Ownership has become a burden of the current society. Having come to the realization that customers will be less able to purchase and that production itself is endangered, the concept of ownership is shifting towards sharing. It comes down to partially owning, even, experiencing ownership for a limited period.

Some brands have come across the realization that a product orientation is not in the long run. They gradually invested in complementary services, experiences, and events. Most importantly, they rekindled their faith in aesthetics and design. A comprehensive brand experience is promoted from the outside and into the physical space as well as other brand touchpoints. A special way of getting clients into the journey is through embellished storefronts and physical spaces. 

Ghalia BOUSTANI. Senior retail consultant at Univers Retail | Published author | Visiting lecturer.

Creating exceptional pop-up shops is not an exception. Whether it’s designing an attractive format, an attractive exterior or an unconventional space, visual attraction is a game changer for successful brands. Pop-up stores are giving brands the opportunity to explore different formats, different styles and experiment with a variety of forms. It is essential to preserve a clear reference to the brand’s identity. As much as brands experiment with pop-up store formats, concepts, or themes, they should resonate with consumers as much as they do with their identity.

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Is brand identity important in designing exceptional pop-up stores?

A pop-up store is a temporary retail location that is meant to create a sense of excitement and engagement with the brand; a strong brand identity can help to achieve this goal. It is important in designing exceptional pop-up stores because it helps to create a cohesive look and feel, communicates the brand’s message, differentiates the brand from competitors, and enhances the customer experience.

A strong brand identity helps to create a cohesive look and feel for the pop-up store, which can help to establish the brand’s image and values in the minds of customers. This generally includes elements such as signage, colour palette, lighting, and overall store layout. A pop-up store is a great opportunity for a brand to communicate its message to customers. Therefore, a strong brand identity helps to create a clear and consistent message that resonates with customers. 

Brand identity also helps differentiate the brand from competitors and make it stand out in a crowded market. This is especially important for pop-up stores, which may have a limited window of opportunity to capture the attention of potential customers. A strong brand identity can enhance the customer experience by creating a cohesive and visually appealing store that reflects the brand’s image and values. This can help to build customer loyalty and satisfaction.

Why is it important to create visually appealing stores?

A visually appealing store is more likely to attract customers and draw them into the store. This is especially important for pop-up stores, which may have a limited window of opportunity to capture the attention of potential customers. It can create a more enjoyable and engaging shopping experience for customers. This helps to keep them in the store longer and encourage them to make purchases. 

A store’s appearance is often the first thing that customers notice, and it can be a powerful way to communicate the brand’s image and values. Therefore, a visually appealing store can help to establish the brand’s identity and create a positive impression on customers. Moreover, a visually appealing store can increase sales by creating a more inviting and pleasant shopping environment. This can be especially important for retailers who rely on impulse purchases or who are selling products that require a longer consideration period, as it can help to keep customers in the store longer and encourage them to make a purchase. 

In the case of pop-up stores, the visual appeal store can help to differentiate the brand from competitors and make it stand out in a crowded market. All store design elements work together to create a cohesive and visually striking look. It is more common that pop-up stores use eye-catching displays to showcase the offering and draw customers to an appealing environment. As pop-up stores have a limited amount of space, it is important to make the most of it. Brands can use visual merchandising techniques, such as using vertical space and creating focal points, to create a visually appealing store that feels spacious and inviting.

How pop-up stores change the neighbouring retail environments?

Pop-up stores can have a variety of impacts on the neighbouring retail environment, depending on the specific circumstances and the nature of the pop-up store. They can attract additional foot traffic to the area, which can be beneficial for neighbouring businesses. This is especially true if the pop-up store is offering a unique or sought-after product or experience, as it can draw in customers who may not have otherwise visited the area.

Pop-up stores have the power to influence consumer behavior in the area by introducing new products, services, or experiences that may not have been available previously. This can alter the way that consumers shop and interact with the retail environment. Their presence can potentially have an impact on the real estate market in the area, depending on the length of the store’s stay and the level of demand for the products or services it is offering.

As soon as they appear in an area, pop-up store could have the potential to change the overall retail mix in the area, depending on the products or services it is offering and the demand for those products or services.

So, how can “beautification” become the new retail currency? 

Designing retail environments is not new; this variable has long been identified as a principal element of a brand’s marketing mix. Yet, visually appealing designs are the gateway to customer’s souls. When brands execute an appealing concept and present it for a limited period, they succeed in capturing the customer’s attention. Well-designed pop-up shops help embellish the environment in which they appear. Their physical expression reflects the story they want to tell and the message they want to communicate: If cooking was a way to reach someone’s heart, then beautiful pop-up stores are the way to the customer’s heart.

This is achieved by providing emotional gratification that does not require the acquisition of a physical product. “Beautiful” pop-up stores could be easily recognized because they are very different from other environments, “more conventional” formats. Bedazzled customers would be keen to discover these unique and beautiful places or spaces, and dive into their story. 

Sharing one’s experience with the brand’s manifest is very important: it means that a brand has managed to have a positive return on the investment it made in the pop-up store. On the one hand, sharing a customer might be partial and limited to having a brief superficial contact with the format presented. On the other hand, customers that penetrate the space will have a closer link with the brand. they will also have a higher level of immersion in space and the people in that space. This is done through word of mouth, photos, videos, social media posts, etc. 

Finally, engaged customers would feel more concerned about the brand. If the latter suggest an offering, in the form of products or services, customers would be more inclined to respond positively and take immediate action. If the brand decided to embark on a journey of recurring pop-up blinds, it could forge close ties with its community.