social media can sell burgers
Here's a super awesome case study on how a local burger joint in Milwaukee used Four Square to pack his restaurant with patrons, more than doubling his typical Sunday sales.
That's a 110% increase in business without an agency, without advertising, without super bad tv spots. It's a good day for burgers and fries. From @DJLitten
Labels: foursquare, retail, social media
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:14 AM
0 comments
Thursday, February 04, 2010
everyone loves tasty bagels
Here's another fantastic case study about how a brand has leveraged Facebook to bring customers to their door. It turns out that coupons delivered through Facebook have a much stronger response rate than those old school FSI things.
Tell your boss to allocate 34 kabillion dollars to social media this year.
Labels: facebook, retail, social media, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:43 AM
2 comments
Monday, February 01, 2010
pepsi as pixels
Pepsi may not be spending millions on SuperBowl spots, but that doesn't mean they're not in the game.
Check out this awesome store display, built entirely from Pepsi 12 packs. From Neal Stewart
Labels: beverage, pointofpurchase, retail, superbowl
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:45 AM
1 comments
Thursday, January 28, 2010
the history of neon
The Design Within Reach enewsletter Design Notes features an excellent post about the history of neon and the soon to be opened neon museum, in Las Vegas.
This proves two things:
1. You can sell furniture and engage your audience with a newsletter that's not about furniture;
2. Neon is a totally awesome tool that's not utilized enough anymore.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:04 AM
0 comments
rethinking the fast food receipt
Some states (like New York) have already passed legislation that requires fast food businesses to post calorie information next to their food selections.
Small chain Burgerville in Oregon has taken it a step further. When your order is complete, your receipt includes a complete rundown of nutritional information for everything you've ordered. This works perfect in concert with Burgerville's positioning of local ingredients, fresh food and yummy selection.
Want to add them to your store? It's all made possible by a firm called Nutricate. From @katiefritz.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 6:51 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
walmart, with a sense of humor
You can tout a value message and have fun with it.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:30 AM
1 comments
Monday, January 25, 2010
what to do with empty retail
An amazing organization called No Longer Empty takes unoccupied retail space in New York City and turn them into public art exhibitions.
Their latest effort Never Can Say Goodbye takes over the legendary Tower Records space (a store that used to sell music on discs) and turns it a show featuring over twenty artists, and feels just a little bit like a record store.
Why not do the same thing in your city?
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:34 AM
0 comments
the best looking arbys ever
Think fast food restaurants can't blend into the neighborhood? Check out this new Arby's in Brooklyn.
They just opened in a landmark building, and have renovated a space to become "one of the most posh and historic restaurant interiors in the city" according to Brownstoner. Proof that your brand experience can bend a little to fit your audience. Even in fast food.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:27 AM
0 comments
Friday, January 15, 2010
facebook: the power of change for small business
Here's a cute story about how Facebook (and more importantly, a retailer's fans) made a difference for a small business. Coffee Labs, a dog friendly emporium in Tarrytown, NY got into trouble with their local health department for being dog friendly.
The business created a fan page for local dog owners to declare their love for the shop. Facebook + cute dogs + coffee = local tv magic. Naturally, this gets picked up by the local news, and before you know it, a local attorney gets involved and writes a waiver for the coffee shop.
Small business, small change, that made a difference in one community. Would your customers come to your rescue?
Labels: facebook, retail, social media, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:41 AM
0 comments
Monday, January 11, 2010
google's most favorite places
Google has a new program that allows retailers and businesses to register as a Local Business Center. Google then sends the more popular Local Business Centers window decals with a custom QR code.
Visitors to the store can scan the code with their mobile device to learn about the business, post reviews, get information, coupons and other marketing juice. Wow. Google really is everywhere. From @webmetricsguru.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:51 AM
0 comments
Thursday, December 17, 2009
sears: powering parking lot dance parties
This is a fun way to demonstrate the power of a Sears DieHard battery.
Do you think they hired Reggie Watts for his last name, or was that just serendipity? Thanks, Seth!
Labels: automotive, retail
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:40 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
your credit card is tweeting
What if your credit card could tweet every purchase you made? Sound totally ridiculous? That's essentially what Blippy does. While at first glance you might ask "why would I tweet that I just bought socks?" when you dig a little deeper, the benefits of Blippy technology are pretty interesting.
This is a potentially useful tool for financial and purchasing analysis. Sites like Mint let you budget and see how your spending stacks up against others on a wholesale level, but so far, there's nothing that allows you to compare that spending on a granular, purchase by purchase level. It's also creates new potential for location aware social networks like FourSquare or Gowalla. Your credit and debit cards know where you're at, so that you don't have to "check in" using your fat thumbs on a keyboard.
Plenty of people thought that a tool allowing users to share the fact that they're eating a grilled cheese sandwich had no value. The marketplace says otherwise. Retailers, location based businesses and marketers...this is worthy of exploration.
Labels: retail, social media, twitter
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:37 AM
0 comments
Monday, December 14, 2009
give the gift of fine hotel furniture
Like your hotel room? Would you like to give it to someone for Christmas? Now that's possible, with the ShopMarriott store. Hotels selling their goods is nothing new, but Marriott has taken it up a notch with ShopMarriott. They've successfully extended their brand essence into the retail space, with an online store that pretty much sells your entire room experience.
It'll be hilarious when you try and convince your girlfriend that you didn't steal her gift on your last business trip...you bought it online. "No really, I paid for this. I swear."
Labels: hospitality, retail, travel
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:20 AM
0 comments
peeps go to washington
There's a Peeps store near Washington DC. An entire store. Devoted to Peeps. Let's hope that you can them pre-aged and slightly stale - at the point they taste the most delicious.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:14 AM
0 comments
Friday, December 11, 2009
target rocks the pop up for the holidays
Target has created a pretty sweet popup event in New York, DC, and San Francisco for this weekend.
Target To Go are micro-Target stores that live for thee days only, and make holiday shopping easier than placing a lunch order on the value meal menu at McDonalds.
Each pop up store features a handful of gifts that you choose by number, and then purchase them pre-wrapped and ready to go. This is a grand idea that spreads fun holiday branding for Target, while generating revenue. (It's not often that your promotional campaign can generate funds to pay for itself.)
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:35 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
things like this never happen in our town
Don't you wish there could be a catwalk in every crosswalk? This one promotes the "flash sales" happening at Brand Alley. Awesomeness. Let's go shopping.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:24 AM
0 comments
Monday, December 07, 2009
red popping up
RED has done an outstanding job getting their brand in front of shoppers just in time for the holiday season. They've installed pop-up stores in London, Tokyo and New York, and then bought aggressive outdoor ads to support them.
The pop-up stores look like awesome representations of the brand, and allow the consumer to see the entire breadth of product that's typically spread across multiple retailers. Smart.
Labels: adindustry, nonprofit, outdoor, retail
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:50 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
add a little apple store style to your retail experience
Square Up looks like an awesome credit card payment solution for retail. It's a credit card processing system that works with mobile phones. Scan credit cards for payment. Get photo verification of your customers. Send receipts via email rather than paper.
Seems like a sweet way for small business to add a great service, and look cool in the process. The next best thing to being the apple store. From @miconian
Labels: apple, iphone, mobile, retail, technology
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:43 AM
1 comments
Monday, November 30, 2009
foursquare: golden opportunity for retail
@charliecurve and @ericurbane were having some interesting chat over the weekend in Twitterville. They both see FourSquare as one of the first location aware social services that allow retailers to connect with their customers in a new way.
FourSquare lets users tag where they're at, and where they've been. Doing so on multiple times lets you earn badges and credit, and if you check into any one place more than anyone else, you become "mayor" of the joint.
Charlie and Eric correctly point out that if you're in retail, this is a golden opportunity. Why not reward your Mayor? Have a contest? Give discounts to other FourSquare visitors? They're already shouting about your establishment...why not join the conversation?
And Facebook is coming to the party too...are you ready?
Labels: facebook, foursquare, retail, social media
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:48 AM
1 comments
taking the gift card to the next level
Gift cards continue to get better and better with each and every year, from a creative standpoint.
This year Target pushes it over the top with Winter Fishing Hole, a gift card that's actually a holiday board game, too. Featuring the wonderous holiday illustration of Invisible Creature, these cards are a gift of art, game and holiday cheer, all in one. Are you still giving out paper or plastic?
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:38 AM
0 comments
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
the circle of life for retail
From the 1950's through the 1980's the Circle K chain built stores on nearly every corner in every neighborhood throughout the southwest. Then reality set in, and the chain filed Chapter 11, and most of those stores went empty.
Paho Mann documents what's happened to the stores since that time. Many have been taken over by entrepreneurs, small business owners and some have been destroyed.
Paho has assembled a wonderful collection of photos, a Google maps website, and a book that serves as an interesting study on the life of business, suburbia and our culture as a whole.
From @CharlieCurve
Labels: architecture, retail
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:46 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
microsoft stores: kind of like eating at chilis
So Microsoft has stores now. Don't feel sorry for them because their stores look like carbon copies of the Apple store. Or because of their fragmented marketing campaign.
Feel sorry for them because some employees in this store were forced to participate in this most uncomfortable "spontaneous" moment.
Now buying a PC can be almost as much fun as your birthday at Chilis. (Sorry Chilis - I really do love your chicken tacos.)
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:20 AM
5 comments
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
the gap introduces upside down retail
By now you've probably seen the cheerleading lumberjack models that the Gap has laid upon us. Love them or hate them, that's not important. Check out what they've done in Vancouver, to introduce a new loyalty program:
The "Sprize" program promises shoppers that if they buy something at full price and it goes on sale within 45 days, they'll automatically credit the difference to their account.
Gap demonstrated the importance of this concept by turning their store upside down. Literally. Cool.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:52 AM
3 comments
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
fighting morning face with kum & go coffee
When we discovered Kum & Go while on tour driving through Missouri and Arkansas, there was some frat boy chuckling about whether the store's name was real or not. It is. Putting that aside, you'll have to appreciate their new promotion about Kum & Go coffee.
Fight Morning Face lets Kum & Go customers upload pics of their grossest, most out of sorts morning face for a chance to win a Kum & Go prize pack. The effort promotes "the cure for morning face," which of course is Kum & Go coffee, Nuclear energy drinks and breakfast sandwiches. Yummy.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:38 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
thrift shopping now online
You can now shop Goodwill online. They now sell their better stuff via an online auction site. Like eBay but without all of the beanie baby collectors. This is good, good, good.
It's about time that a non-profit thrift enterprise took advantage of the eBay concept and brought their business from the community to the world. Lots of cool stuff, without the harsh fluorescent lighting environment of their retail stores. Cool. From Lifehacker.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:33 AM
1 comments
Friday, October 23, 2009
turn yourself into a creepy old man
Or a pumpkin. Or a gorilla. Or a robot alien dude. Meijer just launched this halloween promo that uses your webcam to add a virtual mask to your face, and then lets you record a
I like how they integrated product into the campaign, allowing users to browse and buy Meijer Halloween product right from the interface. So many retailers overlook that option when creating promotional campaigns, and miss the opportunity to sell.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:31 AM
0 comments
Monday, October 12, 2009
best buy: where art and retail meet?
Last week artist Borna Sammak created an art show at Best Buy.
The plan was to secretly take over all of the monitors on their lower Broadway store in NYC. The artist is known for his renegade installations, and this one went off without police or blue shirt involvement...apparently because Best Buy agreed at some point to let it happen. Win/win for both artist and retailer.
See video of his installation at Animal and an interview with the artist at Art in America.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:56 AM
0 comments
sex up your facebook shot
Estee Lauder is running a promotion that's pure sexy genius. Starting Friday, you can stop by your local Estee Lauder cosmetic counter and get a free professional makeover and a photo to post on your profile.
Excellent way for an old-school brand to acknowledge the benefits of their product in a way that their customers could be using it. Hot.
Labels: retail, social media, stunts
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:31 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
burger king in the near future
Burger King is planning a massive overhaul of 12,000 locations worldwide. According to the pics on MSNBC, they're going to be styled in a futuristic way. (That is, if in the future everything is red, white and plastic.)
Let's hope there's free internet on those magical red computer monitors.
Labels: food, interior design, retail, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:09 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
letting fans run with your brand
The age of self publishing, brand fandom and yummy food have finally converged.
Cooking With All Things Trader Joe's, a book authored by a fan of the popular grocery store chain was self published, sold over 70,000 copies and inspired other books to follow on the Trader Joe's meme.
While it's not currently available at the store, its existence certainly adds to the brand's cult favored status. (And c'mon Trader Joe: putting this book in your stores could only work to sell more product!!)
Just another great example of a brand that's building so much love that fans can't keep it to themselves. Can your brand say the same? (And couldn't you really go for some of those Wasabi flavored crunchy snack things right now??)
Labels: branding, publishing, retail, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:48 AM
0 comments
Thursday, September 24, 2009
who says that slat wall has to be boring?
Slat wall. That retail interior design invention from the 1980's that plagues the ugliest retail environments across the world. Until now. Check out what Strukt Design Studio created for a space in Vienna. Wow.
From Maria Popova.
Labels: interior design, retail
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:30 AM
1 comments
Monday, September 21, 2009
big box stores of the dominican republic
When branding people go on vacation, the photos they take aren't always your typical vacation photos. If you can relate to that, then you'll love Ted Murphy's photo collection of the "big box" stores of the Dominican Republic.
Labels: branding, creativeinspiration, retail, travel
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:07 AM
3 comments
Friday, September 11, 2009
domino's pizza. wherever you want it.
In the Netherlands, Domino's Pizza has installed white doors with a phone number for delivery at various outdoor locations.
So you're sitting in the park getting all hungry from whatever might give you the munchies while in the Netherlands. You call the number and order a large pie. The Domino's dude shows up at the door (a "delivery point") and rings the doorbell so you know he's there.
Genius. Let's put these all along the Appalachian Trail and in the Grand Canyon. ;p
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:46 AM
0 comments
Thursday, September 10, 2009
what the people are buying
JustBought.it is a location-based social shopping app that lets you share photos and tweets on the things that you buy. (Because the tweets about what you had for lunch weren't exciting enough.)
Actually, Zappos implemented something like this a while back and it works great with their product, and it's a fantastic illustration of how the You Bought It service could be integrated with a brand. Possibilities = endless.
From Sharon Johns-Taylor.
Labels: gps, mashup, retail, social media
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:02 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
happy 9/9/09
In Hollywood today, nine lucky couples will be tying the knot. At the 99 cent only store.
The store's ad features a beautiful bride dressed in a dress made entirely from things available at the store, for 99 cents. For real. Kathy Jacobs created the masterpiece above using t-shirts, embroidered table runners and silk flowers.
This is genius. Not only will this very likely be picked up by the national news tonight, it's a great illustration of the diverse products and everyday value associated with the brand.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:30 AM
0 comments
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
the limited lost their style guide
Blogger Chris Beesley is a fan of the Limited's design style. Elegant typography, clean design, nice presentation.
And on a recent trip to the mall with his wife, he found the sales flier featured above. Sloppy, poor typography and totally off what you'd consider appropriate to the Limited style guide.
Ever wonder if a style guide (or a single agency doing all of your stuff) has value? Here's proof.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:17 AM
1 comments
Monday, August 17, 2009
the apple store: your new production studio
There's something totally infectious about this kid, and the fact that he produces and broadcasts his videos from the Apple store.
He's evolved and has gotten to be quite good - look at one of his earlier broadcasts and you'll see that he wasn't always entirely comfortable performing in the space.
Just begging to be a part of a fun campaign.
Labels: apple, pop culture, retail, video, viral
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:21 AM
0 comments
Thursday, August 06, 2009
some people aren't psycho for donuts
Here's another reason to move to the Bay Area: You can order the most deliciously awesome donuts, and have them delivered to your door by a sexy nurse.
Psycho Donuts has attempted to add some excitement to the retail side of the donut business, with a unique retail environment (that includes a padded cell), and hostesses that look like naughty nurses (who also make donut deliveries.)
This upsets some people. And they're organizing protests over at Psycho Donuts. Insane as that sounds, yes - people are protesting donuts.
Mental health professionals are up in arms, and aren't satisfied with just shopping at a more boring donut store. The hoopla is getting Psycho Donuts a ton of publicity. Follow the developments over at the Psycho Donut blog and the psycho donut tweet stream.
We just want to taste the Nilla wafers and donuts combination. Or the bi-polar donut pictured above. Sounds nutty delicious.
Labels: productdesign, retail, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:02 AM
2 comments
if tandy sounds like candy, why go with "the shack"?
Radio Shack is rebranding as "the Shack."
I just hope the re-branding comes with retail facades that make the stores look like "shacks." They could take the Hollister storefronts, and beat them up a little. That would be cool.
UPDATE:
Tom Parrette sends us a great post about what a short name says about a brand.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:37 AM
1 comments
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Kmart's trigger-happy Christmas
Now before you get all OMG-I-can't-believe-retailers-are-pushing-Santa-already on us, consider this: Kmart running a Christmas promotion in July is brilliant. A little banner on the home page takes you here, where only those people who care can shop early, save on shipping, and yes, find an excuse to burn through discretionary income while the rest of us hoard pennies in this Pottersvillesque economic apocalypse.
Cynical observers would consider this a marketing ploy to obscure the reference price, that is, mask the real cost of goods with the glow of holiday splurging. But we see economic recovery. God bless you, Kmart, for getting people to spend again.
Via Rosie Siman.
posted by Ben Kunz @ 7:31 AM
2 comments
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
the changing face of the streets
A new book Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York chronicles the changing face of retail's facade in NYC.
And you can see select work from the book on display at the Clic Gallery in NYC tomorrow through the end of August. Cool. From Eyebeam.
Labels: architecture, newyork, retail
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:13 AM
0 comments
Monday, June 29, 2009
mmmm. vegetables.
A trip to the grocery store is almost always a fun adventure in packaging design. NOTCOT explores the beauty of produce food boxes.
Labels: design, package design, retail, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:33 AM
0 comments
Thursday, June 11, 2009
baristas: watch and learn
Tip jars need great marketing tactics just like the best toothpaste campaigns. If you want good tips, you'll need to convince the person with the cash money to act now. And you'll need more than a fake smile to convince the tight wads in your neighborhood. You're going to need a well designed tip jar.
Lousy tippers: the least you could do is share this collection of high-performing, creative tip jars with your neighborhood barista. You owe her.
Labels: creativeinspiration, retail
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:51 AM
0 comments
Monday, April 13, 2009
how to get teens to target
Retailers looking to make themselves cool to teens might want to look outside the agency PowerPoint decks, and just let a teen do the job for them.
Target should totally be sending this dude a mondo-big gift certificate. The internet is an awesome place.
Labels: creativeinspiration, retail, video, viral
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:28 AM
1 comments
Friday, April 03, 2009
pop up stores made easy
Here's a cool new concept in real estate.
Pop up stores and events have been huge in major markets around the world, for some time now. Usually, the agency needs to find empty space and negotiate a short term takeover, and things can get complicated and difficult.
In NYC, that's now a breeze thanks to OpenHouse. They've taken a space that's a clean slate on Mulberry Street and made it available to producers of PopUp events. Just schedule it, dress it, and make it happen. Smart.
Labels: architecture, newyork, retail, stunts
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:11 AM
1 comments
Thursday, March 12, 2009
putting empty storefronts to work
Carnival Cruise lines has produced virtual aquariums using vacant storefronts in a handful of cities across the U.S.
The windows are interactive - if you move your arms around in the air and make fish faces with your lips, people on the street will point and laugh at you. But it will all be worthwhile because the animated fish will dance, or sing, or entertain you in some way.
Labels: ads, hospitality, retail, travel
posted by darryl ohrt @ 6:43 AM
2 comments
whopper bar now grilling
The Whopper Bar is open! Burger King opened their first ever burger bar this week in Orlando. And another six to ten will follow in the next few months, across the globe.
Great idea. They're greying the lines between fast food and casual dining, while raising perceived value (and taste) of burgers. I love the interior design, but have a feeling they still don't sell veggie burgers. Cuz the King is all about beef, yo.
Labels: hospitality, retail, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 5:32 AM
1 comments
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
what's awesome about the economy tanking
Sure, you might lose your job. Your bank may fail. There won't be a car dealership left in your town. But there will be AWESOME retail shopping.
Retail Design Diva predicts that one of the good things to come from the down economy is that real estate will be cheaper. And successful brands will leverage that to make sure their locations are destinations. Plenty of room for fantastic design, awesome branding and whoah factor.
Two recent examples: the new Diesel, and Armani stores, both with new flagships on Fifth Ave. Screw retirement. Let's shop.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:42 AM
0 comments
how to blend in at retail
You have to try this out at Staples this weekend. How could you dress, to blend into your surroundings? If you're the type of person that is worried about an impending attack, then you'd better study up on how to do urban camouflage.
SwissMiss points to a sweet collection of the ultimate camo suits . (Yes, there's a person in the photo above.)
Labels: art, creativeinspiration, retail, stunts
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:19 AM
0 comments
Monday, March 02, 2009
the story of those super hot supermodelquins
Here's a really fun piece for...Old Navy! From MakeTheLogoBigger.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:05 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
someone who would enjoy a michael phelps endorsement
Check out the stickers that have made their way through the streets of Calgary. It's a Michael Phelps endorsement...without the official endorsement, for a hemp shop. Great idea.
Labels: ads, retail, sports marketing
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:39 AM
0 comments
Friday, February 20, 2009
how a coffee shop let twitter double it's clientele
Looking for another great example of how to use Twitter in your small business? Check out this story about a coffee shop that used Twitter to double their business.
And guess what - it's all about building relationships and fostering community. Something a coffee shop knows a little something about. Pass this to your friend that owns a small business. From Brand Aid.
Labels: marketing, retail, social media, twitter, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:33 AM
2 comments
Friday, February 13, 2009
the coolest guitar store
Proof that you don't have to be a megla-monster-super-store to stand out.
Labels: architecture, marketing, pointofpurchase, retail
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:13 AM
2 comments
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
does your grocery store generate this kind of love?
If you're lucky enough to live in a market where there's a Trader Joe's, then you'll absolutely love this user generated video of love devoted to the store.
YesButNoButYes suggests that Trader Joe's adopt this as their official spot. A 30 second edit would be a grand idea. Bonus that it's shot on a cell phone. And now I'm hungry for Chili & Lime cashews.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:47 AM
0 comments
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
valentines of death: now available at macys
Many NYC residents are already familiar with ghost bikes. The installations memorialize bikers who have lost their lives to the streets of New York, and are seen throughout the city.
Apparently, the person responsible for designing the Valentine display at Macys flagship store was clueless to the memorials. So their "My Funny Valentine" displays look sick and embarrassing. Unless of course, your customers enjoy laughing at dead cyclists.
A hard lesson in why creative teams need to have market familiarity, and a keen understanding of pop culture.
Labels: marketing, newyork, outdoor, pointofpurchase, pop culture, retail
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:03 AM
2 comments
Monday, February 02, 2009
walmart across america
Dependent on which side of the fence you're on - this is either incredibly scary or mighty impressive. An animated map illustrating the growth of Walmart across the U.S.
I like that it looks like one of those alien infiltration maps from a 1970's scifi movie. Sam Walton = alien? (This is a cool way to show off the tool Modest Maps.)
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:11 AM
0 comments
Friday, January 23, 2009
a website for every bodega in nyc
Jeff Sisson has created a site devoted to documenting every single bodega in NYC. You can search by neighborhood, by name and even comment on individual Bodegas.
He's bringing the corner grocery industry into the digital age in his spare time, with the help of friends. That is social media.
(Ohhh, the things that I want to say about our corner bodega. We could use this in our hood.) From Gothamist.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:11 AM
1 comments
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
arrrr. a pirate store helps the little scurvy brats
826 Valencia, a group devoted to supporting young students writing skills has produced an awesomely unique and fun fundraising project: A Pirate Store.
Design firm Office helped the group create a line of products that are sold at the group's storefront, in San Francisco and online at the Pirate Supply Store.
A storefront for a non-profit agency? Absolutely. According to an interview in Metropolis Magazine (can't link to it, if they don't put it online), the store creates an additional fundraising channel while creating a connection with the community.
What can you buy at the Pirate Store? Really cool pirate supplies. Like Scurvy Begone, Designer Glass Eyes and Black Beard's Beard Dye. What an awesome inspiration to non-profits, small retail districts and pirates everywhere.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:16 AM
5 comments
pullers: a lost opportunity at the grocery store
This is Herd points to a really interesting discovery by the grocery industry. Something as a consumer, you're probably already aware of.
The impulse product at the register accounts for about 1% of all grocery sales. And it turns out that about 74% of us pull our shopping carts into the register, rather than push - which means we miss the opportunity to buy these products.
As Dirk points out, retailers could probably increase sales by better merchandising the product to the "trolley" pullers rather than the pushers. (Oh yeah - and it's funny that in England the call them trolleys.)
Coworkers Matt and Justus contemplate a kingdom where there are no shopping carts. That's what people do when they sit in big king-like chairs.
Labels: marketing, pointofpurchase, retail
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:24 AM
4 comments
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
the changing face of free
Stop and Shop has launched an interesting promotion. They're giving away FREE antibiotic prescriptions.
What a fantastic way to do a great thing. This will certainly drive traffic to the store - but it's also making a statement in the neighborhood: we care.
People lost interest in balloons, pens, poorly-designed baseball hats and other FREE crapola years ago. Offering something of value to customers who are sick is a refreshing approach.
If you were just prescribed meds and got them for free, wouldn't you remember the brand that made that possible? What could you do for free that has actual value?
Labels: branding, healthcare, marketing, retail
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:00 AM
1 comments
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
grocery shopping made awesome
Who says your building has to be ugly? Who says big boxes can't be stylish?
Austrian chain Mpreis has created the most spectacular buildings by hiring up and coming architects to design their stores. The results are stunning.
Labels: architecture, marketing, retail
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:01 AM
2 comments
Monday, January 05, 2009
a photo tour of your mall
If you did any shopping over the holiday break, you undoubtedly experienced the same thing that Guy Kawasaki did. Only he documented his shopping trip with some photos. This is the ultimate picture tour and brand lesson all in one trip - just be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom...
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:50 AM
1 comments
