2018 – a year in review

2018 has seen the retail industry continue to evolve and change – bringing with it new challenges. Not only have we enjoyed sharing our opinions on some of these challenges, we’ve also been evolving our agency offer to reflect the increasingly exciting and diverse work we’ve been doing. Here’s a snapshot of some of our work and thinking from the last 12 months.

Windfall Natural

Our expansive store for Windfall Natural opened this December in London. We’ve helped move the brand to a larger, more flexible 1,000sqft space, only 100m from the previous site – the first stride in its ambition to become an omnichannel leader in health, beauty and wellness. This new flagship for Windfall Natural will offer expert advice, an extended range, more product storytelling and regular events, reinforcing the brand’s trusted reputation and the loyal local community.

How can the local pharmacy better serve its customers?

In her insightful and personal blog post on the pharmacy Creative Strategist, Alix Hope discusses why entering such a vital part of the local community can feel like stepping back in time, and what the solutions are to bring it up to date.

The Shop at Bluebird

After 12 years as an iconic destination on the King’s Road, The Shop at Bluebird relocated to the historic Carriage Hall on Floral Street, Covent Garden. We designed a 15,000sqft flagship that embodies the brand’s whimsical, expressive, free-spirited identity. Delivering a sense of wonder and anticipation to wow experience-hungry customers, the space gradually reveals a theatrical interior and Instagrammable moments. The key design feature is a mirrored icosahedron that brings a sense of drama to the lofty atrium.

Why accessible luxury is winning over Gen Z and Millennials

Since our work with British boutique The Shop at Bluebird, we’ve been taking a particular interest in the luxury sector. In this article, Content Marketing Executive, Salomé Bakpa explains how luxury brands can navigate the new rules of consumer engagement by becoming more accessible and open.

Mitsubishi Motors in the UK

Mitsubishi Motors in the UK unveiled its first-ever store in a mall setting, with a concept designed by us and in partnership with online auto retail specialist Rockar. This standout retail experience at intu Lakeside (Essex, UK) distils the brand’s honest, enduring and quietly confident appeal in a leisure setting. A new customer base – in particular, a younger female demographic that represents 70% of intu Lakeside shoppers – is now poised to discover the world of Mitsubishi.

Making the car-buying experience work for today’s consumers

We’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the changes in the automotive sector and some of the ways in which brands can evolve to suit the needs of customers today and tomorrow. How can automotive brands navigate a changing industry and prepare for what looms in the future? Find out in this article.

Eobuwie.pl

We brought digital fluidity to physical retail with our Ebuwie.pl concept, positioning the Polish brand as the next big thing in footwear retail. Eobuwie’s physical debut has a completely different purchase journey, the store has no physical product on the shop floor and is supported by a vast stockroom for a free-flowing experience mirroring its online service – a true fusion of on and offline shopping.

Department store futures

In this campaign, Creative Director David Dalziel discusses the ways in which department stores can adapt to our new era of retail. He talks through the threats and the opportunities in three chapters:

The customer – no longer shops in the way department stores sell.

The offer – we’ve seen it (and shopped it) all before, so how do we keep it fresh?

The experience – where’s the added value? Can department stores be more than a shop?

Johnnie Walker

We designed Johnnie Walker’s flagship store that houses a special collection of Johnnie Walker whiskies and hosts a wide variety of immersive, whisky appreciation classes and tastings designed to help visitors explore the world of Johnnie Walker and Scotch. The cutting-edge store features an interactive hosting area where guests can discover the craft of cocktail making, a tasting table where they can deep dive into the flavours that lie at the heart of Johnnie Walker, and a personalisation station where visitors can find unique gifts and add bespoke engravings and labels to their purchases.

D&P Explores Wellness

Fittingly, we kicked off 2018 with an exploration of all things wellness. D&P explores wellness is an evolution of 2017’s D&P loves beauty – think of it as its healthier, fitter and more mindful sister. We couldn’t help but notice the wellness industry’s exponential growth over the last few years and the fact that consumers are giving well-being increased importance over material objects. We covered a range of topics that asked thought-provoking questions including what’s driving the new consumer mindset, where are the new health experts and what does the future look like for non-wellness-centric brands?