Five Ways to Increase Your Brand's Visual Impact

People always ask me how to create fabulous displays...
but the truth is, your visual impact as a business
starts BEFORE you ever put products in your store.

When I work with clients to design their retail environments and displays,

I start with this principle: ‘Tell Your Own Story’ in all visual communications.

Make your brand a consistent expression of your business’ individual mission, purpose, style, and products or services – and then leverage that brand by using it in every visual medium at your disposal. This is the main opportunity for you to show your potential customers why YOU are different than others – be proud of your individuality and build on it.

Let me explain that concept this way: Have you ever tasted a Cabernet wine?

If you were to taste one each from Walla Walla, Yakima, Horse Heaven Hills, Indian Wells – all regions in the Eastern half of Washington state – you’d find that not all Cabernets are created equally. The vineyards each have distinct variations in soil content, rainfall, sun exposure, and other conditions, which cause the vines to grow grapes that have vastly different sugar and acid levels, affecting their taste (‘palate’). When harvested and fermented, those variances result in wine that is unique to that grape varietal in that particular location – a Cabernet from Walla Walla is not like a Cabernet from Yakima, or Italy, or France, or Napa, or anywhere else. Your business is not like any other – no matter what you sell, you’re unique because of all of the distinct variations and characteristics that make up your business.

In the wine industry, this concept is called ’Terrior’ (Tehr WAH) – loosely translated, it means ‘Pride of Place’. Or, ‘I’m a proud product of where I come from’. Wineries utilize this concept in the marketing and positioning of their businesses within the industry and to the consumer, by capitalizing on the uniqueness of their terrior. They combine their location, history, resources, processes, mission, and ultimately their product, to create a brand identity that Tells Their Own Story. It’s much the same concept as selling designer jeans or mineral makeup or floral design services – your competition is selling the same basic thing, and it’s your brand image that talks. Be a proud product of ‘where you come from’!

continue reading for steps you can take to implement this information...

before & after: retail display solutions

A successful retail display doesn't just happen.

it is the result of a combination of knowing the science of retail principles

and the art of composition and placement. 

Both combine to create a 3D work of art that invites customers in - 

and results in sales of product.

There are some retail display design principles that are oh-so-perfectly illustrated

by the following 'before and after shots',

and to discuss them means that I have to critique the 'befores'.

So while I point out all of the flaws in the design below,

know that I realize someone worked hard putting it together...

they just didn't know the most effective way to do so.

continue reading as i describe what was wrong -
and how easily those challenges were addressed...

Fall Display ReSet: Play By Play

Ever heard of 'The Domino Effect'?

Hmmmn, sounds like a spy movie title, doesn't it?!

A former visual merchandising manager of mine used this term a lot. 

It refers to what happens when you undertake a retail display re-set: 

Start moving product from one area, and you have to find a place to put it. 

That means you have to change another area.....and so on, and so on, and so on. 

One thing moves, everything is affected - just like dominoes standing on end in rows. 

It can easily get completely out of control and come crashing down around you. 

A plan is essential. (Working at night after the shop is closed is helpful, too!)

When I was providing visual merchandising services to the Hogue Cellars retail shop,
I did a lot of seasonal re-sets of merchandise and fixtures.
Here's a play-by-play of one of the FALL re-sets - 

which will hopefully inspire you to make similar changes in your own stores.

Step 1: Walk in and survey the shop. Look at stock levels, placement, visual impact.
Step 2: Survey the storage area. Look at backstock quantities, types of merchandise, props, etc.
Step 3: Make a quick plan for where to start, what's new, what moves where, etc.

Of course, the shop was small, so it took no more than 15 minutes to make a plan....

at Columbia, where the retail floor space was more than five times larger, 

I'd spend at least two days drawing a floorplan and sketches of each display setup, 

plus a 'map' of the progression of displays to be changed - in order of attack. 

That helps to keep the mess to a minimum.

Step 4: Begin moving merchandise and re-styling displays.

There are several steps to THIS step, such as:
 

A. Empty one display area - merchandise on one set of fixtures - 

and place it on carts, or the counter, or the tasting bar.

B. Clean the fixtures!

C. Remove merchandise from a second display area - or unbox NEW merchandise - 

and CLEAN IT!

D. Place the second area/new merchandise into the first set of fixtures.

E.Style the display in a way that is DIFFERENT than it was styled before...

mix it up with new products and colors to make it look fresh and new again!

F. Clean the SECOND set of fixtures!

G. Repeat. Again and Again and Again. 

Note: ALWAYS clean the fixtures! ALWAYS clean the merchandise!

Here's how the summer-to-fall merchandise display progression worked at Hogue:

The back wall shelves looked like this ^

The main merchandise on them was grape motif items:

They moved across the shop to the window area, which previously looked like this:

After being loaded with the other merchandise and re-styled, it looked like this:

Close up

Can you see how the new display arrangement and the fixtures here 

make the merchandise look completely different?!
.

The merchandise from this display:

...was moved onto the shelf units where the grape merchandise had been:

The warm color here was a huge visual pull from the front doors...

much more so than the subtle palette of the grape motif merchandise that was here before.
It's a more contemporary pattern, and looks great in squared placements on these shelves.

The central display that previously looked like this

was stocked with brand new merchandise, to look like this:

A rearrangement of some of the fixtures 

allowed me to place the branched candleabra up high in the display, 

accentuating both the height and theme, because it looks rather 'tree-like'. 

This product was one of my favorites that season - 

it was fun to work with, and sold like wildfire in both wineries.

In the large oak cabinet to the left of that display was all of the glassware:

In the new display, the existing logo glass stayed 

(though in lesser quantities than before)

and large format bottles of wine were added, for contrast and scale.
Wine boxes were utilized as risers, and the graphic logos on them really punched up the display!

Clear glassware is BORING and needs color and contrast to make it stand out - 

and light to make it sparkle. 

The mirrored back of this cabinet reflects the light from the windows

so it's a perfect place for the glass to be shown off: 

Sales of glassware went up IMMEDIATELY!

The bank of shelves behind the register island held various food products:

Not much changed, because keeping the 'staples' consistent makes it easier to stock them

AND it ensures that customers coming in for specific food & wine accessories

can always find them easily.

A new Halloween product display was installed on the small counter 'feature area':

Corralling the Halloween-specific merchandise in one area 

made it easy to change that up on November 1st, so the shop looked fresh.

Behind the Scenes:
I can't even TELL you how much laughter was exchanged during the night of this reset,

as we discovered boxes upon boxes upon boxes 

of HUNDREDS of orange and black neoprene wine bags in the stock room!
 I guess maybe in Prosser, kids get candy when they trick-or-treat.....and adults get WINE! 

I could get into that!

Maybe a game of dominoes, too... ;) 

.content from this post originally appeared here on my design blog in 2009.

Make It Sparkle for Mother's Day

 Oftentimes, the simplest changes can make the biggest impact in a store or booth...
case in point is how you display your jewelry.  
With Mother's Day approaching, jewelry is high on the 'Hot List' of wanted gifts - 

so make it stand out in your store!

There are hundreds of ways, hundreds of fixtures you can purchase or that are provided by suppliers.
I tend to lean toward simplicity because I like the PRODUCT to be the star of the show.

Jewelry is such a small product, in a small scale, that making a visual impact with it is difficult.
I've posted about how to present your jewelry at shows and jewelry in windows before,

but recently I saw two ways to present delicate jewelry that sparked my interest....

The first, shown in the photos above and below, 

is a way to update those black velvet jewelry forms that seem to be in every store around... 

I saw this in the gift shop of the Mission San Luis Rey, California:
simply wrap them up in some thin cotton muslin fabric, stapling as you go to create a smooth look.

The result is a neutral background that helps bounce light (instead of absorbing it, as black does)

that will set off jewelry in any tone.
I've seen new versions made with burlap - but burlap is a tough fabric to try a DIY project with.
Note that these light-colored forms are placed inside a dark wood cabinet.
The contrast created contributes to the stand-out effect.

*I recommend this presentation for everything except fine jewelry.

You won't ever do better than using a dark velvet or satin fabric 

as a background for presenting sparkling diamonds and precious stones. 

Shades of black, navy blue, espresso brown, deep emerald, and deep charcoal are best for those products. 

They bring out the sparkle like nothing else can*

The second solution is a DIY one, executed with aplomb and style

by a vendor at the recent JunkBonanza antique show in San Diego, CA.
Sacred Heart Studios created neck forms from salvaged wood - to great effect.

Simply cut shapes from old wood (and the marvelous patina inherent in the grain) 

add stunning texture to displays in this vintage & reclaimed furniture booth, 

bringing the eye directly to the beautiful jewelry made from salvaged metals and findings.

When your jewelry is THIS unique, your props and forms should speak the same language.

She's looking into producing these forms for sale, so check with her website for availability!

What else can you do to freshen up your jewelry displays?

*Bring nature in: branches, bark, rocks, sand, shells, moss/lichen all add texture

and will set off the colors and themes of the jewelry you sell.

*Go for contrast: like the suggestion to pair deep rich velvet with sparkling jewels up above,

think about using matte finish fabrics and surfaces paired with shiny metallic jewelry - 

and vice versa. Use dark color backgrounds with light jewelry, as well as the opposite.

* Imagery Sells: pages pulled from magazines or books will help you 'Tell A Fashion Story':
Pair high fashion shots of shoes, handbags, and dresses with color-coordinated jewelry.
Use the images laying flat, create a collage on the wall behind a jewelry display, and

bend images around vases and boxes to add 3-D effects to the display.
See my ideas for using paper in jewelry displays.

*Sell The Dream: Breakfast at Tiffanys. Need I say more?
Well, YES! See what I have to say about merchandising in the iconic film set.

*Be Original: Use fixtures and props that create and express your brand image.
See what this vintage show vendor did that made me stop in my tracks...
and this vintage show vendor who created a gallery-quality booth.

 and this boutique's unique solutions for presenting such tiny products in a BIG way.

Now you have the tools and ideas to improve your jewelry presentation...
get in there and FOOF IT UP for all of the daughters, sons, husbands, and dads

who are desperately looking for inspiration for a Mother's Day gift!

connect with me on social media:

The Science of Display

The more people I talk with, the more I learn
that MOST retailers are completely mystified by visual merchandising.
They view it as some ethereal and intrinsic skill,
so they usually just 'wing it' or hand over the duty to a staff member -
who is just as likely to 'wing it'.

Yes, you can hire a stylist - like me - to come into your store
and make your displays look fabulous.
And I truly love working with retailers, artisans, and vendors in that way.

But do you know the REASON that I and other stylists can do this?

It's because we know what the science is behind successful merchandising:
We understand what makes customers approach, investigate, and select items.
We understand that display styling is another form of creating a piece of 'art',
just like a still life painting - and the 'rules' of art apply.
We can manipulate space, lighting, perspective, and materials
to create a mood, a theme, a style - an experience.
We can transport your customers to another place... another galaxy, even!

Although it doesn't hurt to have natural abilities in 'the art of arrangement', 
merchandising is a science - and a skill that can be taught and learned.

Let's look at a bit of the 'science of display':

By combining items in a singular theme, with similar colors,
arranging them in a cohesive manner using materials that coordinate with the theme,
and composing a 3-D 'still life' where there is a focal point,
stylists can create successful retail displays that sell your merchandise
AND tell your store's story.

What's the focal point here?
It's the mannequins and art piece up high on the table that the spotlight is shining on.
It can be seen from the entry to the store, catches your eye, and draws you closer.
(Walt called that 'the wienie' - the hot dog. The carrot on a string leading you along.
It's exactly what the Castle over in Disneyland does.)

Along with the main focal point, there are secondary focal points:
The merchandise that is lower in the display, and the wall behind it.
It's all coordinated in theme, color, and presentation style.
It helps make the focal point POP  - instead of distracting from it.

You can see that a specific selection of product is used here,
however there are variations -
Soft-surface tee shirts, pillows, backpacks and hats. Hard-surface art and small souvenirs.
Light colors and dark colors. Square and circular forms.
Matte and shiny finishes on merchandise and fixturing.
All of these combine in the display just as they would in a painting, adding interest.

Successful display is creating a composition, not a table piled with product.

 Look closely at those two side-by-side photos...
I took them at the same location in the D Street store at the Disneyland Resort,
one week apart.
While they may look quite different, they aren't.
The theme is exactly the same in both photos - Star Wars.
The fixtures - tables, racks, mannequins - are identical.
The containers holding small items are identical.
In both cases,  their placement in the display composition is different.
Only the actual product on the mannequins, racks, easel and hat stands have changed.

Take a look at the mechanics of this display,
and see if you can't pick out ways to re-arrange it and make it look different.
Take into account the product on the back wall, too...

These displays change weekly at the Disneyland Resort.
I hear the collective groan of retailers saying 'I don't have TIME for that!'
but once you realize how simple it is just to change a few things
and get a whole new fresh look that will draw customers in,
how can you not MAKE time for it?
Teach your staff HOW to do this. Teach them WHY.
Then give them half an hour a day to make changes in one display...
by the end of each week, you'll have fresh new looks all over your store.
You'll have empowered staff members.
And you'll all have a better understanding of the science of display.

Want to learn MORE about the science of retail?
The ultimate 'bible' of retail is 'Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping'
by retail anthropologist Paco Underhill.
I highly recommend it to all my clients and readers!
(click the title to find it on Amazon)

connect with me on social media:

Slatwall Gets an Upgrade!

Walking through my local Whole Foods, I came upon a new(ish) display -
backed by faux white subway tile slatwall.
Not only is the main effect light, bright, and clean,
which serves to bounce light right onto the merchandise,

but the rails have been minimized by this design and virtually disappear.

Why is that important?
because it makes your merchandise the STAR: eyes go to product, not fixture.

(well, except in MY case, where the first thing I notice in any store is the fixturing!)

Honestly, I despise the old slatwall systems...
the very nearly unpaintable-formica-bonded-to-particle-board slats, 

the scratchy metal grooves that refuse to let brackets slide,

the rigid linear appearance (that screams 1980's to me).

Retail fixturing companies now offer this ubiquitous retail background in more finishes than you can imagine:

Along with urban subway tile, 

you can also find slatwall panels with artistic stylized textures like

barnwood, corrugated metal,  brushed aluminum, mirrored panel, 

brick, slate, diamond plate metal, tire tread, and more!

No matter what your store style statement is, you'll be able to find slatwall
in a pattern/texture/colorway that coordinates and looks like part of the design
instead of leftovers from the last tenant in the building......

It's spring, and a great time to freshen up your store with a new look!
Searching for new retail slatwall and fixtures? Check Here:

AAA Displays
Stamps Store Fixtures

 US Slatwall

 Allen Display 
(non-compensated recommendation -  happy to share the good stuff)

Display One OH One

A successful retail display doesn't just happen.
it is the result of a combination of  knowing the science of retail principles
and the art of composition and placement. 
Both combine to create a 3D work of art that invites customers in - 
and results in sales of product.
Welcome to Retail Display #101, my friends.

There are some retail display design principles that are oh-so-perfectly illustrated
by the following 'before and after shots',
and to discuss them means that I have to critique the 'befores'.
So while I point out all of the flaws in the design below,
know that I realize someone worked hard putting it together...
they just didn't know the most effective way to do so.
That's why the winery called ME in!

Take a peek at Columbia Winery, circa June, 2003:

This display ran front to back on the right side of the winery gift shop.
The view is from the front.
It was made up of approximately 17 different fixtures:
shelves, tables, stands, racks, planters, etc.
I don't have an exact accounting of how many different products were in it,
but I believe it was somewhere near 50.

Not a quantity count of 50 products, but 50 different products in various quantities.
From candles and soap to wine and food and linens and dishes
and glassware and tchotchkes and florals and silver and glass. Whew!

The display from the rear of the shop.
That one single display setup ran the entire length of one side of the shop -
2o feet, to be exact. Yes, the display was 2o feet long.
The shop is approximately 35 feet deep at that point. You do the math.

Ok, so just what are the problems there?

*First off, in either view above, you just don't know where to look.
There is no focal point in the display.

No use of color or scale or theme in the product selection to draw your attention in...
your eye just sort of bounces all over the place trying to find a place to land.

*The mix of fixture styles is distracting.
(oak & glass shelving, maple tables, dark wood shelving, mixed metal stands)
You tend to be overwhelmed by this cacophony of furniture styles,
instead of looking at the products.
Also, putting this many fixtures together creates a wall in the middle of the space -
very overwhelming and detrimental to traffic flow and visibility.
(I now actually refer to this formation as 'the train'!)

*The mix of products is not a good example of 'cross merchandising'.

This is a bunch of varied merchandise filling tables and shelves.
Cross merchandising is judiciously choosing several lines of product that work together
to create a story, mood, serve like purposes, etc.
and arranging it purposefully to show it effectively.

*The props are small in comparison to the fixtures, and they disappear.
(Did you even see the flowers and branches?)
Scale is important, especially when you want to capture attention.
.
Now let me show you some of the displays
that have been placed in that same area of the shop since i took over the visual merchandising:
Columbia Winery, circa Spring 2006:

This display is seen from the front of the shop.
The fixtures/tables all match and are placed in a way
that cascades forward and shows the products at their best.

The props match and are large in scale
(all black metal shelves & planters, with a large grapevine in one).
The color of the props is bright and coordinates with the merchandise
so it draws your eye in while setting a mood.
The merchandise mix is all built around the main products:
wine and the ceramic line.
There are approximately 15 products in this display:
ceramics (2 lines), wine, linens (2 lines), florals (2 types - hydrangeas and grapes),
metal planters, glassware, metal plate pedestals, food (3 lines), books (2 titles), and candles.
This display was approximately 10 feet deep, front to back, and eight feet wide.

Then there was a six foot pathway, and another display setup behind it
(which you can see in the rear left of the photo above.....)

This display is smaller than the one in the front: About 6 foot square.
Again, the fixtures/tables all match ( and cascade to the rear of this display).
The tower on top matches the black iron props/accents.

The green shutter props add color and coordinate with the merchandise(the ceramic plates have artwork of outdoor cafes on them - with awnings and shuttered windows).
The flowers add fresh spring interest.
By limiting the items to a sort of French Bistro theme,
the look remains simple and crisp.

There are about 12 product lines in this display:
ceramics (3 lines), glassware, linens, the iron bike pieces, wine,
florals (2 lines), fondue pots, and food (2 lines).

Columbia Winery, circa winter 2005:

Height is important, as is using color to pull a customer in closer.
That being said, note that the height is in the center of the display area,
not across the entire width of it -
room is left for the eye to focus on this display,
and then look beyond to see what else the space holds.

The stepped placement of the tables helps create levels
that hold products and entice the eye.


Summer, 2006: Wild vibrant color, fun props (sooooooo cheap)and you've got a fiesta.
note: The ceramic ware shown in many of these photos is all from the same line, in varied colors - 
by combining them in new ways along with new linens and accessory ceramics from other lines, 
a whole new look and mood can be created. that drives sales!

Spring 2007: Two separate displays, on new fixtures.
Two stories, different products,
but the colors relate to one another so the effect is not jarring to the eye.
This is the principle of 'adjacencies' - coordinating factors when displays are close together.

One other noticeable thing:
Removing the old dead grapevines overhead and painting the walls a lovely sage green
has made a major visual impact in the shop.
That helps all of the displays look better.
Sometimes you have to bite the bullet and do the big jobs. The expensive jobs.
Trust me, the visual impact will be well worth it.

successful Visual Merchandising is all about presentation, 
and effectiveness is in the details!

let me help you succeed.... email me to get started:
debiwardkennedy@gmail.com