SDEA Shoptalk November 2020
SDEA Shoptalk November 2020. All the latest news, insights and more for the retail, leisure and hospitality display community.
SDEA Shoptalk November 2020. All the latest news, insights and more for the retail, leisure and hospitality display community.
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Shoptalk
The latest news and offers for SDEA members and the display industry
NEW SDEA PRESIDENT
AND VICE PRESIDENT ELECTED AT AGM
The Association made history at its 73rd
Annual General Meeting – by holding it
virtually for the very first time. On 22nd July
members logged on to the Virtual AGM and
heard all about the hard work that has been
undertaken over the past year for SDEA
members and what exciting plans are afoot
for the year ahead, including the launch of the
new Meet The Buyer event: Creative Design &
Display Connections
(www.cddconnections.com).
During the day’s proceedings Executive
Council elections were carried out with Paul
Smart, Business Development Director at
arken P-O-P International being voted
President of the Association and Mark
Chatterton, Managing Director of Morplan was
elected Vice President.
(Paul Smart the new President)
The new President is excited at the prospect
of being at the helm of the Association and
said: “I am looking forward to the challenges
ahead in these trying times and hope to see
and speak with many of our members to
review where we can help each other.” Paul
had held the position of Vice President of the
Association for the previous two years.
(Mark Chatterton became Vice President)
Angus Morton, Head of Sales & Marketing at
bbrown Display Materials becomes Immediate
Past President. Angus was instrumental in
launching the Association’s Member Matching
Service: m2m - a free service which has
resulted in many thousands pounds worth of
business between members.
Two new members joined the Executive
Council this year: Paul Higgins, European
Managing Director at RTC and Rob Hill,
Production Director at Graphica Display.
They join existing Executive Council members:
Ronald Cohen, Chairman of Foxbarn Ltd,
Bob Garton, Managing Director of Glencourt
Associates Ltd, Simon Olley, Managing
Director of Stylo and Nick Wraith, Managing
Director of Unibox.
The Executive Council will work together over
the coming months bringing fresh ideas and
inspiration, securing the future growth of this
highly valued organisation.
Shop and Display Equipment Association
24 Croydon Road
Caterham
Surrey CR3 6YR
T: 01883 348911
F: 01883 343435
E: enquiries@sdea.co.uk
www.shopdisplay.org
Editor: Antony Behiels
November 2020
Inside this issue:
SDEA NEWS 1
MEMBER
NEW MEMBER
NEWS
FOCUS
1
2
- 6
DIARY MEMBER DATES NEWS 3-6 7
QUININE DESIGN INSIGHT 7-8
VIRTUAL RETAIL INTERIORS SPECIAL 9
DIARY DATES 9
EXCLUSIVE SDEA MEMBER
DISCOUNT OF 25% AT VIRTUAL
RETAIL INTERIORS - SEE PAGE 9
FOR DETAILS.
EXCLUSIVE INSIGHT FROM
QUININE: WHY VIRTUE IS THE
NEW COOL - SEE PAGES 7&8
- 1 -
NEW MEMBER FOCUS:
100 PERCENT GROUP
100% provides awardwinning
solutions to
implement and optimise
retail marketing campaigns
in stores across the world.
They provide a comprehensive range of services from surveys &
audits, installation, new product updates, maintenance, to
sustainability solutions for end-of-life materials.
Specialising in international project implementation, the company
offers a centrally managed service to deliver campaigns with
global control and consistency, leveraging local expertise and
resources in over 65 countries across UK, Europe, Russia, Turkey,
Middle East, India, Africa, USA & Canada and beyond.
100% bring ideas to life for some of the world’s biggest retail
brands. They’ve worked on high-profile product launches and
ground-breaking in-store experiences for brands like Adidas,
Beats by Dre, North Face and Sonos.
This is the kind of challenge their team thrives on. Talk to them
about your next project!
Contact:
t: 0161 929 9599
e: hello@100percentgroup.com
w: www.100percentgroup.com
NEW MEMBER FOCUS:
PLASTICRAFT DISPLAYS
Plasticraft Displays are UK Manufacturers of Retail Shop Fitting
Supplies.
With a huge range of retail shop fittings and acrylic shopfitting
supplies, Plasticraft Displays offer a variety of acrylic displays for
shopfitters as well as other industries, such as acrylic display
cabinets for museums, leaflet stands for banks and acrylic signs,
acrylic display stands and displays for airports, window cable
displays for estate agents and many more!
If you have any questions or require a bespoke acrylic product,
please contact tracy@plasticraftdisplays.co.uk.
Contact:
t: 01484 453358
e: tracy@plasticraftdisplays.co.uk
w: www.plasticraftdisplays.co.uk
Whatever you want to display and however you want to display it,
they have the products for you. A huge range of acrylic retail shop
fittings - from acrylic shop displays in a variety of styles including
slatwall and shoe stands to serious shopfitting supplies including
gridwall panels and slatwall panels and all the slatwall
accessories you'll need.
If you can't find the acrylic displays you need, their in-house
design and development team will work with you to create a
custom acrylic display to suit your requirements.
Plasticraft Displays supply trade, but are also open to the public.
You are welcome to visit and view products at their premises in
Huddersfield. Easy purchase is available from their online shop
with delivery or collect from their premises.
- 2 -
MEMBER NEWS
SAFER WORKING SPACES WITH
VECTROSCREEN FROM BOHLE
Bohle has launched VetroScreen, a highly flexible cough and
sneeze-guard screen system for glass or polycarbonate sheet.
Available either as clamps or free-standing, VetroScreen, has been
developed as a solution to providing temporary or permanent
screen protection from airborne aerosols.
A weighted, freestanding desktop version manufactured in
aluminium and steel, with self-adhesive pads, provides a solid
foundation for glass screens typically up to 800mm high
dependent on application. For widths over 1200mm more clamps
or stands can be added for stability.
Both versions of VetroScreen allow screens to be easily repositioned
and re-purposed without damage to existing surfaces.
Powder coated aluminium VetroScreen clamps simply slide over
the edges of counters or tables to be tightened by hand, providing
a secure, safe and unobtrusive fix for screens typically up to
1000mm dependent upon application.
For more information please email info@bohle.ltd.uk, call free on
0800 616151 or visit www.bohle.com
Contact:
t: 0800 616151
e: info@bohle.ltd.uk
w: www.bohle.com
DISCOUNT DISPLAYS LAUNCH NEW
TRADE DIVISION
After 30 years of success in the displays, exhibition and large
format print industry, Discount Displays are launching a new trade
division.
Available to printers, sign makers, exhibition companies, marketing
companies and other resellers, DDT has a wide and expanding
range of print and display hardware at highly competitive prices.
A recent expansion in their HP Printing arsenal has allowed DDT to
significantly increase their capacity and expand their range of
substrates. This allows them to now offer reliable and affordable
large format trade printing services alongside their retail
operations.
With long-established supply chains, DDT has a fully tried and
tested range of hardware products. “We have a great relationship
with our suppliers, they are incredibly reliable and always supply us
with high-quality products at great prices… we aren’t static though -
we are always looking to expand our offering and whenever we
decide to source a new product we will test multiple suppliers to
ensure we only supply the best hardware at the best prices.”
Contact:
t: 020 3876 6798
e: trade@discountdisplays.co.uk
w: www.discountdisplays.co.uk/trade
- 3 -
MEMBER NEWS
Glencourt Associates, the Gatwick based ‘white collar’ recruiter
that specialises on the retail interiors market, celebrates its 30th
birthday this month. Founded in a year when the UK economy was
also in recession, the company remains focused on the same
market sector but has extended its geographical coverage outside
of the UK.
Contact:
t: 01342 712253
e: bob@glencourt.co.uk
w: www.glencourt.co.uk
HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY TO
GLENCOURT ASSOCIATES
Founder and Managing Director Bob Garton stated: “The business
has developed significantly since I was working by myself in a spare
room at home. Much of this can be attributed to the very loyal
team that we have developed. One consultant has now been with
the company for more than 20 years, and between us we have in
excess of 190 years’ practical experience of the retail interiors
market.”
Bob continues: “The last ten years has seen the company expand
into mainland Europe with the team now able to recruit in nine
different languages. Fortunately, I do not foresee Brexit having a
negative effect on our work on the continent.”
FLOWBOX WINS 2020 RED DOT
AWARD FOR PRODUCT DESIGN
Flowbox, designed and manufactured exclusively by Kendu In-
Store Visual Solutions, has received a Red Dot Award: Product
Design 2020. As one of the world’s most sought-after quality
marks for good design, the Red Dot Award highlights the power
and potential of Flowbox for retail.
“I am pleased that Flowbox has been recognised in the prestigious
Red Dot Awards for its product design. This esteemed award also
belongs to our clients as they are the ones who push us to
constantly innovate to create unique shopping experiences for a
sector that’s in constant change,” comments Álvaro Cabrera, CEO,
Kendu.
The Red Dot jury complemented its composition and innovation,
scoring Flowbox highly in design, aesthetic and quality of use. In
their evaluation the Red Dot jury stated: “the animated images of
Flowbox attract attention in a retail environment. The ease of use
of the dynamic display is also very impressive.”
Contact:
t: 020 3735 5258
e: info@kendu.com
w: www.kendu.com
- 4 -
MEMBER NEWS
DISPLAY DEVELOPMENTS SUPPLY MAZDA
DEALERSHIPS WITH SNEEZE SCREENS
Display Developments offer a standard range of sneeze screens
which are now available in two different material options including
an impact resistant version manufactured in HIPS material.
The company can manufacture screens in bespoke sizes. For
example they recently manufactured a number of acrylic sneeze
screens for Mazda Dealerships in Kent, in preparation for
reopening their showrooms. The acrylic screens were mounted on
the service counters and included stainless supporting posts and
frosted vinyl graphics.
For more information on their bespoke service, please call 0808
1682372 and one of their team will be happy to advise you.
Contact:
t: 0808 1682372
e: sales@displaydevelopments.co.uk
w: www.displaydevelopments.co.uk
THE CHANGING FACE OF HEALTHCARE
IN THE UK - HMCA SPECIAL
Coronavirus has changed every aspect of our lives: how we work,
how we shop and how we socialise.
It also appears to be changing how we look after our health.
According to a recent national survey a growing number of people
in the UK are considering taking out private medical insurance,
with 27% of those polled saying they have thought about paying
privately for healthcare, compared with only 15% before the
pandemic struck.
The NHS response to the coronavirus outbreak has been heroic.
The skill and dedication of hospital staff have saved many lives.
But to enable the health service to meet the unprecedented
demand caused by Covid-19, many specialist treatments and
routine operations had to be postponed. And concern over
lengthening NHS waiting times is the main reason why people are
now thinking about taking out private medical insurance.
Of the 1,000 people questioned for the survey, three-quarters said
it was long NHS waiting lists that were their main concern, while
67% were worried about the NHS being able to promptly deliver
routine care.
These concerns seem to be well founded as medical experts agree
that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on NHS services could
be with us for some considerable time.
In June this year, health bosses warned it would take four years to
restore the NHS services to pre-Covid levels. This will inevitably
result in much longer delays for diagnostic tests, while it is feared
the number of people waiting for operations could rise from 4.2
million to 10 million by the end of 2020. Moreover, these
depressing forecasts don't take into account the further disruption
to NHS services that a second wave of Covid-19 would cause.
Private medical insurance avoids the anxiety of having to wait
months for tests and treatment. Outpatient and inpatient care are
covered, with patients being able to choose where they are treated
from a wide selection of private or NHS hospitals all over the UK.
Patients whose care involves being admitted to hospital overnight
or for a longer period, can stay in a private room that has television
and wi-fi, with relaxed visiting times for the convenience of family
and friends.
Most providers of private health insurance offer a range of medical
plans that can be tailored to meet individual and family needs. For
a relatively
modest financial outlay, more and more people are discovering
that they can receive medical care when they need it and avoid the
worry that comes from waiting for NHS treatment.
It's not just individuals who are turning to the private sector for
their healthcare needs. Affordability and its growing popularity is
why a rising number of companies and other organisations are
offering private healthcare as a major employment or membership
benefit.
Private health insurance can't prevent you from falling ill. But it
does offer the peace of mind that comes from knowing that in the
event you do need medical care you will be diagnosed and treated
in the quickest possible time. And in these uncertain times that is
something that many people seem happy to pay for.
For further information and quotations contact HMCA by telephone
on 01423 799949 or visit the exclusive HMCA Shop and Display
Equipment Association website at www.hmca.co.uk/sdea
t: 01423 799949
e: hmca@hmca.co.uk
w: www.hmca.co.uk/sdea
- 5 -
MEMBER NEWS
Discount Displays have worked hard throughout the COVID-19
pandemic to continue supplying their 5* rated service to the NHS
and other key workers.
With large stocks of vital social distancing equipment at the start of
the pandemic, Discount Displays were immediately able to supply
1000’s of A-boards and retractable barriers to a wide range of
clients allowing them to continue to operate vital services in a safe
manner.
As part of this proactive approach, during the pandemic, Discount
Displays have opened their Digital Signage Demonstration Suite in
Chichester.
Aaron Inglethorpe, Discount Display Digital Signage expert said:
“The timing could obviously be better but as a company we have
taken a proactive approach throughout the pandemic to diversify
and strengthen our business and this is another step towards
that.”
The demonstration suite
will give customers a
chance to see
different types of digital
screens as well as get an
understanding of options
such as network or plug
and play solutions.
All demonstrations are
booked in advance and
subject to strict social
distancing guidelines.
DISCOUNT DISPLAYS OPEN
DIGITAL SIGNAGE SUITE
Contact:
t: 020 3876 6798
e: trade@discountdisplays.co.uk
w: www.discountdisplays.co.uk/trade
STYLO CREATE STUNNING
3D ROLLING STONES SYMBOL
For a large part of this year the majority of us have had our
mouths covered by face masks, but recently, Stylo made sure that
one mouth was sure to make a huge impact.
Back in September, the Rolling Stones welcomed their first
flagship store in Carnaby Street, London. Most of us will know the
famous Rolling Stones ‘Tongue and Lips’ logo as something of a
flat symbol, but 50 years on, Stylo were given the task of
producing this iconic image and turning it into a 3D sculpture that
would take centre stage in their window display.
Contact:
t: 01923 800666
e: info@stylographics.co.uk
w: www.stylographics.co.uk
The company started off the process by using their 3D printer to
create part of the tongue, then filed all of the sections down and
made sure everything was as smooth as can be.
Stylo’s fabrication staff were then able to spray the model with the
famous Rolling Stones red and finally, put it together on a steel
stand, ready for the store!
The response has been overwhelmingly positive and Stylo are so
grateful to Clements Retail for involving them in this project.
The store and team were delighted when Mr Ronnie Wood
personally signed the sculpture.
- 6 -
SPECIAL INSIGHT FEATURE
QUININE DESIGN INSIGHT:
WHY VIRTUE IS THE NEW COOL
Being virtuous is a key characteristic of the most successful brands.
Priorities of the modern consumer have shifted to make kindness and
empathy the key to sustained market growth and consumer trust and
loyalty. The Millennial generation is the largest in history and has
unprecedented buying power. This younger consumer group has a different
set of values than the generations before them; they want a job that they
are passionate about and they view their consumer choices as a
mechanism to support movements and make change. Their concept of
identity is intertwined with consumerism, where buying products and
supporting brands is a form of self-affirmation.
Today, consumers have a more positive view of a company, when that
company supports a social cause. As brands try to capture the attention of
consumers, there has been a shift from brands seeking engagement, to
having to earn public approval. Making quality products or supplying
quality services is no longer enough, brands need to benefit society.
Successful brands of the future must be virtuous. And the most successful
retail brands will have virtuous store experiences.
What do we mean by virtuous?
Virtuous is conforming to moral and ethical principles. A virtuous brand
drives towards a high standard of moral excellence. Being virtuous comes
from a place of sincerity. Doing something to appease public opinion or
seek profits is not virtuous. This is a thin line that many brands cross.
Virtuous brands do good things because it is an extension of their brand
DNA. There is no playbook for what is considered virtuous. Acts of virtue
that follow a script are contrived and inauthentic. Truly virtuous brands act
because they feel it is the right thing to do, irrespective of judgements or
profits. They are virtuous because what they are doing is true to their
brand ethos. They act irrespective of their competition, often being
trailblazers that others eventually follow in time.
Why do we need virtuous brands?
We need brands to be virtuous because brands have power and wield
influence. Modern society looks to brands for moral and ethical leadership.
Today, brands are replacing politics and religion as moral pillars that we
trust and seek guidance from.
Global brands can wield their power to make large scale change. Brands
can improve working conditions and workers’ rights. They can change
employment and pay inequalities. They can choose to be sustainable.
Society used to turn to governments, interest groups and activists to make
positive changes, but now consumers have a direct relationship with
brands. As consumerism has become a key pillar of society, it’s no surprise
that we turn to big businesses to effect change like we do. Brands have
the ability to take a stance, but they also tell stories and engage us in the
process. Brands don’t have to please everyone, they can take sides and
choose who they want to please.
British supermarket chain Morrisons started an initiative to provide a
shopping environment for neurodivergent customers that has since been
followed by other retailers such as B&Q. Once a week Morrisons ‘Quieter
Hour’ provides an altered store
experience that is more
comfortable for autistic shoppers.
Environmental stimulants that
would otherwise be off-putting for
autistic customers are removed;
lights are dimmed, check-out
sounds are turned off and store
speaker announcements do not
take place, providing an altered
store experience that is more
considerate of this consumer group. This was an initiative that Morrisons
had no legal obligation to make, yet they chose to make a positive
contribution to people disadvantaged in their community.
Virtuous brands inspire people
Virtuous brands show ambition; they have an admirable desire for
achievement that inspires people over a long period of time. Virtuous
brands lead from the front and motivate consumers to actively contribute
to causes beyond themselves. We need virtuous brands to bring social
issues to the forefront of people’s minds by using their stores (and other
brand touch points) to highlight agendas and educate consumers. It’s not
- 7 -
always the case that brands are fighting for causes that are on the current
news agenda or that their customers deem important. It can be that
brands bring issues to the awareness of consumers. Such is their power
and importance in society. Customers visiting a Toms’ shoe store will
become aware of the social needs of poverty stricken societies, and
customers visiting an Ecoalf store can become educated about ocean
pollution.
Virtuous brands help individuals be themselves
They allow customers to actualise their own self-concepts by aligning
themselves with the brand. A person who defines themselves as someone
who believes in a sustainable way of life and deeply cares about
environmental issues will reaffirm their own self-concept by purchasing a
coat from Patagonia. The brand set up over 70 repair centres across North
America that repair over 100,000 items each year. These are often small
mobile repair centres that will repair any piece of clothing brought to them,
even if they’re not made by the Patagonia brand. Another initiative is their
Worn Wear collection of recycled Patagonia clothing, that they sell in-store
and online. Brands that have meaning attached to them, that people align
themselves to, often provide people with a sense of fulfilment. This is the
power of brands in the modern age. Consumer products have always
provided a sense of fulfilment on different scales, but today brands also
have the ability to provide consumers with moral fulfilment. They have the
ability to fulfil what Maslow, in his hierarchy of needs, referred to as ‘selfactualising’
goals.
Virtuous brands establish a connection with the community
They are a part of something larger than themselves and act in a selfless
way. Virtue is socially beneficial by nature. What’s good for the community
is good for the individual, and equally what is good for the individual is
often good for the greater society. This is what makes the public lend their
trust to virtuous brands. They follow them and believe in them. Starbucks
Community Stores aim to open in
underprivileged neighbourhoods
to play a positive role in the
community. The stores support
local economic development and
provide employment and training
for local youth, they hire local
contractors, and provide unique
in-store training events and
programmes. With 17
Community Stores opening since
2015, Starbucks is committed to opening a total of 100 ‘community stores’
by 2025.
Virtuous brands take a stand, despite the risk
Being virtuous allows a brand to stay present and evolve with society
throughout time. Virtuous brands evolve with public movements and
remain contemporary. Society always strives to become ‘good’ and to
create a more prosperous world. Human beings are constantly developing
a collective sense of morals and ethics to hold each other accountable. A
single act that is good or ethical is contemporary, often frozen in time, but
the desire to be good is something that evolves through time as society
does. Nike has a history of supporting social issues ahead of other brands.
SPECIAL INSIGHT FEATURE
Their support of American civil rights
activist, Colin Kaepernick was consistent
with the brand DNA rather than a reactive
moment. In 1988 the ‘Just Do It’
campaign fought against ageism.
In 1995 the ‘If you let me play’ ad
supported gender equality in sport, the
same year their ‘Just Do It’ ad featured
openly HIV-positive runner Ric Munoz.
In 2007 they featured a disabled athlete Matt Scott in a ‘No excuses’ ad
campaign to support disabled sport. In 2017 they celebrated Arab women
in sport with their ‘What will they say about you’ campaign, and in the last
couple of years we have seen ‘plus size’ female mannequins and
mannequins with prosthetic limbs included in their stores.
Virtuous brands take accountability
This often means engaging with consumers and taking ownership,
admitting faults and striving to improve. This is an inevitable part of growth
and evolution. Accountability is important for a society that fears losing
power. An organisation that isn’t held accountable is untouchable and has
no incentive to be empathetic to others. Accountability builds trust with
customers. Starbucks showed internal
accountability in their response to an
incidence of racial prejudice in a
Philadelphia store. After they admitted
fault, all stores were closed for a day
while 180,000 staff were admitted into
implicit bias training. What started off as
a negative brand association become a
brand that takes its responsibility to serve
the community very seriously.
It is particularly promising to see businesses turn to external sources that
hold them to independent standards and value their commitment to others.
B Lab is a non-profit organisation that provides ‘B Corporation’ certification
to for-profit businesses. Any certified ‘B Corp’, as they are known, is valued
by their positive social and environmental impact, receiving a score across
multiple dimensions that assess the business governance, the impact and
treatment of workers, and the impact on the community and environment.
B Corps, such as retail businesses Allbirds, Patagonia, Ecoalf, Veja and
Toms (to name but a few), voluntarily submit to a transparent impact
assessment that can be viewed on the B Corporation website. These
businesses accept the responsibility they have as global businesses and
hold themselves accountable for their own performances and practices.
Virtuous brands don’t just inspire customers, but they inspire staff
The virtuous nature of the brand is embodied by store staff and their
interaction with customers. This makes the brand characteristics
infectious and authenticates its true nature and motives. Staff that believe
in the brand they work for are happier, more enthusiastic and more
productive. Staff who are authentic brand ambassadors are the key to
providing a great experience for customers, while also providing a more
effective workforce with lower turnover. Virtuous retailers can create a
deeper level of job satisfaction that other retailers don’t provide. Giving
someone purpose through their work that extends beyond the store and
into the community is a powerful thing. It touches our deeper psychosocial
needs of belonging.
Why does it matter? What are the results?
There are many ways to gain the trust of consumers. Some brands offer
quality or consistency, yet virtuous brands offer an authentic desire to do
good. This can be a precarious strategy to win trust, however the rewards
for philanthropic brands are becoming obvious as more brands engage in
socially conscious behaviours. Brands with a clear sense of purpose have
increased their brand valuation by 175% over a 12 year period 1 . Nike has
seen sales and market share grow after each socially conscious campaign.
Their endorsement of Colin Kaepernick saw on online sales rise 31% in the
two days following, while company shares rose 33% that year 2 . Starbucks
have continued to grow globally as they prioritise local communities and
social causes. The company opened over 30,000 new stores in 2019 and
finished the year with an all-time high figure of net sales. The biggest
benefit to being a virtuous brand is the deep level of connection with
consumers. This turns periodic sales into loyal customers. A 5% increase
in customer retention can lead to a 25-95% increase in profit 3 .
- 8 -
On the other side of the line, perceptions of faux philanthropy can be a
tough hole to get out of. There is a huge difference between being virtuous
and virtue signalling.
Pepsi’s infamous Kendal Jenner ad should
be a lesson for all brands. The brand tried
to piggyback off the Black Lives Matter
movement with disastrous effects. The
Pepsi brand perception dropped to an
eight year low among Millennials over the
months following the campaign 4 . The key
is to be authentic. Virtuous acts should
come from a place that’s unrelated to
profits. Chasing profits under the guise of activism will likely end badly.
71% of consumers will lose trust in a brand forever, if they perceive that the
brand is prioritising profit over people 5 . The importance of brand trust
cannot be overstated. Brand trust is rated by consumers as second only to
price in brand attributes that gain new business or retain existing
business 5 .
There are many faces to virtue and many types of virtuous acts. In reality it
is very difficult to be a truly virtuous brand. No brand is perfectly selfless,
just as no person is. Many brands that do great things (some mentioned in
this article) also engage in acts of obvious self-interest. This is to be
expected, after all, they are commercial enterprises first and foremost.
Virtuous brands have to pick their battles and decide how they give back.
Naturally some causes will have more social currency than others, but this
shouldn’t determine how any brand decides what social cause they fight
for. This would be acting with interest in profits. It needs to be authentic.
It needs to come from an internal desire to use their given power as an
organisation to do good.
Is your retail environment the best place to show your virtues?
Visiting physical retail stores is a commonplace activity for most of us in
modern society, therein lies their power to enact change and have a real
impact. It’s important that brands go beyond mere signalling, and connect
virtuous behaviour to an action. The growing number of virtuous brands is
certainly encouraging to see, but we can’t help but think there is a missed
opportunity within retail design.
Virtuous brands are primarily communicating to customers via ad
campaigns, but social causes are not being communicated inside retail
stores effectively. This means that brands aren’t using their most effective
and engaging communication tool; their most effective medium to
translate an idea and make an impactful impression. The multi-sensory
nature of store experiences creates the ability evoke more emotion, but
also create a lasting memory. Retailers have the capacity to involve
customers and communicate through in-store experiences. With the
famous proverb in mind "Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I'll remember,
involve me and I'll understand" retailers need to use interaction and active
participation in their stores, as they are the most powerful ways to
understand something.
If brands use social causes to connect to customers and communities, and
retail stores are the ultimate point of customer connection, it makes sense
for social causes to feature heavily in physical retail, the domain of
communal places for social experiences. This is the new challenge for
virtuous brands and the next logical step for experiential retail in a socially
conscious society.
Sources:
1 Kantar Purpose Report, 2020
2 CBS News, 2018
3 Harvard Business Review, July-August, 2000
4 YouGov, 2018
5 Edelman, Trust Barometer Report, 2020
Contact:
t: 020 3468 9222
e: ian.johnston@quininedesign.com
w: www.quininedesign.com
DIARY DATES
8--12 February 2021
Virtual Retail Interiors Exhibition
Virtual
www.virtualretailinteriorsexpo.com
April 2021
VM & Display Show
BDC, London
www.vmanddisplayshow.com
10 June 2021
Creative Retail Awards
Proud Embankment, London
www.creativeretailawards.com
23 September 2021
Creative Design & Display Connections
Bounce Old Street, London
www.cddconnections.com
EXCLUSIVE SDEA MEMBER DISCOUNT OF 25%
AT VIRTUAL RETAIL INTERIORS
A new world needs an innovative solution. Has the world changed
forever? 'Maybe' or 'maybe not' but one thing we know for sure is
that we will carry on and everything will return to its 'new' normal.
With all of this in mind the organisers behind the VM & Display
Show and the VM & Display Awards have come up with the best
way forward for now, and this could become the new normal.
They are pleased to announce the arrival of 'Virtual Retail Interiors
& Virtual Leisure and Hospitality Interiors' the Show that will
enable us all to source, communicate and interact with the
industry in a virtual world during a 5-day event accessible on any
platform and device from the 8th-12th February 2021.
Step into a virtual world of excitement and creativity where you
can view and engage with product launches, showroom and
factory video presentations, products and services, all never seen
before on a global scale.
This event will be open to the world for 5 days only so be a part of
it and connect in a very unique environment and selling platform
by signing up for your stand.
SDEA Members are able to claim an exclusive 25% discount off
the standard exhibitor package - an exceptional £244 off the
usual £975 rate.
For details please contact the organisers by calling
01945 420068 or email info@virtualretailinteriorsexpo.com
For further online Show details including video walkthroughs
please see the website www.virtualretailinteriorsexpo.com
There are dedicated halls featuring 100's of exhibitors catering for
Shop Equipment, Visual Merchandising and Display, Fit-Out, Print
and Graphics, Lighting, Technology and Security, Design, Signage
and POS, Flooring, Surfaces and Finishes as well as Online Media,
Associations and Industry Awards.
As an exhibitor you will be able to showcase your products and
services in a virtual environment capturing maximum global leads
via photographs, videos, demonstrations, online brochures, live
chat and interactive video etc.
You will have your own virtual space with a customized exhibitor
stand, offer on-demand content, provide chat forums and perform
online transactions for optimal prospect engagement talking to
customers either one to one privately or a group chat.
The amount of information you wish to have on your stand is
limitless whether it be promotional videos, product showcasing,
literature; the choices are only limited by your imagination. Using
a step by step, easy to use software with no complicated
downloads and which works on all platforms and devices it
couldn’t be simpler.
You will be able to fully interact with visitors live and increase
conversions and buyer satisfaction by enabling your
representatives to engage leads using text, audio and video chat.
Attendees will be able to purchase products directly during the
event through an integrated e-commerce engine. They can
also save and download any piece of content to their device via a
wish cart if you allow, so that they can reference it later
on. Products saved to wish lists help understanding buyer
personas and allow for targeted marketing campaigns after the
event.
Contact:
t: 01945 420068
e: info@virtualretailinteriorsexpo.com
w: www.virtualretailinteriorsexpo.com
- 9 -