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Continued
3 The
Art of Consumption, Ritual Living
Providing a desirable consumer experience is now
an art form in and of itself. With online retailing
growing internationally at 20 to 30 percent annually,
consumers no longer need visit a store, so retailers
must create an experiential physical environment,
adding elements of ritual. Consumer demand for VIP
treatment is growing as reality TV popularizes the
concept of the ordinary person becoming a star. And
as consumers devour easily accessible information,
they consider themselves connoisseurs of their individual
interests, seeking not only more involvement in brands,
but also a sense of authenticity and a means to learn
more about a retailer’s products and services.
Epitomizing this trend are:
• Hoyts Cinema Complex,
Melbourne, Australia. Designed to bring
people together in a sociable environment, Hoyts offers several viewing options, including a half-pipe-inspired
skateboarders area sporting beanbag chairs and
fake grass and a posh "directors" area
with leather recliners, drink tables, and wait
service. Adding to the experience are LED screens
in the internal walls that reflect a calm ambiance
in the morning and create a club atmosphere at
night or coincide with films being promoted.
•
Envy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Designed by Concrete Architectural
Associates, this restaurant features 26 showcase refrigerators from which patrons
can see food being selected by the kitchen staff.
Click on image to enlarge |
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Photos courtesy of Concrete Architectural Associates |
• Tokyo Hipsters Club, Tokyo, Japan. Designed by Tom
Dixon, the Tokyo Hipsters Club is a lifestyle emporium of sorts. The three-story
windowless environment features retail with fashion so hip that even trendspotters
have never heard of them, an art gallery, and a rooftop restaurant café.
It's an environment consumers want to hang out in.
• Oki Ni, United Kingdom, Japan. Turning
online retailing upside down, this brick-and-mortar store is for browsing, but
not buying. Ordering is done online, but that, too, has a catch. Taking the VIP/connoisseur
elements to new heights, the store offers only one of everything. In a promotional
campaign, 100 men were able to order online individualized perfume, which
was then created by Parisian perfumers who met and interviewed the customers.
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