With the Touch of a Finger

With the blink of an eye and touch of a finger, shoppers may soon be able to gather their shopping bags and head out of the supermarket. No more fumbling for the wallet for a credit/debit card, ID or checkbook--for those who still use this archaic form of payment. According to an article in FORTUNE last week, several retailers are considering implementing biometric technology--the scanning of fingerprints--into the checkout process.

The article lists several mass-market retailers, including Wal-Mart, Target, Costco and Albertsons, are interested in testing its benefits. A report by Sanford Bernstein found that the technology might not only help prevent the ever-growing threat of identity theft, but could also improve the bottom line.

So what does this mean for the consumer? Kind of a scary scenario. Already, we can start our cars, authorize banking transactions, enter buildings--and soon shop--with the Midas touch, thanks to biometric technology.  As the Yellow Pages' slogan goes, "Let your fingers do the walking"... and paying and driving and banking.

--Rachel Brown

Proud to be American

In case you've missed it, American Apparel is exploding. The brainchild of eccentric entrepreneur Dov Charney--who refers to himself not as the CEO but as "senior partner"--the T-shirt and "brand-free" comfort clothes retailer is leaving a trail of sawdust across the country, popping up stores in 26 U.S. states and countries spanning the globe. What started as a wholesale company selling only blank T-shirts has ballooned into a $250 million business crafting more than 10,000 SKUs.

While the quality of the clothing is an obvious driver of the chain's success, it's the intrigue behind the sexually-charged company that keeps Charney and team in the press. When bombarded with criticism for hanging graphics of pornography magazine covers on the doors of store fitting rooms, the company finally caved in and took the images down--only to replace them with covers of Playboy. Advertisements and billboards feature "real people"--including Charney and other employees--rather than models, sporting the latest AA creations (and sometimes nothing at all).

While not everyone can agree with the way American Apparel has positioned the brand to consumers, we have to recognize the feverish cultural force the company is spreading across the retail marketplace. In a time where consumers--especially young consumers--are looking for retail spaces that fit their personalities and lifestyles, a brand that supports individuality has a lot of promise. Keep on the lookout for a store near you.

--Alison Embrey

Throw The Bums Out

CEO turnover doubled in 2005. According to human resources placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, 1,322 CEOs of American corporations exited last year, an increase from the 663 CEO departures in 2004.  A lot of CEOs are failing to deliver results that justify their generous multi-million dollar salaries, and boards are losing their patience with the non-performance in the front office.

In an era of jaw-dropping CEO salaries—a $10 million or higher annual CEO salary is not unusual these days—most employees are stuck in neutral with around 3 percent annual increases, which is not enough to keep up with inflation these days. Does anyone see a disconnect here? I’m sure the thousands of workers currently undergoing termination at Ford—and Delta Airlines and all the other firms laying off people—might have a few choice words for the bosses, who are still there, even though these companies are not making their numbers.

--RoxAnna Sway

Most Famous Mannequin. Ever.

We're guessing that to those fickle, easily amused people who gawk at windows consumers, urban sex bomb Kim Cattrall must be the most famous mannequin ever.  To those of us in the business, that honor belongs to someone else's  creation, and, more specifically, the Twiggy-based 1960's issued prototype. Insiders like the Diva know that mannequins aren't called dummies, and we know that display forms and hangers aren't mannequins.

Mannequins, which are far more popular in Europe than the USA, are everywhere in our culture.  Like in movies, Broadway shows, commercials and, some dudes who say the word 'dude' a lot even put them in their stores. Hey, sometimes mannequins can be fun to play with.  Or, they could be heroic.

The Diva's favorite all-time Visual Merchandiser is, of course, Rhoda, even though (non-American Idol) Simon might be a more contemporary choice.  But who knows? Maybe the upcoming Visual Merchandiser episode of Oxygen Network's reality show Making it Big will produce a new favorite. Anyway, lots of perks await if you are the VM'er that they pick for the show, like meeting people more famous than, um, you.  So, if you want to be all beau monde on TV without eating bugs or skating with a celebrity, better head on over here for deets. Oh, and if you win and Make it Big, promise not to forget all the little Divas along the way?

Comments on your favorite mannequin and/or visual merchandiser (ever) posted without delay. Really.

--Doug Hope

 

Pasha of Pots

As Valentine's Day fast approaches, Diva has a new love interest—Jonathan Adler, the pasha of pots. Yes, Simon, maybe you should be a bit jealous! (Adler is Simon Doonan's life partner and creative buddy. Simon Doonan is the creative force behind Barney's New York and all those over the top, award-winning, Madison Ave. display windows.)

Have you seen Adler's new book, "My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living"? If not, go buy a copy right now. It is just the thing to chase away January's blah, gray days. Adler has a crush on color—lots of it—in yellows, oranges and lively chartreuse greens. And he piles on the patterns and '70s punches of style, from funky to flea market, then layers on a dose of David Hick's influences. (Hicks was the quintessential, upscale interior designer in London in the '60s.)

Adler's is a potter by trade—and very fine pots these are. They are lavishly pictured throughout the book. If you toured visual merchandising showrooms in New York during the December market, Goldsmith decorated its abode with Adler's creations. And a few retail stores have also opened to sell Adler's creations as well. There's a new one at 1097 Madison Ave. in New York and another at 47 Greene St.

What a delight to discover the zany, happy Jonathan Adler collections. Diva is smitten for sure.
Look to hear a lot more about this rising star! So, Jonathan—Here's Diva's valentine to you. Pucker up and take a smooch from Diva, along with a great big thank you for all those wonderful, zany designs.

--RoxAnna Sway

Building Family Fun

If today's most successful retailers are focusing on developing stores that offer memorable experiences, then Build-A-Bear Workshop truly defines success when it comes to families. Whenever this Diva walks by one of their stores, I always stop to watch all the kids having a wonderful time putting together their very own, customized teddy bears. It's one of the more popular birthday party venues these days. I even know a few adults who have found their "child within" and designed one.

Really, doesn't it epitomize everything we want today--good, clean fun and a chance to create something that is our very own?

If you let your imagination run wild with this concept, you might envision expanding into dolls. Great idea...they've already done it--with friends 2B made. Or maybe even take the concept out to other places where families gather, like stadiums or zoos. Oops...they're doing that, too! In their hometown of St. Louis, Build-A-Bear is opening stores at the Saint Louis Zoo (mid-March) and Busch Stadium (mid-April). As someone who enjoys the first three innings of a baseball game, this is one mother who would have jumped at the chance to take my kids to Build-A-Bear for the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, etc. inning stretch!

If you're wondering where retail creativity went, take a look at Build-A-Bear. I am one very impressed Diva...

--Karen Schaffner

Hello, Seattle. We’re listening.

Well, it seems as though Seattle may now be able to muster a smile. The eternally-drenched city was recently named the top retail market in the country, according to an article in the Puget Sound Business Journal. The article (registration required for link) states, in part:

“A sunny forecast is always welcome news in Seattle, and a major real estate brokerage firm has issued a bright one for the region's retail environment--brighter than for any other place in the country.

Marcus & Millichap has declared Seattle the top retail market in the country for the next three years in its Special Retail Research Report--up from last year's ranking of 15th in the firm's annual National Retail Index.

‘Why did Seattle make such a dramatic move? All of the positive forces are expected to come together at the same time,’ said Hessam Nadji, managing director of research services with the national real estate investment brokerage company….

Created as an index of supply versus demand, the Special Retail Research Report examines the retail outlook for 42 markets over the coming three years….The Seattle area owes its perch in large part to the momentum that will be generated by projected employment growth of 8 percent--120,000 jobs--in the next three years, said Nadji. In addition, the area's median household income--estimated at $54,000--is 15 percent higher than the national average, he said.”

So, Seattle retailers, developers and designers—what do you think? Is this credit long overdue? Or…what other cities do you say have the right blend of factors to create a retail boom?

--Sree Roy

Serve me up

I recently returned from the annual NRF (National Retail Federation) show in New York where I noticed that a common thread that ran through several keynote presentations was the need for more and better customer service. This was significant, because in past years customer service was barely mentioned. Now, it is becoming apparent that many retailers have dismal ratings in terms of meeting their customers' expectations for service. One presenter went so far as to say that customer service would be an important competitive differentiator for retailers in the future.

Of course, there are those who see customer service becoming more and more a function of in-store technology—for example, a presentation by CEO Nardelli of Home Depot advocated referring shoppers to in-store kiosks where they would speak by phone with experts concerning advise for various DIY projects—but others see customer service as needing more, not less, human contact, with an abundant supply of courtesy, sensitivity and accommodation.

A recent survey recognized Nordstrom at tops in customer service—it's a tradition at Nordstrom, part of its corporate culture. Consumers can also get a generous dose of customer service at Chico's, Starbucks and the Container Store. These stores all use a low-tech approach to their service: it's strictly one-on-one, people helping people. And there is one other thing I have observed about stores that get high marks for service: their employees are better trained and they stay around longer. When you talk to these employees in the store, they seem to genuinely like their jobs.

RetailDesignDiva can't say that for the department store down the mall, where inevitably, a teen sales person is tied up on the phone trying to line up her Saturday night date (long wait until she hangs up) or a question about the merchandise is met with a shrug, as if to say, why are you bothering me? I just work here; how would I know (what's more I don't care)?

Diva would love some more of that good customer service they were talking about at NRF! Especially the old fashion human-to-human kind.

--RoxAnna Sway

 

Titles are changing; jobs, too?

So, the Diva was thinking about Christopher Hufnagel's title the other day (No, I don't have anything better to do...), wondering how The Gap came up with "Vice President of Brand Store Experience."

What exactly does that mean? In RetailDesignDiva's historical context, we've got VPs (if they're lucky and talented enough) of Store Design, Visual Merchandising and Store Planning. Seems like those titles may be or should be changing as the folks who used to design spaces or displays are now getting involved in developing the entire shopping experience.

Personally, I think it makes more sense to design "experiences"...starting, of course, with the store itself.  And if that's what you're doing, why shouldn't your title reflect that?

--Karen Schaffner

Target...Isn't It Bazaar?

Just when I think Target can't get any better, it surpasses my expectations yet again. Introducing Target's new Global Bazaar, a store-within-a-store niche featuring internationally inspired arts, crafts and home furnishings from the Far East to the savannahs of Africa. The in-store merchandising area takes your breath away with the product variety alone, and the overhead graphics and wall signing is definitely meant to call your attention to the space.

What's more, when you shop the Bazaar online, you have the option to shop by region, including collections from Africa, Asia Traditional, Asia Modern, Europe, India Traditional, India Colonial and Latin America. Pier 1 Imports--eat your heart out.

--Alison Embrey

Experience Manifesto: Kroger Advances In-Store Network

I hope that it's okay to cross-post from our blog here, but this is both a hot topic for the retail industry and it's one of my soap boxes.  To me, it's a core issue that speaks to creating a retail environment that's for the consumer or creating an environment that's about the retailer.  While they don't need to be mutually exclusive, in many cases choices have been made that make them so.  My rant on our blog is much longer, so feel free to click on the link below if you want to read the full piece.

So, another article about another in-store network and here's what the teaser had to say:

P-O-P Times sat down with Evan Anthony, Kroger's corporate vice president of marketing and advertising, to discuss rollout plans for an ambitious, integrated network that will turn the nation's largest supermarket chain into a "media company."  (Emphasis mine)

So, let me tell you how I feel about this.  Kroger--you're a grocery store, not a media company.  You sell groceries.  That's what you do and how you make your money.  Groceries.  Not media, not real estate, not movie rentals or DTC pharmaceuticals.  You don't seel bonds or insurance policies.  You sell groceries. You can use these things to generate additional revenue, but you're never going to become a media company.  And, if you need to sell media in order to make money due to declining grocery sales, then you need to get out of the grocery business!

And this is always one of my really hot button issues.  There's nothing that gets my goat more than people talking about advertising that you can't turn off.

"There's too much ad-avoidance now; you can't get an audience, a true audience, delivered now the way you could years ago," says Lon Von Hurwitz, president, sales and marketing of IBN. He explains that the network will be sold in a fashion similar to the cost-per-thousand basis for broadcast media, rather than along the ROI measures common to P-O-P. "When an audience is inside a store, they can't avoid us, they can't turn us off."

So, let's once again be clear about this. Advertising based on the fact that you can't turn it off is not a good advertising medium. That’s what got the industry into the situation we’re in now and why no one likes us. They don’t like us continually forcing our advertising on them.

Link: Experience Manifesto: Kroger Advances In-Store Network.

--David Polinchock

Do you like to watch?

In spite of all the talk about computers taking time away from TV and the growing dominance of DVDs, Game Boys and iPods, TV managed to increase the average viewing time in 2005. Granted, an increase of four minutes is not a lot—that’s a 2 percent gain, compared to the same period (Sept. through Dec.) the prior year, but, still, it is a gain—one the media fought hard for. According to Nielsen Media Research, which reported the data, viewing by younger people was flat, and viewing for those 35 and older was up, mainly driven by news events during the year, including Katrina. The daily average viewing time per person was 4 hours, 39 minutes this year. Four and a half hours each evening is a lot of time. But we want to know: Why are all those people sitting at home on their duffs, watching TV? They could be out shopping!

--RoxAnna Sway

How Chinese Is Store Design?

The Diva's not too sure about buying a new $9,000 Geely 7151CK just yet, but the media and Detroit are all shook up about the coming Chinese car invasion.  Lots of other industries have seen, um, some impact from the Asian nation.

Seems like every time the Diva calls a U.S.-based manufacturer of fixtures and visuals these days, it's "overseas on business." Lots of sourcing and partnering going on over there, it would seem. Golly, even the biggest name in the biz is buying Chinese.  And, there's a few factories from the other mainland willing to FedEx a few gondolas and waterfalls our way.

How many buyers in the States will adjust to the longer lead times and greater distance needed to buy Shanghai-ese?  Or are you already shopping over there and just haven't told the Diva?  C'mon, you can tell the Diva.

--Doug Hope

Malls Without Walls?

This Boomer Diva is thrilled to see retail's revival of downtown, or village center, concepts. Brings back fond memories of my New England childhood...walking downtown to the candy store and the movie theater. I know I can't go back, and don't really want to, but now it appears I can have today's luxuries and yesterday's convenience.

As Atlantic Station has changed the skyline of Atlanta, with its town square surrounded by restaurants and shops with lofts above, I am oh-so-tempted to give up the suburbs. I might just do it one of these days...

With that in mind, this Diva has watched Atlantic Station since its inception. I've witnessed the struggle that Brian Leary faced as he and his development team tried to find independent retailers that would bring variety and uniqueness to the development. He had some success, with Chaplin's Jewelry, Metropolitan Deluxe (a 9-store "chain") and Taste Boutique, all with great-looking stores and merchandise. But that's about it, although he did lure in some new-to-Atlanta retailers, including Ikea, West Elm and City Sports.

I can only hope that other village center developers will be as aggressive as Atlantic Station when it comes to seeking out independent retailers, or at least a wider variety of retailers. Because Boomers like the Diva are also totally numb to the standard mall line-up.

--Karen Schaffner

Kudos to Wegmans

In Fortune magazine's Top 100 Best Companies to Work For 2006, 12 retailers made the coveted listing. Come on, we can do better!

The Diva congratulates the efforts of New York-based Wegmans Foods Markets, a family-owned, 69-store supermarket chain with stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia and Maryland. Not only did Wegmans rank second as the best company to work for, but this is its ninth consecutive year to make the list.

My guess is that how a company treats its employees is how it treats its customers. Other retailers who made the grade: 

Container Store (#6)
Recreational Equipment (REI) (#9)
Whole Foods Market (#15)
QuikTrip (#21)
Starbucks (#29)
Nordstrom (#46)
Hot Topic (#53)
Publix Super Markets (#56)
Men's Wearhouse (#92)
CarMax (#93)
IKEA (U.S.) (#96)

Anyone else deserve an honorable mention? Do tell.

--Rachel Brown

Stores and storage

While shopping this past holiday season, I discover a whole new category of merchandise—personal, luxury storage items. No, this is not about the Container Store or wall-units at IKEA. What’s new is a jewelry armoire for your vast and impressive jewelry collection. These are not jewelry boxes to sit on dressers; these are 4-ft.-high, freestanding furniture pieces. Displays of these were presented mid-aisle in the jewelry departments at Sears, JC Penney and other stores during the holiday season. While I admit, I was somewhat intrigued by the idea—all those swirling and tangled necklaces in my jewelry drawer at home are exasperating—I was amazed at the ghastly styles that were offered. Bombe´ fronts with hand-painted, ornate decoration and combinations of Asian and French furniture styles, which, from an interior design point of view, bordered on the absurd.

If jewelry armoires don’t appeal to you, then you can select from Butler’s chests: a reinvention of the French, seven-drawer men’s shirt chest, called a semaniere, or lingerie chest, for all those bras and panties—not that thongs take up so much storage space.  A lingerie chest from Bombay Co. costs around $500, with selections for other sources running into the thousands of dollars. I’m not sure where people will be putting all these new storage pieces. I guess the lingerie chest can go next to the jewelry armoire, which is next to the shirt chest, which is next to the dresser, which already has its drawers crammed with stuff. Or, if you take half the clothes out of the closet—maybe they will fit in there.

When did we become such an affluent society that a drawer for shirts and another for socks, doesn’t work any more? And what about shoes? After all, it’s really those shoes are the biggest problem.

--RoxAnna Sway

A Mall of One's Own

I received an e-mail from Vanity Fair this morning asking me to participate in their new "A-List Survey Panel" for subscribers. Since my coffee had yet to kick in, I opted to play along in some mindless test dummying for the sake of consumerism. I was pleasantly surprised, however, when the words "CREATE YOUR OWN MALL" appeared on my screen. What a treat!

I expected then to receive a list of luxury retailers and fashion designers that I generally see advertised in Vanity Fair, but was dumbfounded when this next message appeared: "Just as your closet consists of both high-end and more practical clothing brands, your mall will feature the same type of collection."

Genius! I found myself placing a Target next to Barneys. Louis Vuitton and Prada adjacent to Nine West and Victoria's Secret. Crate & Barrel cozying up with Restoration Hardware. And my personal favorite--a row of consumer electronics stores encompassing all of my current personal electronics dealers. Dell, Sprint, Nikon, DirecTV and TiVo...all in one spot. I'll never have to hold for 30 minutes on a customer service line again! This was my retail fantasyland!

While I applaud the Vanity Fair research team on their inventiveness with the survey, I must say the entire concept was an eye-opening experience. I am a completely schizophrenic shopper. We all are, really. Splurge one day, save the next. Welcome to consumerism in America.

After my Wonder-Mall was complete, my excitement waned as I read the next screen's message: "After a fabulous day of shopping at your new mall, how would you pay for your purchases?"

Groan. Fantasyland over.

--Alison Embrey

Minority RFID Report

Just 3 years ago, the largest contiguous expanse of linoleum retailer in the world decided to roll with RFID on potato chip bags and razor blade packs and fooled even some other big companies into thinking that by now, RFID would be a prerequisite to doing business at retail.  Oops. Not happening.

Two years ago, some retail experts predicted that in RFID would be a 'top priority' for retailers in 2005, or, at the latest, now. Curses.  Foiled again.

The Diva hasn't really heard too much about it, but there is something going on in store design and RFID.  Cough relief purveyor Walgreen's is  going wide with a new system to see how effective store displays are at selling Wal-Tussin and Chap Stick.  From a company named Goliath, no less.

Lots of experts have changed their predictions of RFID's future, and some other people are a little paranoid about the cute little chips. The Diva predicts that RFID on displays will give brands some valuable dope on display effectiveness, while not invading anyone's privacy and causing us to go all Tom Cruise next time we hook up with Advil.

--Doug Hope

An interesting article in the Baltimore Sun...

As an interesting follow-up to the previous post about the Gap, here's an excerpt from an article from the Baltimore Sun that speaks to the challenges many retailers face today.  And, unfortunately for many retailers, their only experience is price-based.  We're constantly surprised at how little attention companies pay to creating compelling, authentic and relevant brand experiences. 

"They sell ripped jeans and T-shirts with snarky messages, and cater to teenagers and college students--the most finicky consumers around.

But with their saucy marketing and stores that feel like hangouts for the 'it' crowd, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters Inc. and Aeropostale Inc. outperformed classic names such as The Gap Inc. and discounters such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in what generally was a tepid holiday shopping season.

Catering to teenagers is nothing new. But these stores have managed to create a cult-like following and rake in sales with ease in a retail climate where many stores have to discount heavily to win consumers. The attraction is as much about image and 'cool factor' as it is the clothes.

'Store experience is becoming a bigger and bigger deal,' said Richard Hastings, a retail analyst with Bernard Sands in New York. "Discount retailing is good for everyday, but for special shopping days people want the full experience. They want to be able to browse with their Starbucks coffee in a happy environment.'"

In the commoditized product world that we live in, retailers need to do a great deal more then they’re doing today to thrive.  Just look at the difference between two Mattel brands, Barbie and American Girl.  If there’s any example of brands using and not using compelling stories to increase their business, it’s these two.  While Barbie has shown a steady decline in both sales and market share, American Girl has been on an upswing.  Over the years, the Barbie story has become muddied and lost in relevance, American Girl has built a very strong and relevant story for its audience.  And the proof is in the pudding.  Just to check, I looked for Barbie dolls on Toysrus.com and the ranged from $10 - $20.  American Girl’s doll of the year, Jess, sells for $87 for the doll + her story book.  Shopping for Barbie at stores like Toys R Us is sometimes like shopping at a rummage sale.  Merchandise hard to find and usually pretty chaotic.  In contrast, going to the American Girl Place is a total experience, including a live stage show and the chance to eat in the American Girl Café.  The completely wrap you in the story. 

So decide which brand you want to be.  The brand in decline that struggles to sell around the $15 or the brand that creates a complete story and sells for $87.  The choice is up to you!

--David Polinchock

Link: Stores targeting teens were holiday leaders - baltimoresun.com.

Will Nerdy Mervyn's Turn Hip?

By next month, Mervyn's will have shed 25% of its stores, leaving just 193 stores in 10 western and southwestern markets. That painful downsizing is the most dramatic evidence that Vanessa Castagna will be taking no prisoners at this ailing retailer. With her experience at Wal-Mart and her key role in the turn-around of JCPenney, she's the perfect (maybe the only?) person for the job. I'm looking forward to watching the changes in the months to come.

I used to think there was nothing more uninspiring than a JCPenney store, until Allen Questrom, Castagna and DDI Editorial Advisory Board member Michael Cape arrived on the scene and showed the venerable (and then deadly dull) retailer how to do business in today's demanding retail environment. But then I visited a Mervyn's...

By the way, Michael will be the emcee at NASFM's Retail Design Awards's event at this year's GlobalShop. (Self-promotion alert blah blah blah)

--Karen Schaffner

Pardon Gap's Dust

Gap's disappointing holiday sales results continue to feed the buzz that the once-trendsetting retailer has forgotten how to innovate. That may or may not be true. The proof, one way or the other, will be in their new store design concept, which has been launched in Colorado. The stores feature a conversation area with a sofa and coffee table and signs that are written in chalk on blackboards, and are being aggressively promoted as an "enhanced customer experience". In a few markets, and for a very short period of time, the company even ran an incredibly edgy and entertaining "Pardon Our Dust " TV ad directed by Spike Jonze. In the ad, total mayhem breaks out as a Gap store is demolished by everything from customers and employees to minivans, motocross racers and chainsaw-wielding madmen.

Although I haven't seen the Colorado stores, I will definitely plan to visit them when DDI holds its Executive Forum in Denver this fall. In the meantime, I'm reading descriptions that sound interesting. Gap's VP of brand store experience, Christopher Hufnagel, apparently led a team that spent more than a year traveling the world and gathering information on "what everyone else was doing..." In addition to darker woods, comfy leather sofas, etc., at least some of the stores will have their walls repainted on a seasonal basis. And, maybe best of all, they are putting much more emphasis on employee training.

On a recent visit to La Jolla, three of us heard that the Gap store there had been redesigned, so we went to take a look. Based on the descriptions I'm now reading, it's pretty clear that store was not part of this major redesign project...even though it apparently had just been redesigned. The trip was not in vain, though, because we headed down the street to Muttropolis, where we were delighted by the store's creative, pet-friendly design.

By the way, lest anyone write off Gap's efforts too quickly, or assume they've lost the ability to innovate, take a look at Forth & Towne, their new store format that targets older women. I wish them luck with this concept, which was as thoroughly researched at the new Gap store format, and responds to many of the frustrations women encounter far too often when shopping for clothes.

--Karen Schaffner

Related blog postings about The Gap:
http://experiences.typepad.com/experience_economy/2005/10/gaps_new_chain_.html
http://reveries.com/
http://www.thepeoplebrand.com/blog/
http://www.slate.com/id/2132600/

And we thought Victoria’s Secret celebrated visual merchandising…

Just when we thought the Diva had addressed the store-window controversy of the day, a window display at a store called Spellbound in Augusta, Maine, surpasses even Victoria’s Secret. A recent article by the Associated Press reports, “In this town, window shopping is attracting a lot more guys than usual. A lingerie store called Spellbound is grabbing attention with live models in the window.”

Apparently, it may even be easier to take this tactic than to buy actual mannequins. “Spellbound owner Felicia Stockford said she has had no trouble finding staffers,” the AP says. “She said the young women enjoy strutting their stuff in the shop window.”

But, the Diva muses, Does this break some kind of unwritten rule in visual merchandising?

--Sree Roy

Walking on broken crystal...

Who's the genius who decided that the holiday season would be the very best time of year to put display tables right smack dab in the middle of the busiest aisles? I totally understand the importance of holiday sales results, which can make or break a retailer's year, but I'd love to see someone compare losses from breakage vs. actual sales lift on, say, those expensive, extremely fragile Swarovski crystal holiday ornaments. I witnessed more than one close call at department stores this past season. If you're going to try to trip customers with displays in order to get their attention, seems like a teddy bear display would be less risky.

--Karen Schaffner

Putting on the brakes

The North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week should be a wake-up call to American automakers. Innovation and design really do matter in today’s marketplace if you want to survive.

Consumers demand more from all sectors of retail these days, and the automotive industry is no exception. What diva wants to drive a boring car? Automakers who think design—ergonomic seats, trendy colors, innovative fabrics, gas-efficient engines and attractive exteriors (that also promote safety) are most successful. 

At the North American International Auto Show, Honda, which has gone full-fledge into the hybrid market, is apparently getting it right. The auto show hosts the esteemed North American Car of The Year Award, which was presented to Honda Motor Co. for its Civic. The Truck of the Year Award went to the Honda Ridgeline. China is presenting its main automaker, Geely, to the U.S. market for the first time at the show. And Toyota is introducing a hybrid version of the ever-popular Camry.

So where were Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp.—once the darlings of the automotive industry? Garnering headlines about substantial market share loss to Asian automakers, things aren’t looking good with massive layoffs and announcements to close plants. Maybe it’s time to put on the brakes and figure out what the U.S. consumer really wants. (And I bet it’s not that gas-guzzling, road-hogging SUV anymore.)

--Rachel Brown

A holiday to remember

For Marshall Fields' loyalists in Chicago, this holiday season was bittersweet, because it was the last one for Marshall Fields. As much as I admire Federated Department Stores' efforts over the past few years to rationalize the department store mess, I really am struggling with this decision. Anyone disagree?

--Karen Schaffner

Davos World Economic Forum validates design

The Diva has always known that design matters, and now design is being recognized as a driver of the economy. What a delight to see that the World Economic Forum, which takes place in Davos, Switzerland, in January every year (this is the loftiest economic gathering in the world, attended by presidents of countries, CEOs and power moguls) has established as its theme: "The Creative Imperative." The Forum, which covers the full range of world affairs and issues related to the economy, has scheduled conferences called "Innovation, Creativity and Design Strategies."

Diva has been singing praises for Daniel Pink's new book, "A Whole New Mind, Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age," for some time now. Pink will be a keynote speaker at GlobalShop in March---our Industry's version of Davos. Pink's message is being heard around the world: Creativity rules. Innovation is indespensible. Design differentiates—and adds economic value.

Bruce Nussbaum of BusinessWeek, and author of the BusinessWeek online blog NussbaumOnDesign will be moderating at Davos on "Prepping for the Post-Knowledge Economy." Here's some copy on one of his sessions: "Having digitized, 'right-sized' and globalized, companies are competing through innovation and differentiation. Design strategy offers the opportunity to build not only better products but also better systems and processes."

So Diva says: it's about time that designers' contributions to the bottom line get recognized.

--RoxAnna Sway

Sixty candles

Break out the Ben-Gay; Boomers begin turning 60 in 2006. New Jersey resident Kathleen Casey-Kirschling, designated as the “first baby boomer,” since she was born at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1, 1946, claims this dubious distinction. Since celebrating her sixtieth birthday on Jan.1, she has already been interviewed by CNN, CBS Evening News and NBC’s today Show. She shares a birth year with President Bush and Bill Clinton, both also boomers. Boomers invented “shop ‘til you drop,” and they populated the nations first major shopping malls. They still love shopping, and they are along way from being ready to talk retirement.

Diva says: 60 is the new 40, so watch those boomers get ready to boogie some more. If Gap is lucky, maybe they’ll boogie into Forth & Towne, a new concept targeted at boomers, and load up those charge cards. Happy Birthday Boomers!

--RoxAnna Sway

These shoes were made for walking...

I bought some new shoes this week.

They’re fashionable, inexpensive and, above all, oh so comfortable. I have affectionately grown to call them “my tradeshow shoes.” It may only be January, but I am determined that this year I will be prepared. This year I will fight my worst nemesis. This year, I will do whatever it takes to DEFEAT the GlobalShop blister.

GlobalShop is the Superbowl of the retail design world, and therefore requires much training in the months leading up. While walking on the treadmill in a business suit might not be the answer for everyone (I’m a little erratic), there are some things you can do to prepare yourself for the optimal GlobalShop experience. The first initiative is to set your goals: Think creatively. Be open to new things. Seek inspiration. Oh, and don’t forget to bring a truckload full of business cards.

As we prepare to head to “the other O.C.” (the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando) in a few months, remember that our feet may do all the walking, but its our heads and our hearts that do all the talking. Keep your eyes open for the next big thing, keep design at the forefront of your mind, and you’ll be ready to orchestrate the best business wheelin’ and dealin’ this side of the Florida border.

Hope to see you—and your new comfy shoes—in March.

--Alison Embrey

Self-Promotion Alert: DDI's sister Expositions division runs GlobalShop--but you have to admit, it's still the best tradeshow around!

Diva says: Get a J-O-B

If you're at work, well, then, maybe this post isn't for you. But if you're on the Wi-Fi sofa eating Bonbons, then maybe you should hop on over to the Diva partner ddi magazine Career Center Section and get yourself a regular gig, seeing as how they just bellied up with Career Builder to help architects, designers and merchandisers hook up with paychecks. Lots of juicy roles in store design and visual merchandising, for instance. So you can get a respectable 9-5, like Rhoda, except, maybe, um, more corporate.

--Doug Hope

Oh yeah, Self-Promotion Alert (again): The new Career Center is a partner with the Diva, just so you know. But, hey, when you've got it, flaunt it.

Does gloomy store endanger customers?

I recently had dinner in New York with a well-known local designer who described a brand-new retail store on Fifth Avenue. "They're falling! Customers are falling in the store," he said. I was curious, so I went to take a look.

The store, a new (registration required for link) Abercrombie & Fitch, is like a speak-easy, with shuttered windows and interior lighting that is barely a notch above candle-light. I didn't see anyone fall, but several customers did stumble into me, "brailing" their way through the mind-shaft-like gloom. A large, artful mural that is background to the central stairway boasts a scene of beefy, semi-clad males scaling ropes—one that any gay bar would be proud to display. The music is thunderous; it is not possible to have a conversation in the store without shouting. Obviously a club atmosphere is what this retailer was after. It's store as night club—at any hour of the day. I suspect it will become a hook-up scene of major proportions—unless A&F decides they want to actually sell some clothes and turn on the lights so customers can see the merchandise. Of course sex sells—we all know that (better do room checks on those dark corners).

I just hope they factored in the cost of personal injury lawsuits when they designed and built the space. Falling in love is fun—even in a store—but falling down those steps could be a real bummer.

--RoxAnna Sway

Yeah, but will it measure up?

Gee whiz, suddenly it's become de rigueur to measure retail shoppers' exposure to media at the store level. As little as 5 years ago, such measurement was supposedly "impossible" to accomplish, or would require battalions of ad police at retail stores to get any bead on media exposure at the retail level. That was then, and this is now, apparently. With other media channels so diluted and fragmented, the store has become increasingly important in today's marketing mix. A shiny new service from Interactive Market Systems (IMS) measures audio and digital sign broadcasts at the retail level, and heavyweight ACNielsen is running with a new service called Promotion Tracker that measures and analyzes in-store displays. According to industry groups and retail trades, stressed-out, confused cosumers make upwards of 70% of their purchase decisions at the retail store level, so reaching them that close to the transaction has to be better than running spots on Arrested Development, right?

--Doug Hope

Self-Promotion Alert: OK, full-on disclosure from the Diva: IMS and ACNielsen may be the only two companies that are measuring media at retail, but they also happen to be owned by our parent company, and we have a lot going on in the media, retail, and design markets. But hey, we can't help it, that's how we roll.

Customers as bullies?

Since it's not an Election Year, we gotta beat up on somebody, right? I mean, since Bush has had Katrina and Harriet and Scooter nuke his second term, there has to be somewhere else to send negatory karma. So, why not beat up on, oh, I know....retail? Hey' it's not that everyone loves the world's largest discounter, but since when do the politically-focused Jib-Jabbers pick on retailers?

Hey, it's not that we're not eco-minded at the Diva, but what kind of lingerie-phobe picks on Victoria's Secret? Oh, and speaking of Vicky, let's hope they put things back to fun-but-twisted normal instead of caving to the Bridge Club. Let's just say that the "offended" consumers aren't exactly thong-wearers anyway. And as far as being put off by a little skin, we sure hope that Aunt Bee doesn't hit the Louvre, the Met, or any respected art museum. Note to McClean: They're plastic and they have clothes on. Rock the Vote, Visual Merchandisers!

--Doug Hope