01.02.2022
How Do Pop-Ups Help Brands Evolve?
Pop-ups have become an integral part in creating hype around your business and a successful installation can drive both reputation, engagement and profit dramatically. The benefits of pop-up’s include increasing brand awareness, attracting new consumers and gaining consumer insights whilst testing a new format.
So, what are the key benefits of pop-ups?
Pop-Up Benefit 1: Increasing brand awareness
A Major cost benefit of Pop-ups is that they are about 80% less expensive than traditional physical retail outlets and therefore brands can capitalise on the growing desire to find and share unique experiences. Pop-ups give brands the opportunity to get in front of their customers, be discovered by a wider audience and if well executed, create both media coverage and word of mouth—two powerful ways to accelerate your brand.
“A pop-up shop is ephemeral, it’s about someone launching their idea in a physical space, causing a storm and then disappearing before people get bored.”
Pop-Up Benefit 2: Creating a brand experience
By creating an experience that can spark feelings in customers, brands can trigger positive emotional associations which can influence future purchasing decisions. It’s not just brands that are capitalising on the benefits of the unique retail experience that pop-ups offer, celebrities and bloggers have released successful pop-up shops that generate hype and revenue.
Chart topper, Billie Eilish’s pop-up shop in Camden was a way her loyal fans could connect with her and purchase her latest collaboration clothing line drop. Pop-ups create a chance for celebrities and entrepreneurs to cash in on the lucrative retail industry and maximise opportunities from their large fan-base.
“The UK’s pop-up industry is estimated to be worth £2.3 billion, accounting for around 0.76% of total retail turnover.”
Example: The North Face pop-up challenge
Echoing their philosophy, The North Face created a pop-up which provoked an emotion, encouraging customers to take a leap of faith, be brave and fearless–just like the brand. Korea’s pop-up welcomed guests in to browse products before the floor begins disappearing beneath them, encouraging them to climb the walls. The video became a viral hit with over 12 million views on YouTube alone, helping the brand to be seen by a wider net of consumers.
The video became a viral hit with over 12 million views on YouTube alone.
Pop-Up Benefit 3: Testing new formats
Pop-ups can act as a low risk method of testing new markets, products and services without requiring a retailer to use their existing retail space, alienating existing customers or engaging in expensive marketing campaigns. Pop-ups create an experimental platform for brands to test the waters of new products or locations without having to invest in long term lease agreements.
Pop-Up Benefit 4: Attracting new consumers
When attempting to expand its customer base, a brand needs to raise awareness and address the customers’ need for novelty, innovation and trial. Pop-up concepts that are located where their target audience is creates a higher chance to attract potential customers to their new favourite brand.
Example: Converse x JW Anderson
FormRoom designed a pop-up to launch the Converse x JW Anderson collaboration. The exclusive pop-up space put both brands in the heart of the highly desirable Soho area, where a fleeting of customers could discover and get excited by them.
Creating unique partnerships can leverage both customer bases and bring them together in exciting new ways. Exclusive collaborations can propel brands, with loyal customers not wanting to miss out on exclusive collections from their favourite brands.
Pop-Up Benefit 5: Gaining consumer insight
Pop-up shops with a testing objective can gain shopper insights and test market responses to new products and brands. Capturing data, monitoring foot traffic flow, keeping track of online insights and watching how customers interact with products is the best way to maximise your pop-up in aiding to the success of your brands future.
Example: ThirdLove
ThirdLove launched their pop-up to fine-tune the business and gather feedback on what works. They used a data driven approach to recommend the best bra fit to customers. Using an online fit finder quiz, they doubled their action to help customers whilst generating insights and analytics.
Covering every detail in their soothing interior, they guaranteed customers could shop mindfully and interact with Fit Stylists within a calm, non-judgemental environment. The pop-up focused on informing their shoppers in return for feedback to improve the business moving forward.
Pop-up store designers
If you’re a brand that’s looking to expand your business, showcase a new product or experiment with a new space, we’d love to hear from you.
