Design > Brand Environment & Experience Design
LOCAL PROJECTS, New York / TARGET / 2017
Overview
Credits
CampaignDescription
Open House is a multipurpose space challenging the notion that only function of a store is to sell products.
First, it's an immersive expression of the brand, solidifying Target's reputation as leader in design and allowing customers to get hands-on with products not available anywhere else.
Second, it's a destination for start-up founders who crave access to a retail environment. With limited supply, most new businesses struggle to engage with big stores like Target who often demand millions of units in order to supply hundreds of stores. Open House solves that problem by making them partners at a single store, rather than mere "vendors."
Third, it's a data-driven marketing and merchandising skunkworks, where Target can explore methods for presenting novel products before rolling them out chain-wide.
Execution
The centerpiece of Open House is a life-size acrylic home brought to life by giant 16-foot projection screens. Visitors use an iPad to self-identify with a lifestyle (ie, Busy Parent or Design Lover), then see and hear stories of how smart products can improve their lives.
The Forum contains one of the largest selections of smart devices in any store. Every product is presented out of the box to encourage hands-on interaction.
At night, it transitions from product display to event space. We designed custom modular furniture and an electronics system which allows 96 wired devices and their tables to be rolled away in a matter of minutes.
The Garage is the part of Open House dedicated to the Internet of Things' bleeding edge, home to prototypes and products not available in any other brick-and-mortar location.
Outcome
The centerpiece of Open House is a life-size acrylic home brought to life by giant 16-foot projection screens. Visitors use an iPad to self-identify with a lifestyle (ie, Busy Parent or Design Lover), then experience stories of how smart products can improve their lives.
The Forum contains one of the largest selections of smart devices in any store. Every product is presented out of the box to encourage hands-on interaction.
At night, it transitions from product display to event space. We designed custom modular furniture and an electronics system which allows 96 wired devices and their tables to be rolled away in a matter of minutes.
The Garage is the area dedicated to the Internet of Things' bleeding edge, home to prototypes and products not available in any other brick-and-mortar location.
Typically Target refreshes its assortment twice a year. At Open House, 16 new products are introduced every month.
Strategy
The strategy was guided by a year of on-site data collection of customers in the space as well as investigation of which insights returned the most value to the Target organization—beyond mere sales per square foot.
As we invited startup founders, we realized they didn’t have access to a physical environment, but saw enormous value in it.
At the same time, Target knew some Smart Home products would be bestsellers, and they wanted a way to move upstream and get early access.
From a brand perspective, the goal was to reinforce perception that Target was a leader—boldly going where no other large retailer dared go, while maintaining a high design sensibility.
This led us to reject the accepted notion that the primary audience of a store is the consumer.
Could a store become a gathering place for customers, vendors and internal stakeholders all at the same time?
Synopsis
nIn 2015, we opened a learning lab in downtown San Francisco for Target to explore ideas for the future of retail. The 3,600 square-foot space was dedicated to the rapidly expanding Internet of Things market.
We were listening not only to see how customers reacted in the space, but also how vendors responded and which insights would be most valuable to various departments at Target, including strategy, innovation, merchandising, marketing and operations.
After a year of research and analysis we redesigned and relaunched Open House—a permanent, fully-operational store—to capitalize on the insights we collected.
With a $2 million budget, the initiative was cheaper than many media buys, but had the potential to create entirely new revenue streams.
More Entries from Sculptural Brand Installation & Experience in Design
24 items
More Entries from LOCAL PROJECTS
21 items