- September 10, 2014
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Retail Signage Gives Pop to Pop-Up Stores
First spotted in large urban cities like London and Los Angeles in the early 1990s, the pop-up retail space, also known as flash retailing, is a temporary shopping venue that is here to stay. The phenomenon involves popping up unannounced one day, drawing in crowds, then disappearing weeks or even a day later. Often used for seasonal items such as Halloween costumes, pop-ups create a unique, interactive environment with myriad benefits. Although small and strictly temporary, these spaces build consumer interest and brand awareness via sheer exposure – a direct result of the signs and graphics that draw shoppers in.
Pop-up benefits
KDM POP Solutions Group says that consumer brands and retailers — from established to start-up — find that pop-ups can meet various marketing goals besides just seasonal sales. These temporary locations are being used to move merchandise quickly, build awareness, connect with customers, test new products and markets, and online-only retailers can test physical locations.
“This whole notion of temporary retail is here to stay,” said Christina Norsig, a New-York based e-commerce entrepreneur, on BusinessWeek.com. “It’s going to be a marketing tool for retailers going forward, whether they are testing a neighborhood or marketing to the end consumer.”
Effective retail branding helps improve the overall brand experience for consumers. And just because these locations are temporary doesn’t mean branded signage and retail graphic design shouldn’t be a primary focus.
Pop-up signage: The hook
People tend to underestimate the power of signage, but this is a pop-up retailer’s foremost call to action from the street, so it’s a crucial consideration. Retailers should put just as much thought into designing pop-up shops as other locations, Samuel Langley-Swain, insights manager at England-based design firm Green Room Retail Design, said in an interview with VSMD. Especially since retailers use these temporary locations to transition into larger real estate, the pop-up shop can help businesses raise brand awareness. As the space continues its momentum, good design solutions can make all the difference in attracting customers’ attention.
Memorable and effective pop-up shopping experience elements include storefront signage; outdoor billboards, banners, pennant strings, tents and flags; interior graphics; merchandise and literature displays; POP/POS print materials such as end-cap displays, floor graphics, ceiling danglers and window graphics. Many businesses specialize in helping retailers strategize and plan the complete pop-up shop experience, including graphics and signage, for maximum brand awareness and results.
Nothing draws customers in, supports the brand image and helps direct buying decisions better than well-designed and implemented retail graphics. Without getting consumers’ attention at the street, a pop-up location could not be successful. For temporary retail locations, signage is the single most important call to consumer action. Make sure the message is clear and get ready to reel in those customers.