A new year brings excitement with the possibility of a fresh start and expectations to meet new horizons. There’s no exception to this notion when it comes to marketing and branding for retailers. Promotional marketing must stay in touch with what's hot for the new year and what could turn your reoccurring campaigns into branding home runs. The possibilities are endless when considering how promotional marketing could reinvent and promote retail brands in the new year.
One theme that will be evident in 2017 is the pressure for companies to stay on top of not only product trends in the retail space, but also on purchasing trends from consumers. The retail space is not necessarily in line with cutting edge technology in terms of an Amazon like ordering experience. However, that makes for a more hands on approach for retailers to provide clients. Many consumers today are craving a boutique, locally grown and homemade-feel while purchasing and want to feel more educated about their purchases.
Through a consultative shopping experience, customers are more likely to have positive feelings about receiving informative assistance during their time inside a store.
Key elemental trends taking over the retail space include:
Consistent Branding through promotional products and sales materials.
Emphasis on retailers to provide consistency through all marketing channels (collateral, tags, packaging) making consumers more likely to trust the brand.
Promotional products chosen as a vehicle to represent retailer’s brands should be in line with their theme, look and feel.
Warm Color Tones in stores: warm and inviting colors that are both calming and invite a sense of openness and clarity to the shopping experience.
Flattering Lighting: Setting the tone and directing the way the purchasing experience makes the customer feel.
“Enter mood marketing. In order to create unique buying experiences for their target audiences, retail will evolve to a branded environment that inspires interaction, not only by highlighting products, but by involving consumers and by making them feel good at the same time. Employees will be the cornerstone of the shopper experience.” – 5 creative trends that will dominate 2017, Max Heirbaut
We believe this year you will see retail brands pay more attention to how they are treating a customer – valued, special, unique – thus, instilling in them confidence that their purchase from that retailer was a wise decision. Consumers should expect to see more gifts with purchase, transparent cost savings, frequent shopping rewards and retailers giving back to their community. Clients will feel more appreciated and in turn be more perceptive to purchasing more frequently from local retailers. The experience inside individual stores will provide a more personal touch to the consumer, after all, how much interaction can be made with a drone dropping off your latest purchase?