Shopping the Experience: IIDA NY Retail Forum

Last week in New York people gathered for the IIDA (International Interior Design Association) Retail Committee’s fourth annual Retail Forum at Carl Hansen & Søn’s Park Avenue showroom to discuss about how to explore the consumer interest in a shared experience over simply purchasing product.

Consumers, especially millennial’s typically aren’t interested in brand heritage and legacy. What sparks theirs and other interests is a total package, which may not always result in a purchased product, but more an overall experience. Whether it be a branded sponsored event, a free yoga class or an instructive seminar the takeaway is more than an actual product.

The event was a full-house success with Chief Pop-up Architect from The Lionesque Group, Melissa Gonzalez, moderating the collaborative discussion and the committee chair composed of Kambiz Hemati, VP of Design at Footlocker; Tom Pulk, SAVP Retail Design at CallisonRTKL; Shannon Moon, Store Design Manager at Charlotte Tilbury and Stephen Kuhl, Co-Founder & CEO at Burrow.

The discussion focused mostly on how producing events and work-out sessions to engage prospective clients is the key to create community and brand loyalty through shared culture experiences; and increasingly brands are shifting their focus to a more user interactive holistic approach!

Keep an eye out for the next IIDA event at: http://www.iida.org/

Courtesy of CallisonRTKL