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

Send in the Clowns

Is McDonald's retiring Ronald? Or is early retirement a form of ageism?

As the iconic '50s-inspired brand, McDonald's continually tries to updates its fast-food restaurants to fit in a post-Starbucks world. Now, the sword of Damocles is swinging over the head of its 48-year-old, red-haired mascot. It begs the question: would you trust a man in a red afro and yellow jump suit for nutritional advice? Morgan Spurlock has not weighed in on the matter, but anti-obesity groups suggest that Ronald McDonald encourages unhealthy eating habits for kids.McDonald’s executives disagree with that thesis. The Wall Street Journal reports that CEO Jim Skinner staunchly defended the clown at the company's annual meeting recently, saying, "Ronald McDonald is going nowhere!" Perhaps… but isn’t that what they said about transfat?

McDonald's has been spending tons of money remodeling restaurants around the globe (but not my neighborhood) with sleek new designs featuring upholstered furniture, flatscreen television and wi-fi, encouraging a Starbucks-esque destination setting, and now with McCafe, frappes and smoothies, the company is moving decidedly with the times.

Children's eating habits aside, the question as to whether Ronald McDonald adequately and accurately represents today's hamburger brand is the real question. The big question is whether the Hamburgler, Grimace and those pesky French Fry Goblins would be caught dead sipping a McCafé Frozen Strawberry Lemonade, side salad with Paul Newman dressing, and tweeting from their iPad?

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Thrify Consumers Demand More, For Less

During a recent getaway, I enjoyed a flash mob and insta-kareoke at the Hard Rock Café, Polish potato vodkas at a stunning sushi bar and inhaled the best cobb salad of my life. But, at the end of it all, I was ready to be home, consuming my own killer salads and vodka.

As a thrifty consumer, I’ve gotten really used to shopping at local farmers' markets for all my produce and Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods (when there's a sale!) for everything else. I love preparing a yummy, healthy meal and having it cost me far less than I would ever pay in a restaurant.

A study by The NPD Group found that most Americans feel this way. Apparently, the recent economic downturn (which has now turned right-side up, yay!) got consumers used to coupon clipping, home-cooked meals, stocking up on sale items and the like. Now, the thought of going out to eat or paying full price for anything just isn’t sitting well with them.

Remember, this is the day and age that Groupon, Living Social and other local discount deals rule supreme.

According to the NPD, 21.9 percent of consumers plan to increase their grocery spending, which is up from 16.6 percent in February, as part of this home-cooked new tradition. In addition, 74 percent of shoppers expect coupons and special deals to be a big determining factor in what they purchase, while 67 percent said they shop less in general and 53 percent buy in bulk.

Looks like the “downturn” helped consumers get very clear about where they will and won’t spend their cash. Now, it’s simply an opportunity for retailers to meet consumers where they’re at in this next phase of our economic journey.

So, how can retailers and grocers - in particular - benefit from this shift in consumer spending and priorities?  Leave us your thoughts here!

-Heather Strang

*Photo by: Ryan Lintelman (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Straight from Milan

There's nothing Diva likes more than scouring the world for new retail design projects and products. But as much as she would like to be in two--or three or four!--places at the same time, she hasn't quite figured out the physics to making that work. So, in the meantime, Diva relies on her amazing Guest Bloggers to bring her the latest and greatest when she can't be there herself.

Case in point, Diva is super excited about new Guest Blogger Damon Johnstun, who so kindly toured the 2011 Milan Furniture Fair to capture some of the exciting new products there--all for our dear readers! Damon shares them at www.ddionline.com/projectgallery in a two-part photo slideshow. He rocks! Click here to view the goodies.

—Diva

Shoes Make the The Lady

In Sex & the City, Carrie Bradshaw spent every last dime she owned on a pair of Manolo Blahniks. In real life, this curly hair freelance writer (that would be me!) hasn’t bought a new pair of shoes since last summer’s strappy heels. And if I’m going to live like my inspiration - and sure, she’s a “fictional” character, but whatever -  then I need to step up the shoe buying.

In fact, if I want to live like most women in the United States, I better start purchasing more shoes. According to a new survey by ShopSmart magazine, women own, on average, 17 pairs of shoes, although they only wear three pairs on a regular basis. The survey found that more than half of all women own more than 10 pairs, while 13 percent of women own more than 30 pairs.

Average shoe purchasing doesn’t even come close to Carrie Bradshaw’s shoe obsession – women usually purchase three pairs of shoes a year and spend $49 each, with 31 percent spending more than $100 on a single pair. Um, Manolos are $600 and up for one pair. I’m starting to see now that Sex & the City really was a fictional show…

But, there is something to this shoe thing. Carrie Bradshaw or not, it is a bit of an obsession. Shoes aren’t impacted by winter weight gain, a bad hair day or a sleepless night. And they can instantly make you feel sexy. I don’t know about you, but I’m lovin those odds.

ShopSmart also gives us other yummy shoe trend stats:

• Women are turning to online retailers in a big way for their shoe needs - 29 percent of women purchase shoes online, which is a huge leap from earlier years.
• For type and style of shoe to wear - 39 percent of women prefer flats, although a quarter of women have worn heels 4-in. or higher. Ouch.
• 48 percent have had a shoe-related injury, 35 percent of women had an evening ruined by an uncomfortable pair of shoes, and 24 percent have fallen because of their shoes. And that, ladies and gentleman, is why we carry a second pair of comfy shoes in our purse.

Armed with this info and ShopSmart’s handy tips on finding great shoes, I’m off to shop. I mean, I do have to find a way to match my idol Carrie Bradshaw’s shoe obsession…

So, is it true? Do you own 17 pairs of shoes or more? Tell us about your shoe needs here!

-Heather Strang

Esquire Home: Is It Man Enough For You?

My boyfriend wants me to camp in the Alaskan wilderness with him for a week. After the initial eye roll and tongue gag, I had to very carefully explain to him that I was a girl.

And not just any girl, but an ultra-feminine girl. That means the thought of five-plus days without running water, a toilet or a bed is absolutely revolting to me. I would rather poke my eyes out with a sharp, #2 pencil.

You see, men and women are very different. (Gasp!)

Thankfully, I have Esquire Magazine’s Home Collection to back me up. Recently Esquire Home joined New York’s ABC Carpet & Home’s showroom to offer its uber masculine home collection.

Esquire believes that men are more concerned with the design and style of their homes than ever before. And that’s where Esquire’s new collection comes in. Featuring distressed leathers, neutral twills and tweeds and polished steel, this collection screams masculinity. All that’s missing is a dead animal head and a crow bar. (Although, I might be exaggerating...)

Interestingly enough, Esquire partnered with ABC – which is known for incredibly feminine design. Imagine lace curtains, chemical-free organic beds, artisan indigenous pieces from cooperatives around the world, jewelry and many other home decor items. Now, the bridge has been gapped as Esquire and ABC come together to present the best of both worlds.

And that’s exactly what men and women do for each other. They bring together the masculine and the feminine, and then someone decides what looks better (my money is on the feminine!). I love that ABC and Esquire have partnered in this way. Hopefully, it will provide juice for any ladies who have to explain to their men that they don’t want to go hunting/camping/motocross riding with them.

What do you think of Esquire’s new collection? Is it man enough for you? Share your thoughts here!

-Heather Strang

Mermaids, and Why We Like 'Em

A few months back, Starbucks unveiled a new logo, stripped of some earlier flourish and color and, most notably, stripped of text. In the inevitable evolution of corporate identity, Starbucks correctly concluded that their siren is more powerful alone than were she to continue sharing space with the company name. Why is this a good thing?

As brands evolve, their totems must as well. The Starbucks brand is more about permission to indulge oneself than merely transacting beverages, so including the word “coffee” in the trademark is both redundant and limiting. Simplifying the logo to a distinctive graphic makes it bolder, more identifiable and, ultimately, more flexible.

But making a design simple is not without its challenges—even more so now than 40 years ago when Starbucks launched, due to the growing number of communication platforms on which graphics appear. Printing technologies are improving, but are increasingly incompatible with one another. Similarly, sign manufacturing has limitations that can affect logo color and stroke. Add to that the vagaries of vinyl in fleet graphics, embroidery for aprons and shirts, and the unpredictability of liquid crystals and pixelson screens, smart phones and televisions. Each medium has its own limitations of color, texture, sheen,and fabrication, which the thoughtful graphic designer must anticipate during the design process.

Some consumer product logos have evolved so elegantly that it may be difficult to appreciate the hard work required to develop them. Patrick Burgoyne, editor of the monthly Creative Review, suggests that three attributes contribute to a logo’s enduring success: simplicity, the use of friendly or beloved elements, and sometimes visual trickery.

Interestingly, the new Starbucks mark illustrates the use of all three criteria. She is friendly like a fairy godmother, her linework is economical and restrained, and with more tightly cropped fins and hair, the mermaid coyly conceals the Rubenesque qualities of her early years.

It will take some time for the new mark to make its way on packaging and storefronts, even the corporate headquarters has yet to re-sign. Make no mistake, however, this siren is finally ready for her close-up.

--Cristopher Gunter, Guest Blogger (and retailing branding expert/principal at EHS)

The Diva Sends Love to Tornado Victims

Retail Design Diva sends her best wishes and thoughts to retailers and the people impacted by the tornadoes in the South last week.

Here is a link for ways to help support relief efforts in this part of the country.

Numerous retailers were impacted, not only in physical damage to their stores, but also among their associates that live and work in their areas. If you know about any retailers partnering together for local relief efforts, tell us about it here.

--Heather Strang

A Guide to Winning Mom Back on Mother's Day

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you know that my mom is pretty unhappy with me. Between missed visits home and wrongly interpreted Facebook status updates (she is now convinced that she actually is the last person to know anything about my life), I’ve got some serious explaining to do.

Rather than have that awkward conversation, I’ve decided to woo my mom this Mother’s Day. Flowers are not going to cut it, and I’m not even sure that home-baked cookies will have an impact. It’s time to pull out the big guns.

And retail is coming to my rescue. Hooray! A recent survey by Toluna, sponsored by Buy.com, found that 23 percent of moms prefer a spa day, followed by 20 percent who desire gift cards. In fact, 38 percent of moms over age 55 want a gift card for Mother’s Day (I’m pretty sure it’s the mom control factor on this one – no one can get her as good of a gift as she can!), followed by 25 percent who wanted a new computer. Whoa, easy ma!

My mom is 52, but somehow I think she would side with the 55 and older crowd. A spa gift card might be nice, but I know she will wants more practicality than that. A gift card to Bed, Bath and Beyond perhaps?

Here are some other findings from the survey that are helping me craft my “win mom back” Mother’s Day:

• Flowers are the “least desired” gift.
• 32 percent of moms rank going out to dinner as an ideal way to spend Mother’s Day.
• 30 percent prefer spending time with family at home (Order in Chinese? Pizza?).
• 17 percent of moms enjoy “something homemade” for a gift 
• Online search is the No. 1 way to decide on what to give.

Thanks to this survey and some online searching, I think I have come up with the perfect Mother’s Day extravaganza that will make her forget (at least momentarily) about any of my perceived wrongdoings. How about you? How will you honor your mom this Mother’s Day? Let us know about it here!

-Heather Strang

*Photo by: Derek Harper [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons