The Skinny on Smiggle's skin

Smiggle, Warringah.  Noticed this kiosk inside Smiggle - basically you can choose/ design a skin for some common devices: phone, laptop, ipod.  They continue to innovate - kudos to them.  Anyone tried this yet ?

A Strange Approach

Witchery, Greenwood Plaza. A strange approach to welcoming spring/summer. If shoppers missed the 'escape' concept (not exactly prominent), they could be forgiven for being somewhat confused by the seasonal elements. Sometimes less is more, and things should just be kept simple.

Retail Landscape

Hopefully NOT Eyecatching

Sportscraft, Miranda. A display that works because it breaks the visual 'lines' in a store (interruption). Unfortunately it looks a lot like what I caught the last time I went fishing ;)

A Pleasant Assault

Lush, Miranda. A pleasant assault on the senses when you enter this store. Well known for their fragrance, I also liked this very colourful display - simple yet effective.

Your Daily Dose

Maloney's Crown St, Surry Hills. Exceptionally good display - makes them look very tempting. Great use of colours, and textures while retaining logical adjacencies.

When Good Design Fails

Aero Plus, Chatswood Chase.  I love their innovative and quirky product range, and the range of pricing alternatives.  However, they have, IMHO, broken a fundamental rule of retail with the design of the front of the shop.  Notice how there is a vertical fixture in the 'transition zone' just as you enter the store.  This obstructs the view into the store, and does not feel 'welcoming'. I almost bumped into it, not expecting it to be there -  I felt like turning around and walking out.  I hope they remedy it - worth a visit for the products, but watch out for that fixture :)

A Cool Ear-ful

Bay Audiology, Chatswood Chase. Cool, perhaps a little too cool, looking store. Light blue does signify 'clinical' and 'professional', which is good, but can be a bit cold. However, I like the conch seashell icon. A New Zealand business, they have mainly located in Queensland to date, so this is perhaps an early foray into NSW. Long term prospects should be good, given ageing population, and the 'i-pod' generation. And the technology available these days is incredibly high-tech and miniaturised.

Denim Eye Candy

Just Jeans, Broadway.  Good looking denim models anyway:)  In all seriousness, this must be a tough category to find something 'fresh' to say.  While denim is a mainstay, for many shoppers it has become commoditised, especially in the middle sector of the market where Just Jeans operates.

Lululemon takes a Nanna Nap

Lululemon, Warringah. This window by Lululemon caused a lot of people to stop and notice. (feels a nap coming on *yawn*) :)

Creative Bus Shelter Ad

Spotted at Circular Quay - sorry it was late so forgot to check what they were advertising - apart from creativity anyway - but I thought it looked cool.

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Posted By Stephen Saunders to the antipodean at 9/06/2009 07:09:00 PM

Coles' Fresh Approach to Spring

Coles, Surry Hills.  A fresh approach their seasonal marketing - new management starting to ring in the changes.  However, POS poster changes only get you so far.  It will be interesting to see what they do, if anything, to change the in-store experience.

Now THIS is Storewide

BIG W, East Gardens. Simple graphic that sends a clear marketing message.

fcuk is watching

fcuk, Circular Quay - good execution of their current in-store theme - literally hard not see it :)

No Recession Here

Fresh Nails, Broadway. Very busy salon (Sat afternoon) showing resilience of this retail sector. Probably 'contra-cyclical', and part of the so-called 'lipstick economy' ?

Holy Sheet lifts the covers

Holy Sheet, Greenwood Plaza.  Have lifted their game with the front of store signage - more depth, and a cleaner font- looks sharper and has more visual impact in the busy, often muted, mall environment.

Take It All Off

Lush, Greenwood Plaza. Retro-style promotion. 'Reveal your inner glow' ? What a hoot !

How Not to Make Fathers Day sales

Pola Jewellers, Greenwood Plaza. Quite frankly, this amazes me. At a time, the day before Fathers' Day, when the rest of the mall is open - with exception of the banks etc, and with a special Father's Day offer, they decided to close. As at 2.25pm there was no sign of life. Little wonder that some retailers complain about making sales in the current environment. (PS - the mall was reasonably busy too).

Watch the Fine Print

Cotton On Kids, East Gardens. An example of when 'storewide' is not 'storewide'. Busy mum with a stoller isn't going to see the fine print ? Not the best practice from this retailer who should do better.

JB Hi-fi all strung up

East Gardens mall.  Innovative and effective in-mall advertising for JB Hi-Fi - kudos to them and to Westfield management.

Priceline Show and Tell

Warringah Mall, Thursday. Priceline hosted a makeover session in the mall - here's two pics showing the 'before' and 'after' :) And before there are any wise cracks - no, I didn't have the makeover I should have had ;)

Consumer-friendly Bank ?

Bankwest, Warringah Mall.  Some would say it is an oxymoron: the consumer-friendly bank.  However, I think, superficially at least, Bankwest should be commended on how warm and inviting their bank branches are.  Not something you often see.

Surf's Looking Up

Rip Curl, Miranda. The expected stunning graphics from a leading surfwear retailer. As you can see, 'trawling the mall' has it's occasional benefit :) (sigh)

Retail Landscape

Marketers who need help

Blockbuster, Surry Hills. These marketers clearly need help with understanding what is appropriate/not.

New standard for Books

Angus & Robertson, Chatswood Chase.  New look store - I like the colour blocking for key categories, offset by the white.  The store looks clean and contemporary.  They have also removed the notion of a checkout counter and replaced it with a workstation.  while certainly more customer friendly, it will be interesting to see how it works from an operational perspective.   The navigational signage is pretty good, clearly indicating sub-categories.  The 'wood' finish on the floor also softens the appearance of the store, providing some warmth to the overall look and feel.  The white table in front is stylish without being over-stated.

The Finishing Touches

Chatswood Chase mall which has been undergoing a refurb and is almost complete - an innovative way of promoting accessories- presumably they did not see the irony ?  Full marks to the mall management for an eye-catching display, though.

De colour and Declic for Father's Day

Declic, Chatswood Chase.  Although I don't buy a lot of their product, I am an admirer of Declic's merchandising.  This window, for Father's Day, uses pencil crayons in a very innovative way, to show off different colours.  I am unsure what would happen if some kid touched the display, but that is probably something they prefer not to think about. ... :)   

Diva Personified

Diva, Warringah Mall.  This shopper captured for me the essence of their target market, albeit perhaps a bit older than most.  It was one of those moments when you see the brand 'personified', if that makes sense.

Dad's Dreaming

Bed Bath and Table, Chatswood Chase.  I like the 'dreamy quality of this window, and how it says 'dad' without saying 'Father's Day'.

The Purpose of Life

Lululemon Athletica store, Warringah mall.  The purpose of life is life with a purpose.  Retail philosophy.

Meet iPhone the New Babysitter

Is iPhone the new babysitter of choice for busy parents ?  Spotted in Warringah Mall.

Drop Dead Gorgeous

Aero Plus store, Chatswood Chase.  A trivet for Father's Day ?  Maybe he'd take it too personally ?  

What's your Tattoo like ?

Tattoo, Miranda.  A good use of colour and dramatic lighting,combined with no window on this store, makes for an interesting shopfront that shoppers can't ignore.

Groovy Graphics, Man!

Ben Sherman store, Chatswood Chase - so cool, and groovy it dates me :)

Fashion History

City Chic, Miranda.  Well done to this fashion chain for supporting models who are 'real' sizes. 

Falling asleep on George st

Peter Alexander, George Street - a 'dreamy' window - captures the essence of the slightly quirky lifestyle brand.  Outstanding visibility for middle of the day in the middle of the city.

Retail Landscape

A Welcome Change

Priceline, Miranda.  A new format for them (I think) - I like the way the store is open at the front, and says 'welcome'.  Amazing how many retailers lose sight of this most basic point about layout and design.

Coolaz

Ed Hardy store, Chatswood.  Relatively newly opened.  An impressive branded environment.  Must see. Even for old dudes like me :)

Just Wicked

Sugar Fix, Miranda.  Good looking sweets and lollies store - but who shops for lollies with a 'basket' ? (see red baskets, middle right).  I like the floor treatment.

Pile it High

Hot Dollar, Miranda.   One of the best looking dollar stores I have seen.  Good warm, welcoming colours, intelligent lighting, the brand makes a promise, it delivers in buckets (sometimes literally).  The merchandising is tidy, but man there is a lot of stock there !

Why We Buy - Word of Mouth

Sometimes shoppers are simply overwhelmed with choice. The plethora of available alternatives makes a decision, if important, risky to us, especially if the price tag is high, and there are no obvious differences between brands. Sound familiar ?

The simple truth is we take advice from people we like and respect (except parents of course :) as any parent would know ). The savvy shopper these days is better connected than ever before via all the tools we love and use: cellphones, email, Facebook, Twitter and so on. So, we have both the motive and the means to ask questions and spread the word. The only real question is when canny marketers (including retailers) will realise it's on the increase, that they cannot control it, but they had better be close to it, and understand what is being said. Do you know what your customers are saying about you ?

It should be simple. Insight pays.

But, shhh, don't tell anyone, it's a secret you see. Not.

New Angle on Comfort

Ecco, Miranda.  I quite like the idea behind this concept - Ecco is known for its comfort.  However, I think it could perhaps have been executed a little better or more concisely.  Having said that, shoes are a hard category to merchandise to show comfort, so they deserve credit.

MEDIA SIGN OF THE TIMES

Spotted in Wynyard station - when brand equity is eroded, sad to see a famous brand becoming the butt of 'competitors' jokes.  Or is it a nod to the historical power of the brand ?

Spring is Here

It must be Spring - Angus & Coote the jeweller- and others - are starting their spring sales.  It must be hard to come up with innovative promotional concepts for jewellery.