Pop up shops are a brilliant way of launching new products, creating hype or just getting in front of a new type of audience. For the past couple of months the media has been rife with stories about the death of the high street and how ecommerce giants like Amazon and Ebay are the ones to blame for it. However we see a different trend emerging. A trend where online retailers are getting physical. Online furniture retailers like made.com understand their consumers buying habits and as such have opened several pop up stores all over Europe. Rebecca Ruddle, Head of Showrooms at made.com explains why Made.com decided to venture out of the digital and into the physical - “Our customers wanted to touch and feel the product before they purchase, so they can gain a better understanding and insight into the business and our products.”
We've compiled a list of some of the best, most innovative pop up's that look to inspire and ultimately give their consumers an experience worth remembering.
BarkBox - A couple of years ago the guys at BarkBox had an idea that was truly brilliant. They invited as many of their furry friends (and their owners of course!) to their popup store in Manhattan. The pop up was an intelligent mix of creative production / tech. Putting RFID-wests on the dogs so they could track their movement in store allowed BarkBox to see what toys the dog played with the most. And just like that, the owners walked away with a top-notch brand engagement that they would never have come across when compared to browsing through the online shop. Due to this clever and mindful approach BarkBox’s sales rose dramatically after the event.
Pantone – Over the past couple of years Pantone really has been at the forefront of brand engagement with their wonderfully bright and colourful, pop up café’s around Monaco.
You’d think the guys over at Pantone know what 14-1905 tastes like right?
Well now you can to! This experience allows customers the chance to buy a pastry that taste like colour 14-1905, or a cake that epitomises 2019’s colour of the year, 16-1546! Pantone really have taken the Instagram generation by storm. Building Instagram worthy pop ups that get the recognition they deserve.
Magnum – The premium ice cream brand that has been around since forever and as such are sold in nearly every supermarket, corner shop, ice cream van on this planet!
How then is it possible that Magnum manages to get people to line up in long queues to get their hands on one, when realistically you could just go to the supermarket and get the same ice cream for cheaper?!
The premium experience gave the customers the possibility to make their own, personalised Magnum. Yes, we are talking about personification on a high level that really works. Something that most brands today strive towards. Personifying your communication is something that has been way more important since the entry of social media.
However, an experience doesn’t always have to be in the form of a pop-up shop. We have seen an increasing amount of pop up restaurants too. One that really stands out to us is the Triyagyoni restaurant located at a staggering 5,585 meters above sea level in the Himalayas. And YES it is in fact the world’s highest restaurant!
The Triyagyoni restaurant was set up to raise awareness of sustainability on the Himalayas’ natural resources. It’s a tough eight-day trek to even get to the solar powered restaurant!
Whilst we are on the subject of high altitudes pop ups… (Shameless plug inbound!) did you know that the pop-up shop we designed and built for Tesla now takes the record as the world’s highest pop up shop?!
Built 2420m above sea level, we beat the previous record set by Porsche who only rose to a mere 2200m.
Building something that stands out from the environment that has the wow-factor and sits half way up a mountain, is no easy feat.
We wanted to create a piece of art. A structure that stood proud in the harsh environment which complemented the newest of the Tesla range, The Model 3.
What all of these ‘pop up’s’ have in common is that they give the customer and the visitor that little extra. It creates a hype, an event for a short time we cannot miss. It gives the company a physical personality and creates a genuine relationship with the consumer.
Pop up shops are changing the way we engage with brands. With the right approach companies like the ones we’ve mentioned above, really do have the chance to elevate themselves above their competitors.
These companies put themselves in a position where they can engage with their customers on a personal level. They can educate consumers through physical engagement or tech. Either way the visitors leave with a new appreciation for the company and an education on their offering.
This same considered approach is what drives us at GIANT forward - Our goal is to deliver the next generation of Brand Experiences today.