Marketing Trendz Volume 23 September/October 2018 Edition | Page 2

sales promotion & events LETTER FROM THE EDITOR publisher: Brian Lehn editor-in-chief: Myriam Beaugé art director: Christina Lehn freelance writer: Laura Shirk advertising sales and subscriptions: Marianne Svensson accounting: Fang Lu CANADA 4416 Dawson St. Burnaby, B.C. V5C 4B9 phone: [phone] fax: [phone] It's Time to Get (More) Social Retailers and shopping center operators continue to grapple with striking the right offline/online balance. They should consider that actual shopping has become secondary to the experience. Being a consumer is about buying things. That much hasn't changed. But while it used to be that people were prepared to leave the familiarity and comfort of their homes to enter someone else's world, the retailer's world, to search for products and seek out services, this is no longer the case. The lines are not merely blurring between brick-and-mortar retailing and the online environment; the ones separating consumers' personal lives and their chosen shopping destinations are also fading. It isn't so much that a coffee addict is going to walk into a café and mistake it for his own home kitchen, but rather that he and a growing number of other people like him are expecting both environments to be fairly similar—inviting, comfortable, and fully stocked with their favorite java beans and treats. It's no wonder that you'll see plenty cafés putting plush furniture, soft lighting, bookshelves, and board games in their visual merchandising plans. That's in addition to tech-based services like Wi-Fi, digital payment options, and even facial recognition software-powered terminals so that regulars are always treated as such. This edition of Trendz is full of examples of retail destinations putting the emphasis on the social aspect of consumer marketing, both on-site and on social media, to enhance their shopping environments and event rosters, as well as offer community-inspired and therefore more authentic extensions of shoppers' lifestyles. From Aventura Mall's arts and culture-infused campaign to La Palmera's multi-generational club program, they demonstrate the power of in-situ and in lifestyle context marketing. They all point to one inescapable reality: Even the most efficient transaction-focused customers are craving more meaningful interactions, no matter how brief. It's time to get (more) social. Myriam Beaugé Editor-in-Chief, Mall Media Inc. [email protected] UNITED STATES PMB 4416, 250 H St. Blaine, WA 98230 toll free: 1-800-665-2115 AUSTRALIA toll free anywhere phone: [phone] fax: [phone] UNITED KINGDOM toll free anywhere phone: [phone] fax: [phone] Trendz is published monthly by Mall Media Inc. Printed on recyclable paper Printed in Hong Kong Canadian Publications mail product sales agreement 40030424 Member ICSC MIND THE GAP To beat the midweek blues, Currambine Central says ditch the dishes This June, Currambine Central (Currambine, Australia) introduced “Why Cook Wednesdays?” and encouraged shoppers to “leave the kitchen clean and get through hump day” by tasting, treating, and taking away. With a strong food and beverage presence (approximately 40 percent of the tenant roster) and supermarkets as anchors, the center is always looking to engage customers with their taste buds in mind. “It’s been a great opportunity to bring customers in for Wednesday night dinner, but it’s also helped to lift the profile of what’s on offer at Currambine Central every day of the week,” shared center manager, Aaron Bennet. Tying together Cheap Tuesday (at the cinema) and late-night shopping on Thursday, the one-month, center-wide promotion expanded Currambine Central’s weekly dose of deals. With many retailers having already acknowledged the midweek gap, “Why Cook Wednesdays?” organically evolved from a variety of Wednesday specials. Leading up to the launch, to show more midweek love, the marketing team approached other retailers to join the campaign. PAGE : 2 These are the marketing goals that the center set: • To close an identified gap in the market • To attract shoppers on a specific day of the week • To support and raise awareness within the F&B category • To share with customers the offers available every day of the week • T  o make Currambine Central a destination for local dining (both via in-center and take-away options) • To improve authentic Facebook engagement “We identified social media as the most effective channel for this campaign to gain traction with our target demographic. We also engaged local radio to help spread the word and drive social media visitation,” Bennet said, adding that the overall Facebook reach was more than 40,000 in targeted areas. Due to the success of “Why Cook Wednesdays?,” the campaign extended into the next month. On the second day of the promotion, one eatery reported that not only did it experience an increase in sales, but also it had sold more gourmet sandwiches than ever before as part of its special.