As some of you may know, I am starting my master's in Retail Design. This opens a new chapter in my life that brings curiosity and excitement. Until now, I've got a glimpse of what Retail Design is about. It's about brand values, consistency, coherency, differentiation, customer flows, signage, sightlines, shopfront design, furniture & displays, functionality, sensory stimulation, innovation, trends… and most importantly, experience.
This is one of the reasons why I chose the masters in Retail Design. Because of all the different aspects that you need to take into account to make a store work. The whole thought process behind it, the detailing, the experimenting with materials, etc.
We all have a store that we can call our “lovemark”. A brand that gets loyalty beyond reason. A brand you identify with, love and respect. It is up to us as Retail Designers to make you feel connected to a brand, to create an in-store experience. Because a good design can contribute to the desired behavior. One of the main goals of a brand is to make you buy their products. There is a whole psychology behind it that catches my interest, yet makes me question how we could make it different.
"Lovemark - A brand that gets loyalty beyond reason"
Customers are now more aware of their environment and own buying behavior. Interior architecture can positively affect this by its store design, connection with the customer, getting their attention, making them feel good and inspire them. This in competition with the online players.
This year I’m going to learn a lot more about this, which makes me excited. Because, how amazing would it be to create a store of which people can say: “This is my lovemark".