Retail Lighting

City Chic, East Gardens. Outstanding lighting from this mid-market retailer succeeds in creating some retail drama and theatre.  In many ways the lighting could have been even more effective if there had been some additional colour in the merchandise styles chosen for display.

merchandising idea

Optometrist, East Gardens.  I thought the merchandising idea behind this backlit display was clever.  The images were arresting, especially the liquorice allsorts.  A great example of a stand out merchandising idea in a visually cluttered yet somewhat shadowed mall environment.

Suggestive dance shoes

Aldo, WBJ. Suggestive imagery here, stands out - although perhaps  dwarfed by  the 40% off offer.  Advertising idea not quite effectively executed ?

cell phone shop

Vodafone, Westfield Pitt Street Mall. This cell phone shop has some interesting lessons.  Firstly, it is a clear move by Vodafone away from the white clean lines (almost synthetic) feel to a warmer, more welcoming look, with some wood finishes.  Secondly, they have used mood change lighting - difficult to see from the pic, but the centre of the Voda logo changes it's colour, as does the lighting on the back wall - a range of colours from green  to purple and of course red.  This trend is not only evident in the cell phone shop genre, but also in other stores (Nespresso springs to mind).  It poses some interesting issues when applied to the brand identity - does it detract or enhance ? Presumably the Voda logo is sufficiently recognisable for this to be enhanced, by being 'funky', and visually more interesting, and less of a corporate cell phone shop.  Finally, this  is one of the best (first ?)  uses of dramatic lighting (interior spots/ hotspots) by a cell phone shop I have seen.  Long overdue, and a great improvement on the blandness and often harsh lighting of other cell phone shops. Worth a look.

The Christmas Gig at Target (USA)

What a cool idea !! Target USA have teamed up with well known artists to provide some Christmas cheer. You can download 14 funky Christmas tunes here - for free too :))

Smiggle

Smiggle, Mid-City Mall.  A strong presentation, as expected from Smiggle.  A great use of LCD, and simple, bold colours with uplighting in the window for dramatic effect.  

advertising ideas

JB Hi-Fi, TGV.  Some great advertising ideas here.  I like the consistent and bold yellow colour - one of the most visible in the muted lighting conditions typical of many CBD malls.  In particular I like the advertising ideas of gift card promotion on the security bollards.  This is one of the best executions like this I have seen.  It also helps provide definition to the often busy and visually cluttered JB shopfront.  Note how the catalog boxes are well located, and are clearly picked up by customers. Retail advertising ideas worth thinking about.

Easy Poster

The Body Shop, TGV.  I like the simplicity of this easy poster.  Uncomplicated and an easy poster for retailers to erect.  A great seasonal message too.

Wishful Thinking

Tree of Life, East Gardens. A stunning romantic graphic.  However, I don't think it  was well supported by the window merchandise, and am  not entirely sure it fits with the brand's positioning as exotic, mainly ethnic clothing.  Most window imagery to date has been of Indian or south Asian models.

Heart Me

Sportsgirl, Broadway. A stunning <3 me graphic from this retailer in tune with it's target market.

Rebel WITH a cause ?

Dotti, Broadway.  I am not sure everyone in their target market will get the play on words, but a striking window despite that.

Blackberry overtakes Apple in US mobile wars

A very interesting stat with implications for Australian retailers as well. Inevitable, but happening really quickly.

Source:  Statcounter

Boston, USA and Dublin, Ireland; Wednesday 1st December, 2010:BlackBerry OS overtook Apple's iOS for the first time in the US in November in terms of mobile internet usage according to web analytics company, StatCounter. The company's research arm, StatCounter Global Stats finds that for the first time in the US BlackBerry OS at 34.3% overtook Apple's iOS which recorded 33% in November.

Google's Android is rapidly gaining and has almost tripled internet market share from 8.2% last November to 23.8% this year. Apple's iOS has fallen from 51.9% to 33% over the same period.

** read the rest of the article HERE **

Meeting the Market

Oxfam, Broadway. Clever marketing to the shopper's value mindset. And $30 is probably a good gifting pricepoint.

Retail Pain

Jeans West, Broadway.  Not looking good for the Christmas selling season.

Checking In all Checked Out ?

Interesting article (and amusing)  - do you feel Foursquare fatigue ?

Link Source: AdAge

Why I'm Fed Up With All the Check-In Hoopla

Perhaps I'll Check Back In When This Stuff Works

by Kunur Patel 

Yo Optus !

Optus, Broadway.  It seems a bit too coincidental that Optus have used an orangutan in their advertising and M&C Saatchi (their agency) was also responsible for the ING TV campaign featuring a talking orangutan. Having said that, the Optus one stood out in-store, and was visible from a distance. Now to wait for the complaints from animal rights campaigners .....  no animals were hurt in the making of this blogpost.

Blood Diamonds or 'Hot' Jewellery ?

Jeweller in Broadway. Blood Diamonds or 'Hot' jewellery ? either way the associations are not the best :().  

Tesco iPhone App Hyperlinks Reality To Your Shopping List

Source: PSFK

Tesco enters the iPhone app market with an impressive offering that makes innovative use of the materials already on hand with both company and customer.

The app seamlessly integrates existing Tesco hallmarks (such as loyalty card data) but its most interesting element is the use of image recognition software to enable customers to update their shopping list on the fly. The app utilises the iPhone's camera feature to take a snapshot of a product's barcode and automatically syncs that item to the customers Tesco Online shopping list.

There's no need to make a shopping list anymore. Imagine that you've used up the last of your tea bags. Just scan the barcode and add the product to your online basket.

The most informative aspect of this app is how it approaches the internet of things. Perhaps the most interesting element of these two features taken together is the contrast between them and the other herald of the internet of things. RFID is often trumpeted as one of the major vanguards of ubiquitous computing (and has been enthusiastically embraced by Walmart, a company of similar relative proportions to Tesco). However, the image recognition championed by Tesco is another means towards hyperlinking reality into the digital realm. Relative to RFID, the latter option requires much less in terms of early adopters now that smartphones are so diffuse among the consumer populace.

Commentary on AMP Social Media Cafe

kind comments in my presentation yesterday on the shopper psychhology of geo-locational technologies.

	maverickwoman Thnx to Todd King AMP Shopping Centres, @shoppologist @kcarruthers @hollingsworth 4 interesting exploration of social shopping at #AMP_SMC Thursday, 11 November 2010, 10:01 pm - Reply - View Tweet - Retweet - Direct Message
	paulwallbank @shoppologist your pun on Pavlov dogs ringing a bell wasn't wasted #AMPSMC Thursday, 11 November 2010, 5:26 pm - Reply - View Tweet - Retweet - Direct Message
	kcarruthers <3 @shoppologist he knows stuff! Gr8 preso re consumer psych @ AMP Social Media Cafe Thursday, 11 November 2010, 5:25 pm - Reply - View Tweet - Retweet - Direct Message
	paulwallbank @shoppologist & @maverickwoman bounce around ideas on situational awareness, stimulus and perceptual vigilance #AMPSMC Thursday, 11 November 2010, 5:24 pm - Reply - View Tweet - Retweet - Direct Message
	hollingsworth RT @maverickwoman consumer psychologist @shoppologist talking arousal, perceptually vigilant shoppers+receptiveness 2 relevant msgs #AMP_SMC Thursday, 11 November 2010, 5:24 pm - Reply - View Tweet - Retweet - Direct Message
	maverickwoman Now consumer psychologist @shoppologist is talking about arousal, perceptually vigilant shoppers+receptiveness to relevant msgs #AMP_SMC Thursday, 11 November 2010, 5:21 pm - Reply - View Tweet - Retweet - Direct Message
	hollingsworth Now consumer psychologist and retail strategist @shoppologist is talking about "social shopping activating our brains" #AMPSMC Thursday, 11 November 2010, 5:20 pm - Reply - View Tweet - Retweet - Direct Message
	champagnejayne Enjoy! RT @paulwallbank: On way 2hear words of wisdom from @kcarruthers @hollingsworth & @shoppologist on why geolocation matters to retail. Thursday, 11 November 2010, 3:39 pm - Reply - View Tweet - Retweet - Direct Message
	paulwallbank On way to hear words of wisdom from @kcarruthers @hollingsworth & @shoppologist on why geolocation matters to retail. Thursday, 11 November 2010, 3:34 pm - Reply - View Tweet - Retweet - Direct Message

The World's Innovators

Source: PSFK
A really interesting graphic depicting which countries file the most patents for each dollar of research expenditure, essentially showing the efficiency of their innovation and research efforts.  Click here to access article and here to enlarge image.