Holographic Animations Coming To a Retailer Near You

I’ve got to be honest. I was pretty freaked out at GlobalShop 2012 when the holographic virtual assistant kept interrupting me as I walked past. Sure, she had information to share, but if I looked too long at her I got chills. I mean, she looked like a real person, yet she was merely an image vibrating in a conference lobby.

You’ve got to admit...it’s kind of creepy.
Or is it?

Holographic point of sale (POS) images may just be the wave of the future.  

The Macallan (a single malt whiskey) engaged in a holographic campaign to promote its The Macallan 1824 Collection. The holographic animations were featured in retail locations in the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and The Macallan distillery in Scotland.

Imagine walking through an airport minding your own business, focused on nothing more than purchasing your duty-free liquor...and then you come upon this.

So, the question is: are holographic animations brilliant in-store campaigns or frightening (albeit magical) ways to get a customer’s attention?

For me, I love a holographic image of a product, like what The Macallan did. It's an innovative way to draw customers in and pay more attention to your product than they normally would. Until, of course, everyone uses holographic images and then we'll have to come up with something else. But, I digress.

The holographic person was a bit too scary for me—I couldn’t fully look her in the eyes (wait, they weren't even real eyes!). Call me old fashioned, but I love a live human being.

Are you seeing holographic animations show up more for POS? Is having a holographic virtual assistant a great way to give customers information and show off your mad tech skills?

Leave your holographic love (or dis-love) in the comments below.

-Heather Strang

Visual Delights from the GlobalShop 2012 Show Floor

While perusing the GlobalShop 2012 show floor, I stumbled upon some really interesting visual displays at symmetry's booth.

Designed to showcase jewelry, fashion and accessories, these forms are made from Papier-mâché and then wrapped in organic materials.

For instance, some of the forms are wrapped in palm leaves, while others are covered in paper twine.

Other silhouettes are wrapped in a single fiber from an Abaca tree. Wondering what that is? It's a banana-like plant native to the Philippines that has broad leaves with long stalks. Pretty cool, right?

So if you get a chance, stop by booth #3268 in the Visual Merchandising Show pavilion to check out these super cool organic forms.

You won't be disappointed!!!

 

--Sarah Goddard

Gaga's Workshop Sets a New Bar for Retail Displays

Never before in the history of holiday window displays have celebrities turned out to gawk, stare and enjoy. But, they are now.

People.com caught Neil Patrick Harris and his partner at the opening of the Barneys Gaga’s Workshop, not to mention a host of other A-B-listers vying for a glimpse at this much-hyped display.

One of the most prominent features in the workshop that’s catching our eye is the 11.67-ft. by 6.25-ft. laser phosphor display (LPD) video wall by Prysm. It’s titled as the “Gaga Constellation” and is located in a window next to the Barneys front door.

This isn’t just any video wall (as if it could be for Gaga!). Oh no, this thing has it all – including social media and film. There’s a 90-second film directed by Tim Richardson that showcases Lady Gaga as she morphs into a variety of constellations along with a LIVE Twitter feed. Barneys and Gaga fans can send Tweets that will show up right on the video wall.

Who even knew that was possible?!

It’s classically Gaga – over the top, indulgent and raising quite the ruckus. It’s perfect for Barneys, perfect for Gaga and even allows customers to engage (right alongside celebrities). If this isn’t the best display idea, I don’t know what is.

And while I’m not a Gaga fan (she frightens small children!), there is no denying her draw and ability to get attention.

I certainly hope we see more retailers using video wall displays. Can you imagine all of the creative possibilities that exist with this option?

What are your thoughts on this display? Love the video-wall? Know other retailers who are utilizing this stellar technology? Leave your comments here!

-Heather Strang

*Photos courtesy of Prysm Inc.

P.S. The Diva can't wait to see these windows in person! She'll be in New York next week for the annual DDI Winning Windows competition—click here for more info!

Bottega Veneta Does Windows Right

Sometimes retailers blow us away with their window displays. Now, this doesn’t happen all of the time, but when it does, we’ve got to give them the appropriate props.

Our dear friend and blogger, Ronald Knoth (who passed away earlier this fall) shared with us Bottega Veneta’s recent old-fashioned painter display – and we’ve got to say: it’s quite eyecatching.

As you can see from the photos, the mannequins are decked out in old-fashioned painter caps and have paint splashing out of their buckets. We love the look of the mannequins (painter caps are hot btw!) and we absolutely dig the way the paint arches and splashes onto them.  

We can only guesstimate here, but we’re pretty sure Bottega Veneta is letting us know the paint is transforming the color of the apparel.  Ron also pointed out to us that the paint splashes branch out almost like hands and embracing – do you see that too? We really love it when a retailer can give us multiple messages in a display!

Adding action to a fashionable window display isn’t always the easiest thing in the world, so we tip our painter caps to Bottega Veneta for a job well done. As Ron said, “these windows are magic.”

Thank you Ron and thank you Bottega Veneta!

-Heather Strang

Mannequin Love Turns into Successful Green Business

The “average” American will reportedly have anywhere from five to seven careers in his/her lifetime. Since all I’ve ever wanted to be is a writer, I’m not quite sure how to work that one out.

Although after reading Judi Henderson-Town’s career change, a la retail love story – I’m open to the possibility that anything can happen.

See, if someone had told Henderson-Town 15 years ago that she would be working with mannequins and helping revolutionize the green aspects of mannequins, she might have said you were crazy.

She was part of the dot-com industry after all. A personal mannequin art project (bedazzled with mosaic tiles no less) and Craigslist led her to discover the possibilities of working with mannequins.

Today, Henderson-Town operates the highly successful San Francisco-based Mannequin Madness, which is certified green (courtesy of the Environmental Protect Agency) for recycling 100,000 pounds of mannequins – and that was just in one year! At Mannequin Madness, they collect used mannequins, make them like new again and then rent or resell them.

Fabulous way to be eco-friendly and be in retail, isn’t it?

Even better is that major retailers get how important this is and now have Mannequin Madness on speed dial when they have mannequins to off load or need something special. They’ve worked with retailers such as Nordstrom, Talbots, Macy's, Kohl's and Ralph Lauren to recycle their mannequins, as well as Nike, bebe and The Gap.

And to think it was all sort of an accident.

How are you making your mark in the retail world? Know of other businesses that are leveraging their smarts and green abilities to make the Earth healthier? Leave your comments here!

-Heather Strang

*Photo: MSNBC.

Jeans Transform Into Retail Display Sculpture

I love purging.

Purging clothes, housewares, home décor and that bright pink, checkered scarf I was sure I would wear, but never did.

Sometimes though, even a trip to Goodwill isn’t the best home for the hideous items I’m getting rid of. Wouldn’t it be cool if I could take stuff I’ll never wear again (like that size 2 jean skirt) and make it into art? For the masses?

Well, unfortunately, someone else already beat me to the punch.

Ian McChesney, architect, designed a Levi’s jeans sculpture as part of the Regent Street Windows Project in London – further proving that my idea isn’t half bad. While I’m sure these jeans aren’t from a collection that Ian can no longer wear, it’s an impressive feat. A total of 120 pairs of jeans were put together using more than 1,000 copper rivets. The display is designed to look like a tornado or a whirlpool.

I’m now picturing my pink checkered scarf and jean skirt along with my old microwave as my next sculpture project. What do you think? Surely, there will be retailers interested in it!

Have you seen anything like this before? What items would you use for your next retail design project? Leave your comments here!

-Heather Strang

Luminous Lighting on Display

It’s no secret. Or at least we don’t think it is.

In today’s world, to “make it” in retail (or any industry), you’ve got to stay 1) creative and 2) innovative. Here at DDI, we’re always on the lookout for those two factors when it comes to retail design.

One that’s recently caught our eye(s) is from Focus Lighting in NYC. The team at Focus lighting has developed a display concept that uses a single projector along with mannequins to change color, add drama and bring in outside objects (a butterfly no less!).

What Focus Lighting has created is quite eye-catching, creative and innovative. So of course, we had to share it with you here. According to Focus, they hope to take this concept and move it into retail. Ideally, they would use this animated 3-D mannequin display, including a projected background, at a flagship retail location.

And we think that’s just a fantastic idea. In fact, we would love to see this kind of display at night. Wouldn’t it be absolutely luminous?

Check out the YouTube video that brilliantly showcases this innovative display concept.

What do you think? Would this work as a retail display? Leave us your thoughts here.

-Heather Strang

Atlanta Joins The Sculpture Revolution

  On a recent walk around Portland, Ore., I discovered a small horse sculpture attached to the sidewalk. While it seemed odd (this is the city of Roses not horses after all!), I do live in a city that parades the motto, “Keep Portland Weird” on car bumpers.  

However, I’m learning that it’s not just Portland that has a penchant for random sculpture art. It’s actually the culture de jour for cities all over the country.

DDI’s home of Atlanta recently joined in on the fun with its Light Up Atlanta exhibit commissioned by C.H. Briggs, a local building products distributor. The exhibition is featured in MARTA train stations throughout the city and includes work by Atlanta-based designers who were asked to create sculptures that showcase what the city means to them.

Every piece was made with DuPont Corian, and is backlit to provide that soft glow feeling. Ah yes, even sculptures need a little mood lighting.

Artists featured:

• Kellen Minor, “Seed Bench” at Peachtree Center
• Shelly-Anne Tulia Scott, “Peeling Back the Heart” at Five Points
• Jim Ferguson, “Whirling Dervish” at Decatur
• Tae Jun Park, “Seating Bench 01” at Arts Center
• Ted Freeman, “Hot-lanta Fan” at Five Points
• IA Interior Architects, “Perspectives” at Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center
• Lisa Lin, “Life/Flame/Rising” at Lindbergh Center

So, I showed you my city and DDI showed you theirs, now it’s your turn. What random sculptures are making their way through your city? Tell us about it here!

-Heather Strang

A Psychic Retail Window Display

My intuitive recently told me that I need to make the words “me first” my daily mantra. While I didn’t like that forecast one bit, those words are now imprinted on my brain. I simply can’t get them out of my head. So when I discovered Erika deVries and Hugo Boss’ recent retail creation, it got me thinking I should do something more with my “me first” mantra.

You see, deVries also had an encounter with one who peers into the other worlds. A psychic approached her on a subway, handed her a card and said, “I see many good things around you, call me.” This sparked deVries creative juices and led to the creation of her “Beautiful Things” interactive neon window display, currently featured at Hugo Boss’ New York Meatpacking store at 401 West 14th St.

The neon display features the phrase (much like that of the psychic’s) “I see beautiful things around you,” written in the script of deVries 7-year-old son. Brilliant, eh? It’s eye-catching, unique and beautiful all at the same time.

Hugo Boss has taken the display many steps further, incorporating social media and encouraging customers to participate. The retailer is asking folks to photograph themselves standing within the “Beautiful Things” display and upload the photo onto the Hugo Boss Facebook wall to, “show the world how beautiful you are!”

Love it.

Whenever retail brings together powerful messaging (like reminding people how beautiful they are) with a clever and creative way to honor their brand – my heart flutters with joy. This, my friends, is what it’s all about. Doing what we do best and making others feel good at the same time.

Well done Hugo Boss and Erika deVries!

What do you think of the “Beautiful Things” display? Seen anything else like this in the retail display world? Could my “me first” mantra become just as big? Leave us your thoughts here!

-Heather Strang

Is Nudity the Next Big Thing in Visual Merchandising?

It had been a long drive down Washington State’s I-5 when my guy and I realized we needed some serious coffee support to keep going. We took the first exit we could, cheering when we saw a coffee cart immediately to our left.

He was driving, and quickly placed our order. I (in my usual fashion) flipped down the visor to smooth my hair and gloss my lips.

“Um, hunny.”

“Yeah, babe.”

“That girl isn’t really wearing any clothes. “

I quickly turned to take a look, only to stare directly at a pink lace thong. My mouth wide open, I readjusted in my seat, staring back at him.

“I swear, I didn’t know. I’ve heard about these places, but I’ve never been to one.”

A stripper was making our coffee.

Except, guess what – she wasn’t a stripper – she was a barista paid to dress “in costume” to keep the coffee experience fun for customers.

Welcome to "visual" merchandising at its finest.

Let’s face it, though, it was bound to come to this. In a culture that both reveres and judges the naked body and sex, it was certainly going to end up in our coffee at some point. And while I’m not a huge fan of having a half-naked woman serving my guy coffee, I have to admit – it’s a clever concept.

Why not have your employees also be what folks are staring at, entranced with and unable to make sound decisions when around them? It’s a perfectly brilliant business idea.

Sure, it’s a blatant attempt to cash in on the caveman instincts still lingering inside of every man, as well as the compassion inside of every woman (I tipped her extra – I know those things aren’t that comfortable and the poor girl had goosebumps she was so cold!) – but it works, with effective ROI.

And be prepared – more are on the way. Seattle-based Baristas Coffee Co. is bringing “attractive female baristas trained to interact with the customer to maximize sales, as well as prepare the finest beverages available…wearing constantly changing and appealing costumes, allowing for customers to enjoy the anticipation of a fun, creative, new and intriguing experience every day” to a town near you.

My question is: Is this the next phase of visual merchandising? Will we stop hinting at the naked body with mannequins or store photos and instead have our salespeople showing off the goods? Is it immoral or pure capitalist genius?

Leave your thoughts here, along with your half-naked coffee encounters.

-Heather Strang