“The great thing about bonfires is they bring a community of people together around something powerful. And that’s what we’re trying to do in retail,” said Kevin Ervin Kelley, principal of strategy and design firm Shook Kelley, during a Fancy Food 24/7 educational session, Wednesday.
Using something called the bonfire effect, Shook Kelley works with companies to create a physical experience where people feel emotionally connected to the space and its occupants because of a sense of shared values, purpose, and identity.
“Think about places like Rockefeller Center in New York City, or the Grove shopping center in Los Angeles,” Kelley said. “People aren’t just there to shop, there are there to experience something … something that can’t be bought online.”
Building a Brand Bonfire
Kelley shared the five steps to creating shopping experiences that draw customers in and keep them engaged.
1. Build a dashboard
While many companies monitor their financial health, Kelley believes that keeping an eye on brand health and vitality is just as important, specifically focusing on what the brand means, how customers experience it, and how it helps customers.
“As brands, we’re not always clear about the problems we solve,” he noted.
2. Engage the senses
The more senses you engage, the more memorable an experience becomes, suggested Kelley. Whether the product is a chocolate bar, a tire, or a service, shoppers need to be able to understand how it will tangibly fit into their lives.
3. Change the form and shape
“Consumers have preconceived notions about what a shopping experience offers them,” said Kelley. “We try to jolt them out of these expectations.”
While working with Thorntons, a gas station and convenience store chain that operates in six states in the South and Midwest, Shook Kelly developed a prototype concept that communicated the store’s focus on fresh, on-the-go offerings in an optimistic, fun, lighthearted way.
In the new store formats, customer counts rose 36 percent and food unit sales grew by at least 15 percent. In addition, drink unit sales increased 81 percent and fuel sales grew 26 percent.
4. Set the scene
The retail experience should be like a movie, shared Kelley. Many stores are planned out on floor plans from above; but that’s not how shoppers experience the store.
“Think of your store as a series of scenes,” he said. “Edit them and make sure they are all connected together. The goal is to keep consumers engaged.”
5. Define a compelling experiential value proposition
With online shopping becoming easier and more convenient for consumers, brands need to make the in-store experience a destination, rather than a chore.
“You need to make it worth the work it takes to get to your store,” Kelley said. “Something beyond the commodity you’re offering.”
Making shopping a more leisurely, recreational activity elevates it beyond a simple transactional experience, he noted.
Related: Shook Kelley Co-Founder Discusses Future of Retail; Masoni of OSU's Food Innovation Center Talks Foodtech.
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