The brief 

To research shopper behaviour, mapping the journey in independent furniture stores, explore the interaction with the product and understand the decision making process. To develop a creative strategy that would drive the brand’s positioning, deliver a new retail concept in stores and ultimately drive sales. 

The aim 

To create a new experience for shoppers that increases footfall, dwell time and ultimately sales. 

Shopper insight 

We shopped for the G Plan brand in store, watching how shoppers behave, understanding how they interact with product and what would get them buying a sofa. 

Our observational research revealed lots of gems to help us define a strategy for in-store communications. For example, women are selective, browsing for something particular before taking a seat. While some shoppers are visibly uncomfortable with trying out furniture and need encouragement. 

Our solution 

We used the research outputs to define a ‘store-within-store’ environment that engages shoppers and delivers all the information they require to make G Plan a compelling and simple choice. 

We use SHOP our retail communication tool to develop the creative expression and produce a layered approach to retail design. The 5 elements of shop are detailed below - with pos elements that support each insight or requirement.

Personality 

G Plan was established in 1898 and is indeed a great British company. 

To bring this to life in store we created a new logo for G Plan, combining their existing branding and elements of a beautiful, hand stitched British flag; a logo that perfectly captures the quality of their products with the heritage of the brand. This is combined with a friendly, reassuring tone of voice that reinforces G Plan as a secure choice. 

The positioning line - Take comfort in G Plan was created which epitomized the G plan offer - take comfort from the fact it's G Plan and the brand trith - take comfort.

Education 

While older shoppers are familiar with the G Plan brand, and consider it synonymous with quality, we needed to make sure this message was communicated to all potential buyers. We also knew that detail is vital when considering a purchase; communicating guarantee, and choice including ranges, models and finish is essential. Our suite of materials to deliver these in different ways for example freestanding pods, swing tags ad postcards to communicate the variety of information. 

Engagement – touching the product 

From our observation we knew that getting shoppers to sit down was really key to their decision making process but some shoppers need to be encouraged to sit-down. So we created ‘The Sit-Test’; a direct invitation for shoppers to put their feet up and relax into the sumptuous comfort that is a G Plan sofa! This included ‘Sit-Test’ zones for the G Plan area, walled off and providing a little more privacy, with messaging directing the shopper the direction to take a seat. The message was also reinforced across other comms, e.g. kickboard covers on recliner chairs. 

As well as getting shoppers to sit-down, we also wanted to have them sitting down for longer. To do this we created a dwell area; again a walled off area within the G Plan environment featuring a heritage DVD and product information to browse while they seat. 

And finally, we wanted shoppers actively considering their choice so created swatch walls to encourage them to explore the options. 

Information 

In all the communications we have created we have delivered vital information such as product dimensions on postcards and swing tags, or quality and craftsmanship through free-standing pods and counter top POS. 

Communication 

The messages stay with the shopper at every step of their journey; from entering the G Plan area with overhead signage highlight the brand, to testing out the product at the invitation of the Sit-Test, and leaving the store with product postcards and a buying-guide. 

RESULTS

The concept has rolled out to over 20 gallery stores and in a difficult trading year sales volumes have increased per store between between 5% and 50%! 

The brief

To provide a retail concept that takes a display centre for kitchens,

bedrooms and bathrooms, and turns it into a memorable destination for

Moben, Sharps and Dolphin customers. To communicate the key

competitive difference - fully fitted - in a positive and motivating way.

The aim

To capitalise on existing footfall by creating a store and brand

experience that delivers customers to the point of sale.

Shopper insight

We shopped in their stores, the competitor stores and stores in

other sectors e.g. car showrooms to establish what the key role

was for the store. It quickly became clear that the store had to operate

at different levels depending on the customer’s stage of the 18 month

shopping journey.

For example a women taking her first exploratory steps into the

market is looking to be inspired, this is significantly different from the store

visit that involves taking her partner there for the first time to show him the

kitchen she really wants.

Our solution

To create memories, by developing a concept store with

personality, that makes shopping for a kitchen, bedroom or

bathroom easy, engaging and informative.

We use SHOP our retail communication tool to develop the approach.

Personality

One of our challenges was to unite the 3 brands with a common language

and personality that focused on the core proposition – The fitted room

specialist.

It also needed to deliver on the newly defined store personality –

real, energetic,warm, fun, easy and friendly.

‘Fits around you’ was developed to capture both:

the emotional benefit - everything revolves around you

the functional benefit - everything is fitted for you.

Education

There were several layers of education, starting with high impact graphics.

They provide lifestyle clues, a new tone for the brand messages, and

drama to the store environment. Customers very often crave detail about

the kitchen, bedroom or bathroom so a range of communication pieces

were used to deliver a further layer of messages. Finally and for the first

time in these brands history we even tackled the tricky subject of price.

Engagement – touching the product

One of the most interesting observations when you watch people shop at

a homeware store is their reluctance to touch the product. We believe this

is one of the most crucial ways to create lasting memories about the brand

and as importantly keep them in store for longer. A number of strategies

were deployed to make mucky finger prints on the door.

Engagement – organising the store

We also completely reconfigured the business end of the store to clearly signpost

the different roles of area. We created the information hub, where customers and

sales staff share detail, the design hub where customers could configure their own

room, and finally the design pod, where for the first time customers could have their

room designed in store

Information – appointments & service

Remarkably the one thing that they didn’t say was the one thing the group wanted

shoppers to do - book an appointment. A simple solution with significant effect.

Secondly one of the key things we needed to communicate was the service

proposition. To do this we created the ‘our service’ cube - this logo became the

short hand for the full service message. Each section could then be extrapolated

out or delivered as a unit. This logo device is now used across channels.

Communication - brochure & sale

Arguably the start and the end of the shopping journey for many customers, the

brochure is the bible and the icon for the emotional journey that a woman takes.

The 120 page brochures replicate the instore experience by taking the customer on

a journey from inspiration to design hub. The ‘& you’ concept further delivers on the

interrelationship between Moben/Sharps/Dolphin and you, the customer.

Finally in this highly competitive market clear, simple and effective communication of

the sale is crucial to the business success.

With sales changing on either a monthly or bimonthly basis, personality and

engagement are still top of our minds.

RESULTS

We have now rolled this concept out to over 150 stores, including concessions in Next, Laura Ashley and BHS. For confidentiality reasons we can't reveal more but in every case the POS package has had a positive impact on the KPI's.

Creating an Earex range with standout

Earex, the well-established UK ear care brand owned by SSL International,

came to us with an exciting project, to rebrand and repackage their whole

range in order to elevate them to become the brand leader in the ear-care

category.

Our challenge

This was a great design challenge because the opportunity for change

was huge. It was apparent that through disjointed pack evolution that the

brand has become diluted and the design lacked synergy. At brand level

we had to create one brand design and identity that could manifest itself in

the first instance through packaging; to create clear differentiation between

the products including the premium positioning of Earex Advance Ear

Drops; to build on the brand proposition – Earex delivers a difference you

can hear; and to make Earex synonymous with blocked ear treatments,

which are effective, simple and painless.

What we do best

In addition to this we did what we do best - evaluated the shopper

experience around this category and reviewed the way the packs

communicated and presented themselves to the shopper. In doing this we

could effectively establish what could make this journey simpler and easier

for the shopper, which would inevitably affect sale.

Changing history

By applying innovative design and understanding the shopper journey

we have really made a significant step to changing this brand’s history.

Everything about the design now brings to life the brand proposition “the

difference you can hear”. Through bringing the sound wave to life we have

created a visual mnemonic for sound and therefore makes the product

easily identifiable on shelf. This has also given significant standout and

an own-able graphic, as all the other brands in the category focus on

the ear and not the clarity of sound which is one of the key benefits of

using the product. The logo itself now utilises a soft font, with the capital

“E” reminiscent of the shape of an ear. At the second “e” of the logo we

introduced a circular graphic in the appropriate colour that symbolised the

ear canal, and also the target of relief.

The range in general has been acknowledged as a cleaner, fresher and

more synergistic family than previously and is set to be a success in 2010.

The brief  

•To understand behaviour of bakery shoppers.

•To understand the competitor strengths and weakness

•To establish a position for Sayers in the Market that will steal business from local rivals

Methodology:

•Street Interviews

•Observational & Experiential research

Insights:

•Bakery shoppers are incredibly loyal and are often shoppers for life

•Small price differences do not influence shoppers

•Taste and experience will enable a steal

Actions as a result of the project:

•New Store format created

•Meal deal strategy implemented

New signature NPD program initiated