INDUSTRY Trends By Brooke Kashnowski
Retailers partner with brands to build loyalty he COVID-19 pandemic has impacted businesses across the globe, with live events and in-person interactions being hardest hit. For the bulk of the year, social distancing and virtual engagements have been the name of the game. With some retail stores shut down early in the pandemic, many brands
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found innovative and interesting ways to engage with their audiences. But when we return to business as usual will any of these serve as an adequate substitute for authentic, in-person interactions? A “brand activation” is a campaign, event or experience that enables a supplier to engage directly with
consumers to build brand loyalty. Retailers have traditionally partnered with manufacturers to host experiential in-person activations. Giving brands the opportunity to connect with customers face-to-face, the activations carry the added benefit of bringing additional foot traffic to retailers and creating memorable experiences to keep them coming back. And while most of our interpersonal interaction is happening in front of screens these days, safe in-person connections with consumers are more important than ever. It is no longer enough for brands to create and for retailers to distribute superior products—it is necessary to authentically connect with audiences. While the pandemic continues to present unique challenges to in-store experiential marketing, they are not insurmountable. Brands must design in-store retail experiences that avoid group gatherings to keep consumers, brand representatives, and retail associates safe, while remaining authentic, creative and memorable. Instore experiences aren’t going away— in today’s new normal, if customers are shopping in a store, it carries a heightened importance. With the meteoric rise of online shopping, the immersive, tangible interaction with a product is important, so how can brands and retailers partner to elevate the experience to benefit the consumer, the retailer and the brand itself?
Authenticity Is Key
INSTAGRAMMABLE: Staff captures a stack of Bosch co-branded, holiday-packaged product near the power tool display at Lowe’s.
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The Merchant Magazine n
December 2020
When it comes to connecting with consumers on a personal level, it’s all about authenticity. Every organization—from brands and manufacturers to retailers—struggles with balancing authentic connection and promotion,
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