Pop-up potential: Power of experimentation

By Natasha Spencer

- Last updated on GMT

Pop-up potential in APAC

Related tags Marketing

Cosmetics retailers are hoping to catch consumers’ attention with the new and dynamic pop-up trend.

It has been commonplace for beauty names to opt for brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce shops, as big players recognise the necessity of having both.

Nowadays, as consumers want to connect with labels on a personal level, it’s vital that brands find exciting and innovative ways to get their products noticed and meet these demands in order to create customer loyalty and build market share.

Hybrid effect

By combining the experiential shopping experience that physical stores provide with the convenience, content delivery and engagement power of online purchasing, the pop-up store concept appeals to today’s evolving consumer.

Mintel’s 2017 report entitled “The Echo Chamber of Secrets” supports this, as it finds that today’s consumers will brand hop and distance themselves from companies if they do not satisfy their needs effectively.

Ultimately, to prevent this, Mintel endorses the importance of product launches that belong to multifunctional beauty categories and that embrace marketing channels to enter new markets and appeal to these target audiences.

Strategic marketing

Digital media and social channels continue to be a core focus for companies looking to reach new audiences efficiently and effectively. As these marketing tactics tend to change alongside evolving societal factors, it’s vital that brands create a strategic marketing approach.

From the outset, brands typically enter into an explore, plan, experiment and review process in the early stages of its strategic marketing approach.

If, after, reviewing the business, implementing a pop-up store is considered a beneficial and strong marketing and sales driver, then brands will experiment with ideas and locations, before reviewing the success of this decision.  

Viable option

For many SMEs who only have a digital presence, a pop-up store can present the ideal opportunity. “The Echo Chamber of Secrets” report emphasises that a physical space opens up a new channel that can help the brand differentiate itself from the competition.

As these are temporary and often do not come attached to long-term and expensive rental agreements, brands can experiment with setting up short-term physical spaces in unexpected, attention-grabbing places.

As today’s consumers enjoy customisable, exciting and engaging brands, companies now have increased freedom and flexibility to be creative and test the market with pop-ups before making a large-scale investment in longer-term physical stores.

Temporary tactics

In the US, Snap achieved this and got people talking by selling its new Snapchat Spectacles through enigmatic pop-up vending machines located in different cities around the US for a limited time to maximise excitement.

Technology frequently accompanies the launch of new pop-ups to encourage consumers to interact with the brand and become a prosumer — a producer and a consumer.

In Bangkok, for example, Mercedes-Benz opened a contemporary pop-up restaurant called Mercedes me BOX. Visitors used tablets to read and view information about its latest vehicle models and to enable consumers to register for the upcoming Mercedes-Benz Driving Experience.

Expert positioning

Increasingly, brands are providing information and advice to consumers to position themselves as thought-leaders and experts within the industry. Real-time social engagement helps to build this rapport, with pop-up stores marrying experience with convenience.  

Beauty brand Natura explored this avenue in Pinamar, Argentina, by inviting consumers to relax in hammocks, sample their products, enjoy make-up sessions and listen to talks delivered by beauty experts.

Ultimately, pop-up spaces can help to strengthen brand awareness and image and turn consumers from brand explorers into brand ambassadors.

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