Drugstore Meets FroYo - You In?

So, I’m on this date. And for all intents and purposes, it’s going pretty well. When he asks me if I would like to go somewhere for dessert, I’m in. When he asks me where I want to go (how kind and thoughtful!), I’m even more excited.

“Let’s get FroYo!” I say.

His response?

“What’s FroYo?”

And that, my friends, is how our date ended. How can a man not know what FroYo is? Wait – how can anyone not know what Fro-Yo is?? It just happens to be the most delicious, low-calorie (if you get tart flavor and add a dash of chocolate peanut butter like I do) dessert you could ask for.

Obviously, I feel strongly about my FroYo. So, you can imagine my excitement when I received word that Duane Reade (drugstore retailer extraordinaire) decided to add a self-serve frozen yogurt bar to its Broadway and 52nd Street NYC store. You mean I can get lipstick, toothpaste, a prescription filled and FroYo? Wow.

UpMarket Fro-Yo is, according to a recent company press release, part of Duane Reade’s plan to become a total health/beauty/daily living destination. They must be really tuned in to how important FroYo is in today’s world. Or at least in my world.

While it’s a bizarre combination—drugstore meets FroYo—I applaud the innovation. In fact, this type of “out of the box” innovation is not exactly a new thing for Duane Reade. It added a sushi and juice bar to its 40 Wall St. location in New York last year, and it looks as though the drugstore retailer will continue to bring healthy food options to various retail locations.

One of the things I’m digging about the FroYo bar (besides its FroYo of course) is the design - all handled by CBX. It’s sleek, the colors are enticing and they’ve made great use of integrating the FroYo swirl cleverly into the design. There’s absolutely no way you’re going to walk by this and not get frozen yogurt. You sort of have to – that’s how good it looks.

Now the only question left to be answered is: do they have tart, chocolate and peanut butter flavors available, along with a single man who can take me there on a date? That’s sort of the deal-breaker for me…

What do you think about drugstore meets FroYo? Ever ended a date due to a total lack of dessert knowledge? Tell us about it here!

-Heather Strang

Welcome to Tax Season 2012

It’s been all celebration and hoopla, what with ringing in the traditional American New Year and the Chinese New Year. But, those days are drawing to a close. By Jan. 31, we should all have our tax documents in place. And then comes the real fun.

Welcome to tax season 2012.

Retail was bound to get in on the action at some point. And mega-retailer Walmart has found a way with its recent announcement to open 2,800 Jackson Hewitt Tax Service kiosks inside its stores nationwide.

The benefit is twofold – existing Walmart customers get the benefit of killing two birds with one stone, with tax preparation and shopping handled all in one spot. Secondly, the kiosks may also attract non-regular Walmart shoppers who also happen to need their taxes done. And – oh wait, that’s more than two, but hopefully you don’t mind – Jackson Hewitt is able to offer its tax services to more folks than ever before with this recent partnership.

In a sense, everyone wins.

Walmart has continued to sweeten the tax deal by offering IRS-check-cashing services – only $3 for checks up to $1,000 and $6 for checks up to $7,500 (restrictions apply, see official press release). In addition, Walmart is offering:

• Bill payment options for 88 cents.
• Money transfers (like MoneyGram) for a “low fee.”
• Walmart MoneyCard, a loadable, pre-paid debit card.

Wait – is Walmart getting into the financial services industry? It appears as though they might be. While I’m not sure if this is a good idea or a bad one, it is an excellent example of a retailer meeting the needs of its consumers in a variety of ways. 

So, who is doing your taxes this year? Do you approve of the merging of finances and retail? Give us your perspective here.

-Heather Strang

*Photo courtesy of Google Images.

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!

Sofia Vergara Saves Kmart

Sofia Vergara is everywhere. What started as a gorgeous and hilarious addition to Modern Family has turned into a full blow Sofia-a-thon. The tabloids can’t get enough of her and the paparazzi follow her around like mad. So, we knew a clothing line was just around the corner.

And sure enough it was.

Sofia by Sofia Vergara was launched this month by Kmart. While I would not have made Kmart my first pick for Vergara, she’s a smart lady – so there must be a reason why she opted to take her clothing line to Kmart.

What I do love is the ad campaign thus far. Work What You Got encourages women to embrace their assets, as Vergara no doubt has, and choose clothing that reflects it. In fact, on the Kmart site the tagline is, “You are a woman, so dress like a woman.” Whoa. Those almost sound like fighting words, but I’m intrigued. Can I channel some of Vergara’s sexiness by dressing like her? If so, count me in!

The commercial that began airing in October is even more intriguing. While I don’t notice the clothes too much, I am totally engaged by the ever-changing women, along with Vergara’s voice. Before you know it, I’ve scurried over to my computer to check out the collection. Maybe I can get that Vergara feel by donning her duds…

And here is where things get very, very interesting.

The clothes are good-looking. The clothes are so good-looking, I just might shop at Kmart for the first time in 10 years. I mean, people, they are that good. They are sexy and flattering and feminine and wow, it’s a good-looking line. Have I mentioned the clothes are good-looking?

I’ve got to say, I’m a little shocked, but I’m also delighted. Kmart needs this and there’s nothing I like to see more than an underdog hitting the jackpot. I wonder if Vergara knew she was possibly saving a retailer with this new line.

In any event, I’m off to Kmart. I want what Vergara’s got and if it lies in a $22 black lace back dress (which by the way is so hot!), then I’m on it.

What do you think of the new line and of Vergara’s Kmart presence? Leave a comment here or join me shopping at Kmart!

-Heather Strang

Love Your Body Day is a Perfect Retail Opportunity

I was getting a manicure the other day (and yes, the shallac phenomena has suckered me in!) when I couldn’t help but eavesdrop on a conversation between two women preparing for a vacation in Mexico.

It went something like this:

“I tried on all three of my bathing suits last night and I hate how I look in every one of them.  I have too many rolls! So, please do not take any photos of me in a bathing suit. Please.”

Friend says, laughing, “I know girl, me too. It’s depressing, right? And then, we’ve got to be careful with the all you can eat and drink deal at the resort, because I read recently that margaritas and pina coladas have about 500 calories each.”

She proceeded to continue on about what items they could and couldn’t eat.

And let me tell you, these were beautiful women who had perfectly healthy and trim bodies. They were going to gorgeous Mexico and all they could talk about was their body size and calories.

Something’s very, very wrong with that picture.

It took everything I had to not interrupt and tell them about the National Organization for Women’s (NOW) Oct. 19 Love Your Body Day, which is all about celebrating one’s body and accepting it exactly as it is. Something these two ladies desperately needed to do, so they could get on with celebrating their vacation to Mexico – especially when it was pouring rain in Portland, Ore.

I was super pleased to see retailer Lane Bryant involved in the Love Your Body Day festivities in California. In fact, Lane Bryant is hosting a special event on Friday, Oct. 21 in Culver City, Calif., at The Westfield Culver City mall. From 6 p.m.-9 p.m., shoppers are encouraged to attend an evening of fashion at Lane Bryant, including 30 percent off all store items, dancing hosted by a live DJ, specialty Lanetini cocktails (no calorie counts included!) and a $500 gift card to be given away to one lucky winner – all in honor of Love Your Body Day.

If it was up to me, retailers would make every day Love Your Body Day and encourage women to let go of self-criticism and instead, embrace the beauty of their features – in all its many shapes and sizes. I would love to see more retailers joining forces with Love Your Body Day. Do you know any who are?

Leave us your Love Your Body Day insights here. What retailers are doing this well? Let’s talk about it!

-Heather Strang

Kenneth Cole Asks Us The Important Questions

If you read Retail Design Diva often enough (and we know you do!), then you know that I regularly encourage, suggest, state and request that retailers use their influence for good (not just for sales).

I’m proud to report that there is a retailer doing exactly that. And it makes me so happy I can hardly stand myself.

Kenneth Cole unveiled its "Where Do You Stand? Campaign," addressing hot topics, such as marriage equality, gun control, a woman’s right to choose and war. Wow, Kenneth – way to stick to the superficial topics! The retailer hits some of the hardest, most debated topics in our nation in this campaign – and does so in a powerful way through the use of video, imagery and language.

This campaign does so many things well, it’s impossible to touch on them all, but here are a few to note:

• Excellent use of social media. It isn’t the typical example of social media use with Facebook and Twitter logos splattered all over the page. They are stylishly placed and easy to find, but don’t take over the campaign message.

• While addressing massive social issues, the retailer showcases what it does best—fashion— and in a way that’s not distracting, but rather adds to the questions at hand. Who can pull that off? Amazing.

• It isn’t negative; it’s thought-provoking.

• There’s another aspect of the site, called What You Stand In, that focuses in on the fashion piece of the business. Users can watch style-guide videos covering fall trends for men and women’s clothing.

A big round of applause for Kenneth Cole please. They do an outstanding job using their power and influence as a major retailer to get consumers to think about something other than just what they’re going to wear for the fall season, while also getting them to think about what they’re going to wear for the fall season. Brilliant.

What are your thoughts on the "Where Do You Stand?" Campaign? Tell us about it here!

-Heather Strang

The Buy Is In The Nose

A new clothing boutique opened up near my hometown on the Oregon Coast. I was so excited to check it out, as – lets face it – good clothing retailers are hard to come by on the coast. And yes, the boutique was cute, and the clothes were stylish.

But, it also smelled like – Lysol. Not exactly the kind of smell that makes you pull out your wallet to buy, buy, buy.

Retailers are tuning into this. A good-smelling store encourages shoppers to stay, stay, stay, which will hopefully lead to the buy. There are now entire organizations (like Prolitec) that specialize in creating custom scents for retailers, aimed at evoking such a strong response in customers that it leads to increased purchases.

“Ambient” scent is what they’re calling it. Initially I thought it was a bit too manipulative – sort of big brother-ish, but after my recent experience, I think I’m going to start collecting a list of retail locations that need it (Ross fitting rooms are one of them.) and send it to these scent companies.

Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin is one of the latest retailers to jump on the smell bandwagon. More than 40 stores in southeastern Wisconsin and Chicago will smell of sweet orange and honeysuckle. Mmm…delish.

Can a better smelling store make you buy? I’m not sure I would buy because Goodwill smelled like honeysuckle versus socks, but I might stay a lot longer. And I would definitely go back more frequently. It reminds me of the days when realtors would bake cookies (Otis Spunkmeyer anyone?) in the hopes of luring clients to buy.

What’s your take on ambient scenting? Have you experienced it? If so, tell us about it here!

-Heather Strang

*Photo by Andrew Levine, courtesy of Wiki Commons.

Celebrities Mean Big Bucks for Retailers

I often wonder what celebrities do when they aren’t filming their “reality” shows, getting married or having babies. Finally, I have my answer.

They’re designing new clothing and jewelry lines for retailers! Gwen Stefani is the latest celeb to join the ranks with a recent announcement by Target to launch Harajuku Mini kids’ clothing over the 2011 holiday season.

And while another celeb-inspired line might garner an eye-roll or two, celebrity apparel actually translates into very good business for retailers. Reuters recently reported on this celeb-induced craze, with quite surprising results.

Target’s Michael Graves brand, which launched in 1999, still remains a big success for the chain, as well as its exclusive C9 by Champion, Just One Year by Carter’s, Circo and Merona – all of which account for a large majority of apparel sales. Kohl’s Simply Vera Vera Wang made up 50 percent of the retailer’s first-quarter sales, and there are big hopes for Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony’s upcoming lines despite their recent break-up (if you ask this diva, I bet it will increase sales 10 times over just because of the break-up!).

The same success holds true for J.C. Penney. Their One Kiss jewelry by Cindy Crawford and “heart” Ronson clothing by Charlotte Ronson comprise nearly 50 percent of all sales. Macy’s is the only retailer to not have as dramatic of results, although Reuters seems to attribute that to their overall higher-income shoppers.

Celebrities really do make a difference when it comes to retail sales. Quite impressive, eh? While it seems like a given these days with every celebrity and their daughter (think Madonna’s Material Girl line with her daughter Lourdes at Macy’s) having a clothing line, it’s actually a solid business investment for retailers.

Who would you like to see in celebrity-ville with a clothing/jewelry line? Is there anyone left who hasn’t done it yet? Leave your celeb-inspired comments here!

-Heather Strang

Money Can't Buy Us Love, Or Style!

“Cause I don't care too much for money, money can't buy me love.”

So crooned The Beatles. And they were right. But did you also know that money can’t buy you style either?

Just ask Kmart. The retailer plans to launch its fall advertising campaign in September 2011 titled, “Money Can’t Buy Style.” The purpose of the campaign is to encourage shoppers to leave brand-name fanaticism behind and embrace their individual style.

Now, I’m all for this. Let’s go after what looks hot, not the brand that has the right name. The title of Kmart’s campaign does make me a little nervous though…it’s a bold move.

And a boldly titled campaign also needs some meat to back it up. That’s where it gets really good. Kmart took to the streets and found 20 people who already dress with a sense of individual style and had them use Kmart apparel to create looks that reflect their said style. The campaign is set to feature these folks, showing consumers how they too can use Kmart gear to create their own personal style.

Turns out, it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to wear fashionable clothes (at least that’s what I hear it’s costing these days to be covered in luxury brands from head to toe!).

Kmart is definitely shooting for a brand makeover when it comes to apparel and I love the new angle. Letting go of pricey fashion and bringing in self-expression is a positive message to send consumers. Especially high school and college-aged folks who often get caught up in the brand wars as opposed to choosing clothing that reflects their true style.

Are you digging this bold Kmart campaign as much as I am? Know of other retailers doing the same or who have in the past? Leave your thoughts here!

-Heather Strang

Barneys Joins Forces With a Pop Star

“Oh, oh, oh, I’ll get him hot, show him what I got,” my 9-year-old niece sang as she played on the computer.

“Excuse me miss – you’ll do what?” I asked, rather auntish in tone.

She looked up at me, full of innocence and said, “Oh, it’s nothing – just a Lady Gaga song.”

Oh that Lady Gaga. She seems to be everywhere--and now she's at Barneys!

This week, Barneys New York announced that their 2011 Holiday campaign will be called, “Gaga’s Workshop.” That’s right – Gaga and Barneys – together.

Barneys is so excited about this partnership that they’re giving Gaga an entire floor in their Madison Avenue flagship. Thankfully, it won’t just be Gaga doing the decorating (or it might require a “for adult eyes only” warning). They are pairing Gaga with Eli Sudbrack and Christophe Hamaide Pierson of Assume Vivid Astro Focus (AVAF), and Mugler Creative Director and Lady Gaga Fashion Director, Nicola Formichetti, and plan to open the “workshop” in mid-November.

So, why would Barneys choose Gaga as their pop star of choice? Their press release says something about her talent as a singer/songwriter and as a fashion icon. (I'd like to take this moment to mention that this is the same woman who wore a dress made out of meat, FYI.)

I wonder what demographic this new partnership is aimed at? Do you think they're going after the super-affluent kiddies or are they just looking to stir up some drama? I can't decide. 

What do you think of this pairing? Genius? Over the top? Leave your thoughts here!

--Heather Strang