RETAIL BY DESIGN by: TERRY WATERHOUSE
Terry Waterhouse is one of the founding Directors of Red Goodss Ltd. a multidisciplinary design consultancy based in Hong Kong specializing in Retail Design and implementation Consultancy who are solely focused on Asia-Pacific retail market
Column
Why is creativity & imagination important in retail business today?
1ST QUARTER
Albert Einstein said‘ Logic gets you from A to B. Imagination gets you everywhere’. And if you want to be a successful retailer in the 21st century, getting from A to B is no longer good enough.
From the mundane to the extraordinary – inspiration, to many of us, is a mysterious force that compels us to create, design and invent beyond the ordinary – propelling us towards the best possible versions of ourselves.
Creative Inspiration in Retail
A lot of meaning is attributed to artists, writers, and innovators. However – it’ s easy to dismiss creative inspiration in retail as frivolous or without meaning. Contrary to what many think, inspiration doesn’ t always come from thin air.
The world’ s creative innovators are inspired by a combination of their circumstances, their psychology, and their life choices.
Some of the world’ s most popular brands work in the same way. Brands come from inspiration – and some are certifiable works of art. Yet they’ re also born out of years of research and theorizing. Thus, brands( and the artists who create them) have the ability to be inspired – but also to inspire. This cycle of creativity and inspiration carries through to consumers both during the process of purchase, but also beyond the shopping centre.
For example, a successful brand of baby milk might inspire young families to pur-chase by creatively engaging in their psychological and emotional desire for their child to maintain growth and brain development.
In fashion, consumers are inspired by designers to create their own unique looks that extend into how they define themselves and live their lifestyle, from their profession to their personality.
Human creativity is unique and cannot be truly replicated. So we cannot say that the process of becoming creatively inspired is really any different or less valid in a retail environment than it is in an art gallery.
People value more what things mean than what they are. And when it comes to the retail environment, merchandisers and consumers themselves, creative inspiration is a huge and important part of a package that shouldn’ t be dismissed.
An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent and attitude that rubs against it.
Over the last decades, innovation and creativity have become critical skills for achieving success in developed economies. The need for creative problem solving has arisen as more and more management problems require creative insights in order to find suitable solutions.
Creativity goes hand in hand with innovation. And there is no innovation without creativity. While creativity is the ability to produce new and unique ideas, innovation is the implementation of that creativity- that’ s the introduction of a new idea, solution, process, or product. Creativity is the driving force behind innovation and the incorporation of looking at things from a different perspective and freedom of restrictions by rules and written or unwritten norms.
Why is creativity & imagination important in Retail business?
Old habits die hard. Albert Einstein said Insanity is“ Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.
Creativity, imagination and innovation within well-run companies have always been recognized as a sure path to success.
Stimulating creativity and exploring completely new and unknown before territories lead as result to increasing the productivity. Encouraging the employees to think outside of the box and giving them time and resources to explore new areas for innovative ideas is the key to cost-effective business solutions.
Creative ideas and innovative approaches can come from almost anywhere from your partners, customers, target groups, employees and consultants. They can bring you fresh perspectives and ideas, so show them that you’ re listening and open to their feedback. That’ s why it is important to have an open exchange of ideas that will be supported and encouraged by the company.
With a new year comes change. New retail trends. New consumer behavior and demands. New tools and technologies to incorporate. New opportunities.
And with all that is new, retailers are forced to adapt to meet demand and stay ahead of the competition.
We are living in uncertain times, the world is changing, resilience and creative solutions are now going much more needed than ever before.
It’ s important that a holistic approach to creativity is adopted considering all the up and coming trends in the market.
Here are ten trends that are forecasted for 2017.
1. Treat Media as the Store, and Store as Media 2. Customers Will Want to Feel at Home 3. Convenience Will Be Key 4. More and More Mobile 5. Investing in the Organisation and Employees 6. Brick-and-Mortar Stores Will Get Smarter 7. The Rise of Cognitive Commerce 8. Look Out for Niche Retailers 9. Retailers Will Enhance Personalization 10. Expect a Digital Shift, Not Transformation
Creativity needs to move at the pace of change. Every day, technologies are con-verging, human behaviors are changing, and the physical and digital worlds are blending. We are no longer about designing just new products; retailers need to think holistically about the entire customer experience.
Retailers need to be the creative translators of insights into solutions, brands, and designers must actively work to apply design thinking to problem-solving to stay in step with the complexities of the world today and the changes. Of course, this impacts the resources, the tools we use, processes we drive, the materials and technologies we apply, and ultimately … the experiences we create.
Retail life cycles are getting shorter and harder to sustain growth. It’ s time to revitalize and regenerate you retail business through creativity.
It’ s just as much about thinking in the BOX as out the Box to create relevant new solutions that will keep your brand & business alive.
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The Philippine Retailing is the official quarterly newsletter of the Philippine Retailers Association with office at 2607 / 2610 Jollibee Plaza F. Ortigas Jr. Road( formerly Emerald Ave.) Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Philippines
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BM Miranda Circulation Manager
Newspaper Editorial Board
Evelyn Balmeo-Salire Editor-in-Chief
Mayan Sangil Catherine Nanta
Paul Payongayong Graphic Designer
Managing Editors
Yayu Javier • Darrell Wisbey • Terry Waterhouse Contributors