavily saturated market.<br />

Brands and branding are not the same thing.<br />

A brand is what you perceive, whilst branding<br />

is the means by which a brand communicates<br />

to you, shaping your perception of it. Brand spaces<br />

are continually evolving, in line with branding<br />

techniques. Impacting all businesses alike,<br />

as outlined by Sofia Borges (2013, p.3), ‘this<br />

increased attention to physical branding and<br />

its influence over the public sphere challenges<br />

our commercial sector to inspire us by rethinking<br />

retail’s status quo.’ 1<br />

Featuring examples in section six, this essay<br />

will highlight some of this leading thinking in<br />

the retail sector and beyond. It’s this shift in<br />

consumer behaviour and attitude to wanting<br />

to develop the discovery process with a brand,<br />

interacting with it and being treated as an<br />

individual. People do not want to be treated<br />

as mass market and so it’s a personable and<br />

intimate approach brands are taking to ask<br />

the important questions – which is exactly it,<br />

they’re asking. It’s this idea that Borges (2013, p.3)<br />

believes is the marketing tool that’s becoming an<br />

integral part to new branding, ‘The impact of the<br />

question mark as an effective marketing tool and<br />

visual vocabulary is quickly surpassing the need<br />

for branding’s usual exclamation point approach.’ 2


Humans are social beings, and so by talking<br />

to them directly, or indeed trying to do so, and<br />

creating social environments for them to be in,<br />

the retail environment, it will have a positive<br />

effect on their perception of the brand. In the<br />

following sections we will discover the elements<br />

that effect this topic as a whole and how it<br />

influences us so greatly.<br />

3


4<br />

randing<br />

02


5<br />

SECTION TWO<br />

Branding<br />

What is branding, brands and brand identities. A brief history<br />

and overview of the subject, looking at brand value, perceptions<br />

and communication methods.<br />

Branding as a tool has evolved massively since<br />

the industrial revolution. Originally it was used<br />

to brand (literally, to burn) cattle with a hot iron,<br />

as a means of identification, from one farmer to<br />

the next. It was the first use of marking goods as<br />

defined by The Oxford American Dictionary in<br />

1980: ‘a trade mark, goods of a particular make’.<br />

The book Brands and Branding by the Economist<br />

(2009) explores the question ‘What is a brand?’<br />

In Chapter 1 (pp.13-25), comparing two definitions,<br />

one being the above from Oxford American<br />

and the other from half a decade earlier in 1934<br />

from The Pocket Oxford Dictionary of Current<br />

English which defines a brand as: ‘burning or<br />

smouldering wood, torch, sword’, ‘Stamp…<br />

impress indelibly’ and the author Tom Blackett<br />

notes how these definitions demonstrate how<br />

over 50 years the main use for the word brand<br />

now has a ‘commercial application’. 3<br />

All definitions still refer to branding as a<br />

method of impression, but today meaning an<br />

impression in our minds – how brands shape our<br />

perception of them. Usually over a period<br />

of time, the most well known brands today have<br />

been icons of popular culture and society for<br />

decades and haven’t just appeared over night,<br />

for example Bass pale ale with it’s instantly<br />

recognisable red triangle. It’s been around for<br />

over a century and is truly iconic, as it was the<br />

first ever-registered trademark in the UK back<br />

in 1876. 4<br />

3<br />

Clifton, R. and Ahmad,<br />

S. (2009) Brands and<br />

branding. 2nd ed.]. ed.<br />

London: Profile.<br />

4<br />

Bass pale ale trademark<br />

https://www.ipo.gov.uk/<br />

tmcase/Results/1/<br />

Fig. 2.1 Bass Logo


6<br />

‘ You must think about the minds<br />

and emotions of your audience ’<br />

5<br />

Wheeler, A. (2013)<br />

Designing brand identity:<br />

an essential guide for the<br />

whole branding team.<br />

4th ed. ed. Hoboken, N.J;<br />

Chichester: Wiley; John<br />

Wiley [distributor].<br />

6,7<br />

Clifton, R. and Ahmad,<br />

S. (2009) Brands and<br />

branding. 2nd ed.]. ed.<br />

London: Profile.<br />

In the book Designing Brand Identity by<br />

Alina Wheeler (2013) when stating what a<br />

brand is she says,<br />

A strong brand stands out in a densely<br />

crowded marketplace. People fall in love<br />

with brands, trust them, and believe in<br />

their superiority. How a brand is perceived<br />

affects its success, regardless of whether<br />

it’s a start-up, a non-profit, or a product. 5<br />

This opens up the debate for the anti-branding<br />

movement argued in No Logo by Naomi Klein<br />

(1999) stating simply that this power brands had<br />

over people was a detrimental cause of many<br />

problems in society. However, Patrick Barwise in<br />

Brands and Branding (2009, p.xii) claims this is<br />

a confused view, ‘when really they are attacking<br />

the mostly American multinationals that own<br />

global brands’. Which Rita Clifton backs up in<br />

the book (p.1) asking for the recognition of the<br />

importance of globalisation and brands for their<br />

economic and social development value.<br />

She argues, ‘Brands have been successful because<br />

people want them; and every organisation’s need<br />

to protect its reputation (and so it’s corporate<br />

value) is a rather efficient impetus for them<br />

to behave well.’ 6 It was possibly a lack of<br />

understanding from anti-brand/anti-globalisation<br />

arguments about the importance and value of<br />

brands and their influence, for all organisations<br />

profit or not.<br />

Brands are valued on reputation. Brand equity<br />

is important but that only values tangible assets,<br />

which might be less relevant to service rather<br />

than product based companies. Brands are<br />

built upon trust, deriving from a customer’s<br />

experience, which effects the choices a customer<br />

makes, the review a customer might leave or,<br />

what they tell their friends and family and how<br />

that ultimately effects a brand’s reputation.<br />

It’s about making the right impression, to be<br />

liked/loved by customers, to be perceived in<br />

a good light and to be trusted.<br />

As shown in Figure 2.2 by the Saatchi & Saatchi<br />

marketing concept Lovemarks, brands need to<br />

be ‘loved’ to rank highly with customers, to stand<br />

out and to be trusted and used time and time again.<br />

This trust is established on whether or not a<br />

brand lives up to its promise, if it can deliver<br />

what it says. Once a good reputation has been<br />

built it’s important that it is secured. Brands must<br />

position themselves correctly to achieve this.


7<br />

Brands<br />

Lovemarks<br />

Love Axis<br />

Fig. 2.2 Lovemarks<br />

Products<br />

Fads<br />

Two definitions of positioning in Brands and<br />

Branding (2009, p.79) state distinctly, ‘You must<br />

think about the minds and emotions of your<br />

audience.’ Consumers are more difficult to please,<br />

with more choice and brands to choose from<br />

than ever before – not just in retail – brands<br />

must do more. “The role of brands has never<br />

been greater. They serve as a route map for<br />

purchasing behaviour.” 7<br />

Respect Axis


8<br />

8<br />

Davis, M.(.J.). (2012)<br />

Graphic Design Theory.<br />

London: Thames &<br />

Hudson. Pp.15-17<br />

9<br />

Martin M. Pegler (2015)<br />

Designing the Brand<br />

Identity in Retail Spaces.<br />

Fairchild Books. P.ix<br />

In terms of communication, and<br />

communicating your brand to the customer we<br />

can look at the theoretical structures of certain<br />

models. Theories applied to the processes of<br />

electrical signal transmissions by research<br />

scientist Claude Shannon (1948), which refer<br />

to ‘sender’, ‘channel’, ‘receiver’ and ‘noise’ in his<br />

‘Mathematical Theory of Communication’,<br />

which was acknowledged by the scientist<br />

Warren Weaver as an equal means of<br />

visualising human communication.<br />

The model is shown here in Figure 2.3,<br />

it over simplifies complex variables however it<br />

does show a basic visual of the communication<br />

process. This point is made in Graphic Design<br />

Theory by Meredith Davis (2012) and goes on<br />

to develop the idea and discuss the ‘Emmert/<br />

Donaghy Model of Communication’, which<br />

displays ‘a deeper understanding of human<br />

communication’. 8 It elaborates on the previous<br />

model to include more appropriate aspects such<br />

as context, feedback and behaviour. This leads<br />

to the message cycle. This cycle looks more in<br />

depth into distribution of communication and<br />

how it’s interpreted, and consumed, through all<br />

forms of media. Combined, these theories look<br />

at how experience, culture, belief and context<br />

all contribute to how differently individuals<br />

receive messages, their meanings and how<br />

they are interpreted.<br />

So when we look at another definition<br />

of what a brand and brand identity are,<br />

as defined by Brian Resnick (2013 cited by Pegler,<br />

2015), ‘Brand identity is expressed through<br />

the most physically embodied aspects of the<br />

organisation…’ continuing this definition by<br />

suggesting, ‘It is the manifestation of the<br />

brand that can be seen, heard and immediately<br />

experienced… the brand identity has the ability<br />

to impress and imprint.’ 9<br />

This can be related to the previous theories,<br />

determining that it is vital to get the message<br />

right, target the right audience, to create the<br />

right impression and deliver on a promise.<br />

Build an experience with individuals and build<br />

a relationship of trust with them. Whether that<br />

is mentally or indeed expressed in physical<br />

form i.e. space. Brands must be driven by<br />

effective design in various environments to<br />

promote engagement.


Fig. 2.3 Mathematical<br />

Theory of Communication<br />

9


10<br />

Perceptions of<br />

Place<br />

03


11<br />

SECTION THREE<br />

Perceptions of Place<br />

Space, place and how humans perceive and treat these areas.<br />

How space becomes place and the ‘perspective of experience’.<br />

Firstly, what is place? How do we visualise it,<br />

perceive it and how do our cultures factor into it.<br />

Space and place are separate entities, space can<br />

be anywhere or anything we perceive to be<br />

empty or vacant but may still serve a designated<br />

purpose i.e. parking space. Space then becomes<br />

place when our perceptions change, a meaning<br />

has been associated to it, or it has been defined.<br />

Our subconscious identifies somewhere as a<br />

place, we recognise it and remember our past<br />

experience of it. Once we associate memories –<br />

experiences – our perception of that place soon<br />

changes, it becomes defined and it has meaning<br />

to us.<br />

Yi-Fu Tuan, a professor of geography formerly<br />

at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, explains<br />

‘Place is a pause in movement’. Continuing later<br />

to explain:<br />

Place is whatever stable object catches<br />

our attention. As we look at a panoramic<br />

scene our eyes pause at points of interest.<br />

Each pause is time enough to create<br />

an image of place that looms large<br />

momentarily in our view. The pause may<br />

be of such short duration and the interest<br />

so fleeting that we may not be fully aware<br />

of having focused on any particular object;<br />

we believe we have simply been looking<br />

at the general scene. Nonetheless these<br />

pauses have occurred. It is not possible to<br />

look at a scene in general; our eyes keep<br />

searching for points of rest. 10<br />

These simple yet significant identifiers allow<br />

10<br />

Tuan, Y. (1977)<br />

us to map out space in our mind; they shape Space and place:<br />

our experience by affecting our recollection<br />

the perspective of<br />

experience. London:<br />

of locations or events. Authenticity is what<br />

Edward Arnold. p.161<br />

drives these feelings, people want an authentic<br />

experience, and they want to try out a product<br />

or service in the right environment. This is<br />

something Architect Gerry Hamill would argue<br />

for, as he believes in creating comfortable,<br />

non-intimidating environments to attract<br />

returning customers. We will look at this in


12<br />

11,12<br />

Creative Review,<br />

July 2016, Vol.36 Issue 7<br />

pp.62-67<br />

more detail in the next section. In terms of<br />

transforming place, rethinking the space as well<br />

as reconnecting with an audience, Manchester’s<br />

Whitworth Museum has done just that in the<br />

past decade. Opening last year after £15 million<br />

of refurbishments the space has been extended,<br />

‘and intended to make it more welcoming to<br />

the public.’ 11<br />

It wanted to connect to new audiences,<br />

in new and innovative ways. They had the central<br />

idea for their physical change to connect more<br />

with people from the outside, ‘The transformation<br />

of the building was led by the idea that we want<br />

to be porous to people around us.’ So physically<br />

you can see inside the building from outside,<br />

as the extension is constructed mostly of glass.<br />

They reconnected to local schools and groups<br />

and developed a program called the ‘Whitworth<br />

Young Contemporaries’ aimed at students not in<br />

higher education; these initiatives all surround<br />

the aspect of community. Something that relates<br />

strongly to place, a sense of community is a sense<br />

of place and belonging.<br />

When speaking to Creative Review (2016)<br />

about winning the 2016 Museum of the Year<br />

Award from the Art Fund, only months after<br />

reopening, the museum’s director Maria Balshaw<br />

said, ‘In particular, for us, really changing the<br />

relationship we have with the park around<br />

us and then the communities that live on our<br />

near-borders.’ They have done this, more than<br />

doubling visitor numbers, this connection to<br />

community and place has been achieved and<br />

has had obvious effects on those who now<br />

engage with the space or indeed make it a place<br />

of their own. It is something everyone can<br />

relate to, Maria says, ‘Tourists visiting the city<br />

and local people actually want the same thing,<br />

which is curious, amazing, tremendous art.’<br />

The importance of people and space, together,<br />

changes how traditional spaces like museums<br />

are now treated. Maria argues, ‘In the 20th<br />

century, museums were treated as a kind of ivory<br />

tower, a scholarly retreat… But I don’t think that’s<br />

what museums are at now.’ Explaining that,<br />

‘the cultural impact of museums is about<br />

bringing people and ideas and objects and<br />

artists together…’ 12<br />

Another example of this impact of place is<br />

the Metropolitan Arts Centre (MAC) in Belfast,<br />

Northern Ireland. A centre that creates an<br />

atmosphere, a sense of place – it is an arts,<br />

cultural and social hub for the local community.<br />

A finalist for the Art Fund Prize for Museum<br />

of the Year in 2015 it is establishing itself as a<br />

leading European art centre; it has also won<br />

many building awards.


13<br />

Fig. 3.1 Whitworth<br />

Gallery Outside<br />

Fig. 3.2 Whitworth<br />

Gallery Inside<br />

It’s this that backs up Maria’s view of a<br />

changing museum landscape. About bringing<br />

people together, a forum for discussion and<br />

events, and a people and experience centred<br />

focus. This focus is what drives popularity as<br />

people are more engaged with the building and<br />

by gaining a positive experience from it, go on to<br />

promote it further.<br />

All of these perceptions of place are shaped<br />

by impact. The impact is achieved through an<br />

emotional response of experience – created<br />

with the architecture (physical) and the brand<br />

application (visual).


Branded<br />

14<br />

Place<br />

04


15<br />

SECTION FOUR<br />

Branded Place<br />

Branded space. Architectural design and a look at the physical<br />

brands that exist, shop fit outs, concept stores to pop ups.<br />

Brand experience is summed up by Tom Lacki<br />

(2003 cited by Smith, 2009), a Senior Director<br />

for Knowledge Management at Carlson as,<br />

‘The consistency of the customer experience<br />

is key, because consistency enables trust, and<br />

trust is a fundamental enabling condition for<br />

the development of productive and authentic<br />

relationships.’ 13<br />

Brands big and small all over the globe spend<br />

a great deal of resources into communicating<br />

their brand and making an impression on the<br />

public. With billions being spent worldwide on<br />

advertising. When that brand then ‘invites the<br />

public into its domain’ in a shop, exhibition,<br />

café or restaurant, ‘anywhere where the public<br />

meets the brand in its own territory—how is<br />

the corporate brand made evident in that<br />

specific environment?’ This question raised<br />

by the author Martin M. Pegler (2015), in his<br />

book Designing the Brand Identity in Retail<br />

Spaces is later answered by saying, ‘It takes<br />

close cooperation with brand management<br />

and a visual sensitivity to turn the brand that<br />

is stated in words and goals into dimensional<br />

surroundings.’ 14<br />

In the book Brandscaping (Riewoldt, 2002)<br />

the author discusses staging brands, when<br />

referring to key global brands increased<br />

investment in ‘the bricks and mortar of their<br />

customer-orientated brand identities’ that the,<br />

‘Showrooms or flagship stores alone no longer<br />

fit the bill.’ 15 This is an important point that is<br />

also stated in Brand Spaces (2013). Innovation and<br />

a new vision for retail is what can push stores<br />

into a newfound fame. Shopping spaces are<br />

changing greatly and that the likes of the<br />

department store are maybe struggling,<br />

the ‘new hybrid projects’ are filling the gaps.<br />

‘One element of their success marketing is their<br />

experience-orientated architecture… It can<br />

help to translate the legendary dream of the<br />

consumer temple into the modern age.’ 16<br />

The focus on architecture, applying the brand<br />

to the space and creating an experience in that<br />

13<br />

Clifton, R. and Ahmad,<br />

S. (2009) Brands and<br />

branding. 2nd ed.]. ed.<br />

London: Profile. p.99<br />

14<br />

Martin M. Pegler (2015)<br />

Designing the Brand<br />

Identity in Retail Spaces.<br />

Fairchild Books. P.viii<br />

15<br />

Riewoldt, O. (2002)<br />

Brandscaping: worlds<br />

of experience in retail<br />

design = Erlebnisdesign<br />

für Einkaufswelten. Basel:<br />

Birkha¨user. p.13<br />

16<br />

Anon. (2013) Brand<br />

spaces: branded<br />

architecture and the<br />

future of retail design.<br />

Berlin: Gestalten. p.3


16<br />

Fig. 4.1 Dyson Store London<br />

17<br />

Norwood, C. (2016)<br />

Interview with Gerry<br />

Hamill Architect, Belfast<br />

space all play the part of making it a desirable<br />

place to go and not follow the trends of<br />

traditional retail stores and intimidating<br />

sales tactics.<br />

Talking with architect Gerry Hamill,<br />

he would agree. Working on the new fit out of<br />

Toals Bookmakers in Belfast City Centre he says<br />

it’s about ‘selling the experience’. ‘How do you<br />

entice people out of their living room? Maybe<br />

they’ll make that additional purchase.’ So in<br />

an online world where retailers are suffering<br />

in store – there are many ways in which they are<br />

trying to attract people back in. Gerry believes<br />

in a focus on the customer. Looking back at<br />

Selfridges or any classic department store,<br />

it’s trying to evolve that experience with a<br />

modern vision. ‘You have to feel comfortable<br />

in an environment.’ The importance is on<br />

‘a balance of comfort and not to be intimidated’<br />

removing the sales desk counters approach and<br />

sales people taking a hands-off approach and<br />

being on the same level as the customer. He picks<br />

out three key words that all the market leaders<br />

adopt and that you need to create: Experience,<br />

interaction and comfort.<br />

‘Everyone wants an experience, to be<br />

comfortable’ and says people respect attention to<br />

detail that it takes to craft such an environment.<br />

If a brand cares about the environment it gives<br />

you then they must care about you. ‘It is this<br />

end-user experience and interaction that is<br />

critical – the end users must feel excited and<br />

comfortable at the same time.’ 17<br />

You can see a Dyson stall in a shopping<br />

centre and be in the world of Dyson within<br />

another world, it’s testament to the importance<br />

of branding space no matter how small.<br />

Especially when it becomes so identifiable.


17<br />

Fig. 4.2 Dyson Store London<br />

‘ The Dyson Demo encourages<br />

people to be hands-on… so people<br />

can understand the engineering<br />

behind them.’<br />

A milestone for Dyson is the launch of its<br />

very first permanent store in London in 2016.<br />

In an article on Design Week (2016) it says it will,<br />

‘allow people to try out products first-hand and<br />

learn about the science behind them.’<br />

Again, giving a customer a chance to ‘try before<br />

you buy’ and experience a brand, its products<br />

and its technology in a physical space. It’s evident<br />

of how key an aspect this is to companies. It will<br />

be a demo store; you can test out their products,<br />

learn about them, talk to ‘Dyson experts’<br />

and discover the technology – with no tills.<br />

You can still purchase a product once you’ve<br />

tried it out. ‘The Dyson Demo encourages people<br />

to be hands-on… so people can understand the<br />

engineering behind them’ says Jake Dyson,<br />

research, design and development director and<br />

CEO Max Conze says it will ‘bring engineering<br />

to life.’ In the article Sarah Dawood calls it an<br />

‘interactive learning environment concept’<br />

which is also similar to an educational space<br />

that Apple has recently opened too. 18<br />

John McDermott, brand director at AVB Brand<br />

sees physical space as another extension of<br />

a brand. In the same way as an ad campaign or a<br />

website is. Referring to John Lewis he says their<br />

brand effects and influences their TV adverts<br />

which then effects what their store windows<br />

show – all of which are extensions of the brand<br />

to create an overall impression, suggesting too<br />

that visual merchandising is something very<br />

important in designing and mapping physical<br />

space particularly in retail environments.<br />

John believes brands need to be getting better<br />

at working in different dimensions, maybe<br />

becoming more adaptable and flexible. 19<br />

18<br />

https://www.<br />

designweek.co.uk/<br />

issues/4-10-july-2016/<br />

dyson-brings-engineeringlife-new-london-store/<br />

19<br />

Norwood, C. (2016)<br />

Interview with Chris<br />

Killeen and John<br />

McDermott AVB Brand,<br />

Belfast


Experience<br />

18<br />

of Place<br />

05


19<br />

SECTION FIVE<br />

Experience of Place<br />

Creating an engaging and interactive experience – and the<br />

importance of doing so. To retain customers, increase sales<br />

and awareness.<br />

When speaking of Es Devlin, a stage designer,<br />

Creative Review (2016), ‘When we experience so<br />

much through screens, it has become a truism<br />

to stress the value of the live event. The thrill of<br />

“being there” becomes ever sharper the more we<br />

rely on other media.’ 20<br />

And based on positive or negative experiences<br />

of places this affects how we feel about them,<br />

do we enjoy going to work? Or going to a certain<br />

park for walks? This is why our experience of<br />

places can be so important. It’s also important<br />

to have these experiences in the first place.<br />

People seek places that allow them to explore<br />

and discover.<br />

Let’s take a look at what has been a resurgence<br />

or revolution that is the coffee movement.<br />

You won’t find any small town never mind a main<br />

city that doesn’t have a coffee shop located on<br />

nearly every street, local or chain – in Britain<br />

alone there are 16,500 coffee shops. 21 There will<br />

be 20,500 outlets by 2018. 22 In 2013, the three big<br />

companies: Starbucks, Costa and Caffé Nero saw<br />

their sales rise by 9.3%. And in the same research<br />

what was around 11% of us visiting a coffee<br />

shop every day is now over 20%. Independent<br />

coffee shops are now on top of this market, and<br />

why? People want real, authentic, quality coffee.<br />

Something they believe their local artisanal<br />

barista can offer them.<br />

There is now an entire culture surrounding<br />

this product, an experience to be had by anyone<br />

who enjoys this hot drink. Coffee shops aren’t<br />

just for drinking coffee however, they’re social<br />

spaces, people meet here, chat here, plan and<br />

work here. For some it’s the coffee, but for others<br />

it’s the space – a shared space, a branded space.<br />

Coffee shops are changing to reflect their more<br />

premium product, selling better coffee; they are<br />

creating better spaces to serve it in. In doing so,<br />

creating better experiences for people to enjoy<br />

it in. Not just in the local independent shops<br />

either, this is what the big corporate chains are<br />

replicating; in fact Starbucks has had a massive<br />

impact on coffee in the UK since it first opened<br />

in London in 1998. Starbucks now has over<br />

25,000 stores in 70 countries. 23 It’s success is<br />

20<br />

Creative Review, June<br />

2016, Vol.36 Issue 6 p.48<br />

21<br />

https://www.<br />

theguardian.com/<br />

lifeandstyle/2014/jun/08/<br />

the-coffee-revolution-jayrayner<br />

22<br />

https://www.<br />

theguardian.com/<br />

environment/2014/jul/20/<br />

is-it-ok-to-buy-coffee-froman-independent<br />

23<br />

http://time.<br />

com/4588739/starbuckshoward-schultz-ceo-kevinjohnson-sbux/


20<br />

Fig. 5.1 Starbucks<br />

Express London<br />

24<br />

https://www.<br />

bloomberg.com/news/<br />

articles/2016-12-01/<br />

starbucks-schultz-will-stepdown-as-ceo-replacedby-johnson<br />

25<br />

Norwood, C. (2016)<br />

Interview with Chris<br />

Killeen and John<br />

McDermott AVB Brand,<br />

Belfast<br />

26<br />

Ehmann, S., Klanten,<br />

R., and Borges, S., (2013)<br />

Workscape: new<br />

spaces for new work.<br />

Berlin: Gestalten.<br />

unprecedented and it continues to dominate.<br />

Bloomberg reported that, ‘the company has used<br />

its mobile application and other tech services<br />

to fuel sales in recent years’ and this positions<br />

it, ‘ahead of its peers, allowing it to serve more<br />

customers faster’ (Bloomberg, 2016) and this<br />

surely has a positive effect on customers because<br />

they get their coffee faster. A recent change in<br />

CEO too is to do with Starbucks’ shift in focus<br />

to expanding its Reserve Roasteries as well<br />

as their new Reserve retail stores, which is<br />

their ‘new upscale brand’. 24 See Figure 5.2,<br />

a compilation of headlines when searching for<br />

Starbucks on the website DesignWeek.co.uk,<br />

we see how the company is experimenting,<br />

innovating, reinventing but most importantly<br />

with all these ideas, is creating experiences.<br />

Something that big brands are doing now<br />

that Chris Killeen, brand director at AVB Brand,<br />

talks about in an interview when discussing<br />

pop-up stores, is they can be used to tailor a<br />

personalised experience for a customer to ‘reduce<br />

the perceived scale of a brand’ using Nike as an<br />

example when a brand gets so big it needs to look<br />

for small niche markets to remain relevant to say,<br />

‘look what we can do, we can relate to you’. 25<br />

And so by developing a smaller more focused<br />

high-end product and service they can shape<br />

themselves to look like a local independent store<br />

without a big corporate image getting in the way.<br />

This change in thinking can be linked to modern<br />

living, as discussed in detail in Workspace – New<br />

spaces for new work, ‘People are living differently,<br />

working differently and shopping differently so<br />

the retail landscape needs to change too.’ 26<br />

John McDermott notes how all big brands<br />

e.g. Google, are creating a social place to work in,<br />

something that is becoming company culture<br />

(to be comfortable) with the need to make it feel<br />

like you want to be there, something that is very<br />

much applicable to retail. Also discussing how<br />

important staff is as an element of branding.


Starbucks unveils<br />

new interiors as<br />

part of £8million<br />

overhaul of<br />

London stores<br />

21<br />

Starbucks offers “theatrica<br />

dining with new interiors<br />

Starbucks launches<br />

boutique stores in UK<br />

Starbucks launches<br />

new concept café for<br />

busy London commute<br />

The people that work in that space, they reinforce<br />

the brand. Through human interaction, this is<br />

very important. The brand narrative and<br />

storytelling can be told through the staff,<br />

as another extension of the brand. All in a bid<br />

to push brand messaging.<br />

With all these components established,<br />

some big brands like to operate in a very<br />

controlled manner – strict – with total brand<br />

consistency in mind. However this can restrict<br />

a brand and really lower the chances of it<br />

being exciting in anyway to further itself.<br />

Dominik Prinz of Interbrand (2014) uses the<br />

term Brand Democratisation to overcome<br />

this challenge; he sees it as an opportunity.<br />

Fig. 5.2 Starbucks<br />

Brand Democratisation is the, ‘willingness to let headlines<br />

go of the desire to control every single step of<br />

the customer journey’, this allows it to be more<br />

lively and playful and when used well, ‘creates<br />

much deeper engagement, more excitement,<br />

and a bigger sense of brand ownership for<br />

people’ which is what a brand should want. The<br />

importance of letting a brand live out through<br />

extensions and letting go Dominik explains is<br />

another way of exploring how to ‘make the brand 27<br />

Kent, C. (2014)<br />

experience more participatory and co-designed Branding Roundtable 7:<br />

by the people it’s ultimately for.’ 27 Challenges and<br />

Opportunities for 2015.<br />

Branding Magazine. p.8


22<br />

Case<br />

tudies<br />

06


23<br />

SECTION SIX<br />

Case Studies<br />

Examples of branded space by some of the best brand examples,<br />

their success, influence on the ‘space’ and interviews.<br />

Using what we’ve looked at in previous sections<br />

of this study we will explore how all aspects of<br />

branding and space planning work together in<br />

creating better places for people, whether it be in<br />

a commercial setting or a social one. Looking at<br />

the relationship between architecture, graphic,<br />

interior and product design – how they engage<br />

with an audience and promote the brand.<br />

All with the aim of creating better more holistic<br />

branded space.<br />

We begin by taking a look at Checkland<br />

Kindleysides (CK), a design agency with a global<br />

reach. Based in England and formed in 1979 by<br />

David Checkland and Jeff Kindleysides, their<br />

ethos and vision was a belief that it is important<br />

to make ideas a reality quickly. And today this is<br />

still the case, not only do they have two design<br />

studios, one in Leicester and the other in London<br />

but they also have a workshop studio. Allowing<br />

them to experiment, invent and innovate.<br />

They believe in brand storytelling. With a focus<br />

on collaboration to build robust relationships<br />

with clients, which would be why their work is<br />

so highly valued – setting ‘new global benchmarks’<br />

through the creation of innovative concepts. 28<br />

CK have been partnering with Levi’s for over<br />

25 years, building a worldwide strategy for how<br />

they act in retail. They’ve worked on reshaping<br />

and reimagining what a flagship store is in 1994,<br />

developing the first ‘unbranded’ store in 1999<br />

and experimenting with technology in store.<br />

‘Setting “new global<br />

benchmarks” through<br />

the creation of<br />

innovative concepts’<br />

Case studies begin overleaf i<br />

28<br />

http://<br />

checklandkindleysides.<br />

com/


24


25<br />

Fig. 6.1 Levi's<br />

London Flagship Store<br />

Fig. 6.2 Changing Rooms<br />

Checkland<br />

Kindleysides<br />

29<br />

http://<br />

checklandkindleysides.<br />

com/work/levis<br />

All the while creating a ‘timeless brand attitude’<br />

over this time period. Continuing to play on this<br />

with the creation of a new flagship store in 2011<br />

(in the original London location), which was<br />

being hailed as a comeback for Levi’s, ‘redefining<br />

how a brand behaves at retail.’ They set out to<br />

create an experience and make connections,<br />

a place where the brand could promote and<br />

flaunt its expertise while being able to ‘express<br />

its point of view’. The store has a space to host<br />

events, they invited creative talents such as<br />

musicians and artists which ‘serves to generate<br />

content’ and ‘drive traffic to the store’ ultimately<br />

getting people to engage with the brand. 29<br />

Fig. 6.3 Shop floor


26<br />

Fig. 6.4 Hunter<br />

Regent Street, London<br />

Hunter is another client of Checkland<br />

Kindleysides whose brand has a story to tell,<br />

something that their store design relies heavily<br />

on is customer engagement. CK created a story<br />

with a strong journey element, using materials<br />

to create an adventure:<br />

Fig. 6.5 Hunter<br />

‘Soundscapes’<br />

This is a dreamlike journey through<br />

British urban and agricultural<br />

architecture, through landscapes and<br />

gardens. Each step of the journey is<br />

played out with a sensorial burst of<br />

digital and tactile experiences, with<br />

playful elements of visual illusion.


27<br />

Fig. 6.6 Hunter<br />

Regent Street, London<br />

Fig. 6.7 Hunter<br />

Ginza, Japan<br />

Figure 4.1 Starbucks<br />

headlines<br />

It combines technology with traditional<br />

methods to add a new dimension, making<br />

‘fresh experiences to share with new audiences.’<br />

Sound is a vital element in telling this brand<br />

narrative. They use live weather forecasts,<br />

the sound of birds can be heard in the changing<br />

rooms, this creates a digital soundscape to tell<br />

a story, and evoke certain emotions from people.<br />

Paired with other media it is very much the<br />

production of such a space that can really set it<br />

above anywhere else and aim to build a unique<br />

retail space. Opening a dialogue between the<br />

store and the audience.<br />

This store has been such a success that it will<br />

now influence and be reflected in a global rollout<br />

to all of Hunter’s spaces, from flagship to outlets.<br />

As you can see from Japan’s version of the store<br />

in Figure 6.7, it still very much holds the values<br />

of the original creative concept but ‘less literal’<br />

and more ‘ethereal’, they say to target the<br />

Japanese market. 30<br />

30<br />

http://<br />

checklandkindleysides.<br />

com/work/hunter


28<br />

Fig. 6.8<br />

PlayStation Event<br />

Fig. 6.9<br />

PlayStation Event<br />

31<br />

http://<br />

checklandkindleysides.<br />

com/work/sonyplaystation<br />

A lot of what surrounds this subject is<br />

connections. For 10 years CK have been working<br />

side by side with Sony PlayStation to help with<br />

their global product launches. This partnership<br />

relies heavily on connections. Not just between<br />

CK and PlayStation but with connecting the<br />

audience – the players – with the PlayStation<br />

brand and with each other. This concept is<br />

a creative vision that they’ve implemented<br />

through a diverse range of applications, the<br />

problem being able to do this consistently.<br />

So by ‘pioneering a modular and flexible<br />

creative vision’ this can then be ‘translated<br />

into scalable concepts’ so that no matter what<br />

variation in size, they are connected by the same<br />

idea and provide the consistency the brand was<br />

looking to utilise. One of Sony PlayStation’s key<br />

aims is to ‘engage and educate their audience.’<br />

So the idea behind this concept is to educate<br />

through active engagement, if people are using<br />

the product, interacting with the service and<br />

discovering the brand – then this can be used<br />

as a method of learning. 31


Fig. 6.10<br />

Gran Turismo Driving Pod<br />

29


30<br />

BAS<br />

32<br />

http://basid.se/<br />

33<br />

http://basid.se/case/<br />

systembolaget/<br />

BAS is a Swedish creative collective. Consisting<br />

of three separate ventures: BAS – Commercial<br />

innovation combining brand and retail strategies.<br />

BAS ITG – Strategy and innovation aimed at<br />

technology and telecommunications. Finally,<br />

BAS REX – Delivers concept development for<br />

shopping centres and food courts.<br />

This diverse range of skills ‘provides a<br />

unique combination of competences… for both<br />

digital and physical environments… as well as<br />

implementation and management.’ 32 That is<br />

another valid perspective, that although the<br />

physical environment is more important than<br />

ever in the present day as argued, the digital<br />

landscape can be equally as powerful and<br />

important. It is only by combining them and<br />

using them for each other’s benefit can you<br />

create an ultimate experience. It is very useful<br />

to use digital experiences but held within<br />

physical space to play to the senses and<br />

enhance experiences. BAS is as committed as the<br />

likes of Checkland Kindleysides in bringing ideas<br />

and concepts into reality, shaping this combined<br />

thinking of experiential design. They developed<br />

a new store concept for Systembolaget, Sweden’s<br />

government owned off license and the only<br />

retail store allowed to sell alcoholic beverages<br />

containing over 3.5% alcoholic volume. BAS<br />

were assigned to develop this new concept and<br />

updated identity to ‘deliver more of a specialist<br />

store experience than a volume outlet.’ Their<br />

result was ‘an inspiring and knowledge-driven<br />

“beverage library” with influences from Nordic<br />

design and based on customer insights’ and the<br />

first concept store is testing this out already.<br />

You can see from the materials and finishes<br />

that this store is already of a high quality, set up<br />

so a customer can learn, engage and understand<br />

the product better. Using infographics and labels,<br />

a customer can find out more with ease. 33


Fig. 6.11<br />

Systembolaget Store<br />

31


32<br />

Fig. 5.12<br />

Systembolaget Display<br />

Fig. 5.13<br />

Systembolaget<br />

Infographic Labels


‘ It should be easy to search<br />

and choose in store. ’<br />

33<br />

Fig. 5.14<br />

Clas Ohlson Signage<br />

Fig. 5.15<br />

Clas Ohlson Store<br />

Being easy to navigate and create a<br />

comfortable environment to be in is something<br />

BAS wanted to use to their advantage with work<br />

they have done for Clas Ohlson. ‘The intention<br />

is that everyone should feel at home with the<br />

identity and store concept’ with the focus that,<br />

‘above all, it should be easy to search and choose<br />

in store.’ To visualise this they updated the<br />

identity by simplifying and modernising parts<br />

of it so that it can work more efficiently. They<br />

see the completed identity as a ‘journey’ and so<br />

the finished outcome will take time to grow and<br />

evolve, there’s even a graphic manual in progress<br />

and they see this as a step-by-step process. 34<br />

When talking about process, this is something<br />

very important to the modern culturally aware<br />

consumer. They want to see the process behind<br />

the product, how it’s made and the materials it<br />

uses are of very high importance.<br />

34<br />

http://basid.se/case/<br />

clas-ohlson/


34<br />

Fig. 5.16<br />

Kasthall Display<br />

35<br />

http://www.kasthall.<br />

com/en/about-kasthall<br />

36<br />

http://basid.se/case/<br />

kasthall/<br />

Kasthall is rug and textile company from<br />

Sweden that have been designing for interiors<br />

since 1889. ‘Kasthall is about transforming<br />

a vision into a realistic design solution for<br />

the floor.’ 35 They state that there are three<br />

ingredients in creating a Kasthall rug: expertise,<br />

craftsmanship and design understanding. BAS<br />

had to then translate this into a physical store<br />

space. They describe the store as a ‘new artistic<br />

scene… displaying unique carpets.’ With the<br />

use of, ‘natural, raw elegance enhancing the<br />

softness of the products.’ They list the keywords<br />

as: innovation, durability, craftsmanship and<br />

personal expression. So this should be something<br />

built to last, and the design of the store with ‘raw<br />

concrete floors’ and ‘dark natural colours,’ the<br />

materials evoke this and the contrast amplifies<br />

this, it gives it a premium quality look – and feel.<br />

After all, this if a textile company and so the<br />

ability to feel the products is key. Even the use of<br />

displaying the raw wool used in their products<br />

draws people to that connection between<br />

material, process and product. 36


35<br />

Fig. 5.17<br />

Kasthall Store<br />

Fig. 5.18<br />

Kasthall Shelf<br />

‘ Draws people to that<br />

connection between material,<br />

process and product. ’<br />

Fig. 5.19<br />

Kasthall Products


36<br />

AVB Brand<br />

AVB Brand is a brand consultancy in Belfast,<br />

with a focus on brand strategy and development.<br />

Creating brands that ‘tell a story, communicate<br />

clear value and promote customer engagement.’<br />

They are behind the brand for the MAC, which<br />

was referenced in section three, speaking with<br />

brand directors Chris Killeen and John McDermott<br />

we can look at the process behind the project<br />

of branding this unconventional space.<br />

Firstly they believe in the importance of<br />

involving the client heavily at the start of a<br />

project, it’s important to identify all applications<br />

and issues and work with them to understand<br />

better, the client and the space, says Chris.<br />

They conduct site visits and interviews at<br />

this early stage. They also say it’s better to be on<br />

a project from the start, to have more of a chance<br />

to influence the space, instead of arriving late in<br />

the process and having very little say.<br />

‘Working with interior designers and architects<br />

allows you to work out what that space is for and<br />

how it’s going to be used… Brand values should be<br />

lived out in the space itself,’ says John, ‘it’s about<br />

style and tone rather than just badging a space.’<br />

And choosing the right style and feel, within the<br />

budget – as well as knowing the audience.<br />

When working on the MAC they worked<br />

closely with the architect, Hall McKnight. And it<br />

was about, ‘staying true to the brand’ says Chris.<br />

They developed a flexible identity that worked<br />

intimately with the environment, going off the<br />

idea of a ‘leading edge’ this statement had to<br />

ring true in all the elements. It was brought to<br />

life through the materials, finishes and layout.<br />

The logo sits outside of the building but then<br />

that’s it, people don’t need to be told explicitly<br />

where they are, the use of materials and all these<br />

other elements is what brands the space inside.<br />

The logo doesn’t need to be applied everywhere<br />

inside, John thinks it’s a ‘less is more’ approach.<br />

And bringing the outside in – as referenced in<br />

the Hunter store designs – continuing the brand<br />

narrative and storytelling.<br />

‘ Brand values should be<br />

lived out in the space itself. ’


37<br />

Fig. 5.21<br />

The MAC Interior<br />

Fig. 5.20<br />

The MAC Exterior<br />

Fig. 5.22 (below)<br />

The MAC Signage


38<br />

Fig. 5.23<br />

The MAC Lines and Light


39<br />

A big part of this project, and any branding<br />

project, is wayfinding. This is why they go on site<br />

visits, ‘see it from the visitor’s shoe, find out how<br />

to get from A-B’ explains John. The materials, the<br />

fixtures, the materials of the signs, all providing<br />

subtle suggestions that need to ‘feel right’;<br />

they can’t jar with the brand or the space they,<br />

‘want it to compliment the environment.’ But it<br />

also ‘needs to be practical as well’ states Chris.<br />

Signage shouldn’t be an afterthought.<br />

Fig. 5.24<br />

The MAC Gallery Space<br />

With all this is mind; we can see how<br />

important and successful these spaces are –<br />

through collaboration between all creative teams<br />

and the client. Treating an architect like a client<br />

to get a well-branded space, Chris believes, ‘that’s<br />

when you get a good result.’ 37


40<br />

Conclusion<br />

07


41<br />

SECTION SEVEN<br />

Conclusion<br />

Brands, branding, space, place and human<br />

perspectives shape the experiences we have in<br />

physical environments. What people demand<br />

shapes the consumer landscape over time,<br />

again and again. What we see in retail now will<br />

continue to adapt and evolve in the future, to<br />

stay relevant, to survive. Which it will, as people<br />

will continue to want new social and experiential<br />

retail spaces.<br />

So through design and architecture unique,<br />

inspiring and authentic spaces can be created.<br />

A vital part of this argument surrounds<br />

authenticity, and authentic narratives. These<br />

spaces are successful because of people, that<br />

human element that is key to creating an<br />

authentic experience. ‘Brand identity is about<br />

adding emotional and sensory appeal to the<br />

brand’ (Pegler, 2015) 38 It’s emotional, and sensory<br />

design that makes it experiential, if people feel<br />

something emotionally when they enter a space<br />

or can connect with it – through engagement,<br />

then it’s that warmth and comfort that allows<br />

them to explore and discover the space and<br />

ultimately; the brand – with everything being an<br />

extension of that brand. Which is an important<br />

aspect of this argument, as brands aren’t just<br />

things – products and services – to become<br />

household names they have to be lived out in<br />

spaces, to have people engage and then they<br />

live out the brand. As discussed earlier Brand<br />

Democratisation is a term that promotes this,<br />

letting a brand grow and not be completely<br />

controlled all of the time with consistency<br />

overload and strict brand guidelines; let it live.<br />

It becomes more real, flexible, agile and human<br />

with the use of this looser approach.<br />

Comparing physical and digital spaces,<br />

‘technologies alter the spatial experience’ and<br />

Chris Houlieze (2010, p.93-94) suggests that with<br />

technology, ‘the line between what is offline and<br />

what is online is getting increasingly blurred<br />

and one can imagine, in the stores of tomorrow,<br />

mixed realities where real products displayed<br />

in a brick-and-mortar store will be intertwined<br />

with products displayed virtually.’ 39 Already in<br />

2016, six years on from this article, we can see<br />

this trend increasing to become the norm.<br />

It’s more about merging the digital with the<br />

physical, and understanding the importance<br />

of the physical when it can be easy to overly<br />

rely on the simplicity but thinness of digital.<br />

Therefore it’s certainly necessary to strike<br />

the right balance.<br />

With what we’ve looked at throughout this<br />

study, it is all an attempt to prove the importance<br />

of and current trend in popularity of experiential<br />

spaces in retail environments for brands, in this<br />

truly global and digital age.


42<br />

Appendix<br />

08


43<br />

APPENDIX<br />

Interviews<br />

Gerry Hamill –November 2016<br />

1. What’s your opinion of architecture<br />

in branded space (for retail or<br />

commercial)? What experience can<br />

you share on this?<br />

Architecture in branded space offers the<br />

Client the clear ability to visualise how their<br />

new branding would look like internally<br />

and externally when implemented. Such 3D<br />

design offerings such as prototype stores are<br />

invaluable to companies planning to embark<br />

on a national rebrand. Huge benefits can<br />

be gained – additional customer traffic and<br />

sales and reduction of wasted expense – just<br />

being a few examples of the benefits.<br />

2. In a digital age, do you see a renewed<br />

need for experimental physical spaces<br />

for brands to operate in?<br />

Yes, an experimental model phys they<br />

are three-dimensional representations of<br />

your designs. They also offer you and, if<br />

required, your customers the opportunity to<br />

understand the concept and refine the end<br />

result to accurately suit your objectives.<br />

With a prototype, it’s a walk through,<br />

life-size preview of your new concept; an<br />

interactive market research laboratory<br />

where key answers to attitude, reaction and<br />

usage can be known early on – all of which<br />

are crucial to success when introducing<br />

new elements. Customers are given the<br />

opportunity to trial elements and offer<br />

their feedback which is vital in determining<br />

if, and how well, your design offering will<br />

work. This is powerful. Any improvements<br />

and adjustments you make based on their<br />

input is able to ensure your new fit out<br />

directly appeals and engages your enduser.<br />

It is this end-user experience and<br />

interaction that is critical – the end users<br />

must feel excited and comfortable at the<br />

same time.<br />

3. What do you think is the value of<br />

creating an experience within a space<br />

for a customer?<br />

As answered in 2. above.


44<br />

4. And what are your thoughts on the<br />

discovery element of physical space,<br />

building a journey for customers to<br />

tell them a story.<br />

Interaction and experience is key to<br />

the success of any product or physical<br />

space. Building a journey and a story to<br />

follow helps with the understanding and<br />

experience of the product or space – the<br />

customer feels part of the story and<br />

inclusion within the design offering –<br />

this leads to a successful space that the<br />

customer then feels comfortable within.<br />

Discovery is part of life – everyone loves it<br />

– it comes from childhood when everything<br />

was a discovery. Visual, sensory Smells and<br />

Tactiles are great!!<br />

5. How influential do you see the<br />

prototype store, the pop-up and<br />

guerrilla stores? Is it important to<br />

constantly experiment? In such a<br />

rapidly changing industry, what<br />

temporary architectural structures<br />

can help transform space?<br />

As answered in 1 and 2. Above – yes always<br />

experiment as technology and surrounds<br />

are rapidly changing about us. Push the<br />

boundaries – customers love this! It is the<br />

discovery element again! There are so many<br />

materials available to designers now that<br />

almost any temporary structure can be<br />

achieved if you can imagine it. I believe the<br />

next generation will be 3D-Printed Space<br />

and Structures! Currently this year it is<br />

proposed in the Netherlands to 3D Print a<br />

bridge in-situ using a series of 3D printing<br />

robots moving along the bridge structure as<br />

they print the bridge span structure!


45<br />

6. Have you worked with design/brand<br />

studios previously to bring a brand<br />

to life in the real world? What are<br />

the benefits of having a positive<br />

relationship between a designer and<br />

an architect in making a creative<br />

vision reality?<br />

No I haven’t worked with a brand studio<br />

before but I believe it to be crucial to<br />

involve and Architect to help bring ideas<br />

on branding to life in the real world. An<br />

Architect can assist the process of actual<br />

rollouts that will be more efficient and<br />

streamlined. Key learnings encountered<br />

during the prototype’s production itself<br />

will be useful in reducing cost, or waste.<br />

Meanwhile, clearer estimates can be made<br />

on the time needed to implement the full<br />

and final roll out. It may take you one, two<br />

or three prototype stores to get it right,<br />

but this could add up to extensive cost<br />

savings, with significantly improved return<br />

on investment. An Architect with Design<br />

experience and use of materials, lighting,<br />

energy, space is crucial in my opinion to give<br />

assured guidance.


46<br />

Chris Killeen, John McDermott (AVB Brand) –November 2016 [Notes]<br />

1. Let’s begin with how you start a brand<br />

space project? How involved is a client<br />

at this stage, is this an important factor,<br />

what are the main starting points?<br />

Yes it’s important. Very important to be<br />

heavily involved know all the reasons, identify<br />

applications and issues. Working with them to<br />

understand better. Site visits, research and<br />

then creative development. CK<br />

If you’re in working from the start you have<br />

more chance to influence that space. Whereas if<br />

you arrive in late to a project you have very little<br />

say over space and can end up just putting vinyl<br />

on the wall. Working with interior designers and<br />

architects allows you to work out what a space is<br />

for how it’s going to be used. Brand values should<br />

be lived out in the space itself. It’s about style<br />

and tone rather than just badging a space. JM<br />

Knowing the audience. CK<br />

Knowing budgets – important to know so you<br />

don’t design something beyond the budget.<br />

Choosing the right style and feel for the money.<br />

Architects don’t necessarily focus on brand. JM<br />

2. Have you worked with architects<br />

previously to bring a brand to life in the<br />

real world? What are the benefits of<br />

having a positive relationship between<br />

a designer and an architect in making a<br />

creative vision reality?<br />

As answered in 2. above<br />

3. How do you go about translating a<br />

brands statement visually: what it stands<br />

for, its traditions, its vision etc?<br />

Worked closely with architects of the MAC,<br />

[flexible identity working to apply that to the<br />

environment] Staying true to the brand CK<br />

Logo is applied outside so no need to have it<br />

everywhere inside. Big part of branding is<br />

way finding. Go to a site and see it from the<br />

visitors shoes, find out how to get from A-B.<br />

Materials, fixtures. Materials of signs. Subtle<br />

suggestions. Feel right, don’t want it to jar, want<br />

it to compliment the environment. JM<br />

Needs to be practical as well CK<br />

Signage shouldn’t be an afterthought. JM<br />

MAC lettering outside, brand into a 3D space.<br />

Treat architect like a client to get a well-branded<br />

space. That’s when you get a good result. CK


47<br />

6. How important is physical, and in<br />

4. Explain the importance of the<br />

getting better at different dimensions. JM<br />

materials, textures, lighting and other<br />

techniques in creating an experience?<br />

MAC – ‘Leading edge’ Materials, finishes,<br />

layout. Not really want a logo. Don’t need<br />

to be told. Less is more approach.<br />

Brand narrative/storytelling.<br />

Subtle, bringing outside in. JM<br />

Apple’s London flagship store is doing CK<br />

House of Fraser is an experience store.<br />

some ways social, space to a brand?<br />

Especially in a digital age, and with<br />

such a rapidly changing world.<br />

(Pop-up/guerilla store)<br />

All big brands, Google etc. creating a social<br />

space to work in, it’s now become company<br />

culture. [To be comfortable] Need to make<br />

it feel like you want to be there. [Applicable<br />

to retail] JM<br />

Get people in to experience the products<br />

and then either go away and buy them<br />

online or in store. Immersive store you can<br />

go in, interact with the space. Buy online. JM<br />

7. And what are your thoughts on the<br />

discovery element of physical space,<br />

building a journey for customers to<br />

5. Along with this what other<br />

experiential/sensory techniques and<br />

methods can you use to enrich an<br />

experience and amplify the brand?<br />

Lighting/music. Hollister – been replicated,<br />

now they’ve changed.Music take you to the<br />

headspace they want [fun vs calm] CK<br />

Visual merchandising – John Lewis brand<br />

effects and influences their TV adverts<br />

which then affects what their store<br />

windows show and they are extensions of<br />

the ad campaign/brand. Brands need to be<br />

tell them a story.<br />

Advertising tactic, boost brand awareness JM<br />

Pop ups to [reduce the perceived scale of a<br />

brand] Pop ups to personalize: Nike – too big,<br />

go small/niche, look what we can do, we can<br />

relate you it/you. CK<br />

Pushing brand messaging. The people that<br />

work in that space, reinforce the brand.<br />

Human interaction, very important.<br />

Narrative and storytelling told through<br />

workers [MAC we’re here to help] JM


48<br />

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08


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53


54


55


56<br />

The impact of branding on physical<br />

space and the importance of creating<br />

an experience.<br />

Branded space, in the form of shops,<br />

museums, cafés and restaurants have an<br />

effect on us everyday. This study will look<br />

at the impact of physical space – how it<br />

can influence us and how it shapes our<br />

perceptions of brands and places.<br />

Including case studies from around<br />

the world and interviews with<br />

industry professionals.<br />

Craig Norwood

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