Retail Stories
A collection of tiny stories to fuel your Category Development
As Category Mangers in FMCG, we should see stories everywhere. Sometimes it can be different to step outside of your category. Looking at other categories provides essential fuel for new category thinking.
At Collective Stories, we encourage the use of stories collected from all retail and the world around us to make your initiatives richer, more focused and let’s face it more interesting linking stories to data provides ultra rich & insightful category development.
We would love to see your FMCG stories, tag us in or drop us a line to be included in our next edition.
Retail Beauty Experience: Reimagined
During the pandemic, Interaction at Beauty counters between customers and experts was limited at best. Data from Kantar shows that beauty and personal care sales were growing at a rate of 6.8 per cent before Covid, but slowed to just 1.1 per cent by September 2020*
Following the pandemic, beauty sales were affected by WFH, mask wearing and new online habits. Influencer content, better online experience, delivery and tech driving the try at home experience became important elements of the new shopper journey. Beauty remains an emotional and physically driven category with all senses important during purchase.
Boots
(Covent Garden)
In store beauty is back with a key focus on in person expertise and new beginnings.
Call Outs
Highlighting excellence
Welcoming message
Visit our counters
*Source: www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2021/07/can-beauty-retail-make-a-comeback-post-covid-19/
Clarins
(Shop along - Virtual Facials)
This virtual beauty Festival is a great example of the O2O journey and how many brands pivoted and maximised opportunitites during the pandemic.
Read the full case study on www.hootsuite.com/resources/how-a-retail-experience-leader-went-digital
John Lewis
(Leeds)
Scan QR codes to visit the instagram pages of instore beauty experts. Online to offline activity in John Lewis, experts showcasing the talents of counter staff in a brilliant and very human fashion.
Call Outs
Beauty Guides, Real People
Underpins the Expertise & Passion of Store Staff
O2O
Liberty London
(Wild at Heart Florist)
Liberty London showing us how simple, beautiful, and joyful merchandising to welcome customers back to stores is key.
Call Outs
Simplicity
Emotional Connection
We see you
Leeds Train Station
Travellers are invited to take a picture in Leeds trains station and post it to social media.
Particularly relevant due to the Leeds / Reading Festivals taking place over summer.
Call Outs
Warmth
Shareable/connecting
Covent Garden
Inspiring and strong statements from Covent Garden. For shoppers experiencing levels of FOGO (Fear of going out).
Call Outs
Colour
Connecting
Comforting
Shopper Journey
M&M
(Flagship store, Leicester Square)
So many stories within this store. If Willy Wonka had a social media manager, this would be the outcome. The product is simple, M&Ms but the opportunity for social media sharing is beyond huge.
Sustainability is also a focus with Mars making their position clear in a bitesize and digestible fashion.
FujiFilm
(House of Photography: Covent Garden)
The beauty of giving a photo is explored by Fujifilm at their flagship Covent Garden store. This concept has evolved since initial opening and now is heavily focussed on the Instax proposition.
The concept of sharing and giving of photos is explored, if you think about it this is the best way of driving sales of consumable printing materials.
Covent Gardens
(Chila Burman’s latest art installation)
The historic market building in Covent Garden now featuring a new immersive large scale art installation. Bright, colourful and uplifting with inspiring words and messages throughout, this is the best example of the national focus on joy and uplifting the human spirit seen to date. Colour, hope, light, togetherness.
Recognition of our journeys during the pandemic.
Selfie Factory
(O2 London)
Pay to enter, take selfies, tag selfie factory.
Repeat.
Tikky town
(O2 London)
Pay to enter, shoot some Tik Toks, tag in Tikky Town. Repeat.
M&S
(Leeds Train Station)
Percy Pig Comes to Life in Store.
The Pandemic made QR codes an everyday experience, the world is open, the future is QR.
Call Outs
Fun
Real Percy
Emotive
