New Retail Blog | Insights and inspiration for the New Retail world

The Retail Shift Happens

Posted on 15. Jun, 2009 by Jon Bird.

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A small, single column article appeared in last Monday’s Financial Review which may well signal the future of retail marketing communications.Headlined “Myer opts for direct approach”, the piece by Noelle Waugh told the story of how Myer will move most of its $50 million-plus annual media advertising budget into direct mail and online campaigns over [...]

The Bag as Billboard

Posted on 15. Jun, 2009 by Jon Bird.

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In these days of shrinking shopper numbers and tightening margins, we need to make every retail marketing dollar stretch as far as possible. That means, of course, taking a good long hard look at traditional media schedules, online programs and in-store point of sale packages. Sometimes, however, we overlook the communication assets we already have. [...]

Spending Up in a Down Time

Posted on 15. Jun, 2009 by Jon Bird.

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When once asked to pass comment on a recession, Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton said: “I thought about it…and decided not to take part.”Hopefully, we’re not in for the “R” word. But As Australian retailers anticipate tougher times, they may not be quite as bullish as Sam and the advertising and promotion budget may well be [...]

The Power of a Simple Idea

Posted on 15. Jun, 2009 by Jon Bird.

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This is a true story about two advertising ideas.
Idea #1. I recently came across an Australian retail advertiser who spent millions putting a television commercial to air (never mind the cost of making the spot), only to find through tracking research that the ad had barely registered in the minds of consumers. What went wrong? [...]

Sell What People Want

Posted on 15. Jun, 2009 by Jon Bird.

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If you’re going to improve your retail marketing, it’s not a bad idea to benchmark yourself against the world’s best. And they don’t come much better than Tesco - the British-based international grocery and general merchandise chain - who have just won Retailer of the Year at the World Retail Congress in Barcelona. So what [...]

Working Your Windows Harder

Posted on 15. Jun, 2009 by Jon Bird.

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One of the most powerful forms of media is available to every retailer, regardless of whether your budget is big or small. The store window. The difference between a great and an average store window can be the difference between getting a customer across the lease line and losing them to a competitor.
The best piece [...]

Keeping “Retail” Simple Stupid

Posted on 15. Jun, 2009 by Jon Bird.

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When I began in advertising thirty-odd years ago, I used to follow the old salesman’s rule in writing ads: AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action). Capture your audience’s attention, create some interest in the product or service you are selling, stimulate their desire to purchase, and then urge them to action.Unfortunately for us as retail marketers, [...]

Top Retail Ideas

Posted on 15. Jun, 2009 by Jon Bird.

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The very best retail ideas are the simplest. They hit you over the head - BAM - “why didn’t I think of that?”While shopping (and shopping for ideas) in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo recently, I came across a retail concept that was striking in its simplicity and incredibly impactful.
The store is called “Ranking Ranqueen”. [...]

The Value Equation

Posted on 15. Jun, 2009 by Jon Bird.

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There is no doubt that consumers are increasingly savvy and demanding about the value of the goods and services they purchase. The mistake that many retail marketers make is equating “value” with “price”. They are not one and the same thing.
The true equation is “value=price+ quality”. Both attributes co-exist in a delicate balance. Bala and [...]

Selfridges 100th Anniversary Promotion

Posted on 16. May, 2009 by Jon Bird.

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I couldn’t leave London without telling you about Selfridges 100th Anniversary promotion. Harry Gordon Selfridge opened London’s first dedicated department store to a blaze of publicity in 1909. Selfridge was known as the “showman of shopping”, and his namesake department store in its prime position on Oxford Street is still holding true to that promise 100 [...]