Blending the app world with the physical

Client

VANS

Location

London, in-app & social media

Services

Consumer insights, customer journey planning, retail & experience strategy, brand campaigns & activations, phygital integration, prototyping, manufacturing & installation

Brief

As stores around the world reopened their doors following lockdown, retailers had an opportunity to re-evaluate the purpose of physical stores to meet evolved consumer mindsets and expectations. Leading that trend was VANS, who wanted to do something different to mark the opening of the Oxford Street flagship store by blending the VANS family app with the physical retail experience, while meeting social distancing guidelines for safety. To achieve this, we created a phygital activation that put the game-changing loyalty app at the heart of the customer journey to increase footfall, drive app sign ups and amplify brand awareness across social channels, all while limiting physical touch.

The space is punctuated by Instagrammable moments that can be captured and uploaded to the app and social media to unlock loyalty points.

Approach

This unique activation allowed customers to interact with installation pieces using their phones to unlock hidden app features including photo-sharing instore in exchange for loyalty points, a digital scavenger hunt around the store to secure exlusive VANS swag and competitions with prizes including a Spotify subscription. The design oozes the creativity and thinking that personifies the ‘Off the Wall’ mentality of the brand wrapped up in a Summer festival aesthetic to recreate the festival vibes that the World missed out on due to the pandemic.

We designed the ‘Magic Mirror’ - an installation that simulates human connection while adhering to social distancing policies. The result is an abstract ‘together as one’ visual mashup that shows your reflection mixed with the image of another person.

Results

The activation was one of a kind, exclusively for VANS’ flagship store on Oxford Street. The experience successfully delivered on its objectives of driving footfall, increasing in-store spend and amplifying brand awareness across social channels, while creating a significant spike in sign-ups to the VANS Family app which now sits at over eight million global members.

To encourage people to venture beyond the immersive activation which took over the decompression area at the front of the store, the campaign flowed into the shop floor with an interactive scavenger hunt that seamlessly blends the digital and physical worlds.