In this 2-part blog series, we’ve been exploring the topic of exceptionalism as it relates to creating a custom POP display. We all know mediocrity when we see it- me-too, ho-hum, so what. Similarly, we know exceptionalism the instant we see it. Think about the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, landing on the moon for the first time in 1969, and Michael Phelps’ 8 gold medals and 7 world records at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics- all indisputable examples of exceptionalism. In Part I of this series, we introduced the 2 primary attributes of exceptionalism: (1) uniqueness, and (2) superiority. We discussed how brands that seek to be exceptional in the world of brick-and-mortar retail must find ways to stand out from the competition as well as be better than the competition. If you missed Part I of our series, you can check it out here. When it comes to custom POP displays, exceptionalism is both a worthy and an achievable goal. In Part I we looked at 5 examples of exceptional POP displays. Today we’ll share 4 additional examples.
Guayaki Yerba Mate Floor Display.Despite the growing concern over global warming and climate change as well as the widespread adoption of environmental sustainability on the part of brands and retailers, it remains difficult to point to many examples of eco-friendly POP displays. There has been far less innovation, less industry investment, and less of an appetite for “sustainability spending” on the part of individual brands, particularly when it comes to permanent displays.
One example that we would categorize as exceptional is a visually attractive, highly functional, eco-friendly, sustainable floor display we created for Guayaki Yerba Mate. As you might expect, Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products, Inc. has a corporate mission that is tied to conservation, sustainability, and environmental regeneration. When we began working with Guayaki to develop a sustainable floor display for its line of Yerba Mate Teas, the company’s unwavering commitment to all things eco-friendly became clear very quickly, starting with the core materials all the way down to the packaging.
We created this 1-sided, 5-shelf floor display which features a relatively small footprint, a 10-case carrying capacity, and brand-building graphics. We chose Beetle Kill Pine as the core material for this display. Over the last 20-25 years, invasive Mountain Pine Beetles have devasted millions of acres of pine forest and billions of trees across North America. Much of the beetle kill wood goes to landfills, but there are opportunities to repurpose the wood to create retail displays whose structural integrity remains sound for 8-10 years.
For the shelf bottoms, we used regionally-sourced, eco-friendly plywood made of post-harvest rice straw waste. The plywood was lightweight, strong, and had remarkable performance characteristics. We gave careful consideration to the material choice we used for the signs as well. After testing numerous materials such as recycled polycarbonate, we ended up selecting recycled acrylic. Not only was the material recycled, but it could also be recycled again. For the shelf fences, we used wire since metal is another recyclable material. Finally, the packaging material consisted of 100% recycled paper-based packing wrap and a corrugated box.
Club Nirvana Mall Kiosk. We categorized the Club Nirvana Mall Kiosk shown above as exceptional for very different reasons than the Guayaki display. For starters, this kiosk was designed to sell CBD and health/wellness products in a high-foot traffic setting within a mall environment. We created a kiosk design that was well lit and visually appealing as well has highly functional. This combination made it unique among other kiosks at the malls in which it was placed.
The kiosk featured primarily MDF and wood construction with acrylic accents. The main structure included a countertop on two sides with inside locking storage. We incorporated generous amounts of LED lighting in the main kiosk cabinets, the overhead structure, and the upper branded lightbox.
A signature part of the design was the clear acrylic panel on which we printed a wavy pattern to create interest. We used the acrylic panel to support floating wood shelves which were used to display Club Nirvana’s product line.
We also included 3D laser-cut acrylic logos to help build brand recognition of the Club Nirvana brand. We built in two 43” touchscreen digital media players which not only served to draw attention to the kiosk, but they provided a way for shoppers to learn about Club Nirvana’s product line interactively without the assistance of a salesperson. Finally, we incorporated 6 iPad stands that could be used by customers to order products and execute payment transactions.
The combination of an overall visually appealing structure, ample lighting, clear and consistent branding, clean merchandising space, digital media with self-service functionality, and self-service payment transition capability made this mall kiosk exceptional.
Wild Turkey Event Kiosk. Much of the foundation for building a brand takes place outside of retail stores through social media initiatives, advertising and PR, eCommerce, events, and other marketing programs. As a part of these grassroots activities, we designed and fabricated an event kiosk for Wild Turkey Distilling Co. to be used at a variety of whiskey festivals and events.
Like any retail POP display, we designed this event kiosk to catch the attention of busy attendees while also reinforcing the brand. We started with the bar since a great way to attract customers is to let them try the product. We created a large cabinet structure on wheels with recessed lighting in the front, an interchangeable direct-printed wood sign, a solid surface countertop, an ice tub, and rear cabinets with ample storage.
We also designed a backdrop structure that included lighted shelving, a center panel with a large direct-printed Turkey, a branded header sign, gooseneck lamps, and a large digital media player that played a continuous looping video featuring Matthew McConaughey, the celebrity face of the brand.
All of the visual elements and finishes of the kiosk were designed to communicate the unique heritage and essence of the brand. We also needed to create a highly functional and durable structure that could partially knock down and be transported safely from event to event in a set of shipping crates. The Wild Turkey kiosk stood out from other kiosks and was highly effective in telling the brand’s unique story.
Tieman’s Coffee Display. At first glance, the Tieman’s Coffee display we designed may not seem an obvious choice to be categorized as “Exceptional.” Sure, it’s a nice display, but is it really worthy of exceptionalism? The answer is an emphatic yes. The display’s aesthetics, functionality, branding, mobility, versatility, and durability are all part of this display’s DNA, but what makes it exceptional is its economic performance. Exceptional economic performance is the ultimate goal of every brand.
The Tieman’s display included numerous best-practice design elements. First, it had a small footprint which helped Sprouts maximize sales per square foot- a key metric for retailers. Second, its pre-finished birch plywood construction was built for durability. Even after 9 years of abuse, the display looked great. Third, it was mobile and was moved around the store frequently to boost impulse sales. Fourth, it featured effective story-telling graphics. As a relatively unknown brand competing against the likes of Starbucks, Tieman’s used graphics to quickly introduce its ultra smooth, flavor-rich, nutrient-dense, and low-in-acid coffee. The graphics were also designed to be interchangeable, which is another proven way to extend the life of a display.
With respect to performance, during the first few months, the display increased sales 500% (6-fold) over its historical sales when it shared crowded shelf space with other competing brands. Furthermore, the display paid for itself in 9 days, outsold Starbucks 17:1, and generated a 3400% return on investment in the first year. So, for each dollar Tieman’s invested in the display, the company received $3400 in profits. What’s remarkable is the impact of longevity on ROI. If we conservatively assume constant profit margins and no growth in sales from Year 1, the display has generated over a 30,000% return on investment. So, each dollar invested in the display has generated an amazing $30,000 in profit.
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The difference between ordinary and extraordinary, good and great, and mediocre and exceptional is huge. Succeeding in a crowded and highly competitive brick-and-mortar retail environment requires not only effective brand story telling but also highly differentiated and competitively superior merchandising.