Brand Activation
Meeting KPIs through Retail and Community Integration: How Activations hit the mark
Good design is everywhere- from websites and graffiti walls to architecture and sculptures – But had you thought about good design being found in a Shopping Centre? Shopping Centres hold events, launch products, sponsor activities and are an ideal location for activations. And here is where the good design comes in. Shopping Centre activations can include many elements of design such as visual and audio prompts, media walls, sensory experiences and art installations that will attract and engage an audience well beyond their daily shop.
When it comes down to it all, a successful activation must be able to provide end results, especially in the shopping centre industry where consumer activities such as foot-traffic, dwell time and repeat visits are measured, evaluated and analysed. Creating picture-perfect activations and art installations are fantastic in so many ways, but what purpose will they serve (other than encouraging snapshots) if they cannot directly translate to meeting KPIs?
“There is a lot more to an activation than creating immaculate art installations and getting shoppers to post snapshots to their social media accounts.”
Activations must set the bar for highly valuable interactions and for that, they must serve a purpose to the community and to the consumers but also allow for retail integration. This means creating opportunities to integrate increase the level of engagement but also about finding ways to encourage repeat visits and creating lengthy activation activities to increase dwell time thus, increasing the spending opportunities.
Solving shopping centre issues through metrics
It is no secret that the retail world is evolving, with traditional brick and mortar stores are striving to compete in an already saturated market; e-commerce and other digital technologies are impacting on shopping centre sales and consumers are changing the way they browse, shop and purchase. Shopping centre marketing managers are now looking for new and innovative ways to attract customers, and effective activation strategy can have a huge impact on their success. The success of an activation can also be measured, reported on and create learning opportunities for future planning and customer expectations. This is the reason why activations add so much value to shopping centre activities as they both go hand in hand to increase a Centre’s productivity.
Activations must set the bar for highly valuable interactions.
Retail and community integration opportunities
Shoppers are receptive to activations as they are generally eye-catching and offer a range of activities and opportunities to engage and interact. Activations that serve a purpose have shoppers perform a specific action- creating, building, thinking or maybe perhaps even singing and dancing. These activations entice shoppers to increase their time spent in the Centre, adding dwell time to their shopping centre visits. They also give the shoppers a sense of belonging as they set the tone for further community integration. Most importantly, successful activations will increase consumer-spending opportunities.
Media opportunities
Shopping centres need to deliver and portray their brand message in a way that the audience can understand and respond accordingly. What’s good for the consumers and the community will most likely translate into what is good for the retailer. Being able to deliver key messages to shoppers has a positive impact on shopping centre activities and can directly translate to reaching targets and KPIs.
A well-designed activation is responsible for spreading the word and creating social media hype. Successful activations are newsworthy. Their purpose is to start conversations as well as increase and create engagement through other mediums and platforms.
Project Shine Activation
Project Shine Activation
After the successful “13 Days of Christmas Campaign in December 2018” activation leading to increased engagement, the retailers from Northpoint were looking to pro-actively promote the Centre as a way of stimulating foot traffic and sales into 2019. Northpoint requested the ideation, development and delivery of a Campaign that would focus on sustainability and giving back to the community. There were also looking to address the objectives around:
• Increasing foot traffic and average spend in-store (volume and share of wallet)
• Creating engagement through positive experiences
• Promoting retailers through campaign integration
The Project Shine Activation branding was strong and cohesive and involved striking signage that spoke directly to the Northpoint colour palette and story. The custom-designed and built installation was a talking point and feature of the activation, standing tall and bright across the week. Retailers also reported a “buzz” around the Centre that was uplifting and positive, which elevated the Campaign message and encouraged dwell time.
After the Activation – What’s Next?
Activations must be result-driven, with data and reporting integral to life after activating. They must also align well with the shopping centre’s set of KPIs. More and more marketing managers are choosing to hold activations within their Centre. Stabilisation is the key to ensuring those great numbers continue post activation and into the customers’ “new every day”. By establishing a changing calendar of activations, customers will be encouraged to return to the Centre for new and interactive experiences. They need to be introduced (or re-introduced) to the Centre, and how they can make it a part of their weekly lives.
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