EDITOR'S LETTER
A TOUCH OF GREEN
Bicycle commuters have gone from fringe to
mainstream over the past few years. Just look at
the number of big brands that are beginning to pay
very close attention to them, introducing products
and services to support their environmentally
friendly lifestyles. Among them is Levi's, which
recently celebrated the launch of its Commuter
range, a line of clothing made specifically for
cyclists and which features waterproof fabrics,
reflective turn-ups and lots of hidden pockets to
hold those handy little bike tools. To debut the
line at Boxpark, the London shipping container
pop-up mall, Levi's opened its own temporary
Bike Shop.
Open daily from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., the shop
offered bike commuters a surprisingly wide range
of services, including general bike maintenance
and advice, as well as products such as Ice Wax
chain lube and Pedros Green Fizz bike wash.
The marketing goal behind these efforts: to help
re-set shoppers' minds and get them to see Levi's
as more than a jeans apparel brand.
This Bike Shop was a spring promotional stunt,
but that kind of green living-inspired strategy
can be applied throughout the year, including
the holiday season.
In this edition, for example, we have a story on
Midsummer Place, which last December erected
the UK's first shopper-powered kinetic Christmas
tree (get the info on page 43).
And there's a lot more that you can do to embrace
your shoppers' new way of living. Here are a
few ideas:
• Use energy-efficient lighting to brighten up
your mall halls, and encourage tenants to do
the same.
• Use your website and social media channels to
share information on how consumers can enjoy
a more sustainable holiday season at home.
In our next edition, we'll highlight a few more
festive ideas in Part Two of our holiday program
coverage. Then we'll leave traditional holiday
coziness to dive head first into digital shopping
center marketing with our annual Technology
Edition. We'll also take a look back at ICSC's
European conferences and highlight the winners
of this year's European Shopping Centre Awards
and Solal Marketing Awards.
Myriam Beaugé
VIDEO
• Hold a holiday market showcasing organic
foods from local suppliers and decorations
made from recycled and/or eco-friendly
materials.
• Use low-emission vehicles for your shopping
shuttles and to drive Santa to/from your
property and around town.
Selfridges recently promoted the Levi's Commuter range online.
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