As the focus on e-commerce continues to grow and brands continue to go head-to-head with the all-powerful Amazon, retail brands will still have the upper hand through the experiences they can create for customers in their retail locations.
Retail stores are built for brand experiences — colors, signage, decor, and of course, your products — making them the perfect place for an event. According to the Event Marketing Institute, 74% of consumers say engaging with a brand’s event or experience makes them more likely to buy the products being promoted.
And it’s not just about throwing events physical stores — some of today’s most unique retail events take place in equally unique locations (think: a pop up in the middle of Central Park) or in multiple places around the world.
The secret to success? Giving customers an experience, rather than just bringing them in to shop. The best retail events offer something of value to guests: Will they learn something new? Get an exclusive discount? Experience your brand in a way they have never before?
Below, we’ve rounded up some of the most innovative events we’ve seen from retailers lately to inspire your next retail event:
In honor of National Lipstick Day on July 29, MAC Cosmetics handed out free lipstick to everyone who registered ahead of time for their event. And it wasn't just a mini or sample size — guests could choose from nine of MAC's top lipstick shades.
Image: @darkangelcross
This is a great example of a company capitalizing on a day that's perfectly aligned with their brand and product (and they had lines wrapped around their stores to prove it).
The key to any great pop-up is making the event stand out — and what better way to do that than creating an enormous geodesic dome, and letting guests try out UA HOVR™ shoes on treadmills to feel what it’s like to run on zero gravity.
Under Armour also took the dome on tour and stopped in LA, Austin, DC, NY, Shanghai, Munich, Berlin, and London.
3. Madewell: Recycle Your Heart Out
To promote their partnership with Blue Jeans Go Green (where they collect used denim and turn it into housing insulation for communities in need), Madewell hosted in-store events where guests could bring in their old pairs of jeans and score a $30 off discount code for a new pair.
They also offered a special giveaway where one person would score a free pair of jeans. Talk about a win-win.
4. Athleta: Zen Den
While most retail brands offer crazy discounts on Black Friday, Athleta often chooses to zig while everyone else zags. One example: They created a Zen Den that featured an “oasis of calm,” including relaxation treatments, refreshments and snacks, and most importantly, a place to unwind and take a break from the shopping madness.
5. Kendra Scott: Retail Marketing Breakfast
Kendra Scott partnered with Splash on an event specifically for retail marketers to network and learn about the brand’s event strategy. Held at their store in New York's SoHo, guests experienced (and drew inspiration from) one of Kendra Scott’s events firsthand, and heard from their Director of Retail Marketing on the ins and outs of their in-store event program.
Not only did they walk away with tangible insights, they also got to make their own custom piece of jewelry.
7. Victoria's Secret PINK: Back to School Brunch
With an exclusive and private shopping event, PINK sent their PINK Nation Members (aka their loyalty program members) back to school in style, offering early access and discounts on new arrivals both online and in-store.
But they made it clear that going into one of their stores was worth the trip: If you shopped in-store, you were greeted with free donuts and plenty of Insta-worthy photo ops.
Image: @VSPINK
Chanel invaded New York's SoHo with an experiential pop-up that set the standard for all of 2019. The first-of-its-kind atelier (which means "workshop" or "studio") is an interactive store-studio hybrid, offering guests the opportunity to try out their collections, get expert makeup and skincare services, and find plenty of photo ops.
In addition to the pop-up itself, Chanel is hosting a series of "makeup happy hours" where guests can book a time slot for 20 minutes of one-on-one time with a Chanel makeup pro.
8. West Elm: Fair Trade Felt Craft Workshop
During Fair Trade Month in October 2018, West Elm threw a series of workshops where guests could make their own coasters using felt balls handcrafted by Fair Trade artisans at Everest Fashion.
Since West Elm was the first home retailer to offer Fair Trade Certified™ goods, aligning an event series with Fair Trade Month was a no-brainer.
To make things even better, all of the proceeds from the workshops (each ticket was $10) were donated to Everest to support their Fair Trade initiatives.
9. Build-A-Bear Workshop: National Teddy Bear Day
For National Teddy Bear Day (September 9, for anyone wondering), Build-A-Bear Workshop offered a free National Teddy Bear Day bear to everyone who registered ahead of time and made a $15 in-store purchase at the event. The offer was only valid with a registration.
10. Arc’teryx: Arc’teryx Academy
Arc’teryx really thought outside the store (get it?) for this one.
In 2018, they hosted Arc’teryx Academy, a four-day immersive experience bringing together outdoor enthusiasts (of all levels), mountain guides, and professional athletes through expert-led clinics, seminars, and films.
And they didn’t just do it once. Arc’teryx offered three experiences (each with a different focus) in three different cities: Alpine (Chamonix, Mont Blanc), Climbing (Squamish, British Columbia ), and Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding (Jackson Hole, Wyoming).
This is the perfect reminder that just because you’re a retailer, doesn’t mean you need to stay within the boundaries of your retail store.
Stance joined forces with Fenty Beauty (Rihanna’s beauty brand) to design a special collection of socks and tights whose proceeds went toward global initiatives to make health and education more available.
Rihanna even went behind the register and rung up guests who purchased items from the collection herself.
Image: Insider
