Experiential marketing took the global retail market by storm in the last decade. Brands like Sephora, eBay, Hermès, and Walmart created noteworthy activations to engage their consumers, build brand awareness, and drive sales.
Now, two months into the 2020s, it’s clear that experiential marketing is taking a major step forward by blurring the lines between retail real estate and consumer branding.
As legacy retailers like Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s scale back their physical footprints, retail brands are pursuing new methods for marketing their products and staying visible in an era where occupying shelf space simply isn’t enough. A new crop of immersive, community-driven retail spaces is offering consumers a chance to experience brands like never before – and South Florida is about get an up-close look at the trend.
Showfields – Miami Beach, Florida
Part showroom, part art gallery, Britain’s Showfields is about to make another splash in the States with a new location on Lincoln Road. The retail emporium breaks the traditional retail mold by offering social, recreational, and commercial activations that showcase well-established and upstart brands alike. Showfields’ first U.S. location will feature a curated selection of 40 to 50 pop-up shops, name-brand spaces, and art installations. The venue will also include a restaurant, a speakeasy bar, and a theater for live performances. And because this is South Beach, Showfields is throwing in a tattoo parlor and body piercing station for good measure.
29Rooms – Touring the US
Lifestyle website Refinery29 has brought its brand to life with multi-sensory installations, performances, and engaging workshops that continually tour cities across the country. The installation features new collaborations each year, with creative visionaries such as Petra Collins and Solange Knowles and brands spanning the fields of art, activism, style, and technology. The result is an unforgettable experience centered around creativity and culture.
Neighborhood Goods – Plano, Texas & New York
With locations in Texas and New York, Neighborhood Goods is reshaping the department store model with an ever-changing landscape of thoughtful, exciting, and contemporary brands, stories, and events. The brand is putting its focus on community engagement to draw in customers by featuring amazing food, drinks, events, and live speakers.
Selfridges – UK
The London-based department store was an early pioneer of experiential retailing. Recently, the company partnered with Instagram to create an immersive pop-up called “The Instagram edit” that featured items from Instagram-first brands in the realm of fashion, beauty, and stylish home goods. The company has also created immersive installations for brands like Jacquemus, Canada Goose, Jimmy Choo, and Highsnobiety.
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