Retailers and food operators are finding it harder to find new locations with strong growth potential, as much of the population growth is happening in congested urban centers, and the majority of great locations are already occupied. This phenomenon is not limited to North America, as many countries have too many stores, and are seeing […]
Renovate or Relocate? Six Things to Consider Read More »
Retail is taking a turn down a curious alley. Many brands are opening retail concept stores that defy all logic by having nothing for sale. From pop-up shops, to “guide-shops,” to showrooms where customers can play with the latest products in a branded environment, retailers are suddenly feeling oddly comfortable pushing less sales and more
Why Experience Stores are on the Rise Read More »
Does the design of your store or restaurant reflect your brand’s personality? Or is it out of sync with the message that you want to convey? Retail design is a physical representation of a brand that shapes customer experiences. Lighting, color, materials, fixtures, layout, commercial retail graphics, and digital signage all influence perceptions and express
Using Retail Design to Bring Your Brand to Life Read More »
Ah, Millennials: the fabled generation that every company is attempting to reach. Expected to surpass baby boomers in size by 2019, Millennials (also known as Generation Y, Me and Peter Pan, to name a few) are reaching their prime spending years. The impact that they will have on the economy has marketers frothing at the
Best Practices to Attract Millennials to Your Brand Read More »
The subscription trend began online with platforms like Netflix and Spotify, companies that provided access to information over the internet. As delivery costs drop and customers become more comfortable with e-commerce, e-retailers have begun successfully using subscriptions to sell everything from shaving supplies to groceries. Clever bricks-and-mortar retailers are getting in on the action by
Will Subscriptions Work for Traditional Retailers? Read More »
The importance of customer personas is becoming increasingly recognized as personalization becomes more possible, and specificity wins sales. But how exactly do you develop customer personas, and how detailed should they be? In this whitepaper we describe the process of developing personas and explain how to communicate them to your team. Fill out the form
Is Your Business Targeting the Right Personas? Read More »
In my book, Desire by Design, I cover in great length the power of fans in driving desire for brands. What I have learned over the many years of helping brands remain relevant is the fact that for any brand, whether it’s toothpaste or a new high-end car, having brand ambassadors promoting your product is
How to Convert Customers into Brand Ambassadors Read More »
With over 35 years of experience in the design and branding industry, Shikatani Lacroix’s president, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, has gained invaluable expertise across a wide range of disciplines. Jean-Pierre has compiled some of these insights into a new book, Desire by Design: What Data-Driven Marketers Should Know About Driving Desire for their Brands, which is now
Desire by Design Available for Pre-Order Read More »
In anticipation of his forthcoming book, Desire by Design: What Data-Driven Marketers Should Know About Driving Desire for their Brands, Jean-Pierre Lacroix recently hosted a webinar in partnership with the Registered Graphic Designers of Canada (RGD). The webinar was exclusive to RGD members, but is now available for anyone who is interested in watching. In the
Watch Jean-Pierre Lacroix’s RGD Webinar Read More »
Standing out on shelf is one of the key factors that will determine the success of a package design. However, with so many products competing for the consumer’s attention, it’s becoming harder to stand out. Whether designing for a well-known product that already has cachet, or introducing an entirely new offering, it’s critical that a
Learning from Trends in Disruptive Packaging Design Read More »
Every industry, from trucking to healthcare, is being disrupted by non-traditional competitors, or by direct competitors that have reinvented their business model. To ensure relevancy, it is critical to create effective strategies and to understand the driving factors fuelling this disruption. Disruption happens in two different varieties, each driven by specific dynamics in the marketplace.
Emerging Industry Disruption Trends and New Business Models Read More »
Disruptive forces have been causing chaos in virtually every industry, and the retail world has been staggering to catch up. Some brands are ahead of the curve, innovating and growing while others still have some work to do. In this whitepaper we will explore some trends that are challenging current value propositions in order of
Four Disruptive Trends that Will Threaten Your Brand’s Relevancy Read More »
It is estimated by the UN that by 2050, two-thirds of the world’s population will live in urban areas. This shift will affect shopping patterns as these densely populated urban environments influence their residents’ behavior; they are, after all, quite different than the less compact suburban and rural spaces. In communities with a high population
Packaging for City Life Read More »
Your product is not your product anymore. Your brand experience is the real product you are selling. The good or service your customers pay for makes up one part of that experience – but increasingly, what makes a brand stand out is something quite different. An immersive experience is one that wows customers and at
Why Retail Brands Need Cross-Functional Thinking Read More »
Robots, chatbots, virtual reality, and geofencing are some of the hottest new tech trends that retailers are testing out — but how do you know what’s just a fad and what investment will deliver lasting results? Retailers know they need digital experiences, but at the current pace of change it’s easy to put the cart
How Digital Can Help Employees Deliver Better Service Read More »
Getting what you want from your design agency can sometimes feel like a game of Broken Telephone – you think you’re being clear and helpful, the creative team thinks they’re offering solutions that work, but at the end of the day, the final deliverables aren’t quite right and no one knows who is to blame.
Write So Designers Will Listen: 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Design Brief Read More »
In the spring of 2018, we conducted an online study as a precursor to a more extensive NXT branch of the future neuroscience and VR study. The goal of this research is to better understand customers’ definition and perceived value of an immersive experience across a wide range of retailers. Fill out the form below
Retail Immersive Experience Defined Read More »
If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it makes sense that ugliness should be as well. However, some brands are almost universally regarded as unappealing when compared to competitors. Many of those ugly packages, websites, and environments develop cult followings from loyal customers, much to the frustration of brand managers who pour their
In partnership with Cineplex Digital Media, we hosted our first Executive Breakfast Summit on April 10 in Toronto. President Jean-Pierre Lacroix, and Fab Stanghieri, General Manager of Cineplex Digital Media discussed “The Changing Physical and Digital Consumer Landscape.” At Cineplex Digital Media, they believe screens have the power to revolutionize how the world does business. When used to their
SLD Hosts First Executive Breakfast Summit Read More »
Experts often define the future of retail by the digital innovations shaking up the industry. But those definitions fail to consider the most important factor: how customers feel about the shopping experience. James Cook, Americas Director of Research, Retail, at JLL, sat down with Shikatani Lacroix president Jean-Pierre Lacroix to discuss the information behind “Bagged
Bagged or Boxed? The Future of Retail Read More »
